4582. CONCERNING THE HELL OF THOSE WHO, FROM INMOST DECEIT, WISH AND LABOR TO INFLICT HARM ON MAN, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT, EXTERIORLY, THEY APPEAR HONEST AND SINCERE AND FRIENDLY. There are some of such a character that, in interaction, they appear friendly and sincere, but still their delight is to inflict harm, not only on friends, but also on neighbors and other acquaintances. They study this; they secretly contrive it; and they take precautions, that not anything about it should become known. One of them (the brewer who lived opposite my house) appeared quite high above. He also induced an attempt to bite the tongue. The hell of such, or the like, is on the left side, a little distance backward. They themselves did not dare to do such things; but it was their delight to assist that one who was above, so that he might contrive them. I saw that there appeared as it were a ladder, whereby he might ascend; and the bystanders assisted that one above, with their arts. They then posted themselves in a place near their hell, and, by their presence there, kept him on high; but the mouth of [another] hell was opened, and into it were successively cast all who came to that place: so that their hell is changed also. They are genii. So much delight attaches to doing evil, that, even though they see before themselves the mouth of another hell, and know that they can never emerge thence, yet, nevertheless, the delight of evil so carries them along, that they do not refrain; for the delight of doing evil is their life. Similar is the case with certain other hells.