4741. CONCERNING A CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THE UNIVERSE, AND CONCERNING CHARLES XII. There was a certain one, who had been the most obstinate of mortals of this earth (Charles XII). He was so obstinate that he was never willing to desist from his purpose, but would remain in it, though be should suffer either the cruelest death or the most atrocious hell; and, when he concluded to do evil, he was also able to confirm his stubborn purpose by such things as appeared to spring from an end not evil in itself: as, for example, when he wished to deflower any virgin, and this by secret violence, he invented [for a pretext] that he wished to be liberated from that evil, and that if it could not happen otherwise, he would be let down into another hell: he appeared as if he wished this. Hence his apparent end, according to this, was, that he wished to become better; but, yet, he remained most persistently in that diabolical evil. So, also, when he lived in the world, and lost his country and all who were in it by obeying Gjortz, he said that he wished well to the country: he was not willing to see that such was not the case, but that he most obstinately remained in the purpose never to desist, before he was brought to such extremities that nothing remained. This was shown, and, also, that, in itself, it was diabolical: he believed, however, that this must be the glory of his country; but it was shown that he ought to be considered as insane.