d
becomes more and more interiorly natural, and in proportion as he loves
intelligence he becomes rational, and afterwards, if he loves wisdom, he
becomes spiritual. What the wisdom is by which a man becomes spiritual,
will be shewn in the following pages, n. 130. Now as a man advances from
knowledge into intelligence, and from intelligence into wisdom, so also
his mind changes its form; for it is opened more and more, and conjoins
itself more nearly with heaven, and by heaven with the Lord; hence it
becomes more enamored of truth, and more desirous of the good of life.
If therefore he halts at the threshold in the progression to wisdom, the
form of his natural mind remains; and this receives the influx of the
universal sphere, which is that of the marriage of good and truth, in
the same manner as it is received by the inferior subjects of the animal
kingdom--beasts and birds; and as these are merely natural, the man in
such case becomes like them, and thereby loves the sex just as they do.
This is what is meant by the assertion,--the love of the sex belongs to
the external or natural man, and hence it is common to every animal.

95. VII. BUT CONJUGIAL LOVE BELONGS TO THE INTERNAL OR SPIRITUAL MAN;
AND HENCE THIS LOVE IS PECULIAR TO MAN. The reason why conjugial love
belongs to the internal or spiritual man is, because in proportion as a
man becomes more intelligent and wise, in the same proportion he becomes
more internal and spiritual, and in the same proportion the form of his
mind is more perfected; and this form receives conjugial love: for
therein it perceives and is sensible of a spiritual delight, which is
inwardly blessed, and a natural delight thence arising, which derives
its soul, life, and essence from the spiritual delight.

96. The reason why conjugial love is peculiar to man, is because he only
can become spiritual, he being capable of elevating his intellect above
his natural loves, and from that state of elevation of seeing them
beneath him, and of judging of their quality, and also of amending,
correcting, and removing them. No other animal can do this; for the
loves of other animals are altogether united with their inborn
knowledge; on which account this knowledge cannot be elevated into
intelligence, and still less into wisdom; in consequence of which every
other animal is led by the love implanted in his knowledge, as a blind
person is led through the streets by a dog. This is the reason which
con