3498. About the Dutch, especially those who cunningly and deceitfully get hold of the goods of others
A certain spirit overhead was invisibly present. I only sensed he was there from the stench of teeth, as well as of excrement, and after that through my nostrils from the odor of burnt horn or bone.
Because he was rather invisible I assumed he was one of those [just spoken of], but I was told he was from among the Dutch. Then there came a large crowd of them [from] below upward at the back, like a cloud rising, whom I realized were from among those who had been discovered up overhead. They were invisible, and I thought they were very subtle, and therefore spiritually evil, but I was told that where there is a spiritual aura, there are invisible spirits, but in the earthly aura they are visible to one another. For those who are so earthly that they do not think at all about spiritual matters, nor believe in a hell and a heaven, nor spirits, are consequently earthly invisible ones.
3498. CONCERNING THE HOLLANDERS IN PARTICULAR, WHO SEIZE BY CRAFT AND DECEIT THE GOODS OF OTHERS.
A certain spirit, obscurely visible, was present above the head, which I perceived from the stench of his teeth, and a still more horrible foetor, and also a little after by a smell as of burnt horn or bone; and inasmuch as he was not clearly visible, I supposed he was some one of the class of spirits thus distinguished, but I was informed that he was one of the Hollanders. There then came up a vast crowd of these above, below, behind, like a cloud, whom I perceived to be of the same stamp. Those who were detected as being above the head, I supposed, from their partial invisibility, to be of a peculiarly subtle genius, and thus spiritually wicked; but I was informed that where a sphere is spiritual such persons are not clearly visible, but that in a natural sphere they appear distinctly to each other, as those who are thus natural think nothing of spiritual things, nor believe in a hell or a heaven, or in the existence of spirits; consequently they are naturally but dimly seen.
3498. De Hollandis imprimis, qui aliorum bona astutia et dolose quasi surripiunt
Quidam supra caput, inconspicuus aderat, quod adesset solum ex foetore dentium, etiam excrementitio percipiebam, et postea per nares ex odore adusti cornu seu ossis, quia inconspicuus putabam quod esset quidam talis, sed dictum mihi, quod ex Hollandis esset: tunc veniebat magna eorum turba inferius superius versus a tergo, sicut nimbus, quos percipiebam quod ex talibus essent, qui sursum supra caput detecti, inconspicui erant, putabam quod tam subtiles essent, et sic spiritualiter mali, sed dictum quod ubi sphaera spiritualis, ibi inconspicui sint, sed in sphaera naturali quod conspicui sibimet mutuo, nam qui ita naturales sunt, ut nihil cogitent de spiritualibus, nec credant infernum et coelum dari, nec spiritus, ita sunt naturales inconspicui.