10194. And shalt overlay them with gold. That this signifies the foundation of all things upon good, is evident from the signification of “overlaying with gold,” as being to found upon good (see n. 9490). What is meant by being founded on good shall be briefly told. It is believed by some that truth is that on which all things are founded; but they are very much mistaken; for no truth is possible with a man unless he is in good. The truth with a man which is devoid of good is an external without an internal, thus a shell without a kernel, residing only in the memory. This truth may be likened to a painting of a flower, of a tree, or of an animal, which inwardly is nothing but clay; whereas truth from good not only resides in the memory, but is also inrooted in the life, and may be likened to the flower, the tree, or the animal itself, the perfection of which increases toward the interiors; for that which has been created by the Divine is more perfect the more interiorly it is examined. This can be very clearly seen from the representatives in the other life. Representatives are there presented according to the states of the interiors among spirits, for they are correspondences. Around the spirits who are in truths from good appear most beautiful representatives, namely, houses and palaces flashing with gold and precious stones, also gardens and paradises of unspeakable beauty; all these things being from the correspondence. But around those who are in truths, and not from good, there appear nothing but stony places, rocks, and bogs, and sometimes shrubberies, but unpleasant and barren; these also being from the correspondence. And around those who are in falsities from evil appear swamps, privies, and many monstrous objects. The cause of this being so is that all the representatives in the other life are outward things shaped according to the states of the interior ones; for in this way the spiritual world presents itself to view there. From this it can be seen what is meant by being founded upon good.