3080. And the damsel was exceeding good to look upon. That this signifies the beauty of the affection of truth, is evident from the signification of a “damsel,” as being an affection in which is innocence (see n. 3067). That “exceeding good to look upon” signifies beauty (here the beauty of the affection of truth, because it is said of the damsel) comes from the fact that all beauty is from good in which there is innocence. Good itself when it flows in from the internal man into the external, makes beauty; and from this is all human beauty. This may likewise be seen from the fact that no one is affected by the face of another, but by the affection which beams forth from the face; and that they who are in good are affected by the affection of good which is there, and in the measure in which there is innocence in the good. Thus it is the spiritual in the natural which affects, but not the natural without the spiritual. In like manner they who are in good are affected by little children, who appear to them beautiful in proportion to the innocence of charity in their faces, gestures, and speech. (That goodness and charity are what form and cause beauty, may be seen above, n. 553.) Hence then it is that the “damsel exceeding good to look upon” signifies the beauty of the affection of truth in which there is good.

3067. And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say. That this signifies an affection in which is innocence, is evident from the signification of a “damsel.” In the Word the affections of good and of truth are called “little children,” “damsels,” “girls,” and “daughters;” but in all cases with a difference as to state: when “daughter” is named, affection in general is signified; when “girl” is named, affection in which is charity is signified; but when it is said “damsel,” affection in which is innocence is signified, because the age of girlhood is next to that of infancy, which in the internal sense is innocence. The case is the same with “boy,” or “little boy,” by which is signified a state in which is innocence (see n. 430).