3529. THAT SPIRITS, ALTHOUGH THEY NEITHER SEE NOR PERCEIVE ANYTHING THROUGH THE SENSES OF MAN, YET KNOW WHAT HE THINKS, AND PERCEIVE WHAT HE COVETS. It was given me to know by experience that spirits, although they neither see nor hear anything through the eye or ear of man, yet they know his thoughts and perceive his desires; for I have spoken with spirits by whom my thoughts and desires were controlled, [who said] that they did not see when I was by the fire [for instance], and yet they knew and wished to dispose my actions. Those that are more remote do not thus see and hear, yet still they dispose; yea, spirits know the taste of the things that I eat and drink, although they have not taste. Even this they would not have been aware of, unless reflection had been given them, and yet they disposed my thoughts and desires, for they are in fact the thoughts, as it were, of the man himself, and his cupidities. Whatever enters through the senses he draws it up into his thoughts and into his concupiscences, and thus into the [attendant] spirits; wherefore, since this is the case, there is no need of their seeing or hearing otherwise with me. - 1748, October 10.