3729. About mental imagery [or ideas]
That people have mental images, unknown to themselves, formed of various components peculiar to each individual is obvious if they will but call to mind cities and places, and things done, as well as many more, then something will always occur to them by which they identify and recognize them - whether it is taken from some place, or from something seen, and they had encountered something that had deeply impressed its image. Such an image stands out, but not a name or a word. As, for instance, when it concerns Milan, the first thing that occurs is the impression that people are killed there at night; when it concerns Prague, that there are between the streets passageways through their homes for nocturnal murderers; when it concerns the Jews there, that they secretly put Christians to death; and so concerning other places.
3729. CONCERNING IDEAS.
That man has ideas unknown to him, formed of [various] composites, and which are peculiar to everyone, may appear if one will call to mind cities, places, and other things [which he has witnessed]. Something [uniformly] occurs by which he distinguishes, by which he knows, whether it be taken from any particular place, or from anything seen, and [he will recollect] that he there met with something which impressed the idea somewhat deeply upon him. This fact takes precedence, but not the name or word; as, for instance, when thinking of Milan, the first thing that occurs, as being impressed upon him, is, that there men are often assassinated at night; when of Prague, that there are among the streets passage-ways through their houses for nocturnal homicides; when of the Jews there, that they covertly put Christians to death; and so of other places.
3729. De ideis
Quod homo habeat ideas sibi ignotas de compositis, peculiares cuivis, constare potest, si aliquis velit reminisci urbium ac locorum, tunc rerum gestarum, et plurium, tunc semper aliquid occurrit, quo distinguit, et quo noscit, sive sumtum sit ex aliquo loco, [sive ex] aliqua re visa, et quod ibi passus aliquid quod altius impressit ideam, hoc praecurrit, non autem nomen seu vox, sicut cum de Milano, occurrit primum quod homines ibi noctu interficiantur, impressum; cum de Praga, quod sint inter plateas per domos eorum transitus pro homicidis noctu; de Judaeis ibi, quod interficiant clanculum Christianos; ita de aliis locis.