5565. The case is the same with the speech of those who are heavenly in respect to the speech of those who are spiritual. In the speech of those who are heavenly there is such wisdom that it not be expressed in spiritual speech, not even one mental image can be grasped, as was actually experienced by a certain one who doubted this. He was sent into a gathering of those who are heavenly and then understood the things they were speaking, but when he returned to his own people, who were of a spiritual nature, he could not express anything not even by thought's mental images. He said the things they had spoken were absolutely full of wisdom. He was ([associated with] London's Spectator). He also learned by experience that spiritual speech does not fall into the earthly speech which is proper to people on earth.
5565. The case is similar with celestial speech in relation to spiritual speech. In celestial speech is such wisdom as cannot be expressed in spiritual speech, nor even grasped in idea; as, also, was proved by a certain one who had doubts about it. He was let into the company of celestials, and then he perceived those things which they spoke; but, when he went by to his fellows, who were spiritual, he was not able to express anything, not even by ideas of thought. He said that the things spoken were most replete with wisdom. He was the London Specatator. 1It was also proved that spiritual speech does not fall into the natural speech which is with man.
Footnotes:
1. That is, of course, either Addison or Steele - most likely Addison. Addison died 1719; Steele, 1729. The last number of the Spectator was issued at the end of 1714, the first number having seen the light in the early part of 1711. Since Swedenborg was in England from 1710 to 1712, for rather over two years, it is quite probable that he was one of the readers of that classic "newspaper" in the days of its publication as a periodical. It is eminently interesting to think of Swedenborg, at the age of twenty-three or twenty-four seated, of a morning, at a London breakfast-table, reading our own English Spectator of those days. -ED.
5565. Similiter se habet cum loquela coelestium respective ad loquelam spiritualium, in loquela coelestium talis sapientia est, ut non possit exprimi loquela spirituali, ne quidem idea capi, quod etiam expertum est a quodam, qui de eo dubitabat, is missus in consortium coelestium, et tunc percipiebat illa quae loquebantur, sed cum rediret ad suos, qui erant spirituales, non potuit aliquid exprimere, ne quidem per cogitationis ideas; dixit quod quae loquuti plenissima sapientiae essent, erat (Spectator Londini). Expertum etiam est quod loquela spiritualis non cadat in loquelam naturalem quae homini.