5569. Another kind that lives in the western quarter nearer the north carries cunning within and is more cunning [than the former]. Nevertheless they do everything in such a way that spirits and people do not know. They speak honestly and also piously. They do not make a show of holiness in this way but of honesty, but inwardly they are the same. Using their tricks they look for an approach to a person or a spirit - not to his backside and in this way there control his thoughts, but they come around the left ear and occupy that province, which is accomplished by various secret methods and tricks, all of which I am unable to describe. And in this way they turn away all inflow from heaven, because heaven flows in from all directions, and when they possess this province they then possess the spirit and the person, because the whole power of perception comes through this route, and everything from the person's ruling love that delights the person enters into that place, in a word, everything delightful pertaining to inward thought.
[2] Heaven's inflow has its centerline around the ear, so that the centerline of what inflows is there for the reason that the ear takes in such things and those things that enter there come to a person's perception. Those of this kind, when they occupy that province, then immediately perceive the spirit's thoughts and affections - not before this, and then in various the ways, without the spirit knowing, introduce many things that have to do with a love and which are contrary to a love, and they seek out what makes him feel sad, or glad, or what is pleasing to him or displeasing; and when they have found this out, they suggest such things as drive him to despair, about salvation, or Providence, or the Divine, or in another way, finally so far that it comes to the point that the spirit is scarcely in his right mind. And so they possess him and either drive him off of his property so that he flees to another and they despoil all he has, or they draw him to themselves and have him among them virtually as a slave, so that he may transfer everything he has to them. After this they also they look in all directions for inflow from heaven to that part, even as far as the limbs on both sides, and when the inflow is known to them, they then possess him entirely and make him subject to themselves, a lowly slave.
Certain ones doubted there was such malice, and then those [crafty spirits] were permitted to act on them; and eventually they admitted that if those spirits wanted, they could spontaneously thrust them into hell, because they bring on such a state. In a word, it is a wicked gang.
5569. The other sort, which dwells nearer to the north in the western quarters, possess interior cunning, and are more cunning [than the former]; they do all things, however, so that the spirit and man may be unaware. They speak sincerely, and piously too; but they do not so much display sanctity as sincerity, - inwardly, however, they are like the others. These, through their arts, seek to approach to man and spirit, not so much at the hinder part and sway the thoughts there, but they go about the left ear and occupy that province, which takes place by various and secret methods and arts, all of which I am not able to describe. Thus, they turn away therefrom all the influx out of heaven; for heaven inflows from every direction; and when they have possession of that province, then they possess the spirit and the man, for the whole power of apperception comes through that way; and thither enters the whole of that which affords the man delight from his ruling love - in a word, the entire delight of the interior thought. The influx of heaven has its axis around the ear; so that the axis of influx is there, for the reason that the ear receives such things, and those which enter there come to a man's perception. When they have occupied that province, then they immediately perceive a spirit's thoughts and affections - not before - and, then, in various ways, the spirit being unaware, they introduce many things which belong to the love, and which are contrary to the love, and seek out what it is, which, when he does it, brings him into sadness, or into joy, or occasions him delight, or unpleasantness; and, when they discover this, they insinuate such things as drive him to desperation, either about his salvation, or about Providence, or about the Divine, or something else, until, at length, the spirit is so that he is scarcely in his right mind. And so they possess him; and either thrust him out of his possession so that he flees to another [place], and thus strip him of all things that belong to him; or else attach him to themselves and have him among them as a slave, so that he may surrender to them all he has. After this, also, they search for the influx: out of heaven to that part, from all sides, and even as far as to the loins on both sides; and, when the influx is known to them, they then possess the whole of him and subject him to themselves, a vile slave. Some doubted of such wickedness, and it was permitted those [wretches] to operate into them; and, at length, they confessed that the others were able, if they wished, to thrust them down into hell of their own accord: for they induce such a state. In a word, it is a nefarious crew.
5569. Alterum genus quod propius ad septentrionem in plaga occidentali habitant, astus habent interiores, et astutiores sunt, omnia tamen faciunt modo ut spiritus et homo nesciat, loquuntur sincere, et quoque pie, praeferunt non ita sanctitatem sed sinceritatem, sed intus similes sunt: illi per suas artes, aditum ad hominem et spiritum quaerunt non ita ad partem posteriorem, et ibi regunt cogitationes, sed circum aurem sinistram vadunt, et illam provinciam occupant, quod fit variis et clandestinis modis et artibus, quas omnes describere non possum, et sic avertunt inde omnem influxum e coelo, nam coelum influit undequaque, et cum possident illam provinciam, tunc possident spiritum et hominem, nam per illam viam venit omne apperceptivum, et illuc intrat omne id quod delectat hominem, ex amore dominante suo, verbo omne jucundum cogitationis interioris; influxus coeli circa aurem habet suum axem, sic ut axis influxuum ibi sit, ex causa quia auris recipit talia, et quae ibi intrant ad perceptionem hominis veniunt, illi cum provinciam illam occuparunt, tunc illico percipiunt spiritus cogitationes et affectiones, non prius, et tunc variis modis spiritu nesciente, inferunt plura quae amoris sunt, et quae contra amorem, et exquirunt quid facit, ut in tristitiam vel in laetitiam veniat, vel quid ei jucundum aut injucundum est, et cum hoc reperiunt, insinuant talia, quae illum in desperatione agunt, sive de salute, sive de Providentia, sive de Divino, sive aliter, usque tandem ita, ut spiritus vix sit compos mentis; et sic possident illum, et illum vel ex possessione sua exturbant, ut alio fugiat, et sic spoliant omnia ejus, vel illum ad se trahunt, et apud se habent sicut servum, ut tradat illis omnia sua. Postea etiam exquirunt ad partem illam influxum e coelo undiquaque, usque ad lumbos utrinque, et cum notus illis est influxus, tunc possident illum totum, et subjiciunt sibi vilem servum, Quidam dubitarunt de tali malitia, et permissum eis operari in illos, et tandem fassi quod si vellent, possent detrudere illos in infrnum ex sua sponte, nam talem statum inducunt. Verbo est nefanda turba.