which the spirits from Mercury are. In order that they might know that
this was so, an angel who had come into heaven from our Earth, and who
had been such while he lived in the world, was allowed to speak with
them; which circumstance will be detailed below [at no. 37].

28. Afterwards there was sent me by the spirits of Mercury a long
paper of an irregular shape, consisting of several papers stuck
together, which appeared as if printed with types such as are used on
this Earth. I asked whether they had such among them; but they said
they had not, but that they knew that there were such printed papers
on our Earth. They were not willing to say more; but I perceived that
they thought that the knowledges on our Earth were on papers, and not
so much within the man himself, thus derisively insinuating that the
papers, so to speak, knew more than the man. But they were instructed
as to the real state of the case. After some time they returned, and
sent me another paper, which also appeared printed with types like
unto the former one; not, however, like it, stuck together and untidy,
but symmetrically shaped and neat: they said they had been further
informed that on this Earth there were such papers, and books made of
them.

29. From the facts that have now been stated, it clearly appears, that
spirits retain in the memory the things that they see and hear in the
other life, and that they are equally capable of being instructed as
when they were men in the world, consequently, of being instructed in
those things that are of faith, and thereby of being perfected. The
more interior spirits and angels are, the more promptly and fully do
they imbibe, and the more perfectly do they retain [what they hear],
and as this [capacity remains] for ever, it is evident that wisdom
is continually growing with them. With the spirits of Mercury, the