6034. THE LOVE OF RULING, AND THE LOVE OF POSSESSING THE GOODS OF THE WORLD. Franc, the father, was seen, as it were destitute of life, but yet his flesh seemed like that of a living man. It was believed that he had become as it were a man, by art, yet without the life of thought; but he afterwards spoke, saying that he is the father of the Francs,* and that he is at times destitute of the life of thought, and that when his spirits approach he lives for a time. The cause of that state was stated, namely, that there was in his disposition the love, or lust, of ruling over all things in the world, and that spirits recede from him, because he wants to govern them; and when new ones approach, his lot is wretched. Some are as if silly, like Gustavus I; some are as it were bound, some in some other condition. There were also seen others who burned with the lust of ruling, who were as it were insane, destitute of reason; for example, C[harles] XII, Er[ic] Ben[zel], Jacob Benz[elius], Governor Gyllenborg, and others, who live a wretched life, because it is not permitted them to discharge any function, inasmuch as they regard themselves and do not look to uses; consequently, neither can they be led by the Lord. There is also Dean** Bredberg. - Also, afterwards, were heard at once, from every direction, many together saying that they live miserably, and can do nothing but some low work, - to which they are compelled, and by which they are kept in bonds. I afterwards spoke [with] the father Gyllenborg, who had been of such a character that he desired to possess all that he saw. He, too, was in a wretched state performing work, namely, making his clothes and the like. Afterwards were heard many together, who were similar, saying that they are come to the greatest poverty; and at length they seek to do work, in order that they may have food and be clothed. On this account, they then come to a place under the earth where they labor at various things and, according as they labor, they are clothed and fed. They who are in those loves, especially in the love of self appear insane; and as often as they laugh, they perceive that they are insane; but still they return to their insanity, nor do they ever desist. They also believe that insanity is intelligence, and craft, prudence. Although they are insane, yet are they most cunning, some in the highest degree. But their condition comes to be that they are destitute of intelligence and the life thereof. They are as it were silly, not knowing what they are doing. They are at last reduced to servitude. I told them, on many occasions, that they are worse than brute animals; and so they are. * He so called himself, KAHL tells us in his Narratiunculae, "because he had three sons, Sven, Samuel, and Peter, who had all been elevated to noble rank and honorable offices." -TR. ** Swedish, Dompr[ost].