4579. HELL. CONCERNING SUCH AS, IN EXTERNAL FORM, SOUND OF SPEECH AND EXTERNAL GESTURE, APPEAR, AS IT WERE, JUST AND SERIOUS, AND SO [ARE] IN AUTHORITY, MANY OF WHOM ARE IN HONORABLE OFFICE, AND YET ARE THE MOST MALICIOUS. In the other life are some such as have been already described, having similarly sounding voices, so that, from the sound of the speech, and from the external sphere, they appear altogether good, and their sphere is powerful among the simple good. Hence, they are able to be for a time in the world of spirits; but yet they are lovers of self, and only benefit those who act in the same manner as they do, promote their honor and gain, and adhere to them: those, however, who do not do so, they injure in every manner whatsoever, and feel nothing to be more sweet than their distresses and torments. They most obstinately persist in these practices. Such ones hate everybody in the other [life] except the evil, particularly those who at the same time torture others. So obstinately do they continue to torture others, and such delight do they find in it, that it is incredible; nor would they desist to eternity. At length, I saw that such spirits are thrust down into a hell, on the left hand side there, at a distance, and are there let down very deep, some of them exceedingly deep: yet, in order that they may not farther indulge the hope of emerging thence, they are in a very dense cloud there.