Various things respecting the sphere of innocence, and of its protection from evils and falsities (1363 [CL 127, 391, 394, 395, 399]). The love of infants and of children is an external or natural cause of love or friendship between consorts (1618-1621 [CL 284, 387, 404]). Concerning the love of infants or parental love (1642-1699 [CL 385-414]).

From the Divine providence proceed two universal spheres; one, that of conjugial love; and the other, that of the love of infants (much concerning these spheres, 1644-1657 [CL 386-397]). (See SPHERE.)

The sphere of the love of infants is the sphere of protecting and supporting those who are unable to protect and support themselves (1658-1662 [CL 391]).

The sphere of the love of infants inflows into all living and animate things in the universe, and fills them with the love of innocence and peace, which love is received by them in their own way (1663-1666 [CL 388, 394]):

And it induces upon them a new and wonderful state; one that is full of the love of supporting and protecting their own offspring (1667, 1668 [CL 392]).

Every one living and animate receives this state into himself or herself after a birth; nor is there knowledge that it inflows, because the influx is not felt (1669 [CL 391, 392]).

The sphere of this love affects the female sex more than the male; thus mothers more than fathers (1670, 1671 [CL 393]).

It affects fathers and mothers variously, each according to the state of the mind (1672-1674 [CL 405, 408]).

It affects the evil and the good equally, and gives each the disposition to love and protect his own offspring, from his own affection (1675-1677 [CL 392]).

The sphere of this love of innocence and peace inflows into the external minds (animos) of parents and also into infants, and it conjoins itself in their outmost parts, especially by the touch (1678, 1679 [CL 396]).

In the degree in which innocence and peace recede with infants, there is a relaxation of that conjunction or that love; this is accomplished successively even to separation (1681-1684 [CL 398]). The state of innocence and peace with infants is, that they know nothing and can do nothing from themselves, but from others, especially from the father and mother; and this state successively recedes as they know and become able to act from themselves, and not from others (1685-1689 [CL 399]).

The sphere of the love of infants progresses in a certain series, from and through causes into effects, and it makes periods, by means of which creation is preserved and continued in the state foreseen and provided (1690-1692 [CL 400]).

The love between parents and children descends and does not ascend, and for this there are many reasons (1693-1698 [CL 402]).

The conjunction of conjugial love with the love of infants or parental love (1701-1717 [CL 404]).

In legitimate marriages infants are loved as legitimate and heirs (1703, 1704).

With consorts who love each other, conjugial love is conjoined with parental love through spiritual and rational causes, and natural causes from these, which are with them from the Lord (1707-1709 [CL 404]).

In the case of such consorts, there is parental love through the husband with the wife, and on the other hand there is parental love with the husband from the Lord through the wife; in consequence, the love of the one is also conjoined mutually and in its turn with the love of the other (1710, 1711).

With consorts who do not love each other, although there is not conjunction of those two loves from what is higher, interior, or prior, still there is a conjunction from what is lower, exterior, or posterior; but such conjunction is inverted, and consequently is light and wandering (1712, 1713 [CL 408]).