3997. CONCERNING THE SIRENS. Those who were greatly elevated above the head, or the sirens of the highest grade, from a certain anxiety while I was writing concerning them, especially concerning the pontiff and David, who flow into the lower deceitful ones, these while I was writing, inflicted a sensible pain in the region of the abdomen, which was their own anguish putting forth its effect in that manner, because they were unwilling to be exposed or to have anything written respecting them. I spoke with them and perceived that they would insinuate themselves into the affections, and are able to move compassion as if they were upright. They even actually excited such emotions, and complained concerning their state; but it was said to them that they were such as could seduce even the upright, and that they had derived this from their life in the body, that they could appear upright before others, and thus act by insinuation, when yet they had in their mind, as an end, cruelties, the love of self and adulteries; and while they cherished these things internally, and had goodness in their mouth, they could then insinuate themselves into the societies of the upright, which was not to be borne; wherefore it was out of my power to pity their state of life or their lot. - 1748, November 19.