made, nor are we much inquisitive after it; nay, if we did, it would be no benefit, neither for us, nor for you mortals to know it. The Empress replied, that Cabbalists and divine philosophers said, men’s rational souls were immaterial, and stood as much in need of corporeal vehicles, as spirits did. If this be so, answered the spirits, then you are hermaphrodites of nature; but your Cabbalists are mistaken, for they take the purest and subtlest parts of matter, for immaterial spirits. Then the Empress asked, when the souls of mortals went out of their bodies, whether they went to Heaven or Hell; or whether they remained in airy vehicles? God’s justice and mercy, answered they, is perfect, and not imperfect; but if you mortals will have vehicles for your souls, and a place that is between Heaven and Hell, it must be Purgatory, which is a place of purification, for which action fire is more proper than air; and so the vehicles of those souls that are in Purgatory, cannot be airy, but fiery; and after this rate there can be but four places for human souls to be in, viz. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and this world; but as for vehicles, they are but fancies, not real truths. Then the Empress asked them, where Heaven and Hell was? Your Saviour Christ, answered the spirits, has informed you, that there is Heaven and Hell, but he did not tell you what, nor where they are; wherefore it is too great a presumption for you mortals to enquire after it: If you do but strive to get into Heaven, it is enough, though you do not know where or what it is; for it is beyond your knowledge and understanding. I am satisfied, replied the Empress; and asked further, whether there were any figures or characters in the soul? They answered, where there was no body, there could be no figure. Then she asked them, whether spirits could be naked? and whether they were of a dark, or a light colour? As for our nakedness, it is a very odd question, answered the spirits; and we do not know what you mean by a naked spirit; for you judge of us as of corporeal creatures; and as for colour, said they, it is according to our vehicles; for colour belongs to body, and as there is no body that is colourless, so there is no colour that is bodiless. Then the Empress desired to be informed, whether all souls were made at the first creation of the world? We know no more, answered the spirits, of the origin of human souls, than we know of ourselves. She asked further, whether human bodies were not burdensome to human souls? They answered, that bodies made souls active, as giving them motion; and if action was troublesome to souls, then bodies were so too. She asked again, whether souls did choose bodies? They answered, that Platonics believed, the souls of lovers lived in the bodies of their beloved; but surely, said they, if there be a multitude of souls in a world of matter, they cannot miss bodies; for as soon as a soul is parted from one body, it enters into another; and souls having no motion of themselves, must of necessity be clothed or embodied with the next parts of matter. If this be so, replied the Empress, then I pray inform me, whether all matter be soulified? The spirits answered, they could not exactly tell that; but if it was true, that matter had no other motion but what came from a spiritual power, and that all matter was moving, then no soul could quit a body, but she must, of necessity enter into another soulified body, and then there would be two immaterial substances in one body. The Empress asked, whether it was not possible that there could be two souls in one body? As for immaterial souls, answered the spirits, it is impossible; for there cannot be two immaterials in one inanimate body, by reason they want parts, and place, being bodiless; but there may be numerous material souls in one composed body, by reason every material part has a material natural soul; for nature is but one infinite self-moving, living and self-knowing body, consisting of the three degrees of inanimate, sensitive and rational matter, so intermixed together, that no part of nature, were it an atom, can be without any of these three degrees; the sensitive is the life, the rational the soul, and the inanimate part, the body of infinite nature. The Empress was very well satisfied with this answer, and asked further, whether souls did not give life to bodies? No, answered they; but spirits and divine souls have a life of their own, which is not to be divided, being purer than a natural life; for spirits are incorporeal, and consequently indivisible. But when the soul is in its vehicle, said the Empress, then methinks she is like the sun, and the vehicle like the moon. No, answered they; but the vehicle is like the sun, and the soul like the moon; for the soul hath motion from the body, as the moon has light from the sun. Then the Empress asked the spirits, whether it was an evil spirit that tempted Eve, and brought all the mischiefs upon mankind: or, whether it was the Serpent? They answered, that spirits could not commit actual evils. The Empress said, they might do it by persuasions. They answered, that persuasions were actions; But the Empress not being contented with this answer, asked, whether there was not a supernatural evil? The spirits answered, that there was a supernatural good, which was God; but they knew of no supernatural evil that was equal to God. Then she desired to know, whether evil spirits were reckoned amongst the beasts of the field? They answered, that many beasts of the field were harmless creatures, and very serviceable for man’s
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