There are several causes which
conjoin minds (_animos_) but still do not conjoin souls; among these are
some of those mentioned above, n. 183; but still cold lies interiorly
concealed, and makes itself continually observed and felt. With such
married partners the affections depart from each other; but the
thoughts, while they come forth into speech and behaviour, for the sake
of apparent friendship and favor, are present; therefore such persons
know nothing of the pleasantness and delight, and still less of the
satisfaction and blessedness of love truly conjugial, accounting them to
be little else than fables. These are of the number of those who deduce
the origin of conjugial love from the same causes with the nine
companies of wise ones assembled from the several kingdoms of Europe;
concerning whom see the MEMORABLE RELATION above, n. 103-114.
245. It may be urged as an objection to what has been proved above, that
still the soul is propagated from the father although it is not
conjoined to the soul of the mother, yea, although cold residing therein
causes separation; but the reason why souls or offspring are
nevertheless propagated is, because the understanding of the man is not
closed, but is capable of being elevated into the light into which the
soul is; but the love of his will is not elevated into the heat
corresponding to the light there, except by the life, which makes him
from natural become spiritual; hence it is, that the soul is still
procreated, but, in the descent, while it becomes seed, it is veiled
over by such things as belong to his natural love; from this springs
hereditary evil.
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