3645. THAT IN THE WORLD OF SPIRITS EVERYONE THINKS ANOTHER TO BE NOTHING. Whatever spirits speak by a subject, they each one of them think the subject to be nothing, but that it is he himself who speaks through him. The subject [on the other hand] thinks it to be himself who speaks, and those who speak through him to be nothing. In this light everyone in a society of evil spirits views another, because they are in a similar idea, each one considering it to be himself who thinks. Wherefore it was given to ask them, when they resented, as they usually do, the idea of being nothing, whether they now thought another to be nothing, and those that were questioned replied that they thought the subjects to be nothing; and when he who answered was himself made a subject, and others were interrogated respecting him, they said he was nothing, for they thought themselves to be everything. Thus it could be followed up from one to another, and everyone, while he deemed himself everything, was accounted as nothing by the others. Wherefore it was inquired of them why they were so indignant, when others said of them what they said of others, and when the whole multitude of evil spirits said of their companions that they were nothing, thus each of all the rest, that compared with themselves they were nothing? In view of all this, since the fallacy was such, were they not all nothing in comparison with the Lord, who alone is life? -l748, October 21.