By a spiritual mental image it was depicted how the outer meanings pass away one after another as [the thoughts] penetrate toward the inward regions, or what is the same, ascend toward the higher regions, so that even if the style is rich with mere poetic names, such as Parnassus,* its fountain, Pegasus, and the like, those writing the words know they mean matters of outer knowledge. With that sense as the point of departure, then it becomes a literal meaning, which meaning also passes away, and a deeper one arises, and then when this meaning passes away, there comes a still deeper one, and so on. This is the manner of penetration and ascent in regard to levels of meaning. When [the thoughts] penetrate or ascend toward deeper regions, finally nothing remains but the pure truth and goodness in the innermost heaven, which is from the Lord, Who is the Essence of all. 1748, 18 May. * Or Helicon, where the fountain of Pegasus was located.