4320. About a certain kind of persuasion and simulation
There was a spirit who had been an acquaintance of mine in bodily life, who was convinced that he would remove himself. He said with assurance that he willed to do so, and seemed to be struggling in a kind of fight to remove himself, but instead he was removed, and then the troop of unclean spirits increased in number, who were more unclean than the rest. Finally, when he tried to remove himself into goodness, or into a society of good angels, he was found to be almost entirely covered with hair.
[2] Then later he was cast down, for he could not survive in that aura, and then it was discovered that his nature was such that he willed it from the side of his understanding, but not from the side of his will, even to the point where he was convinced, so to speak, on the side of his understanding, but not on that of his will - having become accustomed from bodily life to say with assurance something else than what he willed - so that the understanding almost took over the persuasive role of the will. Those spirits in the other life are treated miserably, for it is not permitted there to pretend, but to think as one wills, and to do as one thinks. 1749, 7 July. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Venus, meaning Friday.
4320. CONCERNING A CERTAIN KIND OF PERSUASIONS AND OF SIMULATION.
There was a spirit known to me in the life of the body who was persuaded that he could remove himself; he said with a strong affirmation that he willed to do it, and he seemed to labor to effect it as by a kind of combat, but still he was removed [by others], and the number of unclean spirits viler than the rest was augmented. At length when he would introduce himself into good, or into a society of good angels he was detected, and appeared as almost wholly covered with hair. As he was unable to live in that sphere he was cast down, and then he was disclosed as being of such a quality that his intellectual part willed, but not the voluntary, nay, that his intellectual part was, as it were, persuaded but not his voluntary, having been accustomed in his bodily life to say one thing, even with asseveration, when he willed another, so that his intellectual principle would almost put on a certain voluntary persuasion. Such spirits fare very meanly in the other life, for there it is not permitted to simulate, but everyone thinks as he wills, and does as he thinks. - 1749, July 7.
4320. De certo genere persuasionum et simulationis
Erat spiritus, qui mihi notus in vita corporis, persuadebatur quod se removeret, dicebat se velle cum asseveratione, et videbatur laborare, ut removeret se, etiam quaedam species pugnae, sed usque removebatur, et augebatur tunc immundorum spirituum copia, qui immundiores reliquis, tandem cum vellet se inferre in bonum, seu in angelorum bonorum societatem, detectus, quod appareret crinitus fere totus; et postea dejectus, nam vivere non potuit in illa sphaera, detectum tunc quod esset talis, ut intellectualis ejus pars vellet, sed non voluntaria, imo adeo, ut intellectuali parte quasi persuaderetur, cum voluntaria non, ita assuetus a vita corporis, quod aliud dixerit quam vellet, et hoc cum asseveratione, sic ut intellectuale fere indueret quoddam persuasivum voluntarium, illi in altera vita misere tractantur, nam non licet ibi simulare, sed cogitare ut vult, et facere ut cogitat. 1749, 7 Julius.