1897. As the basis or receptacle, so to speak, for a mental image, bodily and worldly elements are of service to spirits; earthly elements, such as the meanings of pictures or words, to the angels of the inward heaven; spiritual elements to the angels of the very inward heaven; and heavenly ones to the angels of the innermost heaven. How these ascend by steps, and also by interactions, I suppose no one of mortals understands. Many points, therefore, must be understood before anyone can comprehend even a general idea of angelic languages. 1748, 25 April.
1897. Things corporeal and worldly serve the spirits for a subject or receptacle, as it were, of the idea; natural things, such as the significations of ideas or words, to the angels of the interior heavens; spiritual things to the angels of the more interior heaven; and celestial things to the angels of the inmost heaven. There is, therefore, an ascent through degrees, and through correspondences, such as I believe no mortal understands, on which account a great many things are to be previously learned before one can comprehend even a very general idea of the modes of angelic speech. - 1748, April 25.
1897. Pro ideae quasi subjecto, seu receptaculo, inserviunt spiritibus ea quae sunt corporea et mundana; angelis interioris coeli, quae sunt naturalia, sicut significationes idearum seu vocum, angelis intimioris coeli, ea quae sunt spiritualia, et angelis intimi 1
coeli ea quae sunt coelestia; et quod per gradus sic ascendant, ut et per correspondentias, nemo, ut reor, mortalium intelligit; quare plura prius intelligenda sunt, quam ut communem solum ideam loquelarum angelicarum comprehendere quis possit. 1748, 25 April.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has intimis ut apparet