6035. WHAT THE QUALITY OF A SPIRITUAL STATE IS RELATIVELY TO A NATURAL STATE. The spiritual state in which all spirits and angels are, has numberless [features] which do not fall into natural ideas, and hence cannot be expressed. I was acquainted with it, but still was not able to describe it: now, it is granted me to know of what character that state is. 1. Let there be an example:* it is known that there is a difference between the female and male sex; this difference they perceive with its varieties. Yea, the same difference comes into all ideas, into gestures, into speech; and all such things can be expressed in spiritual language. The same difference comes into the decorations of the houses; so that one can see, by them, that the sex is there expressed. In the same way, it shows itself in that which is outside; so that one can see that it is like the kind of that sex. In the same way, in every piece of furniture in the houses and so in everything that is thought of and seen. 2. Wherefore, also, all chambers in houses are formed with windows and all furniture, there, is according to their uses, according to that of wife's, of husband's, of virgins', of children's, of man-servants; - even so decorations on ceilings, on windows, on doors; so that their uses are at once perceived. 3. All affections, good and bad, are also presented in effigy and this with all their varieties of species, so that every species has its own [effigy] separate. And all such things can be infinitely varied, and at the same time keep its general likeness. 4. In the same way the conjunctions between the affections, with more things without limit. 5. In the same way in everything one thinks about, from one thing to another; for example, difficulties, facilities, exertions, affections, uses, and everything else: they can be thought about clearly; they may be written down; they may be drawn up; they may, to a dot, be rendered in effigy to the sight, and be seen. 6. All such things cannot fall into the ideas of natural thought, unless the rational exists from the spiritual. 7. The variations of all that is seen, are relative according to, situation in relation to the quarters; wherefore, also, all know their places and sit [in them]. (8.) In the third heaven innumerable more things are presented, thousands of which appear as one thing in the lower heavens. (9.) They are able to express the genera and species of aromas, by ideas, and by words. (10.) They are also acquainted with diseases, from correspondence. They have medicines which correspond, and whereby also they are cured; nevertheless, everything is from a spiritual origin. (11.) The whole character of a thing, person, or place, can have a name assigned it there; and from the hearing of the name, the quality, together with many things which are therein, is instantly known. This cannot take place in the natural world. * From this point to the end of "7," the original is mainly in Swedish, and runs thus:
man wet at skilnad ar emellan konen, qwin och mans, denna skilnaden formercka de med sina varietates. -ja samma skilnad faller in i alla ideer, uti gestus, i tahl, och alt sadant kan exprimeras lingva spirituali. -samma skilnad faller in uti decoramenter uti husen, at man kan se af dem at der ar betgdande konet, -sammaledes wisar det sig vti det som vtantils ar, sa at man kan se at det liknar arten at det konet. --sammaledes vti hwart meuble uti hus, och sa i alt som tenckes och ses. 2. Hwarfore och alla kamrar i hus aro sa formerade med fenster, och alla der warande meubler efter derass bruk, efter hustrurs, efter mans, efter jungfrurs, etter barns, efter drengars, sammaledes decoramenter i tak, wid fenster, pa dorrar, sa at det och det faller strax in tilhwad behof, 3. alla affectioner, passioner, goda och elaka effigieras likaledes, -och det med alla sina varieteter in specie, sa hwar species har sitt serskilt-och alt sadant kan oendeligen varieras, och da behalla sin likhet in communi, 4. Sammaledes conjunctionerna emellan affectioner, med oendeligit mehra. 5. Sammaledes i alt hwad man tencker ifran det ena til det andra som til exempel difficulteter, faciliteter, beswaren, begiaren, nyttorne, med alt annat, de kunna tenckas i redighet, de kunna opskrifwas, de kunna optecknas, de kunna i pricka effigieras ad visum och ses. 6. alt sadant kan intet inkomma in ideas cogitationis naturalis, derest icke rationale har sin existence at spirituali. 7. variationerne af alt som ses, aro ock relativa efter sitnm ad plagas, hwarfore ock hwar och (en) weta sins stellen och sittia-
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