4316. 1About speech
There was an evil spirit who, when he uttered the word "goodness," was unable to do so except so silently that he was almost not speaking. The reason told to me for this was because he was thinking about goodness, and was saying that he wanted to be good, but because he was not, he could not utter the word. If in thinking about any matter, he finds that it does not agree with his nature, then he cannot speak of it, and if he speaks, it sounds at once as if he were absent, or far away, and how far away, the angels can see. Therefore speaking is a property of the mind and the nature. But if they are not thinking about it, then they are able to utter the words, because then they are not speaking from their heart or nature, but only from their mouth. 1749, 1 July. 2
Footnotes:
1. This paragraph in the manuscript is emphasized marginally by a wavy vertical line.
2. Astrological symbol of Saturn, meaning Saturday.
4316. CONCERNING SPEECH.
There was an evil spirit, who, when he said anything good, could only do it in so low a voice, that it scarcely seemed to be speaking at all. The cause was stated to me, viz., that he thought concerning good, and said that he wished to be good, but because such was not his quality, he could not speak distinctly. When one thinks concerning anything that does not agree with his nature, he has not the power of clear utterance. If he speaks at all it is as if he were absent, or at a distance, and the angels perceive just how far distant. Wherefore speech is of the mind or nature; but if they do not think, then they can speak so as to be plainly heard; in that case, however, it is not from the heart or the nature, but only from the mouth. - 1749, July 1.
4316. De Loquela
Erat malus spiritus, qui cum diceret "bonum", non potuit nisi ita tacite ut fere non loqueretur, dicta mihi causa est, quia cogitabat de bono, et quod bonus diceret se velle esse, et quia non talis, non potuit edicere; cum cogitatur de aliqua re, si non coincidit cum natura ejus, tunc non potest eloqui, si eloquitur auditur illico quod quasi absens, aut longinquus, et quantum longinque, percipiunt angeli, quare loquela est animi et naturae, at si non cogitant, tunc possunt eloqui, quia, tunc non ex corde seu natura, sed solum ore. 1749, 1 Julius.