236. In the entire heaven all have one language, and, from whatever society they come whether near or remote, they all understand one another. Language there is not learned but is implanted by nature with every one, for it flows from their very affection and thought. The tones of their speech correspond to their affection, and the vocal articulations which are words correspond to the ideas of thought that spring from the affection; and because of this correspondence the speech itself is spiritual, for it is affection sounding and thought speaking. [2] Any one who gives any thought to it can know that all thought is from affection which pertains to love, and that the ideas of thought are the various forms into which the general affection is distributed. For no thought or idea is possible apart from affection-their soul and life being from it. This enables angels to know, merely from another's speech, what he is-from the tone what his affection is, and from the vocal articulations of sound or words what his mind is. The wiser angels know from a single series of words, what the ruling affection is, for to that affection they chiefly attend. [3] It is known that each individual has a variety of affections, one when in joy, another when in grief another when in pity and compassion, another when in sincerity and truth, another when in love and charity, another when in zeal or in rage, another when in simulation and deceit, another when in quest of honour and glory, and so on, but the ruling affection or love is in all of these. Therefore, the wiser angels, because they perceive this, know from the speech the whole state of another. This it has been granted me to know from much experience. [4] I have heard angels disclosing the character of another's life merely from hearing him speak. They also said that from some of the ideas of another's thought they could know all things of his life, because from those ideas they know his ruling love, in which are all things in their order. They know also that man's book of life is nothing else.