1889. The general kinds of speech of spirits, both evil and good, thus far observed are these: the 1st is the speech all spirits have in common, consisting of mental images alone, with little or no feeling. The 2nd is almost devoid of spiritual mental imagery, thus without sounding words, being only tacit, a speech of feelings. Such is normally the speech of evil spirits, or demons, who control our feelings or desires, distorting them in such a way that we are unaware how we are being led; for they secretly bend our good feelings around into evil ones. The 3rd kind is like a flow, sometimes behaving like a pulse, in different ways. This is their inner language, in which they are also able to speak, and the speech manifests itself in that flow. The 4th kind consists of mental images without any flow, that is nevertheless perceptible as a creeping silence, which is their thinking. This speaking did not come to my perception when they talked among themselves, nor did they want me to be among them. When I was among them, their thinking was guided to agree with mine; otherwise it went according to their own. 1748, 12 April.