2558. Whatever is done by artifice closes the way toward inward things
By means of a spiritual mental image I was given to see that as soon as one tries to imitate that which is spiritual and heavenly and from one's own power to make something that is called artifice, or artificial, as the magicians did with their magical tricks, then at once the inward way is closed, and there is only something dead in the outer or outermost qualities, which the craftsman or magician, however, does not realize, nor do others who are not acquainted with inward qualities, or who are not in them. Then an outward likeness is made, as when a person just sees outer things with the eye, such as pictures that he or she prizes, sometimes preferring them to the actual subjects, which are inwardly more beautiful, and more beautiful the more deeply they are seen. 1748, 7 July. So when they are looked at by those who have inward qualities, they appear no differently than when they look through a microscope at pictures, or at the plasterwork of a house. Then things having a nice appearance are only filth. It is different when animals and vegetables are so examined.
2558. THAT WHATEVER IS DONE BY MEANS OF ART [ARTIFICIALITER] CLOSES THE WAY TO INTERIORS.
It was granted to see in spiritual idea that as soon anyone wishes from himself to imitate that which is spiritual and celestial and to do from himself what is styled [the work] of the artist, or [working] by means of art, as the magicians did by means of their sorceries, then immediately the interior way is closed, and in externals or outermosts is only a dead principle [mortuum], which nevertheless the artist or magician is not aware of; so also with others who are not aware of interiors, or what [quid, it should be, I think] is therein, then happens the like in externals, as when a man sees only with the eye external things, such as pictures, which he values [and] sometimes prefers to living things, which nevertheless are fairer in interiors, and the more interior the fairer. - 1748, July 7. - Wherefore when these things are beheld by those who are in interiors, they do not appear otherwise than [happens] when [the materials of] pictures or the lime of a house put together, and hence making a splendid appearance, are viewed with the microscope, they then are only filthy. It is different when they look into animals and vegetables.
2558. Quicquid fit artificialiter, quod claudat viam versus interiora
Idea spirituali videre dabatur, quod utprimum aliquis ex semet velit imitari illud quod spirituale et coeleste est, et ex semet id facere, quod vocatur artificis vel artificialiter, sicut magi fecerunt per suas magias, tunc illico claudatur via interior, et modo mortuum est, in externis seu extimis, quod tamen artifex seu magus non novit, tum quoque alii, qui non interiora norunt, aut qui [non] in iis est 2
; sic fit in externis simile, sicut dum homo solum oculo videt externa, ut picturas, quas aestimat, quandoque praefert vivis, quae tamen in interioribus sunt pulchriora, et quo plus interius, eo pulchrius, 1748, 7 Julius; quare 1
dum spectantur ea ab iis qui in interioribus sunt, non aliter apparent, ac dum microscopio [intuentur] in picturas, aut in calcem domus, inde [res] nitide apparentes, tunc sunt modo spurca; aliter dum intuentur in animalia, et vegetabilia.
Footnotes:
1. nisi legendum tamen
2. nisi cum Bush/Smithson intellexeris quid in iis est