Correspondences in the animal kingdom are living creatures of various kinds, both those that walk and creep on the ground and those that fly in the air; these need not be specially named, as they are well known.  Correspondences in the vegetable kingdom are all things that grow and abound in gardens, forests, fields, and meadows; these, too, need not be named, because they are well known.  Correspondences in the mineral kingdom are metals more and less noble, stones precious and not precious, earths of various kinds, and also the waters.  Besides these the things prepared from them by human activity for use are correspondences, as foods of every kind, clothing, dwellings and other buildings, with many other things.

105.  Also the things above the earth, as the sun, moon, and stars, and those in the atmosphere, as clouds, mists, rain, lightning and thunder, are likewise correspondences.  Things resulting from the presence and absence of the sun, as light and shade, heat and cold, are also correspondences, as well as those that follow in succession therefrom, as the seasons of the year, spring, summer, autumn, and winter; and the times of day, morning, noon, evening, and night.

106.  In a word, all things that have existence in nature, from the least to the greatest thereof, are correspondences.{1} They are correspondences because the natural world with all things in it springs forth and subsists from the spiritual world, and both worlds from the Divine.  They are said to subsist also, because everything subsists from that from which it springs forth, subsistence being a permanent springing forth; also because nothing can subsist from itself, but only from that which is prior to itself, thus from a First, and if separated from that it would utterly perish and vanish.

{Footnote 1} All things that are in the world and its three kingdoms correspond to the heavenly things that are in heaven, that is, the things in the natural world correspond to the things in the spiritual world (n. 1632, 1881, 2758, 2760-2763, 2987-3003, 3213-3227, 3483, 3624-3649, 4044, 4053, 4116, 4366, 4939, 5116, 5377, 5428, 5477, 9280).  By correspondences the natural world is conjoined to the spiritual world (n. 8615).  For this reason all nature is a theatre representative of the Lord’s kingdom (n. 2758, 2999, 3000, 3483, 4938, 4939, 8848, 9280).

107.  Everything in nature that springs forth and subsists in accordance with Divine order is a correspondence.  Divine order is caused by the Divine good that flows forth from the Lord.  It begins in Him, goes forth from Him through the heavens in succession into the world, and is terminated there in outmosts; and everything there that is in accordance with order is a correspondence.  Everything there is in accordance with order that is good and perfect for use, because everything good is good in the measure of its use; while its form has relation to truth, truth being the form of good.  And for this reason everything in the whole world and of the nature thereof that is in Divine order has reference to good and truth.{1}