3750. About a trickster
A certain spirit delighted in tricks of no use but so that he could boast his expertise in trickery. He spoke with me, and was speaking also in a tricky manner I had not observed before. It was a broad speaking tone that shook like a vibrating, airy invisible general wave crosswise around the mouth in which the speaking took place. He said he could also speak as many together, but I told him I had heard this kind before. Then he could speak in a different place far off, and not be there, as well as in many places at the same time, so that his presence was thought to be elsewhere and more places than it is - which I somewhat grasped, but telling him that such a thing is trickery, and that those appearances can be created - with him for no use but that of boasting, with magicians for purposes of destruction. It would be preferable if it had some good use, namely that when practicing them, he would, given the opportunity, instruct others with the purpose of putting them on their guard against the fallacies of magicians. Otherwise those arts are of no use to him, unless perhaps good spirits through him might want to instruct the simple about such things, and convince them that magicians practice them. 1748, 28 Oct.
3750. CONCERNING A CERTAIN DEALER IN ARTIFICES.
A certain spirit was detected in artifices devised for no use, but merely with a design of vaunting himself of his cunning, who spoke with me, and that too in an artificial manner, not previously observed. There was a broad sound of speech, which vibrated like a wavering, aerial, imperceptible something, of a general kind [striking], crosswise about the mouth in which the speech is [seated]. He said that he could speak like a great many at the same time; but it was said to him that this had been heard before. He could then speak remotely in another place, where still he was not, as also in many places at the same time, so that his presence should be supposed to be there and elsewhere at once, which was in some measure perceived. But it was said to him that such a thing was an artifice, and that such appearances could be presented; that with him [it was practiced] for no use but that of boasting; that with magicians it was for destroying; that it would be better if there was a good use, namely, since he was so cunning, that he should, on suitable occasions, instruct others, in order to put them on their guard against the fallacies of magicians. Otherwise his arts were of no use to him, unless perhaps it were that good spirits through him might instruct the simple concerning the like things, and convince them that magicians acted in the same manner. - 1748, October 28.
3750. De quodam artificioso
Quidam spiritus delectatus artificiis, ob nullum usum, solum ut jactaret se callere artificia, qui mecum loquutus, et loquebatur mecum, etiam modo artificiali, non prius appercepto, erat sonus loquelae latus qui se vibrabat sicut solet vibratile aereum imperceptibile commune, transversim circa os, in quo loquela; dixit etiam se posse loqui ut multi simul, sed dictum ei, quod hoc prius auditum; tum potuit loqui in alio loco remote, et non ibi esse, ut etiam in pluribus locis simul, sic ut praesentia ejus putaretur alibi et pluries, quam est, quod aliquantisper apperceptum, sed ei dictum, quod tale artificiosum sit, et quod tales apparentiae possint sisti, apud eum ob nullum usum nisi jactantiae, apud magos ad perdendum, praestaret si usus boni esset, nempe quod dum callet, instrueret, data occasione, alios ob finem, ut caverent a fallaciis magorum; alioquin nullius usus sunt apud eum, nisi forte boni spiritus per eum de similibus instruere vellent simplices, et convincere, quod magici ita faciant. 1748, 28 Oct.