4482. Certain spirits had thought that those who are lifted up into the second heaven, and into the third, are without those outer qualities, having conceived an idea of this kind. But they were told that even angels keep with them all those qualities, and could otherwise not go on living. This was corroborated by a comparison, as that a musical instrument, such as a clavichord, a violin, and the like, unless they have a wooden frame to which the strings or cords have been attached, cannot produce sound; and (now,) that such as the wood is, and its quality and tensility, such is the sound it produces. So there must be an interaction of outer with inner qualities, such as the angels have.
This was also illustrated by the fact that the angels, if they were without interacting outer qualities, would be like a body without feet, and (now) the innermost angels like a head without a body.
4482. Certain spirits supposed that those who are elevated into the second heaven and the third were without those externals above mentioned, having taken up some idea of this kind; but it was said to them, that they had all things with them. And that this was the case even with the angels, and that otherwise they would not be able to subsist or live. This was confirmed by a comparison, as, that a musical instrument; a piano, a violin, and the like, unless they have a piece of wood to which the strings or cords can be fastened cannot produce sound, but that in fact, their sound is such as the wood is, and also its quality and extension, and that in the same manner, there must be a correspondence of externals with internals, as there is with the angels. It was further illustrated by the fact that the angels, if they were without externals corresponding, would be like a body without feet, and the inmost ones like a head without a body.
4482. Putarunt quidam quod illi qui in secundum coelum, et in tertium elevantur, sint absque illis externis, talem ideam ceperunt, sed dictum illis quod omnia secum habeant; etiam angeli, et quod alioquin non subsistere aut vivere possint, quod corroboratum est per simile, sicut instrumentum musicum, clavichordium, viol et similia, nisi habeant lignum, cui nervi aut chordae alligatae sint, non sonare possint, nunc quod talem sonum habeant, quale lignum, et ejus qualitas et extensio, ita correspondentia erit externorum cum internis, ut angeli sunt: iterum illustratum est per id, quod angeli forent, si absque externis correspondentibus, sicut corpus absque pedibus, et nunc intimi sicut caput absque corpore.