4114. 1-2. CONCERNING EACH KIND OF LIFE OF A SPIRIT. There are with a spirit two lives which he takes with him from the body, and which remain, as it is not given him to use the corporeal memory; namely, the life of persuasion and the life of cupidities. As respects the life of persuasions, I wondered that spirits could converse with each other, as they do, and that whatever they think and speak they are able to confirm by so many reasons or reasonings as a man could scarcely believe; for they adduce so many and so various confirmations, which they have at hand, that I have often been filled with wonder [at witnessing it]. I was given to understand, that confirmations so various and manifold, which are ever in readiness and, as it were, present to them, are from the life of persuasions; for when a spirit is in persuasion, he immediately excites or suggests confirmations from a man's memory, that is from the things stored up in his memory; for the persuasion of a thing excites, as anyone may be aware [who reflects]. Hence proceed their discourses replete with such multiplied confirmations. But with men whose interiors are not opened so that one can speak with spirits, the case is different; for to him such spirits apply themselves as are of a nearly similar persuasion; for if two contrary persuasions were present, there would be a discord. With me it is otherwise, in order that I may know the qualities of spirits. When a man changes his persuasions then other spirits apply themselves to him; wherefore, whatever be the man's persuasion, such is the persuasion of the spirit, and the spirit continually excites confirmations. Moreover the spirit that is with a man is led into his persuasion, and adopts a similar, as I have learnt by experience. The life of cupidities is distinct from this, but wherever cupidity has induced a persuasion, then each life acts. Wherefore it is good for a man not to be persuaded concerning falsities, but to be confirmed in truths; for he is not easily brought to renounce a pre-assumed persuasion.