5718. There is a certain kind of spirits who, because they wish to have dominion, and to be sole rulers over all others, to this end stir up enmities, hatreds, and fights among others. I have seen the consequent fights, and wondered at them. I inquired who they were, and was told that they were that kind of spirits who excite such passions because they are bent on being sole rulers, according to the maxim, Divide and rule. It was also granted me to talk with them, and they immediately said that they rule all. But it was given to answer that they were insanity personified if they sought to establish their rule by such means. They talked with me from above at a middle height over the forehead. They spoke with fluency, because in the bodily life they had excelled in eloquence. I was instructed that they are such as relate to the thick phlegm of the brain, from which organ they take away vitality by their presence, and induce on it torpor, whence come obstructions, giving rise to a number of diseases, as well as to dullnesses. [2] It was noticed that they were devoid of all conscience, and that they made human prudence and wisdom to consist in stirring up enmities, hatreds, and intestine fights, in order to rule. It was given to ask them whether they know that they are now in the other life, where they are to live to eternity, and that there are spiritual laws there which utterly forbid such actions, and that while they were in the world they might among fools be esteemed and believed to be wise, but that among the wise they are insane. This displeased them. I continued, that they ought to know that heaven consists in mutual love, or that of one toward another, whence there is order in heaven, whereby so many myriads are ruled as one; but that the contrary is the case with them, because they instigate others to breathe against their companions nothing but what savors of hatred, revenge, and cruelty. They replied that they cannot be other than they are; whereupon it was given to say that from this they may know that everyone's life remains with him after death.