3160. About those who relate to the general sensation
Spirits came above me at some height and breadth, sounding like many together, and as it seemed to me having no specific mental image, but a general one of all together. I supposed that not anything distinct was to be perceived from them, but an unclear and vague generalness, as usual. Yet they still spoke with me through other spirits that were joined to them, so there was a sound whose mental images I was able to perceive, for such a generalness could not fall into the images of speech except through others who are like them.
That they were thinking something general belonging to all together, I saw clearly from so many things together, and almost innumerable things coming up unclearly into my thought. I spoke with them in the way I have told, saying that such generalities cannot have a distinct mental image of any specific thing, as is usual in general
3160. CONCERNING THOSE WHO REPRESENT [referunt] THE GENERAL [communem] SENSE.
To a considerable height and extent above me there came spirits, who sounded like many together, who it seemed to me, were in no distinct idea, but in a general [commune] [idea] of all things: I supposed that no distinct [principle] was perceived by them, but [only] a general indistinct and obscure [principle], as is usually the case. But yet they spoke with me through other spirits adjoined to them, so that there was a sound, whose ideas I could thus perceive: for such a general [principle] could not fall into ideas which pertain to speech, save through others who are of such a nature. That they simultaneously thought the general [principle] of all I plainly perceived from so many flowing [alluentibus] simultaneously and as it were innumerable [flowing] indistinctly into my thought: with whom I spoke, as I have said, telling [them],
3160. De iis qui sensum communem referunt
Spiritus veniebant supra me ad aliquam altitudinem et amplitudinem, sonantes simul ut multi, qui sicut mihi visum in nulla distincta idea, sed in communi omnium erant, putabam non aliquid distinctum ab iis percipi, sed commune indistinctum et obscurum, ut solet, sed usque mecum per alios spiritus eis adjunctos loquuti, sic ut sonus esset, cujus ideas ita potui percipere, nam tale commune 1
non cadere potuit in ideas quae sunt loquelae nisi per alios, qui tales sunt; quod commune omnium simul cogitarent, percipiebam manifeste ex tam multis simul, et quasi innumeris indistincte in cogitationem meam alluentibus; cum quibus loquutus ita ut dictum, dicens, quod communia talia non possint distinctam ideam alicujus rei habere, sicut solet in
(3161.) cogitatione hominis communi, quae non solum est obscura sed nulla, tum dicens, quod quidem communium dentur variationes, sed usque similes, nempe obscurae et sicut nullae; ast per quadrantem si non dimidium horae ostendebant mihi quod distinctam communium et omnium in communi simul ideam haberent, nam omnes variationes et mutationes cogitationum mearum, ita accurate observabant cum omnibus et singulis, quae circa variationes et mutationes cogitationis et affectionis meae existebant, ut non alii spiritus melius; ex quibus manifeste concludi potest, quod distinctam communium ideam habuerint, et quod melius quam alibi, quia vera dicebant, et simul omnia et singula ea intuebantur, quae ad conclusionem necessaria fuere; et quidem
(3162.) sic, ut inciperem quasi timere aliquid plus cogitare, nam detegebant ea, quae non ita vellem detegi, quoad affectiones et similia quae in meae cogitationis et affectionis varietate latebant; quare etiam percipiebam apud me torporem, ut non amplius loquendi cum iis. Qui torpor cum animadversus, caput crinitum apparuit non procul a facie, qui 2
intus in corpus meum se inferens, aliquid rauce loquutum, erat spiritus ita apparens, quia solum corporeum 3
simile, ut nunc insinuatur, nempe commune corporeum correspondens {a} significabatur; quare etiam tandem in somnum lapsus est 4
.
Footnotes:
1. In the Manuscript tales communes in tale communes emendatum
2. sic manuscript
3. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition: "corpori, nisi legeris corporeum"
4. sic manuscript, forte pro sum