3475. one's own. For neither man, spirit nor angel knows even anything about those minds. Furthermore, unless those minds were in a state of perfection, people could never be reformed. The very inward mind, being only instrumental, is opened at birth by means of the innermost mind, so as to give him or her the faculty of understanding and perceiving what is true and good. Therefore also, when falsity and evil increases to an extent and rises up toward the interiors, to that extent the very inward mind is closed, that is, to the extent that there is less of remains - which has been demonstrated from time to time.
As for little children, their very inward mind is opened according to the modes of education of little children in the heavens.
3475. Besides, unless those minds should be in a state of perfection, man could never be reformed. The more interior mind is mere potency when man is born, and is opened by the inner that it may give to man the faculty of understanding and perceiving what is true and good. So also, when the false and evil is much increased, and penetrates towards the interiors, just in that proportion the more interior mind is closed, that is, so much less of remains is left, which is everywhere shown. As to what pertains to infants, their inner mind is opened according to the ideas of infants in heaven.
3475. prium non est, nam homo, spiritus, angelus, ne quidem novit quicquam de mentibus istis; praeterea nisi illae mentes forent in statu perfectionis, nusquam potuissent homines reformari; mens intimior, quia modo potentia est, cum nascitur homo, aperitur per mentem intimam, ut det facultatem homini intelligendi et percipiendi quid verum et bonum, ita quoque cum falsum et malum in tantum augetur, et versus interiora subit, in tantum clauditur mens intimior, hoc est, in tantum minus reliquiarum manet, quod passim ostensum: quod infantes attinet, mens intimior aperitur, secundum informationes infantum in coelis.