4339. About Fantasies
It is amazing that the fantasies of evil spirits appear entirely as real, as when they imagine themselves to be dressed in garments, caps, and the like, indeed, with many such articles, and when garments were being discussed, and they were touching them, they saw them, and said that they are real. But by fantasies, they can be taken away, and they can be clothed in other attire. Then they can possess not two arms, but more, nor do they then know otherwise, declaring that it is so. I have seen innumerably many such illusions, and I spoke with those spirits, and was prompted to say that they are fantasies, even though they imagine them to be real.
I spoke with spirits about the cause of this phenomenon, and I was instructed that all things from the Lord are real, but those that come from spirits are not real, even though they may so appear - just as a person who is involved in fantasies imagines evil to be good, and the reverse, besides other like cases. If they did not have the kind of fantasy that seemed to be real, they could not exist, for they are mere fantasies. They are just like the life of those who suppose that they have life, when they have death - but still, if they did not think this, they could not survive, so the effect is the same. But good spirits do not have that kind of fantasies. 1749, 4 Aug. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of Venus, meaning Friday.
4339. CONCERNING PHANTASIES.
It is wonderful that the phantasies of evil spirits should appear as altogether real, as, for instance, while they think themselves invested with garments, with hair, and the like, yea, with a multitude of similar things. Indeed I observed that when the conversation turned upon their having garments they touched them and saw them and said that they were real; though they still can be taken away by phantasies and others assumed instead of them. I perceived also that they fancied they had not merely two arms, but more, nor do they then know otherwise than that the fact is so, which they affirm. The illusions that I have seen of this kind are innumerable, and in conversing with them it was given to say that they were phantasies, though they appear to be real. I spoke with spirits concerning the cause of this, and was informed that everything that proceeds from the Lord is real, that what proceeds from spirits is not real, though it appears so, just as a man who is in phantasies thinks evil to be good, and the reverse, besides other things of like kind. If phantasies had not a semblance of reality, they could not exist at all, for they themselves are mere phantasies; the case is with them as with the life of those who think they have life when in fact they have death, yet were it not for this impression they could not live, for the impression in the two cases acts alike. But good spirits have no such phantasies. - 1749, August 4.
4339. De Phantasiis
Mirum, quod phantasiae malorum spirituum, prorsus sicut reales appareant, sicut dum vestibus, pileis, et similibus se putent indutos, imo pluribus similibus, et cum de vestibus sermo, et tangebant eas, videbant, et dicebant quod sint, sed per phantasias possunt auferri, et [ii] indui aliis, tum non binis brachiis gaudere sed pluribus, nec tunc aliter sciunt, dicunt ita esse, talia ludibria sunt innumera quae vidi, et cum iis loquutus, et dicere datum quod phantasiae sint, tametsi putent esse, de causa cum spiritibus loquutus sum, et instructus, quod omnia quae a Domino realia sint, at quae a spiritibus non realia, tametsi ita appareant, similiter ac homo qui in phantasiis est malum putet bonum et vicissim, praeter similia; si non phantasiae speciem haberent sicut essent, non potuissent esse, nam merae phantasiae sunt, se habent similiter ac vita eorum, qui putant vitam habere cum mortem, usque nisi hoc putarent non vivere possent; fluunt inde similiter: sed boni spiritus non tales phantasias habent. 1749, 4 Aug.