856. About a certain plane in man as to his feelings
There is in man something like a plane, which is portrayed as a soft substance lying beneath the outward, callus-like part of a person produced by bodily and worldly elements. This underlying plane or substance becomes visible when the superinduced exterior is removed. Yet I cannot rightly say how it is removed - only that the matter is portrayed in this way, that when it has been cast aside, something like a round, soft body or brain is portrayed, and that the person subsequently, when living from this body, now acts in accordance with his or her inward character, by which they govern their outward elements.
But because the outward elements are heaps of the individual's personal [qualities of life], they cannot be governed by the gentle inward body in such a way that it shines forth, except by a constant reflection upon one's actions and life, these being the criteria from which the wise will usually judge a human character.
That beneath this there is again a similar substance, still softer, I cannot doubt, because inside are the remains [of goodness] that are preserved by the Lord, and which the Lord Alone knows of. 1748, 18 February.
856. CONCERNING A CERTAIN PLANE IN MAN IN RESPECT TO HIS AFFECTIONS
There is in man a certain plane, as it were, which is thus represented as a soft body which lies beneath that exterior callosity induced by corporeal and worldly things. When this superinduced exterior is removed, that underlying plane or body comes to view. In what way this exterior is removed I am wholly unable to say, but it is so represented that when it is cast off, there is presented, as it were, this soft round body or brain. When, later, man acts from this, he acts according to his interior disposition and from this he rules his exteriors. But the exteriors, being congeries of particulars, cannot be so ruled by the interior soft body, that the latter may shine forth, except by continual reflection upon one's actions and life. It is from this that prudent men are wont to judge a man's character. I cannot doubt, however, but that there is underneath this a similar body which is still softer, because therein are the Remains which are preserved by the Lord, which the Lord alone knows. 1748, Feb. 18.
856. De plano quodam in homine, quoad ejus affectiones
Est quasi planum quoddam, in homine, quod repraesentatur ita, nempe sicut corpus molle, quod subjectum est ejus exteriori quasi callo, qui inducitur per corporea et mundana: planum subjectum seu corpus tunc 1
apparet, quando exterius superinductum aufertur, quod quomodo aufertur, nec prorsus 2
dicere possum, verum ita repraesentatur, quo abjecto repraesentatur sicut corpus seu cerebrum rotundum molle, ex hoc dein cum homo agit, tunc agit secundum interiorem ejus indolem, ex qua regit exteriora, verum exteriora quia particularium congeries sunt, non ita regi possunt a corpore molli interiori, ut eluceat, nisi 3
per continuam reflexionem super actiones ejus, et vitam; inde solent prudentes judicare hominis indolem: quin adhuc simile corpus adhuc mollius subsit, non dubitare possum, quia inibi sunt reliquiae, quae conservantur a Domino, quas Solus Dominus novit. 1748, 18 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition tum
2. The Manuscript has prosus
3. The Manuscript has eluceat nisi