ingly attired, having garlands of
flowers resplendent with most beautiful and heavenly colors twined
about their breasts and around their tender arms; and once to see
them accompanied by those in charge of them and by maidens, in a park
most beautifully adorned, not so much with trees, as with arbors and
covered walks of laurel, with paths leading inward; and when the
children entered attired as they were the flowers over the entrance
shone forth most joyously. This indicates the nature of their
delights, also how they are led by means of pleasant and delightful
things into the goods of innocence and charity, which goods the Lord
continually instilled into these delights and pleasures.

338. It was shown me, by a mode of communication common in the other
life, what the ideas of children are when they see objects of any
kind. Each and every object seemed to them to be alive; and thus in
every least idea of their thought there is life. And it was perceived
that children on the earth have nearly the same ideas when they are
at their little plays; for as yet they have no such reflection as
adults have about what is inanimate.

339. It has been said above that children are of a genius either
celestial or spiritual. Those of a celestial genius are easily
distinguished from those of a spiritual genius. Their thought,
speech, and action, is so gentle that hardly anything appears except
what flows from a love of good to the Lord and from a love for other
children. But those of a spiritual genius are not so gentle; but in
everything with them there appears a sort of vibration, as of wings.
The difference is seen also in their ill-feeling and in other
things.

340. Many may suppose that in heaven little children remain little
children, and continue as such among the angels. Those who do not
know what an angel is may have had this opinion confirmed by
paintings and images in churches, in which angels are represented as
children. But it is wholly otherwise. Intelligence and wisdom are
what constitute an angel, and as long as children do not possess
these they are not angels, although they are with the angels; but as
soon as they become intelligent and wise they become angels; and what
is wonderful, they do not then appear as children, but as adults, for
they are no longer of an infantile genius, but of a more mature
angelic genius. Intelligence and wisdom produce this effect. The
reason why children appear more mature, thu