AC 9553 - flowers & fruit

AC 9553
'And its flowers' means factual knowledge of truth.
. . . Such knowledge is meant by 'flowers'
because flowers are stages of growth
which come before
and in their own way
lead on to fruit and seeds;
for trees and young plants come into flower
before they bear fruit, as is well known.
The situation is similar
with the intelligence and wisdom present in a person.
Factual knowledge of truth comes first
and in its own way
leads on to the insights
that constitute wisdom with the person;
for that knowledge
provides his rational mind with objects of thought
and so the means to attain wisdom.
This is why factual knowledge of truth
is like the flowers,
and goodness of life, which is the good of wisdom,
is like the fruit.