3917. CONCERNING MEMORY. It was shown by experience that when spirits act upon man from their own memory of particulars, man does not know otherwise than that he was previously cognizant of the very thing, as was evinced [by what happened] today; thence is the kind of recollection of which Cicero speaks, as if he had known [certain things] previously. Hence it appears what confusion would arise if spirits were to act upon man from their memory of particulars, and not from the memory of the man. On a former occasion also a spirit acted from his memory of particulars upon me when I was not aware but that I had known the thing, though I had in fact known nothing at all of it. Hence it is to be known what confusion [would ensue] if spirits should retain the memory of particulars. - 1748, November 9.