" At that instant, as he was very
desirous of knowing, he fell upon his knees, and prayed devoutly to God
that he might be instructed; and lo! an angel appeared at his right
hand, and having raised him, said, "You have prayed to be instructed
concerning heaven and hell; INQUIRE AND LEARN WHAT DELIGHT IS, AND YOU
WILL KNOW;" and having said this, the angel was taken up. Then the
novitiate spirit said within himself, "_What does this mean, Inquire and
learn what delight is, and you will know the nature and quality of
heaven and hell?_" And leaving that place, he wandered about, and
accosting those he met, said, "Tell me, if you please, what delight is?"
Some said, "What a strange question! Who does not know what delight is?
Is it not joy and gladness? Wherefore delight is delight; one delight is
like another; we know no distinction." Others said, that delight was the
laughter of the mind; for when the mind laughs, the countenance is
cheerful, the discourse is jocular, the behaviour sportive, and the
whole man is in delight. But some said, "Delight consists in nothing but
feasting, and delicate eating and drinking, and in getting intoxicated
with generous wine, and then in conversing on various subjects,
especially on the sports of Venus and Cupid.
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