and round about which were celestial forms of gold and precious stones, which cannot be described by any language, or delineated by any art; for they surpassed the ideas of language and the notions of art.  On seeing these things he again exclaimed, “These are the very essence of whatever is wonderful, such as no eye had ever seen.”  But instantly, as before, his internal sight was opened, the external being closed, and he was asked what he then saw?  He replied, “Nothing but decayed piles of bulrushes in this place, of straw in that, and of fire brands in a third.”  Once again he was brought into an external state of mind, and some maidens were introduced, who were extremely beautiful, being images of celestial affection; and they, with the sweet voice of their affection, addressed him; and instantly, on seeing and hearing them, his countenance changed, and he returned of himself into his internals, which were adulterous; and since such internals cannot endure any thing of celestial love, and neither on the other hand can they be endured by celestial love, therefore both parties vanished,—­the maidens out of sight of the man, and the man out of sight of the maidens.  After this, the angel informed him concerning the ground and origin of the changes of the state of his sights; saying, “I perceive that in the world, from which you are come, you have been two-fold, in internals having been quite a different man from what you were in externals; in externals you have been a civil, moral, and rational man; whereas in internals, you have been neither civil, moral, nor rational, because a libertine and an adulterer:  and such men, when they are allowed to ascend into heaven, and are there kept in their externals, can see the heavenly things contained therein; but when their internals are opened, instead of heavenly things they see infernal.  Know, however, that with every one in this world, externals are successively closed, and internals are opened, and thereby they are prepared for heaven or hell; and as the evil of adultery defiles the internals of the mind above every other evil, you must needs be conveyed down to the defiled principles of your love, and these are in the hells, where the caverns are full of stench arising from dunghills.  Who cannot know from reason, that an unchaste and lascivious principle in the world of spirits, is impure and unclean, and thus that nothing more pollutes and defiles a man, and induces in him an infernal principle?  Wherefore take heed how you boast any longer of your whoredoms, as possessing masculine powers therein above other men.  I advertise you before hand, that you will become feeble, so that you will scarce know where your masculine power is.  Such is the lot which awaits those who boast of their adulterous ability.”  On hearing these words he descended, and returned into the world of spirits, to his former companions, and converse with them modestly and chastely, but not for any considerable length of time.