3472. Discussing the form that spirits may have - for they are not aware of being in any other form than the human - I said that the innermost elements of the spirit strive toward a form like that of the human body, first as the spirit of the parent strives in the ovum toward that form, and the whole spirit of the human being toward the bodily form.
But yet [it was added] there is a much more perfect form, adaptable and accommodated to heavenly life, that was illustrated by the case of the butterflies, which are transformed from [the form] of a little worm into winged creatures, thus into a form adapted to propagation and a life in the atmosphere, to uses in their heaven. Their form is wholly unlike the form of that little worm, for use creates form.
But that spirits are not bodies is clear, because bodies are like the little worms, and are the food for worms, nor in the other life are the internal organs of any use, as the stomach, intestines, liver, heart, lungs, because these have all been formed for the sake of the blood and this for the sake of the muscles and sense organs, so that [the spirit] may live and act in the world. So the forms of spirits are much more perfect, and the fact that they are portrayed as human forms is for the reason just spoken of. But what forms spirits have is not, for various reasons, being given to know. 1748, 4 Oct.
3472. Another subject of discourse was the form of spirits; for they know not that they are possessed of any other form than the human, inasmuch as the inmost things of the spirit aspire [and tend] to a form similar to the human body, as the spirit of the parent in the embryo to that form, and the whole spirit of man to the form of the body, but yet to a much more perfect form, one fitted and accommodated to the celestial life. This was illustrated by the case of the nymphae which are transformed from worms into winged insects, and thus into a form adapted to generation and to a life in the atmosphere, and to uses in that their heaven. This form is altogether unlike the form of the worm, because the use creates the form. But that spirits are not [earthly] bodies, is manifest from this, that the [earthly] bodies answer to the worms, and are the food of worms, but in the other life the various viscera, as the ventricle, the intestines, the liver, the heart, the lungs, are of no use, for these are all formed for the sake of the blood, and this for the sake of the muscles and the organs of sense, that the man may be able to live and act in the world. Wherefore the forms of spirits are much more perfect, and the cause of their representing the human form has already been stated. But of what quality are the forms of spirits, it is not, for various reasons, given to know. - 1748, October 4.
3472. Loquutum de forma, quam spiritus habeant, quia ii nesciunt qua forma sint, praeter humana, quod intima spiritus aspirent in formam humano corpori similem, sicut parentis spiritus in ovo ad eam formam, et totus spiritus hominis in formam corporis, sed usque quod multo perfectior forma, ad vitam coelestem apta et accommodabilis, quod illustratum a nymphis, quae vermiculi transformantur in alata, sic in formam aptam generationi et vitae in atmosphaera, ad usus in eo eorum coelo; quae forma prorsus dissimiles est formae vermiculi ejus, quia usus creat formam; at quod non corpora sint, hoc manifestum est, quia corpora sunt vermiculorum instar, et vermium cibus, nec in altera vita usui sunt viscera, ut ventriculus, intestina, hepar, cor, pulmones, quia ea omnia formata sunt sanguinis gratia, et hic propter musculos et organa sensuum, ut vivere et agere posset in mundo: quare formae spirituum multo perfectiores sunt, et quod ut humanae formae repraesententur, est causa, de qua modo: sed quales formae spiritibus ob varias causas non scire datur. 1748, 4 Oct.