7743. It has been mentioned already that the inhabitants of Mars are governed by celestial love. They are the ones who were represented by the flaming object that acquired a beautiful sparkle from variations in its colour, and also by the bird with similar colourings. The fact that at the present day a large number of them are beginning to depart from that celestial love, to love knowledge alone, and to suppose that heavenly life lies solely in such knowledge, was represented by the bird when it had turned to stone. For the bird means spiritual life, and its being turned into stone means a life of knowledge but no love, which is not spiritual life any longer but a life cold as stone which nothing from heaven can enter. And their continuing to believe that the Lord is with them, as He is with those there whose lives are governed by celestial love, was meant and demonstrated by the spirit who rose up from below and wished to take the bird away.