865. Calluses in which elements savoring of deceit are mingled, as in those who had tried to cheat their neighbor, cannot readily be softened and dissolved, for which reason this is done by means of the punishment of being pulled apart by opposites, spoken about previously [404, 515]. The person is placed between two contrary actions, or spirits working at cross-purposes, unable to get away from them and so, is being pulled apart with the greatest of pain. The like happens to those, especially business people, who, without conscience and at every opportunity - when not prevented for various reasons, such as the laws, profit motives, etc. - try cunningly to take away their neighbors' goods, thinking that this does no harm to the conscience. There are also others having the same intention, who may not have carried it out, but had wanted to, and only place and circumstance had prevented them from proceeding to the act. 1748, 18 February.
865. Calluses in which are mingled such things as savor of deceits, as when men desired to deceive their neighbor by guile, cannot be so easily softened and loosened; wherefore this is effected by means of the punishments of being torn apart by opposing things, concerning which see above [nos. 404, 515. Thus the spirit is placed between two opposing agencies or opposing operations, nor can he get away therefrom; and so he is torn asunder with the greatest suffering. The like happens to those - especially merchants - who without conscience desire to take away the property of their neighbors by deceit when they can, unless prevented by many things, such as the laws, gain and similar things; nor do they suppose that they thereby injure anything of conscience. There are also others who have a like "animus", whether they have exercised it, or whether they have desired to do so, and only the place and occasion restrained them from carrying it into action. 1748, Feb. 18.
865. Calli, in quibus talia mixta sunt, quae dolos sapiunt, sic ut dolo proximum suum fallere cupiverint, ita non facile possunt mollescere, et resolvi, quare fit per poenas distractionum a contrariis, de quibus prius [404, 515], sic ut inter bina contraria agentia seu spiritus contraria operantes 1
sistatur, nec inde discedere possit, et sic distrahitur cum maximo dolore, similia obveniunt iis, cumprimis mercatoribus, qui absque conscientia, si potuerint, nisi vetarent plura, sicut leges, lucra, et similia, dolose proximorum facultates cupiunt auferre, nec inde aliquid conscientiae putant laedi, praeter alios, qui similem animum habent, sive eum exercuerint, sive cupiverint, et modo locus et occasio arcuerint, quin in actum prodierint. 1748, 18 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has operantia