hills, and rocks, appear to the
sight like holes and clefts in the rocks, some extended and wide, and
some straitened and narrow, and many of them rugged. They all, when
looked into, appear dark and dusky; but the infernal spirits that are
in them are in such a luminosity as arises from burning coals. Their
eyes are adapted to the reception of that light, and for the reason
that while they lived in the world they were in thick darkness in
respect to Divine truths, because of their denying them, and were in
a sort of light in respect to falsities because of their affirming
them. In this way did the sight of their eyes become so formed. And
for the same reason the light of heaven is thick darkness to them,
and therefore when they go out of their dens they see nothing. All
this makes it abundantly clear that man comes into the light of
heaven just to the extent that he acknowledges the Divine, and
establishes in himself the things of heaven and the church; and that
he comes into the thick darkness of hell just to the extent that he
denies the Divine, and establishes in himself what is contrary to the
truths of heaven and the church.

585. The openings or gates to the hells that are beneath the plains
and valleys present to the sight different appearances. Some resemble
those that are beneath the mountains, hills and rocks; some resemble
dens and caverns, some great chasms and whirlpools; some resemble
bogs, and some standing water. They are all covered, and are opened
only when evil spirits from the world of spirits are cast in; and
when they are opened there bursts forth from them either something
like the fire and smoke that is seen in the air from burning
buildings, or like a flame without smoke, or like soot such as comes
from a burning chimney, or like a mist and thick cloud. I have heard
that the infernal spirits neither see nor feel these things, because
when they are in them they are as in their own atmosphere, and thus
in the delight of their life; and this for the reason that these
things correspond to the evils and falsities in which they are, fire
corresponding to hatred and revenge, smoke and soot to the falsities
therefrom, flame to the evils of the love of self, and a mist or
thick cloud to falsities from that love.

586. I have also been permitted to look into the hells and to see
what they are within; for when the Lord wills, the sight of a spirit
or angel from above may penetrate into the lowest dep