3051. the idea of one word is usually able to be expressed by many, and so are all the words in a chain of the speech of thought. This is an amazing thing, i.e. that spirits among themselves do not know that there is such speech and that they communicate their thoughts by means of it, because they are without any reflection on the speech of words, of which they are mutually ignorant because they do not reflect on it, for the reason that it is natural.
And now I realize that it is that speech of spirits in earthly humans that governs the speech of words, as I am now aware while writing these words. But that earthly humans do not know this and perhaps realize it, is because it is natural to their spirit, which they do not know they have. And that they do not know, or perhaps realize that these things are so, is because they cling, some to words, some to bodily things, some to worldly ones, whereby the faculty of understanding them perishes. I also realize that in a group, this speech of spirits appears like a faculty of speaking by words. I wrote these things when together with another spirit, who acknowledges it. 1748, 5 Sept.
3051. that the idea [belonging] to a single word, may be, and usually is explained by many [words], and so with all [words] (in the series of cogitative speech. This is wonderful, that spirits amongst themselves do not know, that there is such a speech, and that by such [speech] they communicate their thoughts: because they are without reflection upon the speech of words, which they do not know amongst [themselves] because they do not reflect thereupon, and therefore because it is natural [speech]: and I now perceive, that that speech) of spirits is in man, which directs the speech of words, as I now perceive when I write these things: but [the reason] why man does not know it, and perhaps does not perceive [it], is because it is the natural [speech] of his spirit, which he does not know that he possesses: and that he does not know, or perhaps does not perceive that such is the case, is because [men] inhere, some in words, some in corporeal things, some in mundane [worldly] things, and then the faculty of understanding it perishes: I also perceive that in a company [of spirits] such speech of spirits appears like a faculty of speaking by words: I wrote these things [while together] with another spirit, who acknowledges it. - 1748, September 5.
3051. [vide 3050]