could be saved; wherefore
he was reduced into a state similar to that into which spirits are
reduced when they appear on their own earth as men (which state has
been treated of just above); and thus he was let into that earth,
so that he not only saw it, but also conversed with the inhabitants
there. This done, a communication was by this means granted me also,
so that I likewise saw the inhabitants, and also some objects on that
earth (see above, no. 135). There appeared then four kinds of men, but
one after the other in succession; the first I saw were clothed; the
second were naked, of a human flesh colour; the next were naked, but
with flame-coloured bodies; and the last were black.

162. While the spirit who had been a prelate and a preacher was with
those who were clothed, a woman with a very pretty face appeared. She
was simply attired; her robe hung gracefully behind her, and was also
drawn over her arms, and she wore a beautiful head-dress, in the form
of a chaplet of flowers. That spirit was greatly delighted at the
sight of this virgin; he spoke to her, and also took her by the hand;
but, apperceiving that he was a spirit, and not of that earth, she
hurried hastily away from him. Afterwards there appeared to him on the
right several other women, who had the care of sheep and lambs, which
they were then leading to a watering-trough, into which water was led
by means of a trench from some lake. They were similarly clothed, and
had shepherds' crooks in their hands, by which they led the sheep and
lambs to drink; they said the sheep went whichever way they pointed
with their crooks: the sheep which we saw were large, with woolly
tails, broad and long. The faces of the women, when seen nearer, were
full and beautiful. Some men were also seen; their faces were of a
human flesh colour, like that of the men of our Earth, but with this
difference, that the lower part of the face, instead of being bearded,
was black, and the nose more of a snowy-white than of a flesh colour.
Afterwards the spirit who, as already mentioned, had been a preacher
in the world, was led further on, but reluctantly, because he was
still thinking about that woman with whom he had been delighted, as
was evident from the circumstance that there still appeared something
of his shadow in the former place. He then came to those who were
naked. They were seen walking together by twos, husband and wife, girt
with a girdle about the loins, and some s