150. CONCERNING THE GENIUS OF THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB For quite some time the descendants of Jacob who are in the other life and who act from their nature represented to me of what quality they had been, and still are, namely, that they succumb in every danger; they are most timid, and despair; and they humble themselves even to the dust. But as soon as the state of danger is passed, they return to their nature and are puffed up, and despise all in the universe in comparison with themselves. Moreover, if they can but possess earthly and worldly things, they resort to any means, even to deceitful supplications, and very many other practices.