3635. THAT THE OBJECTS OF SIGHT AND HELPING ARE THE VARIATIONS OF VESSELS. As the life of the Lord flows into heaven and into the world of spirits, thus into the thoughts of man, and yet it appears, notwithstanding, that the objects of sight and hearing flow into the thoughts, and thus external things [in general], in order that I might be made acquainted with the actual fact in the matter, and [be convinced] that this flowing in of external things into the thoughts is a fallacy, it was given me to perceive, that the objects of sight, and also of hearing, produce no other effect than variously to dispose the interior vessels which are of the lower thought; as according to the quality of these vessels such is the reception of the ideas of spirits which flow in, for the vessels receive influx according to their forms, and therefore according as they are disposed by objects, even when it so happens that ideas are turned into what is contrary. Thence it is that those who are in a common idea, apply to themselves all the particulars, and thus draw themselves away from the common idea, and apparently lead the particulars to that point. This is evident from innumerable testimonies; and that it might be still more palpable, a spirit spoke with me, in order to my more fully apprehending the truth. It was then given obscurely to apperceive it, but inasmuch as a fallacy of the senses prevails from the [apparent] flowing of objects into the thoughts, I could gain no more distinct knowledge on the point than is stated above. I perceived that spirits who are in that fallacy persist in it. -l748, October 21.