1989. The outer meanings vanish in the heavens
By a spiritual mental image it was depicted how the outer meanings pass away one after another as [the thoughts] penetrate toward the inward regions, or what is the same, ascend toward the higher regions, so that even if the style is rich with mere poetic names, such as Parnassus, 1its fountain, Pegasus, and the like, those writing the words know they mean matters of outer knowledge. With that sense as the point of departure, then it becomes a literal meaning, which meaning also passes away, and a deeper one arises, and then when this meaning passes away, there comes a still deeper one, and so on.
This is the manner of penetration and ascent in regard to levels of meaning. When [the thoughts] penetrate or ascend toward deeper regions, finally nothing remains but the pure truth and goodness in the innermost heaven, which is from the Lord, Who is the Essence of all. 1748, 18 May.
Footnotes:
1. Or Helicon, where the fountain of Pegasus was located.
1989. THAT EXTERNAL SENSES DISAPPEAR IN THE HEAVENS.
It was represented by a spiritual idea that external senses perish in order [or one after the other] as they penetrate interiors, or, which is the same, as they ascend towards superiors, insomuch that if a style is filled with mere poetical names, as Parnassus, its fountain, Pegasus, and the like, those who employ those terms in writing know that they signify things pertaining to scientifics, which sense when it passes away, then comes the sense of the letter, which sense also perishes, and is succeeded by a higher, and when this disappears then comes one still more interior, and so on. Such is the penetration and ascension of senses while they penetrate or ascend towards interiors, until at length nothing remains but the pure, true, and good in the inmost heaven, originating from the Lord, who is the essence of all things. - 1748, May 18.
1989. Quod sensus externi evanescant in coelis
Idea spirituali repraesentatum, est, quod sensus externi pereant ordine sicut versus interiora penetrant, seu, quod idem, versus superiora ascendunt, et quidem ita, ut si stylus impletus esset meris nominibus poeticis, ut Parnasso 1
, fonte ejus, Pegaso et similibus, quod qui ea scribunt, sciunt 2
quod res significent, quae ad scientifica pertinent, qui sensus cum inde exit, tunc fit sensus literae, qui sensus etiam perit, et subit altior, et sic hoc sensu pereunte, venit adhuc interior, et sic porro, talis est penetratio et ascensus sensuum; dum penetrant vel ascendunt versus interiora, tandem nihil remanet, nisi pure verum et bonum in intimo coelo, quod ex Domino, Qui est Essentia omnium. 1748, 18 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. vel potius Helicone, ubi fons Pegasi
2. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition sciant