2148. The thought occurred to me, as to where this longing came from, for unless a higher cause flowed in, it could not exist. I spoke about the same subject with the heavenly angels, and then realized that the cause is, that the Lord imparts to everyone an awareness of immortality, with the purpose that it should be hidden to no one that they will live after death.
This is a general inflow into all people, just as affection toward one's children, or storge, 1is a general inflow from the Lord, without which that affection could not possibly exist. So it is also with the desire for fame, and for inward fame, that is, immortality after death.
Footnotes:
1. This is a Greek import, meaning "parental love."
2148. It was granted me to consider whence came such desire, because without an influx of a superior cause it could not be given; and I conversed about the same matter with the celestials, and thus perceived that the cause was that the Lord infuses into everyone the perception of immortality, to the end that it may be hidden from nobody that they are to live after death, and that this is a common influx flowing into all, just as just as storge, or the affection for children, is common influx from the Lord; apart from him it could by no means exist. So it is with the desire of fame and of interior fame, that is, of immortality after death.
2148. Cogitare mihi dabatur, undenam tale desiderium, quia absque influxu causae superioris non dari potuit, et loquutus cum coelestibus de eadem re, et sic percepi, quod causa sit, quod Dominus infundat unicuique perceptionem immortalitatis, eo fine, ut neminem lateret, quod post mortem victuri, quodque hoc communis influxus est in omnes, sicut affectio erga 1
liberos seu storge, est communis influxus a Domino, absque illo existere nequaquam potest [haec affectio]; ita famae desiderium, et 2
famae interioris, nempe immortalitatis post mortem.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has ergo
2. ms desiderium; et