4744. About the learned who have placed learning only in such things as serve intelligence and not in intelligence itself
About Chr[istian] Wolf[f] 1
I was conscious of a certain man from whom a cloud of as it were powdery smoke exhaled. And when it came into my nostrils, it was like powder, involving a kind of suffocation. And he spoke slowly, with a kind of gravity. They said that he would sit in his chair meditating, and that it was Wolff in that state. He was then forward on the level of the sole of the left foot. The reason he was perceived in this way is that in the world he had devoted himself to productive subjects, that is to say, means for acquiring understanding, such as mathematics, physics, philosophy, logic, in which he placed wisdom. However, he did not place it in the truths of nature themselves, and still less in the faith's truths, which consequently he had not believed. Those who study have such an aura and also visually appear as chimney sweeps.
Footnotes:
1. Christian Wolff (also known as Wolfius), German philosopher.
4744. CONCERNING THE LEARNED WHO HAVE PLACED LEARNING ONLY IN SUCH THINGS AS SUBSERVE INTELLIGENCE AND NOT IN INTELLIGENCE ITSELF. CONCERNING CHRISTIAN WOLF.
I was conscious of a certain one, from whom there emanated a sphere like clouds of dust; and when it entered into the nostrils, it was like that dust, involving somewhat of suffocation; and he spoke slowly, with a certain gravity. They said that he sat earnestly meditating in his seat; and it was said that it was Wolf, in that state. He was then forwards, in the plane of the sole of the left foot. That he was perceived of such a character, is, because, in the world, he had studied only such things as are instrumental causes, or means for acquiring understanding - such as mathematics, physics, philosophical studies, logic - wherein he had placed wisdom, but not in the truths themselves of nature, still less in the truths of faith, which, therefore, he had not believed. They who thus study possess such a sphere; and they also appear, to the sight, as chimney-sweeps.
4744. De eruditis qui solum in talibus quae inserviunt intelligentiae et non in ipsa intelligentia eruditionem posuerunt
De Chr. Wolf.
Apperceptus mihi quidam, a quo sphaera sicut pulveris fumi efflabat, et cum intrabat in nares, erat sicut ille pulvis, aliquid suffocationis involvens, et is loquebatur tarde cum quadam gravitate, dicebant quod sederet meditabundus in solio, et dictum quod esset Wolfius in illo statu, erat tunc antrorsum in plano plantae pedis sinistri; quod talis perceptus sit, est quia in mundo solum studuerat talibus quae sunt causae instrumentales seu mediae ad comparandum sibi intellectum, sicut mathematica, physica, philosophica, logica, in quibus posuerat sapientiam, non autem in ipsis veris naturae, minus in veris fidei, quae non ita crediderat: qui ita student, habent talem sphaeram, et apparent quoque ad visum sicut purgatores caminorum.