987. CONCERNING THE COMMUNICATION OF THE IDEAS OF MAN WITH SPIRITS Man's thought is communicated to some spirits by means of speech, that is, by thought distinguished into words, thus into ideas, whence arises the meaning. With some this is done more fully by means of words, that is, the idea of the word and its meaning is fuller. To some the thoughts are just as they are in man, together with his speculation and imagination, as when a man holds his mind intent upon some subject, and represents to himself many things as though they were at the same time seen, about which he afterwards speaks or writes. The whole of this composite idea, or imaginative representation, is usually communicated to spirits in its entirety, but a spirit's capability of receiving it is varied according to his faculties. Angels apprehend at the same time the things that are in the idea, and those that are within it. 1748, Feb. 26.