3782. THAT A MAN CANNOT KNOW OTHERWISE THAN THAT IT IS FROM HIMSELF [THAT HE SPEAKS AND ACTS]. This was shown in a case of a spirit speaking from others, to whom it was also said, that other spirits spoke through him, and that he did not know otherwise than that it was from himself. These other spirits infuse into him their own cupidities and persuasions, so that he cannot know otherwise than that it is from himself, which when it was said, it was given to him to observe it, so that he acknowledged the fact, and thus seemed to withdraw from that society. In order that I might be aware of the same thing, it has happened now, and on many former occasions, that spirits would infuse cupidities and persuasions, and then I knew no otherwise than that it was from myself I then spoke concerning these matters, intimating that spirits could not infuse persuasions with man when he was not previously in such a persuasion, but that they could do this in regard to cupidities, and thus [beget] persuasions from cupidities, as is often the case, and thus not only excite cupidities, but also inflame them greatly; sometimes [for instance] to a high pitch of unseemly anger and insanity; which is manifest when a man is in a violent rage, and thinks of nothing else than revenge or death. Spirits are then in their delight or in their life, for [than this] there is nothing more exquisitely pleasant to them; hence man contracts the character or nature which makes him such after death, when he has become a spirit. - 1748, October 30.