741. About spirits' appetite for learning
In place of the appetite people in bodily life have for eating and drinking to nourish the body, spirits have an appetite for, or enjoyment of learning. The angelic appetite is for learning only what is true and good, but that of spirits is for anything whatever that is new. This desire is almost constant, taking the place of the appetite for nourishing the body with earthly food. So in every heaven, there is a most intense feeling for understanding truth and goodness, or matters of belief. This brings on reflections, by means of which they are perfected more and more. 1748, 11 February.
Every word of this was written in the presence of many spirits and angels who were reflecting on what had been written, and affirming it.
741. CONCERNING THE APPETITE OF SPIRITS FOR KNOWING
In place of the appetite of man in the life of the body, and of eating and drinking for the sake of nourishing the body, spirits have the appetite or pleasure of knowing. The angelic appetite is that of knowing only what is true and good, but that of spirits is of knowing anything whatever that is still new, which cupidity is almost constant, and succeeds in place of the appetite of nourishing the body by earthly food. Thus in every heaven there is the greatest affection of understanding what is true and good, or the things that are of faith; hence they have reflections by which means they are perfected more and more. 1748, Feb. 11.
These particulars have been written in the presence of many spirits and angels who were reflecting upon the things that have been written, and affirming them.
741. De spirituum appetitu, sciendi
Loco, quod appetitus hominis in vita corporis, est edendi bibendique, nutriendi corpus causa, ita est spirituum appetitus seu voluptas sciendi; angelicum est, sciendi modo quod verum et bonum, spirituum autem, quicquid usque novum est, quae cupiditas est paene constans, et successit loco appetitus nutriendi corpus per victum terrestrem; ita in omni coelo est affectio summa intelligendi verum et bonum, seu ea quae sunt fidei, inde reflectiones, per quas medias perticiuntur magismagisque. 1748, 11 Febr.
Haec singula scripta sunt in praesentia spirituum et angelorum plurium reflectentium super ea quae scripta, et affirmantium.