2142. Continuation about the speech of spirits
It was said [2138] that spirits speak through the very first mental images of words, for it is certainly known that every word has in it a certain image, and every combination of words a composite one expressed by several words.
Such as our thought is without words, such is the speech of spirits among themselves. In fact, it is not only thought, for they also have thought, but it is a speaking between them that I have also been able to observe, and they told me that they had spoken among themselves, and I heard their murmur, which on coming to my inner sensation fell into distinct words.
Sometimes the speech of spirits streamed unexpectedly into my mental imagery, and thus into words, when they were in conversation together, and they told that they were then conversing about me, or about such and such.
But spirits cannot notice or tell that they are speaking a spiritual language, because they do not reflect on the fact, any more than people on earth realize what language they are speaking, and what words, if they do not reflect.
2142. 1/2.
But angelic language is still deeper. To make this understood, let me only mention what I have been enabled to learn by experience, that in one simple mental image there are countless particular elements [2062, 2085]. This can be plain only to those who pay attention. If one takes only one word, such as "heaven" or "earth," which are simple words and similar in idea, still there are a limitless number of elements in them, as is the case with all other words.
The elements contained in one simple mental image of spirits become visible in the inward level, and indeed they are countless, which a spirit 1cannot discern with any inner sight, but only see with the understanding, thus with a general, dull and very dim sight. A spirit senses them, if I may make a comparison, hardly differently than "hunger and thirst" is sensed, as a general feeling, and besides the hunger and the thirst, hardly anything is felt, when yet there are countless factors in the body-every member, each fiber, and each blood cell, and the inward parts- which all come together to cause hunger and thirst.
The same applies to every sense, such as the sense of taste, which is only perceived as a general feeling, when yet innumerable factors make up that sense, both in the tongue and in the object. So in all other cases.
Footnotes:
1. That is, in the world of spirits.
2142. CONTINUATION CONCERNING THE SPEECH OF SPIRITS.
(Spirits speak, as already said, with the primitive ideas of words; for it must be known that every word has some idea therein, and every composition of words a composite idea expressed by many words. Such as is our thought apart from words, such is the speech of spirits with each other, and it is in fact not only thought which also they have, but is their speech with each other. This I could also observe, and they had told me that they were speaking with each other, and I heard the murmur thereof. This, when it entered my internal sense, was then parted into distinct words, and the discourse of spirits unexpectedly flowed into my ideas, and therefore into words, when they were conversing, and they said that they were then conversing about me, or concerning such and such. But spirits cannot observe, nor do they know that they speak in a spiritual speech, because they do not reflect thereupon, as neither can man know with what tongue he speaks, and what are his words, unless he reflects.)
2142 1/2. But angelic language is still more interior. That it may be comprehended, I will relate only what it was granted me to learn from experience, that in a single, simple idea are indefinite things. This can be evident only to such as take note, that if but a single word be assumed, as, for instance, heaven or earth, which are simple words and similar in idea, and yet these contain indefinites, so in all the rest, which are in the simple idea of spirits, do these things appear in an interior degree, and in truth indefinite [in number]. These a spirit can never perceive by any perception, but only intellectually, and consequently by a common gross and most obscure perception, hardly otherwise, if I may use the illustration, than famine and thirst is perceived as a common affection, and scarcely aught is perceived but famine and thirst, when yet there are indefinites in the body, every member, every fiber, and every globule of blood, and the interiors which constitute and make hunger and thirst to be what they are. In like manner is it with every sense, as, to wit, with taste, which is only perceived as a common affection, yet do innumerable things constitute it both in the tongue and the object. So is it with all the rest.
2142. Continuatio de loquela spirituum
Spiritus ut dictum [2138] per ideas primitivas vocum loquuntur, nam notum esse potest, quod unicuique voci idea quaedam inest unicuique compositioni vocum, idea composita, quae per plures voces exprimitur; qualis est cogitatio nostra, absque vocibus, talis est spirituum loquela inter se quidem non solum est cogitatio, quam etiam habent, sed est loquela inter se, quam quoque observare potui mihi dixerunt, quod loquuti sint inter se murmur eorum audivi, quod cum in sensum meum internum venit, tunc in voces distinctas; quandoque inopinato influebat spirituum sermo in meas ideas sic in voces, cum colloquerentur dicebant, quod tunc de me aut de talibus colloquerentur. Sed spiritus non observare possunt, nec sciunt, quod loquela spirituali loquantur, quia non reflectunt super id, sicut nec homo scire potest, qua lingua loquitur quas 1
voces, si non reflectit.
2142a. At angelica lingua adhuc interior est, quod ut intelligatur, solum [memorem] id quod experientia discere mihi datum, quod in una idea simplici indefinita insint, quod solum constare potest ex 1
iis qui attendunt, quod solum si una vox sumatur, ut "coelum" vel "terra," quae sunt voces simplices, et idea similes 2
, usque indefinita insunt, ita in omnibus caeteris; quae insunt in idea simplici spirituum, haec in interiori gradu apparent, et quidem indefinita, quae spiritus nusquam percipere potest aliqua perceptione, sed modo intellectualiter, et sic perceptione communi, hebeti et obscurissima, vix aliter, si simili utar, [ac] "fames et sitis" percipitur ut affectio communis, et praeter famem et sitim vix quicquam, cum tamen indefinita sint in corpore, quodvis membrum, quaevis fibra, et quivis globulus sanguinis, et interiora, quae componunt et faciunt ut esuritio et sitis sit; similiter omnis sensus, sicut saporis, qui solus est affectio communis, quae sentitur, cum tamen innumerabilia eum constituunt tam in lingua, quam in objecto; ita in omnibus reliquis.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quae
1. sic Manuscript sed forte delendum
2. The Manuscript has similis