4318. The faculties even of evil spirits are more excellent
I spoke with spirits, having been told that they are more insane than people on earth, and yet I was told that spirits have more excellent faculties than people on earth; and it was said that spirits become more insane, and can be more cunning and malignant in comparison. This was confirmed by examples, as well as by the fact that they grasp at once a person's thought, and at once corrupt it, which is a property pertaining to a more excellent faculty - also, that their speech is at the level of man's speech of thought, even though malignant. They are now just as they had been in their thought, and even more acute; but because man is governed by outer restraints, and his thought does not show, he cannot become so insane. So the insanities of spirits are what might be called more excellent. 1749, 2 July. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4318. THAT THE FACULTIES EVEN OF EVIL SPIRITS ARE OF A SUPERIOR ORDER.
Speaking with spirits it was said, that although they are more insane than men, yet that they are possessed of more excellent faculties than men. It was said that it was for that very reason that they are more insane than men, and could be more deceitful and malignant in proportion as a spirit excels a man; and this was confirmed by examples, and also by the fact that they immediately perceive the thought of man, and immediately pervert it, which is the property of a superior faculty. Their speech also is the cogitative principle of men, although malignant, and they are such as they were in thought, though still more acute. But as man is governed by external bonds, his real thought does not appear, nor can he be so insane; wherefore these [evil spirits] are, so to speak, more excellent insanities. - 1749, July 3.
4318. Quod facultates spirituum etiam malorum sint excellentiores
Loquutus cum spiritibus, quia dictum quod insaniores sint hominibus, et usque dictum quod excellentiores facultates habeant spiritus quam homines; et dictum, quod magis insaniant quam homines, et magis dolosi et maligni esse possint, in ratione sicut spiritus ad hominem, et confirmatum per exempla, tum per id quod percipiant illico hominis cogitationem, et illico pervertant, quod excellentioris facultatis est, tum quod loquela eorum sit cogitativa hominum, tametsi maligna, et quod tales sint sicut fuerunt in cogitatione, et adhuc acutiores, sed quia homo regitur vinculis externis, nec patet cogitatio, non ita insanire potest, quare sunt insaniae ut ita dicatur excellentiores. 1749, 2 Julius.