927. I was also enabled to see how their dispositions then become apparent. There is a certain kind of aura emanating [from each soul], and in this case that aura, not being harmonious with my thought, immediately turned mine into the thought which the soul had, without the soul knowing it. For instance, when I thought the soul was in that place behind me, then at once, without his thinking and planning beforehand, that is, without premeditation, he made his way forward, so that I was scarcely aware but that he was in front below, whereas he was in back below.
This was because he had been such in his life, that he did not want anyone to know on which side he stood, because then he would not be able to be in their company and know what they were planning, and would thus be deprived of opportunities (to profit [from them]), as the saying goes, or (to gain) honors and riches. 1He behaved the same way in every case, unconsciously and unpremeditatedly distorting my more universal thoughts - so skillfully, that I hardly knew otherwise than that I was of this character - causing indignation in me, at being held in such a base feeling. And so it was in numerous instances that I have forgotten.
In this way, their prevailing, or more universal, passions could be discovered; but the angels identify them easily.
Footnotes:
1. The parentheses are in the original, for what reason we do not know.
927. It was also given me to perceive how their minds [animus] then became opened up. There is, as it were, a sphere exhaling which, not being concordant with my thought, at once bent it into that which the soul had, without his being aware of it. Thus, when I thought this soul was in a place at the back, he immediately, without thought on his part or previous consideration or premeditation about it, bent his way forwards so that I scarcely knew other than that he was at the forward part below, when yet he was at the hinder part below. This was because in his lifetime he had been such that he did not want any one to know on which side he stood; otherwise he could not be in their societies, and know what they intended, and so would be deprived of the opportunity of profiting thereby, or, as is said, of enriching himself as regards honors and wealth. On each occasion he acted in the same way. Unknowingly and without premeditation he perverted my more universal thoughts so skillfully that I scarcely knew but that I was such, and felt indignant in myself that I should be held in such depraved affection. It was the same in many other things which I have forgotten. In this way the ruling or more universal passions could be known; but the angels distinguish them easily.
927.Datum mihi quoque est percipere, quomodo animi eorum tunc patescunt, est quaedam quasi sphaera exhalans, quae cum cogitatione mea non concordans 1
, illico eam flectebat in eam, quam habuit anima, anima id nesciente, sicut dum cogitarem animam esse in eo loco a tergo, illico absque ejus cogitatione, et praevio consilio, seu [quod factum] praemeditate, ut alioquin, flectebat viam antrorsum, ut vix aliter scirem, ac quod esset a parte anteriori infra, cum esset a parte posteriore infra, quia talis fui in vita, ut non vellet [ut] quisquam sciret, a qua parte staret, ob finem, quod sic non interesse potuisset eorum consortiis, scire quid intenderent, et sic privaretur ansis inde (profitendi) ut dicitur, seu (lucrandi) quoad honores et divitias; similiter agebat in singulis, pervertebat, nesci, et non praemeditate, tam solerter meas cogitationes, universaliores, ut vix scirem aliud, quam quod talis essem, et cum indignatione in me, quod nempe in tali affectione prava tenerer, ac ita in permultis, quae oblitus sum 2
. Inde sciri potuerunt passiones regnantes seu universaliores, sed angeli ea distinguunt facile.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has concordens
2. sic in J.F.I. Tafel's edition Manuscript sunt