45. That there are marriages in the heavens, has been shewn just above;
it remains now to be considered, whether the marriage-covenant ratified
in the world will remain and be in force after death, or not. As this is
a question not of judgement but of experience, and as experience herein
has been granted me by consociation with angels and spirits, I will here
adduce it; but yet so that reason may assent thereto. To have this
question determined, is also an object of the wishes and desires of all
married persons; for husbands who have loved their wives, in case they
die, are desirous to know whether it be well with them, and whether they
shall ever meet again; and the same is true of wives in regard to their
husbands. Many married pairs also wish to know beforehand whether they
are to be separated after death, or to live together: those who have
disagreed in their tempers, wish to know whether they are to be
separated; and those who have agreed, whether they are to live together.
Information on this subject then being much wished for, we will now
proceed to give it in the following order: I. _The love of the sex
remains with every man (homo) after death, according to its interior
quality; that is, such as it had been in his interior will and thought
in the world._ II. _The same is true of conjugial love._ III. _Married
partners most commonly meet after death, know each other, again
associate and for a time live together: this is the case in the first
state, thus while they are in externals as in the world._ IV. _But
successively, as they put off their externals, and enter into their
internals, they perceive what had been the quality of their love and
inclination for each other, and consequently whether they can live
together or not._ V. _If they can live together, they remain married
partners; but if they cannot they separate; sometimes the husband from
the wife, sometimes the wife from the husband, and sometimes each from
the other._ VI. _In this case there is given to the man a suitable wife,
and to the woman a suitable husband._ VII. _Married partners enjoy
similar communications with each other as in the world, but more
delightful and blessed, yet without prolification; in the place of which
they experience spiritual prolification, which is that of love and
wisdom._ VIII. _This is the case with those who go to heaven; but it is
otherwise with those who go to hell._ We now proceed to an explanation
of these propositions, by which they may be illustrated and confirmed.
46. I. THE LOVE OF THE SEX REMAINS WITH EVERY MAN AFTER DEATH, ACCORDING
TO ITS INTERIOR QUALITY; THAT IS, SUCH AS IT HAD BEEN IN HIS INTERIOR
WILL AND THEREBY IN THE WOMAN. Every love follows a man after death,
because it is the _esse_ of his life; and the ruling love, which is the
head of the rest, remains with him to eternity, and together with it the
subordinate loves. The reason why they remain, is, because love properly
appertains to the spirit of man, and to the body by derivation from the
spirit; and a man after death becomes a spirit and thereby carries his
love along with him; as love is the _esse_ of a man's life, it is
evident, that such as a man's life has been in the world, such is his
lot after death. The love of the sex is the most universal of all loves,
being implanted from creation in the very soul of man, from which the
essence of the whole man is derived, and this for the sake of the
propagation of the human race. The reason why this love chiefly remains
is, because after death a male is a male, and a female a female, and
because there is nothing in the soul, the mind, and the body, which is
not male (or masculine) in the male, and female (or feminine) in the
female; and these two (the male and female) are so created, that they
have a continual tendency to conjunction, yea, to such a conjunction as
to become a one. This tendency is the love of the sex, which precedes
conjugial love. Now, since a conjunctive inclination is inscribed on
every part and principle of the male and of the female, it follows, that
this inclination cannot be destroyed and die with the body.
47. The reason why the love of the sex remains such as it was interiorly
in the world, is, because every man has an internal and an external,
which are also called the internal and external man; and hence there is
an internal and an external will and thought. A man when he dies, quits
his external, and retains his internal; for externals properly belong to
his body, and internals to his spirit. Now since every man is his own
love, and love resides in the spirit, it follows, that the love of the
sex remains with him after death, such as it was interiorly with him; as
for example, if the love interiorly had been conjugial and chaste, it
remains such after death; but if it had been interiorly adulterous
(anti-conjugial), it remains such also after death. It is however to be
observed that the love of the sex is not the same with one person as
with another; its differences are infinite: nevertheless, such as it is
in any one's spirit, such it remains.
48. II. CONJUGIAL LOVE IN LIKE MANNER REMAINS SUCH AS IT HAD BEEN
INTERIORLY; THAT IS, SUCH AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE MAN'S INTERIOR WILL AND
THOUGHT IN THE WORLD. As the love of the sex is one thing, and conjugial
love another, therefore mention is made of each; and it is said, that
the latter also remains after death such as it has been internally with
a man, during his abode in the world: but as few know the distinction
between the love of the sex and conjugial love, therefore, before we
proceed further in the subject of this treatise, it may be expedient
briefly to point it out. The love of the sex is directed to several, and
contracted with several of the sex; but conjugial love is directed to
only one, and contracted with one of the sex; moreover, love directed to
and contracted with several is a natural love; for it is common to man
with beasts and birds, which are natural: but conjugial love is a
spiritual love, and peculiar and proper to men; because men were
created, and are therefore born to become spiritual; therefore, so far
as a man becomes spiritual, so far he puts off the love of the sex, and
puts on conjugial love. In the beginning of marriage the love of the sex
appears as if conjoined with conjugial love; but in the progress of
marriage they are separated; and in this case, with such as are
spiritual, the love of the sex is removed, and conjugial love is
imparted; but with such as are natural, the contrary happens. From these
observations it is evident, that the love of the sex, being directed to
and contracted with several and being in itself natural, yea, animal, is
impure and unchaste, and being vague and indeterminate in its object, is
adulterous; but the case is altogether different with conjugial love.
That conjugial love is spiritual, and truly human, will manifestly
appear from what follows.
[Transcriber's Note: The out-of-order section numbers which follow are
in the original text, as are the asterisks which do not seem to indicate
footnotes. There are several cases of this in the text, apparently
indicating insertions by the author.]
47.* III. MARRIED PARTNERS MOST COMMONLY MEET AFTER DEATH, KNOW EACH
OTHER, AGAIN ASSOCIATE, AND FOR A TIME LIVE TOGETHER: THIS IS THE CASE
IN THE FIRST STATE, THUS WHILE THEY ARE IN EXTERNALS AS IN THE WORLD.
There are two states in which a man (_homo_) enters after death, an
external and an internal state. He comes first into his external state,
and afterwards into his internal; and during the external state, married
partners meet each other, (supposing they are both deceased,) know each
other, and if they have lived together in the world, associate again,
and for some time live together; and while they are in this state they
do not know the inclination of each to the other, this being concealed
in the internals of each; but afterwards, when they come into their
internal state, the inclination manifests itself; and if it be in mutual
agreement and sympathy, they continue to live together a conjugial life;
but if it be in disagreement and antipathy, their marriage is dissolved.
In case a man had had several wives, he successively joins himself with
them, while he is in his external state; but when he enters into his
internal state, in which lie perceives the inclinations of his love, and
of what quality they are, he then either adopts one or leaves them all;
for in the spiritual world, as well as in the natural, it is not
allowable for any Christian to have more than one wife, as it infests
and profanes religion. The case is the same with a woman that had had
several husbands: nevertheless the women in this case do not join
themselves to their husbands; they only present themselves, and the
husbands join them to themselves. It is to be observed that husbands
rarely know their wives, but that wives well know their husbands, women
having an interior perception of love, and men only an exterior.
48.* IV. BUT SUCCESSIVELY, AS THEY PUT OFF THEIR EXTERNALS AND ENTER
INTO THEIR INTERNALS, THEY PERCEIVE WHAT HAD BEEN THE QUALITY OF THEIR
LOVE AND INCLINATION FOR EACH OTHER, AND CONSEQUENTLY WHETHER THEY CAN
LIVE TOGETHER OR NOT. There is no occasion to explain this further, as
it follows from what is shewn in the previous section; suffice it here
to shew how a man (_homo_) after death puts off his externals and puts
on his internals. Every one after death is first introduced into the
world which is called the world of spirits, and which is intermediate
between heaven and hell; and in that world he is prepared, for heaven if
he is good, and for hell if he is evil. The end or design of this
preparation is, that the internal and external may agree together and
make a one, and not disagree and make two: in the natural world they
frequently make two, and only make a one with those who are sincere in
heart. That they make two is evident from the deceitful and the cunning;
especially from hypocrites, flatterers, dissemblers, and liars: but in
the spiritual world it is not allowable thus to have a divided mind; for
whoever has been internally wicked must also be externally wicked; in
like manner, whoever has been good, must be good in each principle: for
every man after death becomes of such a quality as he had been
interiorly, and not such as he had been exteriorly. For this end, after
his decease, he is let alternately into his external and his internal;
and every one, while he is in his external, is wise, that is, he wishes
to appear wise, even though he be wicked; but a wicked person internally
is insane. By those changes he is enabled to see his follies, and to
repent of them: but if he had not repented in the world, he cannot
afterwards; for he loves his follies, and wishes to remain in them:
therefore he forces his external also to be equally insane: thus his
internal and his external become a one; and when this is effected, he is
prepared for hell. But it is otherwise with a good spirit: such a one,
as in the world he had looked unto God and had repented, was more wise
in his internal than in his external: in his external also, through the
allurements and vanities of the world, he was sometimes led astray;
therefore his external is likewise reduced to agreement with his
internal, which, as was said, is wise; and when this is effected he is
prepared for heaven. From these considerations it may plainly appear,
how the case is in regard to putting off the external and putting on the
internal after death.
49. V. IF THEY CAN LIVE TOGETHER, THEY REMAIN MARRIED PARTNERS; BUT IF
THEY CANNOT, THEY SEPARATE; SOMETIMES THE HUSBAND FROM THE WIFE,
SOMETIMES THE WIFE FROM THE HUSBAND, AND SOMETIMES EACH FROM THE OTHER.
The reason why separations take place after death is, because the
conjunctions which are made on earth are seldom made from any internal
perception of love, but from an external perception, which hides the
internal. The external perception of love originates in such things as
regard the love of the world and of the body. Wealth and large
possessions are peculiarly the objects of worldly love, while dignities
and honors are those of the love of the body: besides these objects,
there are also various enticing allurements, such as beauty and an
external polish of manners, and sometimes even an unchasteness of
character. Moreover, matrimonial engagements are frequently contracted
within the particular district, city, or village, in which the parties
were born, and where they live; in which case the choice is confined and
limited to families that are known, and to such as are in similar
circumstances in life: hence matrimonial connections made in the world
are for the most part external, and not at the same time internal; when
yet it is the internal conjunction, or the conjunction of souls, which
constitutes a real marriage; and this conjunction is not perceivable
until the man puts off the external and puts on the internal; as is the
case after death. This then is the reason why separations take place,
and afterwards new conjunctions are formed with such as are of a similar
nature and disposition; unless these conjunctions have been provided on
earth, as happens with those who from an early age have loved, have
desired, and have asked of the Lord an honorable and lovely connection
with one of the sex, shunning and abominating the impulses of a loose
and wandering lust.
50. VI. IN THIS CASE THERE IS GIVEN TO THE MAN A SUITABLE WIFE, AND TO
THE WOMAN A SUITABLE HUSBAND. The reason of this is, because no married
partners can be received into heaven, so as to remain there, but such as
have been interiorly united, or as are capable of being so united; for
in heaven two married partners are not called two, but one angel; this
is understood by the Lord's words "_They are no longer two, but one
flesh_." The reason why no other married partners are there received is,
because in heaven no others can live together in one house, and in one
chamber and bed; for all in the heavens are associated according to the
affinities and relationships of love, and have their habitations
accordingly. In the spiritual world there are not spaces, but the
appearance of spaces; and these appearances are according to the states
of life of the inhabitants, which are according to their states of love;
therefore in that world no one can dwell but in his own house, which is
provided for him and assigned to him according to the quality of his
love: if he dwells in any other, he is straitened and pained in his
breast and breathing; and it is impossible for two to dwell together in
the same house unless they are likenesses; neither can married partners
so dwell together, unless they are mutual inclinations; if they are
external inclinations, and not at the same time internal, the very house
or place itself separates, and rejects and expels them. This is the
reason why for those who after preparation are introduced into heaven,
there is provided a marriage with a consort whose soul inclines to
mutual union with the soul of another, so that they no longer wish to be
two lives, but one. This is the reason why after separation there is
given to the man a suitable wife and to the woman in like manner a
suitable husband.
51. VII. MARRIED PAIRS ENJOY SIMILAR COMMUNICATIONS WITH EACH OTHER AS
IN THE WORLD, BUT MORE DELIGHTFUL AND BLESSED, YET WITHOUT
PROLIFICATION; IN THE PLACE OF WHICH THEY EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL
PROLIFICATION, WHICH IS THAT OF LOVE AND WISDOM. The reason why married
pairs enjoy similar communications as in the world, is, because after
death a male is a male, and a female a female, and there is implanted in
each at creation an inclination to conjunction; and this inclination
with man is the inclination of his spirit and thence of his body;
therefore after death, when a man becomes a spirit, the same mutual
inclination remains, and this cannot exist without similar
communications; for after death a man is a man as before; neither is
there any thing wanting either in the male or in the female: as to form
they are like themselves, and also as to affections and thoughts; and
what must be the necessary consequence, but that they must enjoy like
communications? And as conjugial love is chaste, pure, and holy,
therefore their communications are ample and complete; but on this
subject see what was said in the MEMORABLE RELATION, n. 44. The reason
why such communications are more delightful and blessed than in the
world, is, because conjugial love, as it is the love of the spirit,
becomes interior and purer, and thereby more perceivable; and every
delight increases according to perception, and to such a degree that its
blessedness is discernible in its delight.
52. The reason why marriages in the heavens are without prolification,
and that in place thereof there is experienced spiritual prolification,
which is that of love and wisdom, is, because with the inhabitants of
the spiritual world, the third principle--the natural, is wanting; and
it is this which contains the spiritual principles; and these without
that which contains them have no consistence, like the productions of
the natural world: moreover spiritual principles, considered in
themselves, have relation to love and wisdom; therefore love and wisdom
are the births produced from marriages in the heavens. These are called
births, because conjugial love perfects an angel, uniting him with his
consort, in consequence whereof he becomes more and more a man (_homo_)
for, as was said above, two married partners in heaven are not two but
one angel; wherefore by conjugial unition they fill themselves with the
human principle, which consists in desiring to grow wise, and in loving
whatever relates to wisdom.
53. VIII. THIS IS THE CASE WITH THOSE WHO GO TO HEAVEN; BUT IT IS
OTHERWISE WITH THOSE WHO GO TO HELL. That after death a suitable wife is
given to a husband, and a suitable husband to a wife, and that they
enjoy delightful and blessed communications, but without prolification,
except of a spiritual kind, is to be understood of those who are
received into heaven and become angels; because such are spiritual, and
marriages in themselves are spiritual and thence holy: but with respect
to those who go to hell, they are all natural; and marriages merely
natural are not marriages, but conjunctions which originate in unchaste
lust. The nature and quality of such conjunctions will be shewn in the
following pages, when we come to treat of the chaste and the unchaste
principles, and further when we come to treat of adulterous love.
54. To what has been above related concerning the state of married
partners after death, it may be expedient to add the following
circumstances. I. That all those married partners who are merely
natural, are separated after death; because with them the love of
marriage grows cold, and the love of adultery grows warm: nevertheless
after separation, they sometimes associate as married partners with
others; but after a short time they withdraw from each other: and this
in many cases is done repeatedly; till at length the man is made over to
some harlot, and the woman to some adulterer; which is effected in an
infernal prison: concerning which prison, see the APOCALYPSE REVEALED,
n. 153, § x., where promiscuous whoredom is forbidden each party under
certain pains and penalties. II. Married partners, of whom one is
spiritual and the other natural, are also separated after death; and to
the spiritual is given a suitable married partner: whereas the natural
one is sent to the resorts of the lascivious among his like. III. But
those, who in the world have lived a single life, and have altogether
alienated their minds from marriage, in case they be spiritual, remain
single; but if natural, they become whoremongers. It is otherwise with
those, who in their single state have desired marriage, and especially
if they have solicited it without success; for such, if they are
spiritual, blessed marriages are provided, but not until they come into
heaven. IV. Those who in the world have been shut up in monasteries,
both men and women, at the conclusion of the monastic life, which
continues some time after death, are let loose and discharged, and enjoy
the free indulgence of their desires, whether they are disposed to live
in a married state or not: if they are disposed to live in a married
state, this is granted them; but if otherwise, they are conveyed to
those who live in celibacy on the side of heaven; such, however, as have
indulged the fires of prohibited lust, are cast down. V. The reason why
those who live in celibacy are on the side of heaven, is, because the
sphere of perpetual celibacy infests the sphere of conjugial love, which
is the very essential sphere of heaven; and the reason why the sphere of
conjugial love is the very essential sphere of heaven, is, because it
descends from the heavenly marriage of the Lord and the church.
* * * * *
55. To the above, I shall add two MEMORABLE RELATIONS: the FIRST is
this. On a certain time I heard from heaven the sweetest melody, arising
from a song that was sung by wives and virgins in heaven. The sweetness
of their singing was like the affection of some kind of love flowing
forth harmoniously. Heavenly songs are in reality sonorous affections,
or affections expressed and modified by sounds; for as the thoughts are
expressed by speech, so the affections are expressed by songs; and from
the measure and flow of the modulation, the angels perceive the object
of the affection. On this occasion there were many spirits about me; and
some of them informed me that they heard this delightful melody, and
that it was the melody of some lovely affection, the object of which
they did not know: they therefore made various conjectures about it, but
in vain. Some conjectured that the singing expressed the affection of a
bridegroom and bride when they sign the marriage-articles; some that it
expressed the affection of a bridegroom and a bride at the solemnizing
of the nuptials; and some that it expressed the primitive love of a
husband and a wife. But at that instant there appeared in the midst of
them an angel from heaven, who said, that they were singing the chaste
love of the sex. Hereupon some of the bystanders asked, "What is the
chaste love of the sex?" And the angel answered, "It is the love which a
man bears towards a beautiful and elegant virgin or wife, free from
every lascivious idea, and the same love experienced by a virgin or a
wife towards a man." As he said this, he disappeared. The singing
continued; and as the bystanders then knew the subject of the affection
which it expressed, they heard it very variously, every one according to
the state of his love. Those who looked upon women chastely, heard it as
a song of symphony and sweetness; those who looked upon them unchastely,
heard it as a discordant and mournful song; and those who looked upon
them disdainfully, heard it as a song that was harsh and grating. At
that instant the place on which they stood was suddenly changed into a
theatre, and a voice was heard, saying, "INVESTIGATE THIS LOVE:" and
immediately spirits from various societies presented themselves, and in
the midst of them some angels in white. The latter then said, "We in
this spiritual world have inquired into every species of love, not only
into the love which a man has for a man, and a woman for a woman; and
into the reciprocal love of a husband and a wife; but also into the love
which a man has for woman, and which a woman has for men; and we have
been permitted to pass through societies and examine them, and we have
never yet found the common love of the sex chaste, except with those who
from true conjugial love are in continual potency, and these are in the
highest heavens. We have also been permitted to perceive the influx of
this love into the affections of our hearts, and have been made sensible
that it surpasses in sweetness every other love, except the love of two
conjugial partners whose hearts are as one: but we have besought you to
investigate this love, because it is new and unknown to you; and since
it is essential pleasantness, we in heaven call it heavenly sweetness."
They then began the investigation; and those spoke first who were unable
to think chastely of marriages. They said, "What man when he beholds a
beautiful and lovely virgin or wife, can so correct or purify the ideas
of his thought from concupiscence, as to love the beauty and yet have no
inclination to taste it, if it be allowable? Who can convert
concupiscence, which is innate in every man, into such chastity, thus
into somewhat not itself, and yet love? Can the love of the sex, when it
enters by the eyes into the thoughts, stop at the face of a woman? Does
it not descend instantly into the breast, and beyond it? The angels talk
idly in saying that this love is chaste, and yet is the sweetest of all
loves, and that it can only exist with husbands who are in true
conjugial love, and thence in an extreme degree of potency with their
wives. Do such husbands possess any peculiar power more than other men,
when they see a beautiful woman, of keeping the ideas of their thought
in a state of elevation, and as it were of suspending them, so that they
cannot descend and proceed to what constitutes that love?" The argument
was next taken up by those who were in cold and in heat; in cold towards
their wives, and in heat towards the sex; and they said, "What is the
chaste love of the sex? Is it not a contradiction in terms to talk of
such a love? If chastity be predicated of the love of the sex, is not
this destroying the very thing of which it is predicated? How can the
chaste love of the sex be the sweetest of all loves, when chastity
deprives it of its sweetness? You all know where the sweetness of that
love resides; when therefore the idea connected therewith is banished
from the mind, where and whence is the sweetness?" At that instant
certain spirits interrupted them, and said, "We have been in company
with the most beautiful females and have had no lust; therefore we know
what the chaste love of the sex is." But their companions, who were
acquainted with their lasciviousness, replied, "You were at those times
in a state of loathing towards the sex, arising from impotence; and this
is not the chaste love of the sex, but the ultimate of unchaste love."
On hearing what had been said, the angels were indignant and requested
those who stood on the right, or to the south, to deliver their
sentiments. They said, "There is a love of one man to another, and also
of one woman to another; and there is a love of a man to a woman, and of
a woman to a man; and these three pairs of loves totally differ from
each other. The love of one man to another is as the love of
understanding and understanding; for the man was created and
consequently born to become understanding; the love of one woman to
another is as the love of affection and affection of the understanding
of men; for the woman was created and born to become a love of the
understanding of a man. These loves, viz., of one man to another, and of
one woman to another, do not enter deeply into the bosom, but remain
without, and only touch each other; thus they do not interiorly conjoin
the two parties: wherefore also two men, by their mutual reasonings,
sometimes engage in combat together like two wrestlers; and two women,
by their mutual concupiscences, are at war with each other like two
prize-fighters. But the love of a man and a woman is the love of the
understanding and of its affection; and this love enters deeply and
effects conjunction, which is that love; but the conjunction of minds,
and not at the same time of bodies, or the endeavour towards that
conjunction alone, is spiritual love, and consequently chaste love; and
this love exists only with those who are in true conjugial love, and
thence in an eminent degree of potency; because such, from their
chastity, do not admit an influx of love from the body of any other
woman than of their own wives; and as they are in an extreme degree of
potency, they cannot do otherwise than love the sex, and at the same
time hold in aversion whatever is unchaste. Hence they are principled in
a chaste love of the sex, which, considered in itself, is interior
spiritual friendship, deriving its sweetness from an eminent degree of
potency, but still being chaste. This eminent degree of potency they
possess in consequence of a total renunciation of whoredom; and as each
loves his own wife alone, the potency is chaste. Now, since this love
with such partakes not of the flesh, but only of the spirit, therefore
it is chaste; and as the beauty of the woman, from innate inclination,
enters at the same time into the mind, therefore the love is sweet." On
hearing this, many of the bystanders put their hands to their ears,
saying, "What has been said offends our ears; and what you have spoken
is of no account with us." These spirits were unchaste. Then again was
heard the singing from heaven, and sweeter now than before; but to the
unchaste it was so grating and discordant that they hurried out of the
theatre and fled, leaving behind them only the few who from wisdom loved
conjugial chastity.
56. THE SECOND MEMORABLE RELATION. As I was conversing with angels some
time ago in the spiritual world, I was inspired with a desire, attended
with a pleasing satisfaction, to see the TEMPLE OF WISDOM, which I had
seen once before; and accordingly I asked them the way to it. They said,
"Follow the light and you will find it." I said, "What do you mean by
following the light?" They replied, "Our light grows brighter and
brighter as we approach that temple; wherefore, follow the light
according to the increase of its brightness; for our light proceeds from
the Lord as a sun, and thence considered in itself is wisdom." I
immediately directed my course, in company with two angels, according to
the increase of the brightness of the light, and ascending by a steep
path to the summit of a hill in the southern quarter. There we found a
magnificent gate, which the keeper, on seeing the angels with me,
opened; and lo! we saw an avenue of palm-trees and laurels, according to
which we directed our course. It was a winding avenue, and terminated in
a garden, in the middle of which was the TEMPLE OF WISDOM. On arriving
there, and looking about me, I saw several small sacred buildings,
resembling the temple, inhabited by the WISE. We went towards one of
them, and coming to the door accosted the person who dwelt there, and
told him the occasion and manner of our coming. He said, "You are
welcome; enter and be seated, and we will improve our acquaintance by
discourses respecting wisdom." I viewed the building within, and
observed that it was divided into two, and still was but one; it was
divided into two by a transparent wall; but it appeared as one from its
translucence, which was like that of the purest crystal. I inquired the
reason of this? He said, "I am not alone; my wife is with me, and we are
two; yet still we are not two, but one flesh." But I replied, "I know
that you are a wise one; and what has a wise one or a wisdom to do with
a woman?" Hereupon our host, becoming somewhat indignant, changed
countenance, and beckoned his hand, and lo! instantly other wise ones
presented themselves from the neighboring buildings, to whom he said
humorously, "Our stranger here asks, 'What has a wise one or a wisdom to
do with a woman?'" At this they smiled and said, "What is a wise one or
a wisdom without a woman, or without love, a wife being the love of a
wise man's wisdom?" Our host then said, "Let us now endeavor to improve
our acquaintance by some discourse respecting wisdom; and let it be
concerning causes, and at present concerning the cause of beauty in the
female sex." Then they spoke in order; and the first assigned as a
cause, that women were created by the Lord's affections of the wisdom of
men, and the affection of wisdom is essential beauty. A second said,
that the woman was created by the Lord through the wisdom of the man,
because from the man; and that hence she is a form of wisdom inspired
with love-affection; and since love-affection is essential life, a
female is the life of wisdom, whereas a male is wisdom; and the life of
wisdom is essential beauty. A third said, that women have a perception
of the delights of conjugial love; and as their whole body is an organ
of that perception, it must needs be that the habitation of the delights
of conjugial love, with its perception, be beauty. A fourth assigned
this cause; that the Lord took away from the man beauty and elegance of
life, and transferred it to the woman; and that hence the man, unless he
be re-united with his beauty and elegance in the woman, is stern,
austere, joyless, and unlovely; so one man is wise only for himself, and
another is foolish; whereas, when a man is united with his beauty and
elegance of life in a wife, he becomes engaging, pleasant, active, and
lovely, and thereby wise. A fifth said, that women were created
beauties, not for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of the men;
that men, who of themselves are hard, might be made soft; that their
minds, of themselves grave and severe, might become gentle and cheerful;
and that their hearts, of themselves cold, might be made warm; which
effects take place when they become one flesh with their wives. A sixth
assigned as a cause, that the universe was created by the Lord a most
perfect work; but that nothing was created in it more perfect than a
beautiful and elegant woman, in order that man may give thanks to the
Lord for his bounty herein, and may repay it by the reception of wisdom
from him. These and many other similar observations having been made,
the wife of our host appeared beyond the crystal wall, and said to her
husband, "Speak if you please;" and then when he spoke, the life of
wisdom from the wife was perceived in his discourse; for in the tone of
his speech was her love: thus experience testified to the truth. After
this we took a view of the temple of wisdom, and also of the
paradisiacal scenes which encompassed it, and being thereby filled with
joy, we departed, and passed through the avenue to the gate, and
descended by the way we had ascended.
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