5585. About the speech of spirits
The speech of spirits is inborn. It comes from their inward memory from which mental images become words, but the type of words that agree with the things themselves and which are the beginnings of natural words. Such mental images are in a person although the person is unaware [of them], and he speaks from them in the other life. It is therefore a universal language, for everyone can speak with another and without previous instruction.
[2] This speech is heard so audibly that it is as if it were speech in the world, but it is heard only by a spirit, not by an earthly person.
[3] This speech falls into the words of the person's language when a spirit speaks with a person, just as his inner mental images fall into his verbal speech.
[4] When a spirit turns himself towards such a person, then spiritual speech ceases, and he does not know otherwise [than that he is speaking] the person's speech, and he does not even know that there is another speech.
[5] Certain ones also speak from mental images, but this is now rare, for then the nature of his truth and good is perceived. But if anyone has an organized body of genuine truths, he can skillfully speak from mental images, and the better instructed he is the better he can do this. But let him beware of this speech; it is inward. I have frequently spoken with spirits and angels using speech through mental images.
5585. ABOUT THE SPEECH OF SPIRITS.
(The speech of spirits is natural. 1It is from their interior memory, the ideas from which become words, but such as comport with the matters themselves; which, also, are the beginnings of natural 2words. Such ideas are with man, although he is unaware of it; and in the other life he speaks from them. It is, therefore, a universal tongue; for everyone is able to speak it with another, nor needs to be previously instructed.
That speech is heard as sonorously as speech in the world only, however, by a spirit; not by a man.
When spirits speak with a man, that speech falls into the words of the man's language, like his interior ideas into the speech of his words.
When a spirit turns himself to such a man, then the spiritual speech perishes, and he does not know any other speech but the man's: 3he is even unaware that any other speech exists.
Some, also, speak from ideas; but this now rarely, for, then, the quality of his truth and good is perceived; but, if there are with anyone genuine truths in connection, he is able to speak from ideas readily; and the more instructed anyone is, the better [the speech]; but he must beware of that speech: it is interior. I have frequently spoken in such speech, by means of ideas, with spirits and angels.
Footnotes:
1. I.e. as distinguished from "artificial," or "acquired." -ED.
2. I.e. as distinguished from spiritual. -ED.
3. The rendering here given, though not representing all that occurs in the Latin edition, does represent what, even according to the Editor of the Latin, Swedenborg himself wrote. All we have omitted is the portion added by Dr. Immanuel Tafel, which gives a different, and, we are satisfied, an erroneous sense. -ED.
5585. De loquela spirituum
Loquela spirituum est naturalis, est ex interiori eorum memoria, ex qua ideae fiunt voces, sed tales quae concordant cum ipsis rebus, et quae sunt initiamenta vocum naturalium, tales ideae sunt apud hominem, tametsi nescit, et ex illis loquitur in altera vita; est itaque lingua universalis, nam unusquisque cum altero potest loqui, nec informari prius.
[2] Loquela illa tam sonore auditur, quasi loquela in mundo, sed solum a spiritu, non autem ab homine.
[3] Loquela illa cadit in voces linguae hominis, quando spiritus loquitur cum homine, sicut ideae ejus interiores, in loquelam vocum ejus.
[4] Quando spiritus vertit se ad hominem talem, tunc perit loquela spiritualis, et non scit aliter [quam quod loquatur] loquelam hominis, nescit etiam quod alia loquela sit.
[5] Quidam etiam loquuntur ex ideis, sed hoc nunc raro, nam tunc percipitur quale ejus verum et bonum, at si alicui sunt vera genuina in nexu, is potest dextra ex ideis loqui; et quo quis instructior eo melius, sed caveat sibi ab illa loquela, est interior; loquela per ideas saepius cum spiritibus et angelis loquutus sum.