85. Of all the spirits who come from the earths of this solar system, those of Mars are the best, being for the most part celestial men, not unlike those who were of the Most Ancient Church on this Earth[gg]. When they are represented as to their quality, they are represented with the face in heaven and the body in the world of spirits; and those of them who are angels are represented with the face towards the Lord and the body in heaven.

86. In the idea of spirits and angels, the planet Mars, like the planets elsewhere, appears constantly in its own place, which is to the left in front, at some distance, in the plane of the breast, and thus outside of the sphere where the spirits of our Earth are. The spirits of one earth are separated from those of another, because the spirits of each earth have relation to some particular province in the Grand Man; and are, therefore, in other and different states; and this diversity of state causes them to appear separate from each other, either to the right or to the left, at a greater or lesser distance[hh].

87. Spirits from thence came to me, and applied themselves to my left temple, where they breathed their speech upon me, but I did not understand it. As to its flow it was very soft: I had never before perceived any softer; it was like a very gentle breeze. It breathed first upon the left temple, and upon the upper part of the left ear; the breathing proceeded thence to the left eye, and by degrees to the right, and flowed down afterwards, especially from the left eye, to the lips; and when at the lips it entered through the mouth, and through a way within the mouth, and, indeed, through the Eustachian tube, into the brain. When the breathing arrived there, I understood their speech, and was enabled to speak with them. When they spoke with me, I observed that my lips were moved, and my tongue also slightly, which was owing to the correspondence of interior with exterior speech. Exterior speech is that of articulate sound which impinges upon the external membrane of the ear, and it is conveyed from thence, by means of the small organs, membranes, and fibres, which are within the ear, to the brain. From these facts it was given me to know that the speech of the inhabitants of Mars was different from that of the inhabitants of our Earth, in that it is not sonorous, but almost tacit, insinuating itself into the interior hearing and sight by a shorter way; and that, being such, it was more perfect, and fuller of the ideas of thought, thus approaching nearer to the speech of spirits and angels. Among them the very affection of the speech is also represented in the face, and its thought in the eyes; for with them thought and speech, and affection and the face, act in unity. They account it infamous to think one thing and speak another, and to will one thing and show another in the face. They know not what hypocrisy is, nor fraudulent simulation and deceit. The same kind of speech prevailed amongst the Most Ancient inhabitants of our Earth, as it has been given me to learn by conversation with some of them in the other life; and to elucidate this subject I may relate what I have heard respecting it, as follows: “It was shown me by an influx which I cannot describe, what was the character of the speech which prevailed amongst those who were of the Most Ancient Church[gg]. It was not articulate, like the vocal speech of our time, but tacit, being effected, not by external, but by internal respiration, consequently it was a cogitative speech. It was given me also to apperceive the character of their internal respiration. It proceeded from the navel towards the heart, and so through the lips without sound when they spoke. It did not enter the ear of another by an external way, and strike upon what is called the drum of the ear, but by a certain internal way, and indeed by what at this day is called the Eustachian tube. It was shown me, that by such speech they could express the feelings of the mind (animus), and the ideas of thought, much more fully than can possibly be done by articulate sounds or audible expressions, which speech is likewise directed by respiration, but external; for there is not a vocal sound, yea, there is nothing in a vocal sound, which is not directed by applications of the respiration. But with them this was done much more perfectly, because by the internal respiration, which, because more interior, is also more perfect, and more applicable and conformable to the very ideas of thought; besides, [it is done] also by slight motions of the lips, and corresponding changes of the face; for, as they were celestial men, whatever they thought shone forth from their face and eyes, which were conformably varied, the face as to form according to the life of the affection, and the eyes as to light. It was quite impossible for them to present a countenance which was not in agreement with their thoughts. As their speech was effected by internal respiration, which is that of the human spirit itself, they could have communion with angels, and speak with them.” The respiration of the spirits of Mars was also communicated to me[ii], and it was perceived that it proceeded from the region of the chest towards the navel, and thence flowed upwards through the breast, with an imperceptible breathing (halitus) towards the mouth. From these facts, and also from other experiential proofs, it was made evident to me that they were of a celestial genius, consequently, that they were not unlike those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church on this earth.

88. I was informed that the spirits of Mars in the Grand Man have relation to the medium between the Intellectual and the Voluntary, consequently to THOUGHT FROM AFFECTION, and the best of them to THE AFFECTION OF THOUGHT; hence it is that their face acts in unity with their thought, and that they cannot simulate in the presence of anyone. And as this is their relation in the Grand Man, the middle province, which is between the cerebrum and the cerebellum, corresponds to them; for with those in whom the cerebrum and the cerebellum are conjoined as to spiritual operations, the face acts in unity with the thought, so that the very affection of the thought shines forth from the face, and the general [character] of the thought from the affection, and also from certain signs that show themselves in the eyes. Wherefore, while they were with me, I sensibly apperceived a drawing back of the anterior part of the head towards the hinder part, thus of the cerebrum towards the cerebellum[kk].

89. On one occasion when spirits of Mars were with me, and occupied the sphere of my mind, spirits from our Earth came and desired to intrude themselves also into that sphere; but the spirits of our Earth became as if insane: this was caused by their being quite out of harmony; for the spirits of our Earth in the Grand Man have relation to the external sense, and consequently these spirits were in idea turned towards the world and towards self, while the spirits of Mars were in idea turned from self to heaven and the neighbour; hence the contrariety. But some angelic spirits of Mars then approached, and on their coming the communication was taken away, and so the spirits of our Earth departed.

90. The angelic spirits spoke with me concerning the life of the inhabitants on their earth; [saying] that they are not under forms of government, but are distinguished into greater and lesser societies, in which they associate themselves with such as agree in disposition, which they know at once by the face and speech, and in this they are seldom mistaken; they are then instantly friends. They also said their consociations are delightful, and that they converse with each other on what passes in their societies, and especially in heaven, for many of them have open communication with the angels of heaven. Those in their societies who begin to think wrongly, and consequently to will what is evil, are dissociated and left to themselves alone, in consequence of which they drag on a most wretched life, out of society, among rocks or other places, for the rest no longer trouble about them. Some societies try by various methods to compel such persons to repent; but when this is to no purpose they dissociate themselves from them. Thus they take precautions lest the lust of dominion and the lust of gain should creep in, that is, lest from the lust of dominion any should subject some society to themselves, and afterwards many others; and lest from the lust of gain any should deprive others of their goods. Every one there lives content with his own goods, and every one with his own honour, that of being reputed just and a lover of the neighbour. This delightful and tranquil state of mind (animus) would perish, unless those who think and will evil were cast out, and a prudent but severe check given to the first beginnings of the love of self and the love of the world. For these are the loves which first led to the establishment of empires and kingdoms, within which there are few who do not desire to acquire dominion, and to possess the goods of others, for there are few who do what is just and fair from a love of justice and fairness, still less who do good from charity itself, but most from fear of the law, the loss of life, of gain, of honour, and of reputation for the sake of these.

91. Concerning the Divine worship of those who dwell on that earth, they said that they acknowledge and adore our Lord, saying that He is the only God, and that He governs both heaven and the universe; that all good is from Him, and that He leads them; also that He very often appears on their earth amongst them. It was then given me to tell them that on our Earth Christians also know that the Lord governs heaven and earth, according to His own words in Matthew, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth” (xxvii, but that they do not believe it as those who belong to the earth Mars do. They said also that there they believe that with themselves there is nothing but what is filthy and infernal, and that all good is of the Lord; nay, they added that of themselves they are devils, and that the Lord draws them out of hell, and continually withholds them from it. On one occasion, when the Lord was named, I saw that those spirits humbled themselves more inwardly and profoundly than can be described: for in their humiliation there was the thought that of themselves they were in hell, and that thus they were utterly unworthy to look to the Lord, who is the Holy itself. So profoundly were they in this thought from faith, that they were, as it were, outside of themselves, and in that thought they remained on their knees till the Lord raised them, and then drew them as it were out of hell. When they thus emerge from humiliation, they are filled with good and love, and consequently with joy of heart. When they humble themselves in this manner, they do not turn their face to the Lord, for this they dare not do then, but avert it. The spirits who were about me said that never had they seen such humiliation.

92. Some spirits who were from that earth were surprised that so many spirits from hell were about me, and that they also spoke to me; but it was given me to reply that this was permitted them for the purpose of enabling me to know their characters, and why they are in hell, and that this is according to their life. It was also given me to state that there were several among them whom I had known when they lived in the world, and that some of them had then occupied stations of great dignity, and that then they had nothing at heart but the world; but that no evil spirit, even the most infernal, could possibly do me any injury, because I was continually protected by the Lord.

93. An inhabitant of that earth was exhibited before me. He was not indeed an inhabitant, but was like one. His face resembled the faces of the inhabitants of our Earth, but the lower part of the face was black, not owing to a beard, which he had not, but to blackness in its place. This blackness extended to underneath the ears on both sides. The upper part of the face was ruddy, like the faces of the inhabitants of our Earth who are not quite fair. They said further that on their earth they subsist on the fruits of trees, especially on a certain kind of round fruit which grows out of their earth; and likewise on pulse. They are clothed with garments which they make of the fibres of the inner bark of certain trees, which fibres have such a consistence that they can be woven, and also cemented together by a kind of gum they have among them. They related further that they know how to make fluid fires, from which they have light during evening and night.

94. I saw a certain flaming object, exceedingly beautiful; it was of various colours, crimson, and also a glowing ruby hue, and from the flame the colours also glowed beautifully. I also saw a hand, to which this flaming object adhered, at first on the back of it, afterwards on the palm or hollow, and from thence it played round about the hand. This continued for some time. Afterwards this hand with the flaming object was removed to a distance and where it rested there was a bright light (lucidum). In that bright light the hand disappeared; and the flaming object was then changed into a bird, whose colours were at first similar to those of the flaming object, and gleamed in the same manner; but these colours gradually changed, and with them the vigour of life in the bird. It flew about, at first about my head, then forwards into a kind of narrow chamber, which appeared like a sanctuary, and as it flew onwards its life departed, and at length it became stony; it was then at first of a pearly, afterwards of a dusky colour; but although without life, it kept on flying. While this bird was flying about my head, and still in the vigour of life, a spirit was seen rising up from below, through the region of the loins to that of the breast, and from there he wished to take that bird; but because it was so beautiful, the spirits who were about me prevented his doing so, for the eyes of all were fixed upon it. But this spirit who had risen up from below used all his power to persuade them that the Lord was with him, and consequently that he was acting from the Lord. Although the most of them did not believe this, they nevertheless no longer hindered him from taking the bird; but as at that moment heaven inflowed he was unable to retain it, but immediately, opening his hand, set it free. When this had taken place, the spirits who were around me, and who had intently watched the bird and its successive changes, began talking with each other about it, and they continued talking for a considerable time. They perceived that such a sight could not but signify something heavenly; they knew that what is flaming signifies celestial love and its affections; that a hand, to which the flaming object adhered, signifies life and its power; that changes of the colours signify the varieties of life as to wisdom and intelligence; that a bird has the same signification with this difference, however, that what is flaming signifies celestial love and the things that belong to celestial love, while a bird signifies spiritual love and the things that belong to that love; (celestial love is love to the Lord, and spiritual love is charity towards the neighbour,[note gg]); and that the changes of the colours and at the same time of the life in the bird, till it became stony, signify the successive changes of spiritual life as to intelligence. They also knew that the spirits who ascend from below, through the region of the loins to that of the breast, are in a strong persuasion that they are in the Lord, and consequently believe that whatever they do, even though it be evil, they do of the Lord’s will. But nevertheless this did not enable them to know who were meant by that sight. At length they were instructed from heaven, that the inhabitants of Mars were meant; that their celestial love, in which many of them still are, was signified by the flaming object that adhered to the hand; and that the bird in the beginning, while it was in the beauty of its colours and the vigour of its life, signified their spiritual love: but that the bird when it had become as it were stony and devoid of life, and at length of a dusky colour, signified those inhabitants who have removed themselves from the good of love, and are in evil, and still believe, nevertheless, that they are in the Lord. The same thing was signified by the spirit who rose up and wished to take away the bird.

95. The bird of stone also represented inhabitants of that earth, who by a strange method transmute the life of their thoughts and affections into almost no life, on which subject I have learned the following particulars. There was a certain spirit above my head who spoke with me, and from the tone of his voice he was apperceived to be as it were in a state of sleep. In this state he spoke many things, and with a sagacity (prudentia) that he could not have surpassed when awake. It was given me to perceive that he was a subject through whom angels spoke, and that in that state he apperceived [their speech] and produced it[ll]; for he spoke nothing but what was true; if anything inflowed from any other source, he indeed admitted it, but did not produce it. I questioned him respecting his state. He said that to him that state was a peaceful one, and was free from all solicitude respecting the future; and that at the same time he was performing uses by which he had communication with heaven. I was told that such, in the Grand Man, have relation to the longitudinal sinus, which lies in the brain between its two hemispheres, and is there in a tranquil state, no matter how disturbed the brain may be on either side. While I was in conversation with this spirit, some spirits introduced themselves towards the anterior part of the head where he was, and pressed upon him; wherefore he retired to one side, and gave place to them. The spirit strangers spoke with each other; but neither the spirits about me, nor I myself, understood what they said. I was informed by the angels that they were spirits from the earth Mars, who have the skill to speak with each other in such a way that the spirits present could not understand or perceive anything. I wondered that there could possibly be speech of this kind, since for all spirits there is one speech, which flows from thought, and consists of ideas which are heard as vocal expressions in the spiritual world. I was told that those spirits have a certain method of forming ideas, expressed by the lips and face, unintelligible to others, and that they at the same instant skilfully withdraw their thoughts, guarding particularly lest anything of the affection should manifest itself, because if anything of the affection were perceived, the thought would appear, for the thought flows from the affection, and as it were in it. I was further informed that such speech was contrived by those inhabitants of Mars, though not by all, who make heavenly life to consist in knowledges alone, and not in the life of love; and that when they become spirits they retain it. These are they who were specially signified by the bird of stone; for to produce a speech by alterations of the face and motions of the lips, with a removal of the affections and a withdrawal of the thoughts from others, is to deprive speech of life and make it like an image, and by degrees to produce the same effect on themselves. But although they imagine that what they speak among themselves is not understood by others, angelic spirits nevertheless perceive each and all of the things they say, the reason being that no thought can be withdrawn from them. This was also shown them by actual experience. I was thinking of the fact that the evil spirits of our Earth are not affected with shame when they infest others. This [thought] inflowed with me from some angelic spirits who perceived their speech. Those spirits of Mars then acknowledged that this was the subject they were speaking of among themselves, and they were astonished. Besides this, more things, both of their conversation and thought, were disclosed by an angelic spirit, notwithstanding all their endeavours to hide away their thoughts from him. Afterwards those spirits inflowed from above into my face. The influx was felt like fine striated rain, which was a sign that they were not in the affection of truth and of good, for this is represented by what is striated. They then spoke plainly with me, saying, that the inhabitants of their earth speak in the same way among themselves. They were then told that this is evil, as by so doing they block up the internals, and recede from them to the externals, which also they deprive of their life; and especially because it is not sincere to speak in this manner. For they who are sincere do not wish to speak or even to think anything but what others, yea, what all, even the whole heaven, might know. But those who are unwilling that others should know what they say, pass judgment on others, and think ill of others and well of themselves, and at length are led by habit so far as to think and speak ill of the church, and of heaven, yea, of the Lord Himself. I have been told that those who love knowledges, and not so much a life according to them, have relation, in the Grand Man, to the inner membrane of the skull; but that those who accustom themselves to speak without affection, and to draw the thought to themselves and withdraw it from others, have relation to that membrane, when it has become ossified, because, from having some spiritual life, they come at length to have none.

96. As the bird of stone represented those also who are in knowledges alone, and in no life of love, and as these consequently have no spiritual life, therefore, by way of appendix, I may here show that those only have spiritual life who are in heavenly love, and thence in knowledges; and that a love contains in itself all the power of knowing (cognitinum) which belongs to that love. Take for example the animals of the earth, and also the living creatures of the heaven, that is, the birds. These have the knowledge (scientia) of all things that belong to their love. Their loves are, to nourish themselves, to dwell safely, to propagate their kind, to take care of their young, and, with some, to provide for the winter. They have, therefore, all the requisite knowledge, for this is inherent in those loves, and inflows into them as into its own receptacles; and this knowledge in some animals is such that man cannot but be amazed at it. Their knowledge is connate and is called instinct; but it belongs to the natural love in which they are. If man were in his own love, which is love to God and towards the neighbour, (this love is man’s peculiar love, by which he is distinguished from beasts, and it is heavenly love,) he would not only be in all requisite knowledge, but likewise in all intelligence and wisdom; for these [qualities] would inflow into those loves from heaven, that is, from the Divine through heaven. As, however, man is not born into those loves, but into their contraries, that is to say, into the loves of self and of the world, therefore he cannot but be born in complete ignorance and want of knowledge But by Divine means he is brought to something of intelligence and wisdom, yet not actually into any, unless the loves of self and of the world are removed, and a way is thus opened for love to God and towards the neighbour. That love to God and love towards the neighbour have in them all intelligence and wisdom, may appear from those who have been in those loves in the world. These, when, after death, they come into heaven, know and are wise in things of which they previously knew nothing; yea, they there think and speak, like the rest of the angels, such things as the ear has not heard, nor the mind known, which are ineffable. The reason is, that those loves have the faculty of receiving such things into themselves.