5792. and the hill or mountain splitting open in the middle and those [worthless spirits] thrown down into the deep. They climb the mountains in various places and by various arts; and they also send for and welcome magicians and extremely deceitful spirits who defend them, posting them around themselves. The majority do not climb up by an outside but an inside route, for there are cities beneath cities. Communication takes place either through openly visible routes when they constitute one society, such a route is the route of descent by which I went also; or the route of ascent is by stairs from one city into another that is not so like it. Most like this go up by the stairs from the lower [cities] to the higher ones. From there came such a great number. They also go down from city to city by stairs. When they are at the top they do evil things to all who are roundabout, and so that they are not caught they go down and hide in caves and places which they go to by circuitous routes, because in this way they are not found. I have seen spirits like this when they have gone down and into their cave. They also fortify the caves in various ways, using also a guard made up of criminals.
1.2. There were certain of them who had indeed gone to Church and the holy supper frequently, but only on account of a habit from childhood and some pleasure from this, and so because of outward holiness, about which holiness it was said that it does not serve any use other than preventing people from forgetting things that they had learned from childhood and so preventing them from becoming worse, but never so that they may become better and be spiritually reformed, although a person ought to be perfected and become better almost daily, because in this way holiness becomes real holiness, for in this way the good that they are doing contains within it such things as they did not have previously. Most of them use their fantasies to make
1.3. a likeness of heaven for themselves, as to buildings and magnificent surroundings. They were aware too that these would continue in existence through the agency of evil spirits they welcomed and placed around them, also through magic they themselves [worked] and through spirits with whom they communicated. They made nothing of communicating with infernal spirits and of many similar things. They were investigated, and it was found that they almost all took delight in exercising control and making a gain, and not one of them in use, as if they got absolutely no pleasure
1.4. from use but only from control and profit, and directed their attention solely to those things from which they had joy and happiness, so that they were bodily-minded and earthly, not spiritual; for those who are delighted with beneficial usefulness, and by honor and gain only as means to use, those are in a state of spiritual delight that infinitely transcends pleasure. These things were said to them, but they did not understand, not even what the pleasure of use is, unless usefulness is a high office and control, and from this license to do the things they wantعes, evils, of which there are many, coming from these two loves. There were those who desired gain and wealth for the sake of respect and a high position, so that they would be immediately be elevated or celebrated; there were those who desired high positions for the sake of gain; there were those who desired them for the sake of an imposing appearance, consisting in houses, gardens, attire, servants, banquets, and the like. To them these were uses, but yet not uses of their intended purpose for the fatherland, the Church, fellow citizen, so not for the sake of the neighbor, but for the sake of themselves. Spirits like this are around everyone in this world, because almost all who come into the other life are like this. On this account all these are set apart, and in their place follow those whom the Lord has held safe, who are delighted with uses, from whom [will be] the new Jerusalem. The nature of those in general who were in the prior heaven, see pg. 270. 1[5070 ff.]
[5787.] 2The speech of spirits
The speech of spirits is in accordance with the nature of the thing being spoken of, likewise the words and sound; for the nature of each thing whatever is written into a human being, for example, the nature of the ether into the eye, of the air into the ear, and so on; for which reason human beings speak in accordance with the nature of the thing. This is because a human being has been created a precise image of everything in the world; as a result the nature of a thing and of the sound that accords with it is present in the words of certain languages in the world. The connections and structures and analyses that are present in all languages stem from this source. It is due to this that in the other life anyone can speak with another person. Even vowels, like a, e, i, o, u, 3accord with the nature of a thing, as is evident from the heavenly angels; u includes all things, and so on. That in the world they do not speak in accordance with the nature of a thing, but with various, different languages, is because a person is born not knowing the nature of a thing but ignorant of all things, and must learn to speak, which cannot happen according to the nature of a thing. Furthermore he thinks more externally, on the level of the faculty of physical sensation, which is perverted, in a word, people see things otherwise than they actually are, and they believe these [mistaken conceptions] are realities, but the things themselves they do not actually see; and if they do see them, they believe they are fantasies, or not to be the way they see them.
[5787] 1.2. The angels speak according to the nature of a thing in heaven, but those who are in the outer regions speak according to the nature of a thing in the world, and yet they understand [what is then meant], because there is correspondence; but this manner of speaking is material.
Footnotes:
1. This is the page number referenced in the manuscript, which corresponds to n. 5070 ff.
2. Following the author's instruction 5787 is inserted between 5792 and 5793.
3. The sounds of these letters are probably those given them in their Swedish pronunciation.
5792. I saw these and others, not cast down, but sinking down, and the hill, or mountain, parting asunder in the midst; also, I saw these cast down thus into the depth. They ascend the mountains in various places and by various arts, and also summon and receive magicians and the most deceitful, who defend them and whom they post around them. The greater part of such ones do not ascend by ways outside, but inside; for they are cities within cities. Communication occurs through opened ways when [all] constitute one society. The open way is a descent through a path, which I also traversed: and their ascent is by ladders from one city to another, which is not quite like it. Most of those of such a character ascended by ladders from the lower places to the higher: hence so great a multitude. I also descended by ladders from a town into a town. When they are at the top, then they do evil to all who are roundabout; and when they are found out, they descend and conceal themselves in caverns and [other] places, which they approach by winding about; for thus they escape detection. I saw such ones when they descended and entered into their own cavern; which, also, they barricaded round about in various ways: they also [secured themselves] by means of wicked sentinels.
5792a. Some were of those who even attended Churches and the Holy Supper; but only by reason of habit contracted from infancy: hence, from a certain pleasure, and thus on account of external sanctity, of which sanctity it was said that it does not promote any other use than to prevent the man being forgetful of the things which he learned from infancy, and thus to prevent him becoming worse, but does not in any respect cause him to become better and be reformed when, nevertheless, man ought to be perfected and to become better daily; for, in this way, the sanctity becomes holy, for thus the good which he does contains in itself such things as he imbibes, which were not with him before.
5792b. Most of these employed phantasies for constructing for themselves an imitation of heaven, as regards buildings and magnificent surroundings. They knew also how to inspire through such evil spirits as they took and placed roundabout; also, by means of magical [arts] themselves, and through the spirits with whom they communicated. They made nothing of communicating with infernals, and many similar things.
5792c. It was ascertained that almost all these took delight in ruling and in making gain, and none of them in use; so that they had no pleasure at all from use, but the whole of it from dominion and gain: also, that they regarded only those things from which they had joy and happiness; so that they were corporeal and natural, not spiritual. For they who are delighted in a good use, and in honor and gain only as means to use, are in a spiritual delight which delight infinitely surpasses [natural]. These things were told them; but they did not understand, not even what the delight of use is, except use were honor, dominion, and thence the licence of doing whatever they wish, consequently, the evils - which are many - of those two loves. There were some who desired gain and wealth for the sake of honor and dignity, or rather that they might he promoted, or that they might be honored; there were some who desired honors on account of gain there were some who did so for the sake of display, in the matters of houses, gardens, clothes, retainers, banquetings and the like: these things they accounted as use; but still not on account of the use of employment for their country, the Church, or the fellow-citizen, consequently, not for the sake of the neighbor, but for the sake of self. Such spirits are roundabout everyone in this globe of earths, because almost all who come into the other life are of such a character; wherefore, these were all removed, and in their place succeeded those who were reserved by the Lord, who experienced delight in uses, of whom is the New Jerusalem. What kind, in general those were who were in the former heaven, see page 270. 1
Footnotes:
1. This is the page in Swedenborg's MS. In the present English edition, the passage indicated is on pp. 295-6 of Volume IV., no. 5070. -TR.
5792. scere collem aut montem in medio, et illos sic dejectos in profundum, scandunt montes variis in locis et variis artibus, et quoque arcessunt et acceptant magos et dolosissimos qui se defendant, quos circum se ponunt, plurima pars talium scandunt non per vias extra sed intra, nam sunt civitates infra civitates, communicatio fit vel per apertas vias cum unam societatem constituunt, aperta via est descensus per viam, quam etiam ego ivi; vel ascensus est per scalas a civitate una in alteram quae non ita similis est; ascenderunt plerique tales, per scalas ab inferioribus, ad superiora, inde tanta multitudo; per scalas etiam descendi ab urbe in urbem; cum in summo sunt, tunc faciunt omnibus qui circum sunt mala, et ne deprehendantur descendunt, et se recondunt in antris et locis, quae adeunt per circumflexiones, sic enim non inveniuntur, vidi tales cum descenderent et intrarent in suum antrum, quae etiam circumcirca muniunt, variis modis, etiam per excubias maleficorum.
[5[792] 1/2. Quidam fuerunt ex illis qui quidem frequentarunt Ecclesias, sanctam coenam, sed solum propter habitum ex infantia, inde aliquod jucundum sic propter sanctum externum, de quo sancto dictum quod non aliud conducat, quam ne homo obliviscatur rerum quas ab infantia didicit sic ne pejor fiat, sed nusquam ut melior fiat reformetur, cum tamen homo debet perfici meliorescere fere indies, sic enim sanctum fit sanctum, nam sic bonum quod facit in se continet talia quae hausit quae non prius ei. Plerique eorum phantasiis usi sunt com
[5[792] 1/3. parandum sibi simulacrum coeli, quoad aedificia magnifica, sciverunt etiam ut perstarent per tales spiritus malos quos acceptabant circumposuerunt; etiam per magica ipsi per spiritus cum quibus communicabant: nihil faciebant cum infernalibus communicare plura similia. - Explorati sunt, quod fere omnes illi jucundum in dominando lucrando haberent nullus eorum in usu, sicut ut prorsus nihil delectationis
[5[792] 1/4. ex usu, sed omnem ex dominio lucro habuerint quod spectaverint ea solum ex quibus illis gaudium felicitas, sic ut corporei naturales essent, non spirituales, nam qui delectantur usu bono honore lucro solum ut mediis usum, illi in spirituali jucundo sunt, quod jucundum infinite transcendit; haec dicta illis sunt, sed non intellexerunt, ne quidem quid jucundum usus, nisi usus esset honor, dominium inde licentia faciendi quae volunt, ita mala, quae plura sunt, ex binis illis amoribus. Fuerunt qui lucrum opes voluerunt propter honorem dignitatem, statim ut eveherentur vel ut celebrarentur, fuerunt qui honores propter lucrum, fuerunt [qui] propter magnifica, in domibus, hortis, vestibus, famulitiis, conviviis similibus, haec illis usus fuerunt, sed usque non propter usum functionis pro patria, Ecclesia, concivi, ita non propter proximum sed propter se. Tales spiritus sunt circum unumquemvis nunc in hoc terrarum orbe, quia tales sunt fere omnes qui in alteram vitam veniunt; quapropter illi omnes separati sunt loco illorum successerunt illi qui a Domino reservati sunt, qui delectati sunt usibus, ex quibus nova Hierosolyma. Quales illi in genere qui in priore coelo, vide pag. 270 [5070 seqq.]