1882. Having awakened, I spoke with spirits about the dream, which had been so vivid that everything appeared as if it were happening in a wakeful state, nor could I imagine otherwise. The spirits were amazed, for they had thought the same thing, that is, that they were awake, and some recognized their own parts that they acted.
I was then told that as seen by some, this is the way those appear who lead a fairly good life, and sometimes had lived outwardly as if play-acting. And the spirits presumed that people who are engaged in theater, and love that kind of life, as well as people like them, that is, who live superficially, resemble such statues, because there is little life in a person's outside parts, and therefore in people like these after death. 1748, 9 April.
1882. Being awakened, I spoke with the spirits respecting the dream then so vividly impressed upon me that evening seemed as if it happened in a waking state, nor could I believe otherwise. At this the spirits marveled, because they in like manner supposed that they had been in a wakeful state, and some of them acknowledged the parts which they had acted. It was then said that such spirits appear [thus] at times to the eyes of certain ones, both those who are of a pretty good life, and those who have lived in external things as in theatricals. They supposed also that those who are devoted to the theater, and love that kind of life. and those who are of a kindred spirit with them, inasmuch as there is very little in man's externals, and consequently the case is the same with them after death. - 1748, April 9.
1882. Expergefactus cum essem, loquutus sum cum spiritibus, de somnio, tam vivente, nam apparuerunt omnia sicut in vigilia, nec aliud potui putare; spiritus admirati, quia ii similiter putarant, quod nempe vigiles fuerint, et agnoscebant quidam suas personas, quas agerent; et mihi tunc dicebatur, quod tales appareant oculis quorundam, qui meliori vita sint, aliquoties, qui in externis sicut in theatralibus vixerunt: et autumabant, quod qui theatrales sunt, eamque vitam amant, et qui similes eis, nempe externae vitae homines, tales sint, quia externis hominis parum vitae inest, sic talibus post mortem. 1748, 9 April.