3258. As for the inner sense to which the spirits of Mercury relate, it is such as to be a memory, and indeed a memory of particulars, but of things, not images. For the memory of personal matters contains visual images, which are mental pictures, thus images of earthly and bodily things, and [it contains] subjects, such as laws and the deeper knowledge of laws, also of faith-such as that there is nothing but evil with man.
The latter aspect of memory relates more closely to thinking, because it provides the thinking with subjects for thinking more deeply, thus passes to speculation and establishes it. The spirits of Mercury relate to such memory; and what is amazing, they know so many things that exist in heaven and hell, and that pertain to subjects, that one cannot marvel enough. And what they once perceive, they retain, even if they do not know that they know it, but as soon
3258. (As regards the internal sense which the spirits of Mercury represent [referunt], it is such as is the memory, yea the memory of particulars, but not of the images, of things; for the memory of particulars contains visual images, which pertain to the imagination, thus to images of terrestrial and corporeal things; further, it contains things, for instance, laws and knowledges of laws, also [the things] of faith, like as that there is nothing but evil with man. This part of the memory more nearly respects [se refert ad] thought, because it affords to thought subjects of deep thinking, thus passes to speculation and constitutes it. Such memory do the spirits of Mercury represent; and what is wonderful, they know so many things which exist in heaven and hell, and which belong to things that no one can help wondering; and what they once perceive, this they retain.
3258. Quod [ad] sensum internum quem spiritus Mercurii referunt, talis est, ut sit memoria, et quidem memoria particularium, sed rerum non imaginum, nam memoria particularium continet imagines visuales, quae sunt imaginationis, ita imaginum terrestrium et corporearum, tum continet res, sicut leges et cognitiones legum, etiam fidei, sicut quod nihil nisi malum apud hominem, haec pars memoriae se propius ad cogitationem refert, quia cogitationi subministrat subjecta cogitandi altius, sic transit ad speculationem et eam constituit, talem memoriam referunt spiritus Mercurii; et quod mirum, tam multa sciunt, quae existunt in coelo et inferno, et quae sunt rerum, ut quis non satis mirari possit, et quod semel percipiunt, hoc retinent, tametsi non sciunt
(3259.) quod sciant, sed ut primum occurrit, reminiscuntur: inde satis clare constare potest, quod memoria spirituum et angelorum perfectior multo sit memoria hominum, et quod retineant, quicquid audiunt, vident, percipiunt; et eo magis spiritus Mercurii, quia iis delectantur, et ea avide desiderant, quare etiam adjungitur reflexio magis quam apud alios, nam aviditas, seu curiositas, et amor talium producit reflexionem, aliter apud eos, qui non talia curant, apud quos transeunt talia, sed usque interius adhuc remanent, sicut apud spiritussangelicos et angelos, quia delectantur cogitatione judicii, seu inde usu.