4254. About restraints of thought, and about conscience
It was seen and shown that thoughts have their own restraints. Those who have a conscience have inner restraints, while those who do not have a conscience have outer ones, like the silent restraints of shame, fear, honor, or others. This appears clearly in the other life, when outer restraints are taken away from them. Then the restraints of thought remain, and it appears what they had been like in their thoughts. External restraints are sometimes taken away from the sirens, and then it appears that some of these women are devoid of shame, though still not irrational, for this restraint is not taken away of wanting to appear rational.
4254. CONCERNING THE BONDS OF THOUGHT; CONCERNING CONSCIENCE.
It was perceived and shown that thoughts have their own bonds. Those who possess conscience have internal bonds; those who are destitute of conscience, external bonds, as the tacit ones of shame, fear, honor, and other things. This appears manifestly in the other life, where external bonds are taken away from them; then there remain the bonds of thought from which it appears of what quality their thoughts were. External bonds are sometimes taken away from the sirens, and it then appears that some of them are utterly void of shame, though still not irrational, for this bond is not taken away, as they aim to be thought rational.
4254. De vinculis cogitationis, de [que] conscientia
Perceptum et ostensum, quod cogitationes habeant sua vincula, qui conscientiam habent, habent vincula interna, at qui non conscientiam habent, vincula externa, ut tacita pudoris, timoris, honoris, aut alia: hoc apparet manifeste in altera vita, cum adimuntur iis vincula externa, tunc remanent vincula cogitationis, inde apparent quales fuerunt in cogitationibus: sirenibus demuntur quandoque vincula externa, tunc apparet quod quaedam absque pudore sint, non usque irrationales, nam hoc vinculum non demitur, quin ambiant rationales apparere.