atmosphere, which likewise surpasses by many degrees
the earthly atmosphere (n. 235). This difference
in respect to the outward senses is like the difference
between clear sunshine and dark cloudiness in the world,
or between noonday light and evening shade. For
the light of heaven, since it is Divine truth, enables
the eyes of angels to perceive and distinguish most
minute things. [2] Moreover, their outer sight corresponds
to their inner sight or understanding; for with angels
one sight so flows into the other as to act as one
with it; and this gives them their great keenness
of vision. In like manner, their hearing corresponds
to their perception, which pertains both to the understanding
and to the will, and in consequence they perceive in
the tone and words of one speaking the most minute
things of his affection and thought; in the tone what
pertains to his affection, and in the words what pertains
to his thought (see above, n. 234-245). But the
rest of the senses with the angels are less exquisite
than the senses of seeing and hearing, for the reason
that seeing and hearing serve their intelligence and
wisdom, and the rest do not; and if the other senses
were equally exquisite they would detract from the
light and joy of their wisdom, and would let in the
delight of pleasures pertaining to various appetites
and to the body; and so far as these prevail they
obscure and weaken the understanding. This takes
place in the world, where men become gross and stupid
in regard to spiritual truths so far as they indulge
the sense of taste and yield to the allurements of
the sense of touch. [3] From what has already been
said and shown in the chapter on the wisdom of the
angels of heaven (n. 265-275), it can be seen that
the inner senses also of the angels of heaven, which
pertain to their thought and affection, are more exquisite
and perfect than the senses they had in the world.
But as regards the state of those that are in hell
as compared with the state of those in the world there
is also a great difference, for as great as is the
perfection and excellence of the outer and inner senses
of the angels in heaven, with those who are in hell
the imperfection is equally great. But the state
of these will be treated of hereafter.
462. [b.] That when a man leaves the world he takes
with him all his memory has been shown to me in many
ways, and many of the things I have seen and heard
are worthy of mention, some of which I will relate
in order. There were some who denied their crimes
and villainies which they had perpetrated in the world;
and in consequence, that they might not be believed
innocent, all their deeds were disclosed and reviewed
from their memory in order, from their earliest to
their latest years; these were chiefly adulteries
and whoredoms. [2] There were some who had deceived
others by wicked arts and had committed thefts.
The deceits and thefts of these were also enumerated
in detail, many of which were known to scarcely any