3332. A spirit was shown that he could not speak of anything but whatever
object might be presented to him through my thought
A certain evil spirit, speaking quite readily without holding back, said he was speaking from himself, so I just fixed my gaze on a fly; then he could not speak of anything but the fly as I watched it. I could not observe any thought content associated with my gaze. This taught me that he was not speaking from himself-so [much so], that he was soon unable to stop talking. 1748, 25 Sept.
3332. IT WAS SHOWN A SPIRIT THAT HE COULD NOT SPEAK OTHERWISE THAN ACCORDING TO THE OBJECT PRESENTED TO HIM THROUGH MY THOUGHT.
A certain evil spirit, speaking quite readily without resistance [hindrance] [remisu], said that he spoke from himself. Wherefore I merely fixed my look [intuitum] on a fly. He then could not speak other than concerning the fly, according to my looking [intuitionis]. The cogitative [principle] of the looking [intuitionis] could not be observed by me. Hence I was instructed that he did not speak from himself: so [that] he must have immediately retained from speaking, [without an object afforded by me]. - 1748, September 25.
3332. Spiritui ostensum, quod non potuit aliter loqui, quam quod objectum ei sisteretur 1
per cogitationem meam
Quidam malus spiritus, loquens satis prompte absque renisu, dicebat, quod loqueretur ex se, quare solum intuitum fixi 2
in muscam, tunc non aliter potuit quam loqui de musca, secundum intuitionem, cogitativum intuitionis non observari potuit a me, inde instructus, quod non loqueretur ex se, ita mox quod non potuisset desistere quin loqueretur. 1748, 25 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. imperfectum
2. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has figi