3998. CONCERNING TASTE. I spoke with spirits concerning the sense of taste, which they do not perceive, but are merely conscious of something from which they know how a substance tastes to a man. They said that it was a species of odor, which they could not describe. It was perceived that taste and smell very nearly agree, as in the case of certain sapid bodies which are almost similar when perceived by the smell. This is especially clear as was said, from the fact that brutes perceive by the smell those kinds of food which are suitable for them, the quality of which they learn by the smell before tasting of them. Thus it is not the taste, but the smell which indicates the quality of their food; they therefore eat no other than such as is adapted to their nature, and which are wholesome. It is otherwise with man, who is governed by taste in his eating, and provided the taste be agreeable cares little whether his food be wholesome or not.