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Doc. 243.] 279
SWEDENBORG TO BEYER.
learn. Should this arrangement be acceptable to the boy,
and an opportunity present itself of his being brought here in
company with a person travelling this way, the family would
be pleased ; in that case thirty dalers in silver might be
furnished him to cover his travelling expenses, and if on his
arrival he address himself to me, he will be taken to the
family.
I pass by his vision of white serpents, as this took place
in his tender infancy; for which reason I do not enter into
its explanation; besides, it may be explained either negatively
or affirmatively. But his knowing the use of herbs and [the
cure of] certain diseases, if really the case, is not on account
of such diseases and cures existing in the other life among
spirits and angels. There are, however, spiritual diseases
[and cures] corresponding to natural diseases and cures in
this world ; wherefore, when such effects take place, they are
due to correspondences. As there are no natural diseases
.
among spirits in the spiritual world , neither are there any
hospitals ; but instead of these there are spiritual madhouses,
in which are those who theoretically denied God, and in others
such as denied Him practically. Those who in the world
were idiots, on their arrival in the other world are likewise
foolish and idiotic ; but when their externals are removed and
their internals opened, as is the case with all, then they are
endowed with an understanding in accordance with their genius
and their previous life ; for real madness and insanity reside
in the external or natural, and not in the internal or spiri
tual man.
I will now give you an account of my first youth: From
my fourth to my tenth year I was constantly engaged in
thought upon God, salvation, and the spiritual diseases (pas
siones spirituales) of men ; and several times I revealed things
at which my father and mother wondered ; saying, that angels
must be speaking through me. From my sixth to my twelfth
year I used to delight in conversing with clergymen about
faith , saying that the life of faith is love , and that the love
which imparts life is love to the neighbour ; also that God
gives faith to every one , but that those only receive it who
practise that love. I knew of no other faith at that time,
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