814# 由于德国人在各个公国中分别处于专制政体之下，所以他们不像荷兰人和英国人那样享有言论和写作的自由；而当言论和写作的自由受到限制时，思考的自由，也就是在事物的广阔范围内洞察事物的自由，也同时受到限制。因为这就像一个泉源的蓄水池被围墙圈住，水在其中只能升到泉脉出口的高度，因此泉脉本身便不再喷涌。思想如同泉脉；由思想而来的言语则如同蓄水池。总之，流入会使自己适应流出；同样，从较高处而来的理解力，也会按言说自由和表达思想自由的程度而进入理性。
因此，那个高贵民族较少献身于判断力之事，而更多献身于记忆之事；这就是他们特别致力于文学史的原因。他们在自己的书中信赖本国有名望、有学识的人，大量引用这些人的判断，并附和其中某一位。他们这种状态在灵性世界中由一个人来代表：他腋下夹着书；当有人就某个判断力方面的问题与他争论时，他便说：“我给你答复。”随即从腋下取出一本书，朗读起来。
814# 由于德国人生活在每个具体公国的专制政府之下，所以他们不像荷兰人和英国人那样享有言论和新闻自由；当这种自由受到限制时，思考自由，也就是说，最大限度地调查问题的自由同时也受到限制。这种限制就像围住蓄水池的一堵高墙，它导致里面的水上涨到出水口，就不能再升高了。思维就像流入的水，而来自思维的言语就像蓄水池。总之，流入适应流出；同样，来自上面的理解力适应享有说出和实施其想法的自由程度。因此，这个高贵的民族很少专注于判断的问题，而是专注于记忆的问题。这就是为何他们特别注重文学史，在他们的书里表现出对他们当中有名望和学识的人的信任；因为他们大量引用这些人的各种观点，然后从中选出一个来支持。在灵界，他们的这种状态表现为一个人腋下夹着书；当有人对任何判断的问题提出争议时，他会说，我会给你一个答案，随即拿起腋下的一本书读起来。
814. Since in each of its states Germans are under a strong individual leader, they do not have the free speech and freedom of the press that the Dutch and the British enjoy; and when free speech and freedom of the press are curtailed, freedom of thought, that is, of examining matters in a full and complete way, suffers as well.
An analogy to this might be a fountain with a basin of such high sides that the water level in the basin is actually above the point at which the stream of water comes out, so that what should be a jet of water leaping up in the air does not even break the surface of the water standing in the basin. In this analogy, the stream of water symbolizes what people think, and the basin of standing water symbolizes what they say.
Briefly put, what flows in adapts itself to fit what flows out. Our higher understanding, then, adapts itself to fit the amount of freedom there is to say and do what we are considering.
For this reason, the members of this noble nation devote themselves more to memorization than to forming their own opinions. This explains why they are especially fixated on literary history and tend to give so much credit in their books to the people among them who are especially well known and highly educated. They cite the various opinions of these people copiously, and then pick one of them to endorse.
This attitude of theirs is represented in the spiritual world by a man who is carrying a number of books under his arm. When anyone confronts him and asks his opinion on something, he says, "I'll give you an answer," and immediately pulls a book from under his arm and reads a quote from it.
814. Since the Germans of any duchy are specifically subject to authoritarian rule, they do not therefore have the freedom to speak and write enjoyed by the Dutch and British. When the freedom to speak and write is restricted, so is freedom of thought, that is to say, freedom to take the widest view of things is kept under restriction. It is like a dam built around the basin of a spring, which raises the level of the water to the outlet of the spring, so that water no longer flows out. Thought is like the current of water, and the speech it gives rise to is like the basin. In short, the inflow is proportional to the outflow; likewise understanding from a higher level is proportional to the freedom to speak and express one's thoughts. As a result that noble nation is little given to matters of judgment, but more to matters of memory. This is why they are especially devoted to literary history, and in their books they rely on their men of reputation and learning, quoting their judgments at length and supporting one of them. This state of theirs is represented in the spiritual world by a man carrying books under his arms; and when anyone argues about a matter of judgment, he says, 'I will give you an answer;' and immediately selects one of the books under his arm and reads from it.
814. As the Germans are under a despotic government in each particular dukedom, they have no such freedom of speech and of the press as the Hollanders and the British have, and when that freedom is restrained, freedom of thought, that is, the freedom to investigate matters to the furthest extent, is also kept in restraint. For this restraint is like a high wall about the basin of a fountain, which causes the water within to rise even to the orifice of the inflowing stream, so that the stream can no longer leap forth. Thought is like the inflowing stream, and speech therefrom is like the basin. In a word, influx adapts itself to efflux, and in like manner the understanding from above adapts itself to its measure of freedom to speak and publish its thoughts. For this reason that noble nation is little devoted to matters of judgment, but rather to matters of memory. This is why they are especially given to historical writings, and in their books trust to men of reputation and learning among them, quoting opinions of such abundantly, and subscribing to some one of them. In the spiritual world this state of theirs is represented by a man carrying books under his arm, and when anyone disputes about any matter of judgment, he says, "I will give you an answer," and immediately draws a book from under his arm and reads from it.
814. As the Germans live under a despotic government in each particular state, they do not enjoy freedom of speech and writing like the Dutch and the British; and where this freedom is restrained, freedom of thought, that is, of taking the widest view of things, is restrained at the same time. It is as if a cistern were walled round to catch the water of a spring which rises till it reaches an outlet, and higher the water cannot rise. Thought is like the inflowing water, while speech from thought is like the cistern. In a word, influx adapts itself to efflux; and understanding from above adapts itself to the degree of freedom that is enjoyed of uttering and carrying into effect what has been thought. This is the reason why this noble nation devotes itself to matters of memory rather than to matters of judgment. Thus they particularly cultivate literary history, and in their books they show their trust in men of reputation and their books they show their trust in men of reputation and learning among them; for their opinions they quote extensively and subscribe to their views. Their state is represented in the spiritual world by a man carrying books under his arms; and if any one raises a dispute on a matter of opinion, he says: "I will give you an answer," and forthwith takes one of these books and reads from it.
814. Quoniam Germani sub Regimine despotico 1 in particulari in quovis Ducatu sunt, ideo non sunt in Libertate loquendi et scribendi sicut Batavi et Britanni, et cum Libertas loquendi et scribendi coercita est, etiam simul Libertas cogitandi, hoc est, perspiciendi res in sua amplitudine coercita tenetur; est enim sicut Cisterna fontis circum vallata, ex quo inibi aqua elevatur usque ad orificium Venae, unde ipsa Vena non salit amplius; Cogitatio est sicut vena, et Loquela inde est sicut cisterna; verbo influxus se adaptat effluxui, similiter Intellectus a superiori ad rationem libertatis eloquendi et egerendi cogitata: quapropter nobilis illa Gens parum litat rebus judicii, sed rebus memoriae; quae causa est quod Historiae Literariae imprimis dediti sint, et in Libris suis fidant Viris famae et eruditionis inter illos, et horum judicia allegent in copia, et subscribant alicui: status hic illorum repraesentatur in Mundo spirituali per Virum, qui sub ulnis portat libros, et cum aliquis contendit de aliqua re judicii, inquit, dabo tibi responsum, et illico depromit aliquem librum sub ulna, et praelegit.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: desposito.