3883. But they also take care lest an obvious thoughtful idea emerge, which they likewise know how to snatch away from others, and then conceal.
(I had previously also been aware of the existence of such speech by means of portrayals alone, namely, of the beginnings of the brain and their organic forms. Then I realized that by means of them I was able to speak in a way that others would not understand, even speaking with angelic spirits. Then the rest of the spirits said they did not understand. But this happens only when the imagery is snatched away from the forms, so that I was only occasionally permitted to speak, but later on, not at all. When I spoke later on, it was in a figurative speech together with mental imagery, thus understood by others.)
The spirits of Mars said that they took care lest any affection be present, whereby other spirits know what they are thinking or what they are saying. From this also it is evident that this practice is the bird of pearl, particularly when it becomes habitual.
3883. They take care, therefore, that there shall be no manifest idea of thought, which they know how to snatch away from others and thus to secrete. Such a speech was also previously perceived by me as given by means of representations only, namely of the principles of the brain, and their organic forms. I perceived also that I could speak through such [representations], so that others would not understand, and did actually speak with angelic spirits, when other spirits said that they did not understand. But this takes place when ideas are abstracted from forms, consequently it was only occasionally that I was permitted thus to speak; afterwards it was not granted; but when I spoke it was by a speech of representations with ideas, and thus intelligibly to others. The spirits of Mars said that they took precautions also lest there should be any affection present, as other spirits might thence know what they thought or what they said. Hence also it appears that such is the bird of pearl, especially when [the thing] comes into use and habit.
3883. sed sibi quoque cavent, ne inde manifesta cogitationis idea, quam sciunt etiam surripere aliis, et sic recondere. Talis loquela mihi quoque prius percepta est dari per solas repraesentationes nempe principiorum cerebri, et eorum formarum organicarum, tunc percepi quod per talia possem loqui, ut alii non intelligerent, et quoque cum spiritibus angelicis loquutus, tunc caeteri spiritus dicebant non intelligere; sed fit tunc quando ideae surripiuntur formis, ita non nisi aliquoties mihi permissum erat loqui, sed postea non, cum loquutus postea, erat loquela repraesentativa cum ideis, ita aliis intellecta.) Dicebant spiritus Martis, quod etiam caveant sibi, ne quae affectio sit, inde cognoscunt alii spiritus, quid cogitant seu quid loquuntur: inde quoque patet, quod tale sit avis margaritica, cumprimis quando in usum et habitum venit.