2019. The difference between the states of people on earth and those of spirits, in general
There are many differences between the states of spirits and of those same spirits when they were people on earth, spoken of sporadically. Here it should only be mentioned that those on earth have objects of sense that move, change and flex their inner senses, which is not the case with spirits. People on earth live in societies that bring them together for various reasons and are consequently not homogeneous but heterogeneous, while spirits are brought together with their like. People on earth enjoy a bodily memory from which they draw their own personal data, while spirits do not; they also deliberate on things to come on the basis of things past, which is not the case with spirits, who do not have a memory of past events, unless this is aroused for specific purposes. People on earth do not penetrate far into the thoughts of others, while spirits do so much farther, but differently. They see in others whatever comes from themselves. Human thoughts are linked to bodily elements as their organic substances; not so those of a spirit. 1748, 20 May.
2019. THE DIFFERENT STATES OF MEN AND SPIRITS IN GENERAL.
There are many differences between the states of spirits as spirits and those that distinguished them as men, concerning which I have treated fully elsewhere; this only is to be observed here, that men have various external objects which move, modify, and bend their internal senses; but with spirits it is not so: that men live in such societies as they can, from various causes, associate with, even when their associates are dissimilar to themselves; it is otherwise with spirits, who associate only with their like. Men are distinguished by the possession of a corporeal memory, by means of which their acquisitions are made; but not so with spirits. Men also from the past conjecture the future, but not so with spirits, who have no memory of the past, except when it is excited for certain ends. Men have comparatively little penetration, spirits much more; they see the thoughts of others, but with a difference [from the perceptions of men], in that they see in others the things that flow from them. The thoughts of men are bound, as it were, to corporeal things, like their organic substances; but not so with spirits. - 1748, May 20.
2019. Differentia status hominum et spirituum in genere
Sunt multae differentiae status spirituum et eorundem cum fuerunt homines, de quibus passim; hic modo memorandum, quod homines objecta sensuum habent, quae sensus eorum internos movent, mutant, flectunt, in spiritibus non ita: quod homines in societatibus vivant, et quidem talibus, quibus associantur variis ex causis, ita quae non similes sunt, sed dissimiles, aliter spiritus, qui associantur similibus. Homines memoria corporea gaudent, ex qua suamet capiunt, non ita spiritus. Homines quoque ventura ex praeteritis volvunt, non ita spiritus, qui nec praeteritorum memoriam habent, nisi dum propter certos fines excitatur. Homines non penetrant multum, spiritus vero multo magis, cogitata aliorum, sed cum discrimine, vident sic 1
in aliis quae ab iis fluunt. Hominum cogitationes alligatae sunt, sicut substantiae organicae eorum, corporeis, non ita spiritus. 1748, 20 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has vident, sic