onic
action; not to mention further facts, lest those who have no knowledge
of anatomy, on account of their ignorance of its terms should be confused
in regard to the subject. Consult any skillful and discerning anatomist
whether all things in the entire body, from the breast down be not so
bound together, that when the lungs expand by respiration, each and all
of them are moved to action synchronous with the pulmonic action. From
all this the nature of the conjunction prepared by the will between the
understanding and each and every thing of the human form is now evident.
Only explore the connections well and scan them with an anatomical eye;
then, following the connections, consider their cooperation with the
breathing lungs and with the heart; and finally, in thought, substitute
for the lungs the understanding, and for the heart the will, and you will
see.

404. (6) After the nuptials, the first conjunction is through affection
for knowing, from which springs affection for truth. By the nuptials is
meant man's state after birth, from a state of ignorance to a state of
intelligence, and from this to a state of wisdom. The first state which
is one of pure ignorance, is not meant here by nuptials, because there
is then no thought from the understanding, and only an obscure affection
from the love or will. This state is initiatory to the nuptials. In the
second state, which belongs to man in childhood, there is, as we know, an
affection for knowing, by means of which the infant child learns to speak
and to read, and afterwards gradually learns such things as belong to the
understanding. That it is love, belonging to the will, that effects this,
cannot be doubted; for unless it were effected by love or the will it
would not be done. That every man has, after birth, an affection for
knowing, and through that acquires the knowledge by which his
understanding is gradually formed, enlarged, and perfected, is
acknowledged by every one who thoughtfully takes counsel of experience.
It is also evident that from this comes affection for truth; for when man,
from affection for knowing, has become intelligent, he is led not so much
by affection for knowing as by affection for reasoning and forming
conclusions on subjects which he loves, whether economical or civil or
moral. When this affection is raised to spiritual things, it becomes
affection for spiritual truth. That its first initiatory state was
affection for knowing, may be se