2969. How and for what reason spirits imagine they speak from themselves and are not kept in bonds
From a spirit now speaking I was enabled to realize whence it is that spirits imagine they speak from themselves and not from others, for at the time spirits think they speak from themselves. Yet from others not only the feeling and conviction is poured in (which is done so skillfully and vividly that the spirit and earthly human never know otherwise but that it is from themselves, as I have been enabled to learn quite well from experience), but then also suitable words follow, sometimes different ones, depending on the speaker's manner of thinking, but this difference does not obstruct the meaning. However, when he is induced by others to say something alien, as happened just now with a spirit, then he says it to be sure, but he knows it is not from himself. For whatever is done from desire and affection, is done freely. 1748, 28 Aug.
2969. HOW AND WHEREFORE SPIRITS THINK THEY SPEAK FROM THEMSELVES, AND ARE NOT HELD IN BONDS.
It was given to perceive from the spirit now speaking, whence it [is] that spirits suppose they speak from themselves [and] not from others, to wit: Spirits think they speak from themselves, not only when affection and persuasion are infused by others, which is done so dexteriously and so vividly, that neither spirit nor man know at all but that it is from himself; which was sufficiently given me to know from experience, and then fitting words succeed, sometimes their [words] according to the nature of the speakers thinking, which difference does not obstruct the sense: but also when, as now has happened, a spirit is induced by others to speak something, then, indeed, he speaks it, but then knows that it is not from himself; for whatever is from cupidity and affection, this is free. - 1748, August 28.
2969. Quomodo et qua causa putent spiritus a se loqui, et non teneri in vinculis
Ex spiritu nunc loquente percipere dabatur, unde id, quod putent spiritus se ex semet loqui non ex aliis; tunc nempe putant spiritus a se loqui, cum ab aliis non solum affectio et persuasio infunditur, quod fit tam dextre et vive, ut nequaquam sciat spiritus ac homo quam quod ex eo {a} sit, quod ab experientia satis nosse mihi datum, [sed] etiam 1
tunc voces sequuntur 2
convenientes, quandoque aliae secundum loquentis naturam cogitandi, quae differentia non impeditur sensum: at vero cum aliud ab aliis, sicut nunc factum, cum spiritu, ei inducitur loqui, tunc quidem id eloquitur, sed tunc scit quod non ex se, quicquid enim ex cupiditate et ex affectione, hoc liberum. 1748, 28 Aug.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition et
2. The Manuscript has sequuntur