1146. CONCERNING ANGELIC SPEECH Although angels do not manifest themselves to man by means of speech, still in order that I might perceive how they express their thoughts even by speech and discourse, I have heard them talking, being at the time transmitted into a state not unlike that of good spirits, so that I might perceive that the angels were speaking through the good spirits and according to their meanings. Their speech is quick, flowing like smooth water. There are words, indeed, but they are, as it were, continuous, or rather, the ideas are continued like a stream in which is the thought which quickly falls into words with me. In short, there is, as it were, a stream of ideas to which the words correspond, but they do not adhere to them. When I answered, I observed that my speech was broken, that is, divided by the words and of another sound, not fluent, thus not heavenly; wherefore I was at once distinguished from them because I was not such as they were. Thus angelic discourse, when spoken, is the infilling sense of the words taken together, in those cases in which the words do not suffice. 1748, Mar. 3.