Those coming into the other life are sometimes surprised that they are not gifted with intelligence beyond the human race, as they had conceived of the matter. But they do not realize what intelligence they possess, because they are in it, thus neither do the angels. For anyone who possesses a faculty does not know how much it surpasses that of others except by reflection upon others. It was therefore shown to some of them how much they excel in intelligence in this way, that when I had written about thought, the Eustachian tube, and such subjects, and it was shown how they had understood those subjects in their life, it was granted me to find that they had not even had any idea of them except that they were matters entirely unknown to them-but that in the other life they would have such a mental picture of them as to know at once, though they had known nothing at all in the body. So also in other cases, for in the measure of their capacity, all understanding is shared with them that belongs to others or whoever is present. 1748, 26 Sept. Besides which, spirits see the thoughts of man plainly, even the thoughts one has had since infancy, as well as one's intentions, so they know entirely everything one has.