3703. There were some from the societies which, as was said, constituted the skin, who were everywhere inclined to reason [ratiocinari], but it was then perceived more manifestly than ever before, that this kind of reasoning [ratiocincatio] was the greatest folly, and that those addicted to it have no perception of what is true and good, and also that the more anyone reasons the less he perceives, taking it for granted that by reasoning only can he appear wise to others, and thence seeming to himself to possess this character as compared with others. It was also clearly perceived and said, that such persons perceive nothing, when yet it is the property of intelligence and wisdom immediately, and without a process of reasoning, to perceive whether anything is true and good; for those who are intelligent and wise, and of course the angels, perceive at once without reasoning, whether a thing be true or good, as in fact it is well known that among men, though one may reason for whole hours, or through a whole volume, yet those who are intelligent and wise know in a moment as to what is true and good, nor do they pay the least attention to the reasonings of such, which in truth they deride, and regard with themselves as of no account. Nothing is more common than this; wherefore being indignant towards these reasoners, it was given to refute them as often [as they attempted to ply their skill in arguments]. These are they who constitute the scaly skin. They are for the most part those who were made such by a confounding of truth and good by means of philosophical and scientific [subtleties], and are those who have less common sense, if any at all, than the most unlearned.