3497. There are, moreover, both evil and not evil ones, the former being like those understood where Dippel is discussed [3485-3487], the latter like those discussed just above, who have general mental imagery, i.e. not bound to any principle, that they have confirmed in themselves. The general mental imagery of these cannot easily be described, either. They kept my mind as it were disjoined from everything certain or definite, causing it to roam about so to speak in an open field, so that if some others had not kept my mind in check I would have been able to have no sense of anything so widespread is their aura. And yet, I was surprised that they were able to speak in that aura about things that were certain, and if they had not been engaged in speech of mental imagery, I would scarcely know whether they exist - for the whole spirit is like a general aura. 1
[2] If this aura were to operate in the body, the motor fibers would become relaxed in such a way that the person would be hardly able to hold back excrements and urine, something I have also been given to experience.
Moreover, they have nothing else that is definite except that they like to lead people on earth who are good by means of good feelings, and people who are evil by evil ones, or passions. Because they thus have a general mental image, and not things definite and certain, the good ones are able to mix into many societies of the good, and there become fixed and determined, for they allow themselves to become fixed and determined, as I have experienced, toward none other than good things. The evil ones are able to mix into many evil societies, and become fixed.
Those in such a general state of mental imagery do not reflect much upon others, although many things do fall within the scope of their reflections. So they do not know, before they begin to think about it, that they are drawing others to their side. 1748, 7 Oct.
Footnotes:
1. I understand this to mean that the whole spirit is absorbed in the general aura.-Tr.
3497. To this class, however, belong some that are evil as well as those that are not evil, and their quality may be understood from their resemblance to Dippel [mentioned above]. They are such as have general ideas, not being bound [or devoted] to any particular principle which they have confirmed to themselves. These general [or vague] ideas which distinguish such spirits are not easily described. They held my mind set loose, as it were, from everything certain and determinate, and acted as if roaming abroad in an open field, so that unless certain others had retained my thoughts in a measure restricted, I should have had no proper sense of anything, so diffusive is their sphere. And yet, what I could not but wonder at, they were able, even in that sphere, to speak of things that were [definite and] certain, and if such [spirits] were not detained in ideas of speech, I should scarce know that they existed, for it is, as it were, a common sphere of spirit as a whole [totius spiritus]. Should the operations in the body take place according to it the motive fibers would be so relaxed that a man could scarcely restrain his evacuations, which it was also given to experience. In fact they had nothing else of a determinate character in their minds than the wish to lead good men by good affections and evil men by the cupidities of evil; and because they are in this general idea, and not determined by life, they that are good can mingle with many societies of the good, and there be fixed and determined, but not to anything that is not good, as was clearly ascertained. The evil, on the other hand, can mingle with many evil societies, and there be fixed. Those that are in such a general state of ideas reflect but little upon other persons, though still many things fall into their thoughts; so that they do not know, until they begin to reflect, that they are actually drawing others over to their interests. - 1748, October 7.
3497. Sunt praeterea tam mali quam non mali, illi similes iis qui de Dippelio intellecti [3485-3487], hi de quibus hic prius, qui communes ideas habent, quae nempe non alligatae sunt alicui principio, quod in semet confirmarunt, talium ideae communes nec facile describi possunt, tenuerunt mentem meam quasi dissolutam a certis determinatis, et fecerunt tanquam in apertum campum exspatiarentur, sic ut nisi quidam tenuissent mentem alligatam, nullum sensum rerum, habere potuissem. Sphaera ita est diffusa, tametsi, quod miratus, de rebus certis in ea loqui potuerunt, et si non detinerentur tales in ideis loquelae, vix scirem an sint, nam est quasi sphaera communis totus spiritus: si secundum eam erent operationes in corpore, relaxarentur fibrae motrices, sic ut homo vix continere potuisset excrementa et urinam, quod quoque experiri datum. Praeterea non aliud determinatum habent, quam quod velint homines ducere, qui boni per bonas affectiones, qui mali per malas seu cupiditates: quia ita in communi idea, et non determinatis certis, qui boni sunt, possunt interesse bonorum societatibus multis, et ibi figi et determinari, nam patiuntur se figi et determinari, quod expertum, ita non nisi ad ea quae bona: qui mali possunt interesse multis malis societatibus, et ibi figi: qui in tali communi idearum statu sunt, non multum reflectunt super alios, sed usque in reflexiones eorum cadunt multa; sic ut non sciant, priusquam incipiunt reflectere, ut trahant eos in suas partes. 1748, 7 Oct.