719. A difference of spirits
When a spirit is deprived of rationality, so that he acts from mere instinct, then he is pardoned for whatever he does since he is acting as if in sleep; also because no one can help pitying their condition, seeing that they act in this manner.
However, when the same spirits are rational while so acting, the rationality does nothing other than strive to hide their instinct. Thus a habitual pretense is usually present, from fear and from other causes, because the rationality in bodily life had hardly been anything other than a means of hiding their natural instincts and distorted loves. This I was able to gather today from actual experience. 1748, 10 February.
These points spirits were able to understand as well as if the subject were exposed to the senses, but I am doubtful whether people living in the body can understand them.
719. THE DIFFERENCE OF SPIRITS
When rationality is taken away from a spirit so that he acts solely from instinct, whatever he then does is excused, for he acts as if in sleep; and also because one cannot but pity the state of such spirits, because they perceive that they act in this manner. But still, when together those same spirits are rational, their rationality then only serves to make them studious to conceal their instinct. Thus their customary dissimulation is for the most part due to fear and other causes; for in the life of the body their rationality was scarcely anything else than a means by which their natural instinct and depraved loves were concealed. This I could gather today from living experience. 1748, Feb. 10. Spirits could understand these things as well as if they were obvious to the senses, but I doubt whether men living in the body can understand them.
719. Differentia spirituum
Quando spiritui adimitur rationalitas, ut ex solo instinctu faciat, tunc ignoscitur ei quicquid facit, nam sicut in somno facit, tum quia nemo non potest misereri eorum status, quia percipiunt quod ita faciant; at vero iidem cum rationales simul sunt, rationalitas nihil aliud tunc facit, quam quod studeat occultare suum instinctum, sic simulatio assuefacta plerumque adest, ex timore, exque aliis causis, quia rationalitas in vita corporis vix aliud fuit, quam medium quo instinctus eorum naturales, et pravi amores occultarentur, hoc a viva experientia hodie potui colligere. 1748, 10 Febr. Haec potuerunt spiritus tam bene intelligere, ac si foret obvium sensui, sed dubius sum, an haec intelligere queant homines in corpore viventes.