4245. 1I was inspired to liken them to a cloud intervening between the sun and the human eye. A cloud at once takes away the delight of sight, and such as the cloud is, such is the privation of light from the sun. Those whose nature it is to prefer themselves to others are quite dark and thick clouds, but those who have less of this tendency are clouds not so dark. But those who do not prefer themselves at all are translucent clouds. I spoke with them for quite a while about this matter, also by means of symbolic portrayals. Indeed, even when they intervene, they are able to take away the light from to the eyes, for when they take away the life of light, they also take the light itself. I observed this happening. 1749, 30 April.
Footnotes:
1. This and the following paragraph are emphasized in the manuscript by a wavy vertical line.
4245. It was given to compare them with a cloud which intervenes between the sun and the eye of man; the cloud takes away at once the delight of vision, and such as the cloud is, such is the privation of the sun's light. Those who are such as to prefer themselves to others, are clouds considerably obscure and dense; those who have less of this feeling are clouds less obscure; but those who do not prefer themselves at all are transparent clouds. On these points I spoke with them for a long time, and also by representations.
Yea, when such clouds intervene they can take away light from the eyes, for when the life of light is obscured, the light itself is also; which was observed. - 1749, April 30.
4245. Assimilare datum eos, cum nube, quae intervenit inter solem, et oculum hominis, nubes tollit illico jucundum visus, et qualis nubes est, talis fit privatio lucis ex sole; qui tales sunt ut plus se praeferunt aliis, ii sunt nubes satis obscurae et densae; at qui minus, sunt nubes non ita obscurae, at qui nihil se praeferunt, ii sunt nubes translucidae; de his cum iis loquutus, satis diu; etiam per repraesentationes. Imo etiam cum interveniunt, possunt lucem oculis demere, nam cum vitam lucis, etiam lucem. Quod observatum. 1749, 30 April.