4574. CONCERNING SPIRITS, WHO TAKE AWAY FROM OTHERS THE LIFE OF THINKING. There are spirits who, when in the world, associated with others without any other end, or delight, than that they may be present. They were possessed of no other life. They are of two sorts. Some listen to others speaking, without any end but that they may hear: and some speak in such a way, without any end but that they may recite and pervert what they become acquainted with from another. They are distinct. Those who hear are on high, forwards, a little to the left. They who speak are lower down, near to the head. As often as they spoke, there occurred, at the first, a kind of indigestion of the stomach, so that they foully affected the stomach; and, at the same time, they took away from others, and myself, all the life of thought, since [they left us] without end and use. Life consists in end and use, and such is life. When they saw that others perceived, or wished to, say anything, they inquired into it. Moreover, they are not evil, but are very troublesome.