2284. THAT EVIL SPIRITS ESPECIALLY HOLD INFANTS IN HATRED. It is also given me to know by much experience that evil spirits especially hold infants in hatred; for often when I saw infants, they desired to harm them in various ways [vario modo], yea, to kill them, which was given me to know from their phantasies. Even the infantile, which they enjoy, do (these spirits) hold in hatred; in a word, [they hate] whatever is infantile, by reason that infants are innocences; thus they greatly pursue and hold in hatred the innocent. I inquired whether they also wished to do thus to their own infants. They said no; but [to those] of others, and that they cannot moderate such hatred in themselves. The reason is, because they hold in hatred the Lord, who alone is Innocence. - 1748, June 10.