ul and the mind with angels, spirits, and
men; which he does by an influx of love and wisdom; and this influx is
the essential activity from which comes all delight, which in its origin
is called blessed, satisfactory, and happy, and in its derivation is
called delightful, pleasant, and pleasurable, and in a universal sense,
GOOD. But the spirits of hell invert all things with themselves; thus
they turn good into evil, and the true into the false, their delights
continually remaining: for without the continuance of delight, they
would have neither will nor sensation, thus no life. From these
considerations may be seen the nature and origin of the delight of hell,
and also the nature and origin of the delight of heaven." Having heard
this, he was conducted to the third company, consisting of those who
scrutinize effects, and are called knowledges. These said, "Descend to
the inferior earth, and ascend to the superior earth: in the latter you
will perceive and be made sensible of the delights of the angels of
heaven, and in the former of the delights of the spirits of hell." But
lo! at that instant, at a distance from them, the ground cleft asunder,
and through the cleft there ascended three devils, who appeared on fire
from the delight of their love; and as those who accompanied the
novitiate spirit perceived that the three ascended out of hell by
_proviso_, they said to them, "Do not come nearer; but from the place
where you are, give some account of your delights." Whereupon they said,
"Know, then, that every one, whether he be good or evil, is in his own
delight; the good in the delight of his good, and the evil in the
delight of his evil." They were then asked, "What is your delight?" They
said. "The delight of whoring, stealing, defrauding, and blaspheming."
Again they were asked, "What is the quality of those delights?" They
said, "To the senses of others they are like the stinks arising from
dunghills, the stenches from dead bodies, and the scents from stale
urine." And it was asked them, "Are those things delightful to you?"
They said, "Most delightful." And reply was made, "Then you are like
unclean beasts which wallow in such things." To which they answered, "If
we are, we are: but such things are the delights of our nostrils." And
on being asked, "What further account can you give?" they said, "Every
one is allowed to be in his delight, even the most unclean, as it is
called, provided he does not infest good spi