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XXI. _In the world there are infernal marriages between persons who
interiorly are the most inveterate enemies, and exteriorly are as the
closest friends._ We proceed to an explanation of each article.
272. I. IN THE NATURAL WORLD ALMOST ALL ARE CAPABLE OF BEING JOINED
TOGETHER AS TO EXTERNAL, BUT NOT AS TO INTERNAL AFFECTIONS, IF THESE
DISAGREE AND ARE APPARENT. The reason of this is, because in the world
every one is clothed with a material body, and this is overcharged with
lusts, which are in it as dregs that fall to the bottom, when the must
of the wine is clarified. Such are the constituent substances of which
the bodies of men in the world are composed. Hence it is that the
internal affections, which are of the mind, do not appear; and in many
cases, scarce a grain of them transpires; for the body either absorbs
them, and involves them in its dregs, or by simulation which has been
learned from infancy conceals them deeply from the sight of others; and
by these means the man puts himself into the state of every affection
which he observes in another, and allures his affection to himself, and
thus they unite.
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