2100. Those to whom the Lord gives inner sight are able to know and recognize quite precisely, whenever the Lord so wishes, who in a given group, and who outside of the group, are flowing into the thoughts and the speaking. Many spirits may contribute to a single word of speech, each one differently, but of spirits not expressly given an awareness, none is aware of the other, but thinks that he alone is speaking.
When it was pointed out to a spirit that he was not speaking alone, but in company with many, and that he had been their medium of speaking, serving as their tool, he became angry. And in order to convince him, the nearest spirits who had participated and spoken through him revealed themselves. Then in turn, to these spirits who revealed themselves, since they thought they were speaking on their own, again others had to reveal themselves who had at first been farther away, declaring that they had spoken through them. So there is a kind of string, like a chain, as in the body, of a number of forces as acting causes for every single word spoken, and of muscles for every single action.
This is the case in every person, but I know that scarcely anyone believes it, and yet it is the truth, confirmed to me by much daily experience.
2100. Those to whom perception is granted by the Lord can know and be acquainted with such as within a society and such as without a society inflow into thoughts and speech, and indeed in an exquisite manner according to the Lord's good pleasure. Whenever many concur in any speech they know each other distinctly; but those to whom it is not granted so to concur are not distinguished by each other, but each supposes that he alone speaks; and when it is declared to him that he did not solely speak, but did so in society with many, and that he was a subject of their speaking, as if their instrument, he is indignant, and to convince him the nearest spirits who concurred and spoke through him have manifested themselves; then next when these same who manifested themselves supposed that they spoke of themselves, others must needs manifest themselves, such as were at first more remote, and acknowledged that they spoke through them. Thus there is a certain series, and, as it were, chain like as there is in the body of many powers and active causes, concurring to a word, and to an action of the muscles. Similarly is every man circumstanced; but I know that hardly anyone believes it, when yet it is a truth, confirmed to me by manifold and daily experience.
2100. Quibus datur, a Domino, perceptio, ii possunt scire et nosse, quinam in societate, et quinam extra societatem influunt in cogitationes et loquelam, et quidem exquisite, secundum beneplacitum Domini. Ad quamvis vocem loquelae possunt plures concurrere, inter se distincte, sed a spiritibus, quibus non conceditur, nullus internoscitur, sed putat quod solus loquutus, cumque ei indicatum, quod non solus loquutus, sed in societate cum pluribus, et quod is subjectum loquendi eorum fuerit, sicut eorum instrumentum, indignatus, et ad convincendum eum, manifestarunt se spiritus proximi, qui concurrerunt, et per eum loquuti; tum porro iisdem, qui manifestarunt se, cum ii putarent, quod ex se loquerentur, manifestare se debebant alii, qui primo remotiores, et fassi, quod ii per eos loquuti sint: ita est quaedam series et quasi catena, sicut in corpore, plurium virium et causarum agentium, ad unam vocem, et musculorum, ad unam actionem; similiter se res habet in unoquovis homine, sed scio, quod vix ullus 1
id credat, cum tamen est veritas, per plurimam et diutinam experientiam mihi confirmata.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition unus