2171. Certain ones are constantly trying to destroy mankind
There are kinds and species also of those who are constantly thinking of bringing evil on people, even to torture them, treat them with cruelty and kill them. When these spirits are kept in their bonds, they hardly know anything about their vicious nature, but as soon as the bond is relaxed, they instantly break out like furies, and try to kill the person, as has often happened to me.
When something evil was intended for me, and restraint was loosened, they immediately at the same instant would cry out what was on their mind, namely, (intet skal du vara elak mehr 1)!, fantasizing only such things as would harm me, and then when the bond was relaxed, they cried out.
This shows what their effort is, which is constantly working, but held within bonds, and [effective only] in the degree the bond is loosened; and it shows that the effort is activated when the restraints are let go. 1748, 2 June.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "you must not be bad any longer."
2171. There are also genera and species of such as continually devise to bring harm upon man, yea, to torment, cruelly treat, and kill him. When such were held in bonds, scarce any knew of their pernicious nature; but at the first moment the bond is loosed they burst forth like furies, and endeavor to kill man, like as did often happen to me that when any harm was directed against me, and the bond was loosed, forthwith and in an instant they cried out what they desired to do, to wit [intet ghal da mera elak mehr], it was only their phantasies about such things as should injure me; and their bond being then loosed, they cried aloud. Hence it is manifest that there is in their attempt [conatus] that which continually operates, yet within bonds, and according to the loosing of the bond, and that the attempt [conatus] is active [agen] when the bonds are loosed. - 1748, June 2.
2171. Quod quidam continue conentur hominem perdere
Sunt genera et species etiam eorum, qui continue cogitant malum inferre homini, imo cruciare, crudeliter tractare, interficere, qui cum tenentur in vinculis, vix quicquam sciunt de perniciosa eorum natura, at utprimum laxatur vinculum, momento erumpunt sicut furiae, et hominem interficere conantur; sicut saepe mihi accidit, cum aliquid mali intenderetur mihi, et laxaretur 1
vinculum, illico et momento clamabant, quid vellent, nempe (intet skal du vara elak mehr {a}), solum phantasia de similibus quae mihi 2
nocerent, et tunc laxato vinculo, clamabant; exinde constare potest, quid in conatu eorum est, qui continue operatur, sed intra vinculum 3
, et secundum laxationem vinculi; quodque conatus sit agens, vinculis laxatis. 1748, 2 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has laxeretur
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has me
3. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition vincula