the planets not moving
as in the system, but remaining constantly in their places (see above,
no. 42).

106. In the planet Venus there are two kinds of men, of contrary
dispositions; the first mild and humane, the second savage and almost
brutal. Those who are mild and humane appear on the other side of the
earth, those who are savage and almost brutal appear on the side of
it looking this way. But it should be known that they appear
thus according to the states of their life, for the state of life
determines every appearance of space and of distance there.

107. Some of those who appear on the other side of the planet, and
who are mild and humane, came to me, and were presented to my sight
overhead, and I spoke with them on various subjects. Amongst other
things, they said that while they were in the world they acknowledged,
and now still more acknowledge, our Lord as their One only God. They
added that on their earth they had seen Him, and they also represented
how they had seen Him. These spirits, in the Grand Man, have relation
to _the memory of material things, agreeing with the memory of
immaterial things_, to which the spirits of Mercury have relation:
wherefore the spirits of Mercury have the fullest agreement with these
spirits of Venus; therefore, when they were together, I was sensible
from their influx of a remarkable change, and a powerful operation in
my brain (see above, no. 43).

108. I did not, however, speak with those spirits who are on the side
that looks this way, and who are savage and almost brutal; but the
angels informed me of their character, and the origin of their so
brutal nature: it is this; they are greatly delighted with robbery,
and more especially with eating the prey. The delight they have
in thinking about eating the prey was communicated to me, and was
apperceived to be exceedingly great. That there have also been
inhabitants of a like brutal nature, on our Earth, appears from the
histories of various nations; also from the inhabitants of the land of
Canaan (1 Sam. xxx. 16); and likewise from the Jewish and Israelitish
nation even in the time of David, in that they made yearly excursions,
and plundered the nations, and rejoiced in feasting on the booty. I
was informed, further, that the greater part of those inhabitants are
giants, and that the men of our Earth reach only to their navel; also,
that they are stupid, not seeking to know anything about heaven or
eternal life, their