11.  Some spirits came to me, and it was stated from heaven that they were from the earth nearest to the sun, which on our Earth is called the planet Mercury.  Immediately on their coming they sifted out of my memory the things that I knew.  This, spirits can do most skilfully, for when they come to a man they see in his memory all the particulars it contains[j].  While passing in review the various things, and, among others, the cities and places where I had been, I observed that they had no wish to know the temples, palaces, houses, and streets, but only the things I knew to have been done in them, also the things that related to the government there, and to the genius and manners of the inhabitants, and other similar things; for such matters are closely associated with the places in a man’s memory, so that when the places are called to mind, these matters also suggest themselves.  I was surprised to find them of such a character, and therefore inquired why they disregarded the magnificent objects of the places, and only inquired into the facts and transactions connected with them.  They said that they had no delight in regarding material, corporeal, and terrestrial things, but only things that are real.  Hence it was proved that the spirits of that earth, in the Grand Man, have relation to the memory of things abstracted from material and terrestrial things.

[Footnote j:  Spirits enter into all things of man’s memory, and do not [insinuate anything] from their own [memory] into the man’s, nos. 2488, 5863, 6192, 6193, 6198, 6199, 6214.  The angels enter into the affections and ends, from which and for the sake of which a man thinks, wills, and acts in such or such a manner in preference to every other, nos. 1317, 1645, 5844.]

12.  I was told that the life of the inhabitants of that earth is such, namely, that they do not concern themselves about terrestrial and corporeal things, but only about the statutes, laws, and governments of the nations there; and also about the things of heaven, which are innumerable.  I was further informed, that many of the men (homines) of that earth converse with spirits, and that thence they have knowledges respecting spiritual things and the states of life after death, and that thence also they have a contempt for corporeal and terrestrial things; for those who know for a certainty, and believe, that there is a life after death, are concerned about heavenly things, as being eternal and blessed, but not about worldly things, except so far as the necessities of life require.  Such being the character of its inhabitants, such also is that of the spirits who are from it[k].

[Footnote k:  The spirits who are with man are in possession of all things of his memory, nos. 5853, 5857, 5859, 5860.]