890. So that these facts might be portrayed to me in a living manner, a spirit of the kind who can be persuaded of anything whatever came to me; for there are very many such spirits. They themselves know absolutely no otherwise than that they are the very ones [whom they impersonate]. Therefore, different persons can be produced through them, almost as in real life. Consequently, lest anyone with whom spirits speak be misled, let it be known that this phenomenon is most common and familiar in the realm of spirits.
The spirit in question was examined by many, so that they might find out who of my acquaintances he had been during his bodily life. Finally, there was a certain person - whether he had died I do not know, about a half a year ago he was alive - whom they took him to be, because his personality could be put on so precisely. So he came into the company of spirits who could find out from me what that acquaintance was like, since, as just said, they are gifted with a cognition of inward properties. So that very person was portrayed as vividly as if it were he himself, in most respects. They are still convinced that it is he, and this, to them, amounts to the same thing as if this [persuasion] were being induced on me, as I said before. Nevertheless, I kept saying it could be that he is that person, but that I did not feel convinced, since such phenomena do occur. 1748, 20 February.
890. In order that these things might be livingly represented to me a spirit came to me who was such that all kinds of persuasions could be impressed upon him. There are very many such spirits who know no otherwise than that they are the person [whom they represent], and thus by means of them other persons can be induced almost to the very life. Wherefore, lest anyone with whom spirits speak should be deluded, it should be known that such things are most usual and familiar in the sphere of spirits. This spirit was examined in many ways so that the spirits might know which of my acquaintances he had been in the life of his body. At length they supposed that it was a certain one who was alive about half a year ago - whether he is now dead I do not know - because his personality could he so readily assumed. Thus he came into the company of spirits who could know from me of what quality he had been, and they were given a cognition of interiors, as just now said. That same person, therefore, was as vividly represented as though he himself were there, and this in so many respects that they are persuaded that he is that person. This appears no otherwise to them than it would if such a representation was induced upon me, as was before said. I still persisted in saying that it could be that he is that person, but I was not willing to be persuaded, because similar personations can exist. 1748, Feb. 20.
890. Ut haec mihi repraesentarentur ad vivum, ad me venit spiritus, quali 1
imprimi omnes persuasiones possent, dantur enim tales et perplurimi, nam nequaquam atiter sciunt ipsi, quam quod iidem sint, sic per eos induci queunt personae aliae, paene usque ad vivum, quare ne aliquis eludatur, cum quo spiritus loquuntur, sciendum est [quod] 2
similia usitatissima sunt, et familiaria 3
in spirituum sphaera; hic spiritus examinabatur per plures 4
, ut scirent, quisnam ex meis cognitis in vita ejus corporis esset, tandem quidam erat, qui num mortuus non scio--ante 5
fere 1/2 annum vixit--illum 6
autumabant esse, quia ejus persona indui aptissime potuit, ita venit is in consortium spirituum, qui ex me potuerunt scire, qualis esset, iis data est cognitio interiorum sicut modo dictum, quare tam vive repraesentabatur eadem persona, ac ipse esset, et hoc in pluribus, adhuc persuasi sunt quod idem sit, nec aliter id iis est, ac si foret quod talis [persuasio] mihi induceretur sicut prius dictum, sed usque perstiti dicere, quod possit esse, quod idem sit, sed quod non velim persuasus esse, quia similia existere possunt. 1748, 20 Febr.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has qualis, cui
2. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition
3. imperfectum in the Manuscript
4. in J.F.I. Tafel's edition plura
5. The Manuscript has scio, ante
6. The Manuscript has vixit, illum