3388. I spoke with them about persuasion, saying that it is of such a nature that when a person has become convinced that something evil is good, or something false is true, that when hearing others he or she may pay close attention and then seem to themselves to be convinced by well connected arguments and eloquent speaking in a moving tone of voice, nevertheless when it is over, they know nothing that has been said, only praising him for speaking well - like those in congregations who praise the sermon year after year, and yet, because they are steeped in persuasion of evil and falsity, their life does not improve at all, nor do they know anything whatever that has been said. 1748, 27 Sept.
3388. I spoke with them concerning persuasion, which is of such a nature, that when man is persuaded that evil is good, [and] false is true, then when he hears others, he can hear attentively, and then seem to himself to be persuaded, from well-connected arguments, and eloquent speech, the affection of sound, yet, when it is finished, knows nothing that [the speaker] said: only he praises him for speaking well: like those who assemble in congregations, and praise the lecture, and so for many years; but still, as they are in the persuasion of the evil and false, their life is not at all reformed, nor do they know at all what things are spoken. - 1748, September 27.
3388. Loquutus cum iis de persuasione, quae talis est, dum persuasus homo quod malum sit bonum, falsum sit verum, [ut] tunc 1
cum audit alios, [tametsi] potest attente audire, et tunc videri sibi persuaderi, ex argumentis bene connexis, exque eloquente loquela, affectu soni, usque tamen, cum finitum est, nihil novit quid dixit, laudat modo quod bene loquutus, sicut qui in concionibus, qui laudant concionem, et hoc per plures annos, sed usque quia in persuasione mali et falsi sunt, nihil prorsus vita emendatur, nec sciunt quicquam quae loquutus. 1748, 27 Sept.
Footnotes:
1. J.F.I in Tafel's edition tum