4342. About the inward memory, and speaking from it
I spoke with spirits, saying that when they are speaking among themselves in their own tongue, or language, which is the universal one of all languages, they cannot even bring forth the name of any earthling, or any word of a human language. But when they speak with me, they imagine it to be from themselves, but it is from my bodily memory or memory of personal matters, where their mental imagery streams into names and words. Asserting their ability to do it, they tried by themselves to utter the name of Abraham, but they could not, for theirs is not a language of words, but of mental imagery that is fashioned into the origins of words. This showed and I also spoke with them about it - that absolutely nothing pertaining to a word, much less of the name of any person, kingdom, or region, can pass over to spirits, but that it perishes with man, and that the sense only passes to them. And while the sense may be obscure to man, with the spirits it becomes clear, and is distinguished into mental images.
[2] When spirits only present a mental image concerning some person, city, or the like, of whom they had had a mental image in the world, that is, anything they had heard, or seen, or conceived of a person, a kingdom, a city - which mental image is sometimes all-inclusive, sometimes divided up into many - then there is conversation and complete awareness. In this manner I have also often spoken with spirits, namely in their language, and they clearly understood everything, more in a moment than could be uttered in an hour, because in its innermost it embraces as much as the inner sight and thought, by which can be presented almost at the same time what would require a long time to tell, and many pages to write, as anyone may know who gives the matter thought. 1749, 6 Aug. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4342. CONCERNING THE INTERIOR MEMORY AND THE SPEECH THENCE PROCEEDING.
I conversed with spirits on the subject of their language or speech being the universal of all languages. When they converse with each other, they are unable to utter the name of any man whatever, or a word of any human language, but when they converse with me they think it is from themselves, but it is from my corporeal or material memory, whereby their ideas flow into names and words. Affirming that they could do it, they made the attempt among themselves to pronounce the name of Abraham, but were unable, as their speech is not [a speech] of words, but of ideas; which are formed into the origins of words. It thence appeared - and I spoke with them on the subject that absolutely nothing of vocal speech, much less the name of any man, kingdom, or region, could pass to spirits, but that it perishes with man, and that the sense only remains, which is such that while it is obscure to man, it becomes distinct with spirits, and is branched out into [particular] ideas. When spirits think of any person, city, or the like, of which they have had an idea derived from their experience in the world, they barely bring up the idea before them, that is, whatever they have heard or seen or conceived of a man, a kingdom, a city, which idea is sometimes simultaneous, sometimes ramified into many, and from thence flows their speech and a full perception. Thus also I have often spoken with spirits, namely in their own speech, and they perceived everything distinctly, and more things indeed in a moment than could be uttered in an hour, because it embraces in its bosom as much as the internal sight and thought, and by this can be presented almost simultaneously what would require a long time to utter and many pages to contain, as anyone may be satisfied who will attend to it. - 1749, August 6.
4342. De memoria interiori et inde loquela
Loquutus cum spiritibus, quod sua lingua, seu loquela quae est universalis omnium linguarum, inter se cum loquuntur, ne quidem producere possint nomen alicujus hominis, nec vocem linguae humanae, sed quod loquantur mecum, hoc putent ex se sed esse ex memoria mea corporea seu particularium, ubi ideae eorum influunt in nomina et voces; affirmabant, et tentabant apud se enuntiare nomen Abrahami, sed non potuerunt, nam loquela eorum non est vocum sed idearum, quae in originaria vocum formatae sunt, inde constabat, de quo etiam cum illis loquutus, quod prorsus nihil vocis minus nominis alicujus hominis, regni, regionis, ad spiritus transire possit, sed quod pereat apud hominem, et quod sensus modo, qui talis est, dum obscurus homini, [ut] apud spiritus fiat distinctus et partitus in ideas; cum spiritus de aliqua persona, urbe, et simili, cujus ideam habuerunt e mundo, modo ideam ejus sistunt, hoc est, omnium quae audiverunt, aut viderunt, aut conceperunt de homine, regno, urbe, quae idea quandoque est simultanea, quandoque partita in plures, inde loquela, tum perceptio plena; ita quoque saepe loquutus cum spiritibus, nempe eorum loquela, et distincte omnia perceperunt, plura momento quam per horam posset enuntiari, quia tantum in sinu comprehendit quantum visus internus et cogitatio, qua potest paene simul sisti, quod dicendum per tempus, et scribendum paginis, ut cuivis notum esse potest, si attendat. 1749, 6 Aug.