2209. If mankind were in order, it would still enjoy a certain sense such as wild animals have
Wild animals have a certain sense that mankind does not, namely, that of knowing the way home, even from far away, as we can observe in the case of horses, dogs, bees, and many more, nor do they go astray in thick forests, as man does. They not only know the way home, but the bee even knows its own hive out of many. This sense is common to those creatures that live according to order, for the true order has been impressed upon their souls. This would also have been the case with man if he had lived according to order.
I have been allowed to experience this, not only by being led home when I did not know the way, but also in respect to a place I had been acquainted with earlier, I had a similar feeling of knowing the neighborhood in a remarkable way, from within-so that the neighborhood moved me, and then I knew whose house it was. 1748, 6 June.
2209. THAT IF MAN WERE IN ORDER, HE WOULD STILL ENJOY A CERTAIN SENSE, WHICH THE BRUTES ENJOY.
There is a certain sense which brutes enjoy, but not man, namely, to know the way home, though at a distance, as may be known of horses, dogs, bees, and many [animals]. Nor do they become bewildered in thick woods like man, so that they not only know the way home, but the bee even his own hive amongst many. This sense is common to such as live according to order; this order has been impressed on their souls. Such would also have been the case with man had he lived in order. It was given me to experience it, not only by my being led home when I was ignorant of the way, but at a place which I previously knew I felt somewhat like knowing the vicinity in a wonderful mode, by an internal [power], so that the vicinity affected me, and thus I knew whose house it was. - 1748, June 6.
2209. Si homo foret in ordine, quod gauderet adhuc quodam sensu, quo gaudent bruta
Est sensus quidam brutis qui non homini, nempe scire viam, domum, tametsi e longinquo, sicut notum esse potest de equis, canibus, apibus, et pluribus, nec errant in sylvis, densis, sicut homo, ita ut non solum sciant 1
viam, domum, sed etiam apis suum alveare inter multa, qui sensus iis est communis, qui secundum ordinem vivunt, qui nempe ordo animabus eorum impressus est, similis fuisset quoque homini, si in ordine vixisset: experiri id mihi datum, non solum per id, quod ducerer domum, cum viam nescirem, quam {a} quod ad locum, quem prius cognovi, sentirem quoddam simile, quod cognoscerem viciniam modo mirabili, ab interno, sic ut vicinia me afficeret, et sic novissem, cujus domus. 1748, 6 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has sciat