641. CONCERNING HIDDEN SPIRITS There are also spirits who lie hidden and do not manifest themselves or act openly, in order that their phantasies and deceitful arts and wiles may not thus become apparent, like those of other spirits. They are in the zenith or above the head, higher than the dragon who does not act so secretly. These spirits suppose that no one can know their pernicious artifices, for which reason they think that they are secure, and that they cannot be injured or punished by anyone, for, as they suppose, they would then betake themselves into a more subtle nature; wherefore, as they say, they do not fear anything whatever. But still their deceits manifestly appear whenever it is so granted by the Lord, and they are discovered to be most pernicious artifices, (magic arts),* by which they imitate the nature of good spirits, so that they inflow softly or gently, in order that their poisons may not be observed. In this way they could seduce even the good, unless the Lord protected them. They, in secret, insert themselves in the manifest deceits of other spirits. * In the MS. the Swedish words truldoms konster meaning "magic arts" are in parenthesis.