sh, and confine and consequently impede
the internal sight, as is the nature of all terrestrial and corporeal
things, when regarded as ends, that is, when alone loved; but they
devoted their attention to things themselves; for those matters to
which terrestrial things do not cling, carry the mind (_animus_)
upwards, and so introduce it into a wide field [of view], whereas
merely material things drag the mind (_animus_) downwards, and thus
limit and imprison it. Their eagerness to acquire knowledges
and enrich the memory was further evident from the following
circumstances: Once, when I was writing something concerning things
to come, and they were at a distance, so that they could not look into
those things from my memory; because I was unwilling to read them in
their presence, they were very indignant, and, contrary to their usual
demeanour, they were disposed to inveigh against me, saying that I
was the worst of men, and other like things; and, to show their
resentment, they caused a kind of contraction, attended with pain, on
the right side of my head as far as the ear; but such treatment did me
no harm. As, however, they had done evil, they removed themselves to
a still greater distance, yet kept stopping, being desirous of knowing
what I had written. Such is their eager desire for knowledges.

14. The spirits of Mercury, more than other spirits, possess the
knowledges of things, both of those which are within this solar
system, and those which are beyond it in the starry heaven; and
whatever things they have once acquired they retain, and recollect
them as often as similar ones occur. From this also it may manifestly
appear that spirits have memory, and that it is much more perfect than
that of men; and further, that spirits retain what they hear, see, and
apperceive, and especially such matters as they are delighted with, as
these spirits are with the knowledges of things; for things that are
matters of delight and love flow in as it were spontaneously, and
remain; other things do not enter, but only touch the surface and pass
by.

15. When the spirits of Mercury come to other societies, they try
to discover from them what they know, and when they have ascertained
this, they depart. There is also such a communication among spirits,
and especially among angels, that when they are in a society, if they
are accepted and loved, they communicate or share all they know.[l]

[Footnote l: In the heavens there is a comm