Divine Love and Wisdom (Rogers) n. 338

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

338. (1) What we mean by evil forms of use on the earth. By evil forms of use on the earth we mean all harmful forms in each of the animal and plant kingdoms, and also harmful forms in the mineral kingdom. We do not have the space to enumerate all the harmful forms in these kingdoms, for to do so would be only to amass a list of names, and amassing a list of names without indicating the harm each kind causes would not serve the purpose which this work has as its end. For the sake of clarification, it is sufficient that we name here some of them. In the animal kingdom, such forms include venomous snakes, scorpions, crocodiles, dragons,* eagle owls, screech owls, mice and rats, locusts, frogs, and spiders. Also flies, wasps, cockroaches, lice, ticks and mites. In a word, creatures that consume grasses, leaves, fruits, seeds, foodstuffs and drinkable liquids, and are harmful to other animals and people. In the plant kingdom, such forms include malignant, virulent and toxic herbage. Also vegetable matter and shrubbery of the same character. In the mineral kingdom, such forms include all poisonous substances of the earth. From these few examples it can be seen what we mean by evil forms of use on the earth. For evil forms of use are all forms that are opposed to the good forms of use described just above in the preceding discussion.** * A reference perhaps to great nonvenomous constrictor snakes, such as the python. Cf. John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667), X:529: "Hee..Now Dragon grown, larger than whom the Sun Ingenderd in the Pythian Vale on slime, Huge Python." ** Nos. 327-335.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church