4737. [4739] CONCERNING THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR KNOWLEDGE, AND BY VIRTUE OF IT PASS FOR LEARNED, FROM OTHERS, AND NOT FROM THEMSELVES, SAVE THAT THEY CONFIRM THESE THINGS. A COMPARISON WITH THE EXCRESCENCES OF TREES, ETC. I talked with angels concerning those who have wisdom only from others, and who do not think for themselves, either in spiritual things, or in other scientifics, whether a thing is so. It was said, that they are like the excrescences on trees - which are like a spongy or other exudation - which place themselves on the bark, outside of it, and thence draw something gross from the juice of the tree, and also sometimes produce a certain resemblance of a leaf, or become green all over. These are not of the tree, but wither and rot, and, thence, are separated. They, however, who take some wisdom from others, but to whom those things are as means of thinking whether things are so, are like trees. If the things they take are goods and truths they are like trees which bear good fruits: if evils and falses, trees which bear evil fruits. [4740] They are also like excrescences and tumors which grow forth on the outside of the body. They adhere outwardly to the scaly skin, and thus extract a gross juice. Such as take wisdom from others and nothing from themselves are like those things which thus adhere outwardly to the scales, and grow to the. But they who are wise from themselves also, are like the fleshy matter which adheres to the scales or skin, inwardly, and communicates with the interiors of the body, and has sensation, and performs, in its own place, bodily functions. [4741] But with those who learn such things, as also languages, without use for an end, so that they do not thence cultivate the rational, such things are like scales upon scales, which further increase, and thicken the outer skin, and take away sensation from the interiors, so that the exquisiteness of sensation perishes. Such persons are rejected after death, because they are of no use, since they have been of no use [in the world].* * The "scaly-skin" and "scales" here mentioned, are that outermost, and entirely dead, portion of the skin which is the basis of bodily dirt, and comes off in washing. One of the prime uses of washing is to effect its removal. In the Turkish bath, the removal is visibly accomplished.