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DOCUMENTS
. CONCERNfN'-'
THE LIFE ANI) CHARACTER,
]MANUEL SWEDENBORG ;
By Dr. J. F, I. TAFEL, af Tniiiu-r!; i.mm).
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DOCUMENTS

CONCERNING

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER

OP

EMANUEL SWEDENBORG;
COLLECTED
By Dr. J. F. I. T AFEL,
III '
OF TUBINGEN, eERMANY ;
TRANSLATED AND REVISED
By Rev. I. H. SMITHSON,
OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

A NEW EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS,
By GEORGE BUSH,
PROPESSOE OF HEBREW IN THE NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.

NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN ALLEN, 139 NASSAU STREET,
boston: OTIS CLAPP, SCHOOL STREET.
1847.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by
GEORGE BUSH,
In the Clerk's OfBce of the District Court for the Southern District of New Tork.

M..

Snowden & Prall, Print.
60 Vesey-Street.

AMERICAN EDITOR'S PREFACE.

The work here presented to the public is in the main a reprint from an English work
of the same title, and which is itself a modified translation from the German original of
Dr. Tafel of Tubingen. The ensuing Preface of Mr. Smithson, the English Translator and
Editor, will sufficiently unfold the general character and scope of the work. It contains
a large array of Testimonies, from the most authentic and respectable sources, to the
talents, attainments, and endowments of Emanuel Swedenborg, a name which is constantly
looming up to view, as one of the most truly venerable which can be cited from the list of
the world's worthies. The deepening impression that this name has not had justice done
it — that it has been allowed to remain for a long time under undeserved odium and dis
paragement — has naturally led to a reaction of interest in regard to the personal history,
the intellectual monuments, and the supernatural claims, of the mau. An ample biogra
phy would be the proper source to which to refer inquiry on these heads ; but such a bi
ography remains yet to be written. Meantime the materials are accumulating and a por
tion of them are embodied in the present volume. They will meet the deman(^of the
times to a limited extent. They furnish a mass of memoirs sufficient to give assurance of
a most extraordinary and highly-gifted character, and to afford a kind oi prestige of what a
complete biography of the subject of them would be. Testimonies of a similar stamp and
from high authorities could be easily multiplied, as they are being continually elicited
from those who have made themselves acquainted with his Scientific and Philosophical
works through the medium of the recent Translations into English, for which the world
is indebted to the invaluable labors of the London " Swedenborg Association." But the
collection here set forth, made up of the most important documents accessible, will serve
to accomplish the present ends of those concerned in their production. They will scarce
ly fail to redeem the fame of an illustrious sage from the reproach which has hitherto so
unjustly befallen it. Still we cannot but be aware that the concessions made to his merits
as a Philosopher may perhaps for a long time to come be withheld from his claims as a
Seer, as this involves a verdict from the intuitions of the moral man which are at a great
remove from those of the merely intellectual man. For the utterance of this verdict we
must " bide our time." From present indications that time is not far distant. There is
obviously a deepening call issuing from the inmost bosom of humanity, for the great " prov
idential man" of the latter ages, and as we doubt not that he had come before being in
voked, our office is to pronounce the '' Ecce homo," and point him out to the recognition
of the world.
The present volume retains all the documents embodied in the English edition with
the exception of the Rev. Mr. Clowes' " Affectionate Address to the Clergy," which can
be easily obtained as a separate Tract. But in addition to these I have drawn freely upon
other and more recent materials, several of which were kindly indicated to me by Mr.
Smithson, the English editor, upon his becoming informed of my purpose. The articles
that appear in the present edition, which are not found in the English, are those

iv. ENGLISH EDITOR'S PREFACE.
numbered (XXXII.) 1, 2,— XXXIV— XXXVII— XXXVIII— XXXIX— XL— XLI—XLII
XLIII— XLIV—XLV—XLVI— XLVII— XLVIII, besides a few insertions of minor mo
ment in the earlier part of the volume. In some few cases the articles are not arranged
in precisely the order into which they would most appropriately fall, but this was owing
to various causes which the reader could not appreciate so well as the editor, and as the
collocation is ef comparatively little account, the reader will be satisfied to know that
everything intended to be inserted is to be found somewhere in the volume.
A few additional notes have been here and there inserted, which are indicated by the
letter B. G. B.
J^ew-York, Sept, 20, 1847.

ENGLISH EDITOR'S PREFACE.

We here present to the English Reader the following " Documents concerning the Life
and Character of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg." They were collected and edited with
great care in the German language by the learned Dr. J. F. I. Tafel, of Tubingen. As
the theological writings of Swedenborg are beginning to be extensively read throughout
Europe and America, a great call has been made for a Biography of this distinguished and
enlightened author. These " Documeuts'" were collected as materials to compose his
biography, "but as (says Dr. Tafel,*) these Documents, wheu properly arranged, form a
complete body of information, which can, with great propriety, be .published by itself, I
have thought it proper to present them to the public as a forerunner to the Biography
itself, to which I am now devoting all the time I can spare."
With respect to the following work, the Editor begs to observe, that he has arranged the
" Documents" in a manner somewhat different from that adopted by Dr. Tafel, and that he
has also added a few testimonies in favor of Swedenborg's writings from distinguished in
dividuals, such as Oberiin, the pious and celebrated pastor of Waldbach ; and the late
Rev. John Clowes, Rector of St. John's, Manchester ; also Swedenborg's Address in his
senatorial character as member of the House of Nobles, to the Estates of the Realm assem
bled at the Diet in 1781. The arrangement which the Editor has adopted is as follows :
he has placed those Documents first which contain the testimonies of individuals who
personally knew Swedenborg ; secondly, he has inserted those Documents, which testify
most unequivocally to Swedenborg's intercourse with the spiritual world ; and thirdly, he
has concluded the volume with letters and documents relating, either directly or indirectly,
to Swedenborg and his important claims, as a theological writer, upon the attention of
mankind. The Editor begs also to observe, that the " Introductory Observations, SfC," are printed
from the English edition of Sandel's Eulogium, of which they form the Preface, and that
the notes to the Eulogium, subscribed " editors,'' are from the same edition; other notes
subscribed " Tafel," were written by that gentleman i and for those to which no name
is subjoined, the Editor is responsible.

* See his Preface.

CONTENTS.

NTRODUCTORY Observations  17
Part I.
TESTIMONY OF PERSONAL FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES OF
SWEDENBORG.
I. Sandel's Eulogium on Emanuel Swedenborg  23
II. Swedenborg's Account of Himself in a letter to his Friend the Rev. Thomas
Hartley, M. A  36
III. Testimony of the Rev. N. Collin, of Philadelphia, respecting Swedenborg  39
IV. Testimony of the Rev. Thomas Hartley, M. A. respecting Swedenborg  43
V. Testimony of Dr. Messiter respecting Swedenborg  44
1. Letter to Prof. Hamilton  45
2. Prof. Hamilton's Reply.  46
3. Letter to Prof. Traill  47
4. Prof. Traill's Reply. ...  47
5. Letter to Prof. Gerard  48
6. Prof. Gerard's Reply..;  ;  48
VI. Testimony of Mr. Wm. Cookworthy respecting Swedenborg  49
VII. Testimony of Count Andrew John Von Hopken respecting Swedenborg ... . . 49
1. Letters from Count Hopken to General Tuxen  49
2. Letter to another Friend  55
VIII. Testimony of General Christian Tuxen respecting Swedenborg  .... 57
Letter of Swedenborg to General Tuxen  60
IX. Testimony of C. Springer, Esq. Swedish Consul at the port of London, respect
ing Swedenborg  61
X. Anecdotes collected by Mr. Robsahm, Director of the Bank of Stockholm, con
cerning the Life of Swedenborg when at Home  65
1. Swedenborg's Letter to the King  71
2. Anecdotes concerning Dr. Beyer and Swedenborg  75
XI. Anecdotes of Swedenborg when in London, collected by Mr. Prove.  77
1 . Lewis' Advertisement of Swedenborg's Writings  80
2. First Reception of the Writings of Swedenborg — Letter of Mr. S. Penny S3
3. Mr. Servante's Account of Swedenborg  "'

vi. CONTENTS.
XII. Refutation of the false Report that Swedenborg, a few hours before his Death,
had retracted his Writings  ¦'
1. Letter of Mr. Hindmarsh  ^'^
2. Affidavit of the Shearsmiths  ^^
3. Testimony of B. Chastanier  ° '
XIII. Anecdotes of Swedenborg while in Holland  ^^
1. Letter of Paulus ab Indagine  ^^
2. Publication of the True Christian Religion  -  • • 91
Part II.
TESTIMONIES TO SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITUAL WORLD.
XIV. The Queen of Sweden's Testimony concerning Swedenborg's Intercourse with
the Spiritual World  93
1. Remarks of Rev. S. Noble  93
2. Confirmatory Statement of Mad. de Marteville's second Husband. . . 95
XV. Testimony of Captain de Stalhammer respecting Swedenborg's Intercourse
with the Spiritual World  97
XVI. Testimony of the celebrated German Philosopher Emanuel Kant respecting
Swedenborg's Intercourse with the Spiritual World  98
Remarks by Rev. S. Noble  102
XVII. Testimony of Dr. Johann Heinrich Jung Stilling respecting Swedenborg's
Intercourse with the Spiritual World  104
XVIII. Testimony of the Rev. John Wesley respecting Swedenborg's Intercourse
with the Spiritual World ,,k  106
XIX. Refutation of the false Reports propagated by the Rev. Mr. Wesley  110
Remarks of Rev. S. Noble  n^
XX. Testimony of the celebrated Oberiin respecting Swedenborg's Intercourse
with the Spiritual World  114
Part III.
LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS RELATIVE TO SWEDENBORG'S
GENERAL CLAIMS.
XXI. Letters from the celebrated J. C. Lavater, of Zurich, testifying his admi
ration of Swedenborg's Writings  jog
XXII. Letters from Swedenborg to Dr. Beyer, Greek Professor, and Assessor to
the Consistory at Gottenburg, on various Subjects  123
XXIII. A Declaration concerning the Doctrines taught by Swedenborg, by Gabriel
Andrew Beyer, D. D  .,^.
XXIV. Swedenborg's Reply to Dr. Ekebom's Deposition  145
XXV. Swedenborg's Correspondence with Dr. Oetinger, Prelate of Murrhhard in
Wui'temberg  14g

CONTENTS. vii.
XXVI. Extract of a Letter from Dr. Beyer, to Dr. Oetinger  156
XXVII. Swedenborg's Letter to Dr. Menander, Archbishop of Sweden  -.-, 164
XXVIII. Swedenborg's Letters to the Swedish Ambassador and to the Secretary of
State   166
XXIX. Swedenborg's Letters to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, and to his
Minister, M. Venator  167
XXX. Swedenborg's Letter to Dr. Wenngren, one of the Magistrates of Gotten
burg  170
XXXI. Remarks by Mr. A. Nordenskjold, on the different Editions of the Bible
made use of by Swedenborg  171
XXXII. Swedenborg's Address to the Estates of the Swedish Realm, at the Open
ing of the General Diet, of 1761  172
1. Memorial to the Swedish Diet of the same year  175
2. Memorial respecting Finance  178
XXXIII. Testimony of the celebrated Matthias Claudius respecting Swedenborg. . . 178
XXXIV. Memoranda respecting Swedenborg by the late Mr. Peckitt  180
XXXV. Remarks by the Marquis de Thomfi, on an Assertion of the Commissioners
appointed by the King of France on the Examination of Animal Mag
netism  182
XXXVI. Curious Memorial of Swedenborg concerning Charles XII. of Sweden. . . 187
XXXVII. Testimony of Professor Gorres of Germany relative to Swedenborg's Scien
tific and Philosophical Character  191
XXXVIII. Letter of the Swedish Clergyman, Rev. Arvid Ferelius, to Professor
Tratgard, in Griefswalde, respecting Swedenborg's End  193
XXXIX. Testimony of Coleridge to the Literary, Scientific, and Theological Char
acter of Swedenborg  198
XL. Letter from Swedenborg to the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm,
on the Hieroglyphics of Egypt  199
XLI. Discoveries in Science made or anticipated by Swedenborg  200
1. The Magnetic Element  201
2. Foramen of Monro  201
3. Respiration of the Brain  202
4. The Atomic Theory  203
5. Chemical Equivalents of Water  203
6. Mention of a Seventh Planet  203
7. Extract from the London Forceps  204
8. Vitality of the Blood  205
9. Science of Crystallography  206
10. Invention of the Air-tight Stove  207
11. Identity of Electricity and Lightning  --- 207
XLII. Testimony of the celebrated Swedish Chymist Berzelius to the general
Merits of Swedenborg's " Animal Kingdom"  - . • ¦  208

viii. CONTENTS.
XLIII. Testimony of J. J. G. Wilkinson to Swedenborg's general Merit as a Man
of Science and a Philosopher  •  ^^
XLIV. Extracts from the earlier Volumes of the London Monthly Review res-
peoting Swedenborg's Theological Works  •  209
1. The True Christian Religion  210
2. Heaven and Hell  •  211
3. The Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem  213
XLV. An Estimate of Swedenborg as the Expounder of the Good, the True, and
the Beautiful, from a Swedish Periodical  214
XLVI. Testimony of J. D. Morell, of England, to the Rank due to Swedenborg
as a Philosopher   218
XLVII. Testimony of Ulrika, Queen of Sweden, and of the Celebrated German
Savan, Wieland, respecting Swedenborg's Intercourse with the Spirit
ual World  ^.w.^  224
XLVIII. Extract from the Autobiography of Bishop Swedberg, Swedenborg's
Father, respecting the Names of his Sons    230
XLIX. Testimony of the late Rev. John Clowes, in favor of Swedenborg's Theo
logical Writings  231

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS,

EXHIBITING

THE CLAIMS OF THE WRITINGS OF SWEDENBORG TO
THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC.

Respecting the celebrated Emanuel Swedenborg, the subject of the following " Doc
uments," &c., great misrepresentations have gone abroad, and have produced, in the
minds of many, most false and injurious impressions, in regard both to him and to his
writings. Let, however, any oue take, as a sample of his writings, those in which he
delivers the doctrines of the New Church, predicted in the Revelation, as he afErius
under the symbol of the New Jerusalem ; particularly, let the sample be his work en
titled, " On the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine ;" or his "Doctrines of the New
Jerusalem respecting the Lord, the Sacred Scripture, Faith, and Life ;" let any one take
either of these works as a sample : and if he had previously only heard the venerable
and enlightened author spoken of as the deluded visionary and bewildered enthusiast,
he will be not a little surprised on its perusal. Instead of visionary statements and en
thusiastic flights, he will find the words of truth and soberness, under their most legiti
mate stamp: doctrines deduced in the clearest manner from the literal sense of the
Word of God, arranged, as to their various particulars, in the most lucid order, and sup
ported by the strongest rational considerations. Let either of these works be perused
with candor, and with the attention and devout seriousness which the subjects treated
of demand, and which the mode of treatment merits ; and it is thought the reader must
be disposed to admit, both that the doctrines which he delivers are truly the doctrines
of the Word of God, and that the illumination by which they are so convincingly de
duced from that source must have proceeded from its Divine Author. Let it then be
seriously considered, whether a writer who was thus, on the most vital points of Chris
tian doctrine, the organ of the dictates of truth, could, on other parts of the same general
system, be the victim of the illusions of error.
There are various considerations, which, if duly reflected on, would establish the
claims of this writer to the attention of the Christian world. It is generally admitted
among Christians, that the prophecies , of Scripture do lead to the expectatioa;of a
glorious state of the church on earth, — a state in which she shall be glorious for the
clearness of her doctrinal views, and for the purity of her practice, — beyond anything
which has hitherto been witnessed. Many commentators have seen, that such a state
of the chiwch is what is prefigured by the description of the New Jerusalem, in the
Revelation, which is said to " come down from God out of heaven" fxxi. 2, 10), and to
be " the tabernacle of God xoithmen" (xxi. 3). This is the view of the meaning||f tj^at
2 ¦» ^ .

1 8 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.
prophecy taken by Swedenborg, and which is'demonstrated by him with great force ol
reasoning and the most conclusive Scripture testimony. If this be the true view of the
subject, and if Scripture does indeed deliver the oracles of truth, this New Jerusalem,
— this new and improved form of the Christian Church, — must begin to be manifested at
some time or other. The predictions respecting it cannot be allowed, by their Divine
Author, to remain a dead letter for ever ; at some time or other they must be accomphshed.
And what times have ever yet arrived, at which their accomplishment might so reasona
bly be considered to be about to commence, as the times now present 1 A longer
period has already elapsed since the first foundation of the Christian Religion, than has
intervened between the first communication of any former dispensation of divine thmgs
to man aud its modification by a succeeding one. Neither the Antediluvian Church,
nor the Noetic, nor the Israeliticlasted so maiLy centuries as has the Christian church
already. If then a new modification of this is ever to appear — if a New Jerusalem is
ever to form the tabernacle of God with men — the present age, as the probable era of
its commencement, cannot be objected against on the plea of immaturity. If, also, it
is reasonable to suppose that such an era would be marked by extraordinary signs, no
era, assuredly, was evermore decidedly so marked than the present. For a long period,
which does not seem yet to have entirely closed, the judgments of heaven have been
abroad in the earth, in a more distinguished and more universal manner than has mark
ed any former age since the establishment of the Christian Church. The whole politi
cal and moral aspect of almost every country on the face of the globe, and particularly
of every country where Christians have had influence, has been surprisingly transform
ed ; and even the human mind itself, throughout, as far as is known, aU the great
families of man, has undergone a most conspicuous change. Is it not reasonable to
suppose, that these wonderful occurrences may have been iu part overruled, and in
part produced, by the immediate agency of Divine Providence, with reference to the
accomplishment of its purposes of mercy, in the establishment of the new dispensation
of gefiuine Christianity, predicted under the figure of the New Jerusalem t — that judg
ments are proceeding to remove obstructions out of the way, and that beneficial influ
ences also are in operation to prepare for its reception t Most assuredly, the most de
cided opposer of the doctrines now proposed as those of the New Jerusalem, cannot
deny, that if a New Jerusalem is ever to appear in the form of a New Church among
men, no times wearing more of the character which may reasonably be expected to
mark the era of its commencement have ever yet been known, and none can be rea
sonably looked for hereafter in which that character shall be more suikingly displayed.
There is much, then, which gives an antecedent. probability to the opinion, that, as
the predictions relative to the new state of the Lord's Church among mankind, of which
the New Jerusalem is a figure, must be fulfilled at some time or other, the present is
actually the time appointed by Infinite Wisdom and Goodness for that purpose. But
whenever the time should arrive, it is undeniably certain, that some individual or other
of the human race must be enlightened to make it known. Whenever the superior
clearness of doctrinal views, introductory to superior purity of practice, which, as all
commentators admit, is at some period to constitute the pre-eminent glory of the
Church, should be communicated to bless her members, it is obviously indispensable,
that,,some individual or other of the human race should receive the illumination neees-
sar/to introduce it. Some instrument or other, peculiariy enlightened, must be raised
up for the purpose. ..If, then, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the present may be
the time in which the Church, or state of the Church, represented by the New Jerusalem ,
is to commence, there is no absurdity in supposing that such an instrument for communi
cating her doojrines may already have appeared. The illustrious Swedenborg is be-
liev^byma'hyfo h^Tft stood in this capacity. He most solemnly affirms it in various
parts of his wTitipigf :' is there any improbability in the belief, that he may have been the

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONSi 19
instrument which some man must be 1 A man who makes such an assertion either be
lieves it himself, or he does not. He who can make such an assertion without believing
it himself, must be a supremely wicked impostor. But it is impossible to entertain such
a suspicion in regard to Swedenborg : not only is there the most abundant external
testimony to the inupoence and sincerity of his cHaraoter, but these are obvious from the
whole of his writings themselves ; which not only exhibit throughout the purest senti
ments, but breathe in every line the writer's own entire conviction of the truth of what he
says. In the assertion, then, which we are noticing, he only advanced what he most en
tirely believed. He who thus makes such an assertion, must either be completely de
luded, or the assertion must be true. But it will be impossible for any one who reads
with attention either of the works, for example, which we have mentioned, to imagine
that its writer was the victim of delusion. Not only are the views of truth which they
exhibit so elevated and clear in themselves, as to recommend their own excellence to
every lover of truth for its own sake, independently of all reasoning ; but, as intimated
before, the method in which they are arranged, the Scripture proofs by which they" are
supported, and the rational arguments by which they are illustrated, are all of so
superior an order, as to evince in the writer the highest perfection of the rational facul
ties, and to render ridiculous in regard to him the injputation of self-delusion. There
remains no other alternative, but that his assertion is true — that the doctrines delivered
in them as those of the New Jerusalem, are really the doctrines of the New Jerusalem
of prophecy — rays of that glorious light, which, as is generally believed, was eventually
to shine in the renewed Christian Church.
All the other works of this illustrious author will be found equally rational, when con
sidered apart from prejudice, and as the compositions of a man who had been specially
enlightened to communicate the discoveries of Divine Truth necessary to be made at
the commencement of the New Jerusalem.
His theological writings may be divided into four general classes : we will here add
a slight notice of the chara.cter of them all.
We will consider his doctrinal works, as constituting the first class of his writings. To
this class, then, appertain, (1.) The small volume " On the New Jerusalem and its Heav
enly Doctrine." This is a purely doctrinal work, embracing a great variety of subjects,
but treating them with brevity", yet in the mostluminous manner. (2.) The next of the
author's publications of the same character, is the other work mentioned above, in
which the four leading doctrines of all genuine religion— those relating to the Lord, the
Scriptures, Faith, and Life, are copiously treated, and with a weight of evidence which
most of those who have read them have found irresistible. (3.) In the " Brief Exposition
of the Doctrine of the New Church," intended as an introduction to the work next men
tioned, the doetrines generally admitted both among the Romanists and Protestants are
contrasted with those' of the New Chur^ci, and their fallacies pointed out, in a very
powerful and striking manner. (4.) H^'s last work, the " True Christian Religion, or
Universal Theology of the New Chur'h, signified by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation,"
is, as its title implies, a complete body of divinity : it therefore embraces aU the subjects
which are treated of in No. 2 above, with many others, all which are elucidated at con
siderable length. That work, however, does not supersede the useof Np. 2: for the
doctrines delivered in No. 2, with the exception of that on the Sacred Scripture, are
treated there in quite a different manner from that in which they are presented in the
" True Christian Religio'n," though with the utmost harmony in the results. As intro
ductions, then, the three first-named works are all of great value : but whoever wishes
to see all the subjects which properly belong to a body of Christian doctrine, treated at
a length suited to their importance, established on copious Soripture testimony, and
brought down to the apprehension by the clearest illustrations from reason and science.

20 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.
should study the " True Christian Religion,"^ Doctrinal points, also, are necessarily
occasionally discussed, and sometimes largely, in all his other publications.
The next and most extensive class of our author's works, is formed by those which
are devoted to the exposition of the Scriptures, according to the principles explained m
the " Doctrine cf the Sacred Scripturel" Of these there are three: the " Arcana Cales-
tia," which is an exposition of the books of Genesis and Exodus ; and two works (one
of them a posthumous publication,) on the " Apocalypse." In these works the spiritual
sense of the botAis -mentioned, and, incidentally, of far the greater part of the whole
Word of God, is most luminously delivered and copiously illustrated ; the author's doc
trine of the existence of a Correspondence or regular Analogy between spiritual things
and natural, which is such that the one answers to the other constantly and immutably,
is demonstrated by such an abundance of examples as leaves it impossible to retain any
doubt of the fact; it is proved that the Word of God is written according to the laws
of this Corr^pondence ; and the key which is thus afibrded for the interpretation of
Scripture is^ppUed under the guidance of such evident illumination, that the pious
aud intelligent mind is delighted With the treasures of divine wisdom which are thus
brought to view, and acknowledges that to mankind is now ofiered the blessing which
the Psalmist prayed for, when he said, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold won
drous things out of thy law."
A third class of our author's writings consists of works which are not strictly upon
doctrinal subjects, nor yet directly expository of the Scriptures; but which treat ot
important questions in sacred metaphysics and morals. To this class belong, (1.) The
volume on the " Divine Love and Wisdom j'' (2.) That on the " Divine Providence j"
(3.) The work on " Conjugial Love j" and, (4.) The tract on the " Intercourse between the
Soul and the Body," The subjects discussed in these works, are all as interesting
as they are important. They diselo?e, in a manner which has never before been at
tempted, the intrinsic nature of the human constitution, throw uncommon light on the
great processes of creation, unfold as much of the nature of the Divine Being Himself as
can be comprehensible to the human mind, and discover the laws by which Divine
Providence acts — thus "justifying" incomparably more convincingly than was ever
, done before, " the ways of God to man."
The fourth and last class of the writings of Swedenborg contains those in which he
describes the nature of the Ufe after death, and the state of man in the eternal world.
It is from a misrepresentation of his writings of this class that Swedenborg is so often
spoken of as a mere visionary and enthusiast ; though if the terms, visionary and en
thusiast, mean a person who dreams of things which have no real existence, and is carried
away by tjie mere force of his imagination, a. more T-aIsb imputation was never thrown
on the character of any ouo, than by the a^Uoation of such epithets to the always calm
and rational Swedenborg. Heaven and he\are doubtless real existences, howsoever
defective maybe our notions of their nature>^d, most assuredly, nothing can with
more reason be expected, than, when the supenV light should be vouchsafed which
Scripture teaches us was to accompany the dispetisatlon of the New Jerusalem, of
which it is said that " the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is tlie light thereof"
(Bev. xxi.'23);a;nd"thereshaUbenomtgftf there" (xxii. 5)— no intellectual darkness
and lack of knowledge— that then the darkness which is generally allowed to prevail
aimong Christians, in regard to the state of man in eternity, should be removed, and
some clear and satisfactory knowledge respectitig it should be supplied. When Dr.
Johnson was once told of a certain person who pubhshed a visionary work, in which
ne stated, that, like the Apostle Paul, he had been " caught up to the third heaven," and
had had " abundance of revelations," the witty dogmatist replied, " That he would
Have been more like the Apostle had'he kept his revelations to himself." And this was
a just observation. Had the Divine Wisdom seen that any specific information respect-

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONSs 21
ing the nature of heaven and hell, and man's state after death in general, would have
been conducive to the welfare of mg-nkind under the Christian dispensation, in' that
form of it founded by the Apostles, the Apostle Paul would doubtless have been per
mitted to communicate the knowledge which had been imparted to himself. But this
objection does not lie against the knowledge of tbe subject communicated in the writ
ings of Swedenborg, if to him it was really granted, as we have seen there is so much
reason for concluding, to be the organ of imparting the knowledge necessary for the
Christian Church under the new dispensation of it predicted by the symbol of a -New
Jerusalem. It would be strange indeed, if, amid the beams of light whic,h are promised
under this dispensation, not a ray should be afibrded to chase away the dreary gloom
which everywhere prevails, beyond its precincts, in regard to the state of man after
death — if, in the glorious state under which it is generally believed that Christianity
should at length appear on earth, no specific knowledge should even thep be afibrded-,
•respecting the nature of heaven and hell. It is, then, in strict qonformity with "the
most reasonable expectations, that Swedenborg should have been enabled to clear
UJ) this matter eJso ; and to reject the information communicated through him, beoaijse
it was not communicated to the Apostles, -would be just as reasonable, as to reject the
knowledge imparted through the Apostles because it was not as plainly revealed
through Moses and the prophets. But his writings on this subject forfti much the
smallest of the four classes into which we have divided his works. His treatise " On
Heaven and Hell," an A " On the Last Judgment," are the only distinct and original
works which properly belong to it ; for that " On the Earths in the Universe" is a mere'
republication of the appendixes to some of the chapters of the "Arcana Cmlestia :" but
many particulars which come under the same description are given iu appendixes
called " Memorable Relations,"* to the chapters of the " Arcana Ccelestia," and the
" Apocalypse Revealed," among his expository works, of the " Conjugial Love," among
his metaphysical and moral works, and of the " True Christian Religion" among his
doctrinal productions. ?
Those who may think the subjects of the above works interesting, but have no^,
had auy previous knowledge of the author, will naturally be desirous to possess somei
information respecting his station in life and personal character. This wish may be
gratified by a perusal of the prefaces to those of his works which were first published^
in English; viz., the little work on the " Intercourse between the Soul and the Bo(}y,"f
the treatise " On Heaven and Hell," and the " True Christian ReUgion ;":): in which
also, together with the prefaces tq the " Arcana Ccelestia," and to the " Apocalypse Re
vealed," are contained very satisfactory vindications of his leading sentiments.§
» For a description of the nature of these " Memorable Relations" see below.
t Translated by the Rev. Mr. Hartley, M. A., Rector of Winwick, Northamptonshire,'
who was personally acquainted with Swedenborg.
t Translated by the Rev. John Clowes, M. A., Rector of St. John's, Manchester.
§ Several works expressly devoted to the defence of his character and writings have
also been published, the principal of which are, " Letters to a Member of Parliament on
the Character and Writings of Baron Swedenborg, in Refutation of the Calumnies of the
Abbe Barruel," by the late Rev. J. Clowes, M. A., Rector of St. John's, Manchester;
"Letters to Dr, Priestly, Src, being a Defence of the New Church, ^c," by Rev. R.
Hindmarsh; "A Vindicaiion of the Character and Writings of the Hon, Emanuil Swe
denborg, against the Slanders arid Misrepresentations of the Rev. J, G. Pike, Sfc." by the
same ; and " An Appeal in Behalf of the Views and Doctrines of the New Church, Sfc,"
by the Rev. S. Noble. See also a very able work by the Rev. Augustus Cliss61d, M. A.,
formerly of Exeter College, Oxford, entitled, " The Practical Jiature of the Doctrines and
' alleged Revelations contained in the Writings of the Hon, E. Swedenborg, together with
the Peculiar Motives to Christian Conduct they suggest, in a Letter to His Grace the Lord
Archbishop of Dublin,"

22 INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.
¦fhe first " Document" which we shall adduce is of the very first authority, which
gives a detailed view of his whole life and writings, including a list of those works by
which he had gained a distinguished reputation as a philosopher, before, in the fifty-
sixth year of his age, he received that particular illumination, which caused him,
during the remaining twenty-nine years of his life, to employ his pen exclusively on
spiritual subjects. The " Document" alluded to, is a.disoourse respecting the life and
character of Emanuel Swedenborg, delivered in honor of his memory, before the Royal
Academy of Sciences of Stockholm.

PART I.
TESTIMONY OF PERSONAL FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES OF
SWEDENBORG.

I. .
. EULOGIUM ON
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
Pronounced in the Great Hall of the House of Nobles, in the name of the Royal Academy
. of Sciences of Stockholm, October 7, 1772, by M. Samuel Sandel, Counsellor of the
Royal Board of Mines, Knight of the Polar Star, and Member of the said Academy,
TKANSLATED PEOM THE SWEDISH.

Gentlemen, Permit me to entertain you this day upon a subject, which is not of an ab
stracted or remote nature, but is intended to revive the agreeable remembrance
of a man celebrated for his virtues and his knowledge, one of th§ oldest mem
bers of this Academy, and one whom we all knew and loved.
The sentiments of esteem and friendship with which we all regarded the late
M. Emanuel Swedenborg, assure me of the pleasure with which you will listen
to me while he is the subject of my discourse : happy should I be could I an
swer your expectations, and draw his eulogium- in the manner it deserves !
But if there are some countenances, of which, as the painters assure us, it is ex
tremely difficult to give an exact likeness, how difHcult then must it be to delin
eate that of a vast.ar^d sublime genius, who never knew either repose or fatigue ;
who, occupied with the sciences the most profound, was long engaged with re
searches into the secrets of nature, aud who, in his latter years, applied all his
efforts to unveil the greatest mysteries ; who, to arrive at certain branches of
knowledge, opened for himself a way of his own, without ever straying from
sound morals and true piety ;.who, being endowed with a strength of faculties
truly extraordinary, in the decline of his age, boldly elevated his thoughts still
further and soared to the greatest heights to which the intellectual faculty can
rise ;' and who, finally, has given occasion to form respecting him a multitude
of opinions, differing as much from each other as do the minds of the different
men by whom they are formed !

24 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
When the riches and beauties' of nature shine with the greatest brilliancy be
fore our eyes, then it is that we perceive most'distingtly the shades which are
. inseparable from them. On the appearance of a new light, the man of mere
curiosity sees nothing but marvels and miracles even in its illusions,. The
blobkhead, on the other hand, turns all into ridicule : in his estimation, acute
penetration is subtilty, deep thought is dreaming, abstract meditation is enthu
siastic reverie, to quit the beaten tracK is to g® astray, and the investigation of
unknown truths is sheer madness. The wise man is not so precipitate ; he does
not despise a rich" mineral, because it contains some'heterogfeneous substances
which indicate its origin: he endeavors to discover "the.variations of the needle^
not for the sake of exposing its defects, but that he may make the best use of
this admirable guide : he values an inquiring eye, even whep," it yenjures to -,
direct a glance at the sun : he avoids excessive rigor, and takes care notto j&dge'
with harshness of an ardent and laborious zeal in the pursuit of truth : and none
can find anything to censure in Swedenborg, unless it be that he allowed his
genius this way to go too far.*
It is thus that, notwithstanding some passages a little difficult to explain, the
fair picture of his life well merits examination.
The excellent Bishop of Skara, Dr. Jasper Swedberg, a clergyman full of zeal
but free from bigotry, was still Chaplain of the first regiment of cavalry of the
guard, when his first wife, Sarah Behm, daughter of Albert Behm, Assessor of
the Board of Mines, brought him his second son, Emanuel, Swedberg ; who was
born at Stockholm, the 29th of January, 1688. f Hewas named Swedenborg,
when he was elevated to the rank of nobility ,{ together with his sisters, in 1719.
Nature and art form the ornaments of the earth: birth and education form
those of the human race. A fruit-seed does not always produce a tree which
yields as exceUent fruit as that which produced it ; which often is owing to the
modifications effected in the tree by art, which occasion a difference in its pro
ducts, but do not at all alter its nature. Experience supplies us with a great
many sunilar instances in our own species. But it -would be hazarding a para
dox were we to attempt to determine, how far certain virtues are hereditary in
families, or are introduced into them by education. Be this as it may, it cannot
* From this it appears that M. Sandel did not belong to the number of those whq
had studied and appreciated Swedenborg's theological writings ; hence his testimony
must be considered as so much the more impartial. — Tafel. • '
t According to a letter of Swedenborg's, written in Latin and printed at London in
1769, the year of his birth was 1689. But this is a mistake: for according to the note
which he delivered iu himself, to be inserted in the register of the Nobles, and which
is iu the hands of M, Stierman, Counsellor of the great Chancery, independently ot
other proof that might be given, Swedenborg was bom in IQSS. As to the place of his
birth, the register has Upsal ; but this ought to be Stockholm. — Note of M. 'Sandel,
J From the fact of his. having been elevated to the rank of nobility, an honor cus
tomarily granted to the families of the bishops, it has been generally supposed that he
had a title, whence that of Baron is usually given him. But in Sweden there are noble
families to which no title belongs ; and the male representative of families enjoys a
seat in the House of Nobles, answering to our House of Lords, in the Diet or Parlia
ment of the country. Thus the privileges attached to this rank, are, in'thb head of the
family, as Swedenborg was at the time of his elevation to it, the same as belong to the
lowest rank of nobihty in England. In Sweden, exclusively of the princes of the bloodj
there are but three ranks of nobility ; to the lowest of. which no title is attached, but
only certain priyileges ; to the second belongs the title* of Baron; and to the third' that
of Count. Thus- the rank of Count, in Sweden, is equivalent to our Duke, that of Baron
to our Earl, and the head of an untitled family enjoys a rank equal to that of our Lord
or Baron. — Editors.-

•EULOGIUM 'OF SANDEL; 25
be denied, that the advantage o| havmg spVung from a respectable aM virtuous
family, inspires a man with confidence, when he is conscious that he does not
disgrace his descent. In every Qondition, it is a rea^. ad vantage to be born iu a
family, which has been, for long time, the ajDode of hoixpr and virtue,' and a
nursery of citizens every tvay useful t(5 the country. ^Such was that of Sweden
borg. .* -. ^
, In a family of credit and respectability among the miners of' Stora Koppar-
'b erg,* Daniel (Isaacson and his wife Anne Ballemesia, are distinguished Ss the
parents of thejfirst chiefs of th&noble families of Sh6mstr6m and of Swedenborg,
as well as that of the Sw^dbergs. I remember to have seen a genealogical tree,
in ¦which were representpti many of the Swedbergs inco^)orated and allied with
other illustrious and celebrated families. But since our Swedenborg did not
assist to extend the branches of this tree, I will dwell upon it no longer, andwiU
endeavor to follow himself only.
In following him, the period of childhood and the exercises of that age can
not detain me long ; for, in him, everything tended to maturity. A son of Bishop
Swedberg could not fail to receive a good education accordjng to the custom of
the"times, and such as was adapted to form his youth to virtue, to industry, to
solid knowledge, and especially to those sciences which were to constitute his
chief occupation.. Times and manners change : but I am speaking of the youth
of a .Swedenborg. What need is there to expatiate further upon the weU-be-
stowed cares which were employed on his education ; upon his eagerness to
profit by such an advantage, which few men, comparatively, enjoy, and which
so many of those who enjoy it neglect; upon the acuteness of his talents, which
made the acquisition of knowledge easy to him, and cherished his excellent
inclinations ; in short, upon his diligence and early maturity .' What more
striking proof of them could be given, than the favor of a great prince, who,
possessing a penetrating judgment, knew how to discover merit and talents, to
encourage them by his bounty, and to employ them to the best advantage .'
Without any solicitation on his part, he was appointed by Charles XII. at the
age of twenty-eight years [in 1716], and when he was yet but a student at the
University, Assessor Extraordinary of his Board of Mines ; and with leave to
make his election between this office, and a Professorship in the Royal Univer
sity bf Upsal. It is not upon an effeminate young man, destitute of talents, that
an enlightened. Monarch confers such employments. Swedberg was already
Icnown, both within the ¦ kingdom and abroad, for his leaming and his great
qu,alities. ^
Among the number of his successful, though not always acknowledged youth
ful essays, is to bereckoned an Academical Dissertation, whitjh he" published at
Upsal, in 1709.t * * .
* The great copper-mountain, near the town of Fahlun, in the Province ofDale-
Kailen, the principal copper-mines in Sweden.
j The subject of this dissertation was, Anncei Senecct et Publii Syri Mimi, forsan et
aliorum. Selectee Sententia, cum Annotationibus Erasmi et Grceca Versione Scaligeri,
Notts lUustratte, Swedenborg prefixed to this edition adedioation to his father a brief
introduction, and accompanied it with notes. Immediately following tbe^Etedication
are some Greek verses addressed to Swedenborg Himself, witli the following inscrip
tion ! — Ad prEEcelleutis ingenii Juvenem Emanueleiu SWedbergium generis claritudine
ac eruditionis gloria maxime «lonspicuuiln, cum in Mimos Piftlii Syri publica disser-
' tatione ofemmentaretur ; with the inscription, P»f ijXio(5i?j.

26 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
A collection of Latin verses, which he had composed in 1710, and the follow
ing years, and which he published at Skara, under the title of " Ludus Heliconim,
sive Carmina Miscellanea, qua variis in lociscecinit Em, Swedberg," displayed an un
common liveliness of talent, and evinced how well he had employed the studies
of his youth. How proud would many be,' had they been able to give, at such
an age, such proofs of genius !
But poetry did not ponstitute his chief employment. The Essays and Re
marks on questions in Mathematics and Physics, which he printed at Stock
holm, in six parts, in the Swedish language (the fifth part being also pubhshed
in Latin), under the title of Dcedalus Hyperboreus, and which were commenced in
1716, evinced his taste for those sciences. May it not be said, that these pro
ductions of a young author gave reason to expect from him others which should
bear the stamp of a Daedalus ?
But let us not estimate the strength of his genius merely by the productions
of his youth which had yet appeared. It is not by the press alone that we can
always judge of an author's learning. An indifferent work is often adorned
with a pompous title : and the best authors are they who take sufficient time to
furnish their minds with knowledge and with solid principles. These attain
ments Swedberg first sought in the University of Upsal ; afterwards, during four
successive years, in those of England, Holland, France, and Germany.
But we have to follow him in longer and more numerous travels, in diversified
occupations and undertakings, and through routes often attended with difficulty.
And in order that no reserve or apprehension may afterwards invade us, and
make us hesitate at accompanying him any farther, as often happens when we
have not had time to make ourselves sufficiently acquainted vsrith a travelling
companion beforehand, represent to yourselves in -Swedenborg the happy union
of a strong memory, a quick conception, and a sound judgment ; represent to
yourselves these excellent qualities united to an ardent desire and encouraging
hope of acquiring the most profound attainments in Philosophy, in all the
branches of Mathematics, in Natural History, in Mechanics, in Anatomy, and
even in Theology : let us not forget his skill in the Oriental and European lan
guages : let us recollect the force of habit, acting in him in concert with the use
of reason, especially in respect to the order in which he arranged his thoughts ;
without a regard to which, when they are too much occupied upon abstruse
meditations, they are apt to give themselves up, without distinction of objects,
to the fire of a too lively imagination : add to all this an excellent heart, as
proved and formed by the rules which he had prescribed for his conduct, and
which I have found noted down in several of his manuscripts, which are
these: — 1. Often to read and meditate on the Word of God. 2. To submit every
thing to the will of Divine Providence. 3. To observe in everything a propriety
of behavior, and always to keep the conscience clear. 4. To discharge with
fidelity the functions of his employments and the duties of his office, and to
render himself in all things useful to society. Such were the characteristic traits
of Swedenborg's mind : and whoever thinks there is the least exaggeration in
the delineation of them, must, in some shape or other, be the victim of prejudice
Let such consider more closely what I have already said, and what I have still
further to say.
Let us now hasten to receive him on his return home from his first travels

EULOGIUM OF SANDEL. 27
when we shall find him occupied with Mathematics and Mechanics. His at
tainments in these sciences soon procured him an acquaintance, and an intimate
connexion durmg many years, with the Archimedes of Swed&, Christopher
Polhammar, then Assessor and afterwards Counsellor of the Chamber of Com
merce, and Commander of the Order of the Polar Star, and who was known
afterwards under the name of Polheim. By this" connexion he not only ac
quired great attainihents in the science of Mechanics, but obtained the further
advantage of partaking of the very particular confidence with which Polham
mar was honored by his late Majesty, Charles XII., and which was afterwards
equally shared by them both. The diploma appointmg him to his office of As
sessor, given at Sunden, the 19th of December, 1716, states, that the king had a
particular regard to the knowledge possessed by Swedberg in the science of
Mechanics, and that his pleasure was, that he should accompany and assist
Polhammar, in constructing his various mecharjical works. This diploma,
together with all that is related by Dr.Nordberg, in his History of Charles XII.,
ofthe conversations that this monarch often had with these two great men, on
Mechanics 'and other parts of Mathematics, evinces how much he esteemed
these two geniuses, who seemed formed to assist each other, and destined to
labor together. He often made use of their knowledge and talents ; which in
both of them, especially on the subject of Mechanics, were accompanied with
the gift of the most happy invention.
This is not the place to speak of the great undertakings, of Polheim : other
wise I should mention the famous dyke of Lyckeby, the locks of Trolhatta, the
bason of Carlsorona, and other works executed by him.
Of such works, Swedenborg, for his part executed one ofthe greatest import
ance, during the siege of Frederickshall, in 1718. He contrived to transport over
valleys and mountains, by the help of machines of his own invention, two gal
leys, five large boats, and a sloop, from Stromstadt to Iderfjol, which divides
Sweden from Norway towards the south ; that is to say, the distance of two
miles and a half.* By this operation, the king ifound himself in a situation to
carry on his plans ; for under the cover of these galleys and boats, he transport
ed on pontoons his heavy artillery, which it would have been impossible to
have conveyed by land, under the very walls of Frederickshall. It is thus that
the sciences and arts, judiciotlsly applied, become universally useful, and effect
objects, whiph, without their aid, no human power could accomplish.
But Mechanics alone did not occupy all his time. In 1717 and 1718 he pub
lished the continuation of his Dcedalus Hyperboreus, In the latter year he print
ed an Introduction to Algebra, under the title oi Regel-Konsten ; in 1719, a Proposal
for fixing the value of the Coin, and determining the Measures, of Sweden, so as to sup
press Fractions, and facilitate Calculations: and in the same year, a treatise on the
position of the Earth and the J^lanets; with another on the Height ofthe Tides, and
the greater Flux and Reflux ofthe Sea informer ages; with Proof s furnished by vari
ous appearances in Sweden. He had begun, at the same time, several other works ;
of which we shall soon learn the particulars by advice from abroad.
He had not yet taken possession of his ofiice of Assessor of the Royal Board
of Mines; because he was unvsriUing to exercise the functions of it before he'
* Equal to aljout fourteen English miles. .

28 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDfiNBOR^J.
had acquired a perfe'ct knowledge of Metallurgy : thus he is by no means to be
ranked in the number of those, who, without capacity, solicit places, and have
not the knowledge requisite for filling them. He had obtained this office with
out soliciting it. He was already well skilled in certain sciences, which alone
would render him very useful in his situation : it was even very easy for him to
acquire the knowledge in which, for this office, he might be deficient, since
Mathematics and Physics, which he had hitherto made his principal studies,
are the basis of the science of mines. But he could not be satisfied with theory
alone without practice : nor was he any better satisfied with the experiencef-
which may be acquired in a chenjical laboratory, nor with an acquaintance with
the mines of Sweden only, and with the buildings, machines, and processes
used in working them. He therefore^ in 1721, undertook a second journey to
foreign countries, to examine their mines and smelting- works, particularly those
of Saxony and the Hartz. But we ought not to say that he went to examine
their mines only : for of all that could fix the attention of a traveller, there was
nothing that escaped him.
Durmg his stay in the country of Brunswick, the reigning sovereign, Duke
Lewis Rodolph, gave him full liberty to travel in his dominions, and, at his de
parture, made him a present of his medallion in gold and of another in silver.
In this journey he acquired new stores of knowledge, and enriched science with
the following new works : —
1. Prodromus Principiorum Rerum Naturalium, sive Novorwn Tenfaminum, Chemiam
et Physiciam Experimentalem Geometrice Ei^plicandi.
2. Nova Observata et Inventa circa Ferrum et Ignem, prcecipue circa Naturam Ignis
Elementarem : una cum Nova Camini Inventione,
3. Melhodus Nova Inveniendi Longitudinis Locorum Terra Marique, Ope Luna,*
To this work are appended— '
4. Modus Construendi Receptacula Navalia.
5. Nova Constructio Aggeris Aquatici,
6. Modus Mechanice ExploYandi Virtutes Navigiorum.
These' works were all printed at Amsterdam in 1721.
7. Miscellanea Observata circa Res Naturales ; prasertim Mineralia, Ignem, et Montium
Strata,
Three parts of which were printed at Lelpsic, and the fourth at Hambmrg,
in 1722.t
If we except LinuEBUS, who everknew how to profit so well by a journey of
* These three works have gone through three editions.
t We subjoin a translation of the titles of the above works :—
1. A Prodromus for Sketch and Specimen'] of a work on the Principles of Natural Thini^s,
or New Attempts at explaining the Phenomena of Chemistry and Physics on Geometri
cal Principles,
2. New Observations and Discoveries respecting Iron and Fire, especially respecting the
Elementary Nature of Fire, With a new mode of constructing Chimneys.
3. A new Method of finding ihe Lon^ude of Places either on Land or at Sea, by Lunar
Observations, ^. ' - ' .
4. A Mode for (instructing Dry Docks for Shipping, in Harbors where there are no Tides.
5. A new Mode of constructing Dykes to exclude Inundations ofthe Sea or of Rivers,
6. A Mode of ascertaining, by Mechanical means, thq qualities of Vessels of different Con
structions,
7. Miscellaneous Observations on Natural Thdngs, particularly on Minerals, Fire and
the Strata of Mountains.

EULOGIUM OF SANDEL. 29
so short duration? For in 1722, after an absence of a year and a half, he re
joiced his country by his retum.
In the years succeeding he divided his time and hia occupations between the
business of the Royal Board of Mines and his studies, till 1733, when he finished
his great work entitled Opera Philosophiqa et Mineralia,* - It was published in 1734
at Dresden and' Leipsic; and while it was printing he visited the mines of
Austria ai\d Hungary—a journey which lasted a year. This work is in three
volumes, in folio. The title of the first volume is, Principia Rerum Naturalium ;
sive Novorum Tentaminum Phanomena Mundi Elementaris Philosophice Explicandi;
that of the second, Regnum Subterraneum sive Minerale de Ferro ; and that of the
third, Regnum Subterraneum sive Minerale de Cupro et Orichalco,] These volumes,
being solid and learned compositions, ornamented with plates to assist the read
er to understand the descriptions, &c. in the text, could not but add to the favor
able opinion that the learned of foreign countries had already conceived of our
Swedenborg.' ' . " ,
' The Consistory of the University, and the Academy of Sciences, of Upsal, did
themselves the honor of being the first to acknowledge the merit of their illus
trious countryman, and to show him marks of their esteem. The Consistory, in
1724,, bad invited hiiiT to accept the situation of Professor of the Pure Mathe
matics, vacant by the death of Nils Celsius ; and this, because, as they expressed
themselves, his acceptance of the office would be to the advantage of the stu
dents and the ornament of the University. But he declined the honor. The
Academy of Sciences admitted him into the number of its members in 1729.
But the learned abroad now hastened to give him marks of their considera
tion. The Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg appointed him a Correspond
ing Member, by a diploma dated Dec. 17th, 1734. Christian Wolff, and other
foreign literati, were eager to establish with him a literary correspondence, and
consulted him on many intricate subjects. The Editors of the Acta Eruditorum
of Leipsic, which gives an account of the works of men of science and literature,
found in those of Swedenborg a rich harvest with which to ornament their col
lection. Nor has time yet deprived his Opera Philosophica et Mineralia of any of
their value. The authors of the magnificient Description des Arts et Metiers, now
piiblishing at Paris, have thought so highly of the second part, which treats of
iron and steel, that they have translated it, and inserted it entire in their col-
lectioh.t ' t
* Philosophical and Mineral Works, *,
f 1., The Principles of Natural Things; or af New Attempts at a Philosophical Expla
nation of the Phanomena of the^Eletfieritary World.
2, The Subterraneous or Mineral Kingdom in regard to Iron,
3. The Subterraneous or Mineral Kingdom in regard to Copper and Brass.
X The value of this work of our author's did not fail, also, to obtain notice in Eng
land.^ In the translation of Cramer's Elements of the Art of Assaying Metals, by Dr.
Cromwell Mortimer, Secretary to the E,oyai Society, it is mentioned by the' translator in
the following terms : " For the sake of such as understand Latinj we must not pass by
that magnificient and laiborious work rtf Emanuel Swedenborgius, entitled, Principia
Rerum Naturalium, Src,^ XJiesdee et Lipsife, 1734, in three tomes, in folio : in the second
and third,, tomes of Which ISe has given the best accounts, not only ofthe methods and
newest improvements in meta^ic. works in all places'beyond the seas, but also of those
in England and our colonies in America^ witk draughts of the furnaces and instruments
employed. It is to be wished wehad extracts of this work in Enghsh." P. 13, 2nd
Ed. Lond. 1764.— iJrfiJors. 'If *

30 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. 1''
This Hoyal Academy, on its first establishment, could not fail to associate
among its members a man, who already held so 'distinguished a rank among
the members of other learned societies.
I have hitherto only spoken of one part of fhe works of Swedenborg : and as
those which follov/ are of a quite different nature, it becomes necessary that we
should yet dwell a little longer on these first. They are so many incontestible
proofs of a universal erudition, which attached itself in preference to objects
which require deep reflection and profound knowledge. None .can reproach
him with having wished to shine in borrowed plumes; passing off as his own
the labors of others, dressed out in a new form and decorated with sotne new
turns of expression. It must be acknowledged, on the contrary, that without
ever taking up the ideas of others, he always followed his own, and often makes
remarks and 'applications which are not to be found in any preceding author.
Nor was he at all times of the Same class as the generality of universal
geniuses, who, for the most part, are content with merely skimming over the
surfaces of things. He applied the whole force of his mind to penetrate into the
most hidden things, to connect together the scattered links of the great chain of
universal being, and to trace up everything, in an order agreeable to its nature,
to the great First Cause. Neither did he proceed.in the maimer of certain Natu
ral Philosophers and Mathematicians, who, dazzled by the light which they have
been in search of and have found, would, were it possible, echpse and extin
guish, to the eyes of the world, the Only True and Great Light. He, in the
course of his meditations on the universe and on creation, continually foimd new
occasitps for rising in love and adoration towards the Atithbr of Nature.
But let us suppose ourselves engaged in examining a grand machine, in the
construction of which we had no concern : we see nothing of it but its results ;
yet from its effects, with which even we are but imperfectly acquainted, we
wish to judge of the whole. It will hence naturally happen, that every one
wiU adqpt such principles of explanation as appear to him most certain, and
will endeavor thence to advance, step by step. It is thus that have proceeded
our most distinguished scholars in theoretical philosophy. Happy are they,
who, in their investigations of the most sublime subjects, have been the least*'
unintelligible ! If, with the most profound knowledge, and with the greatest
strength of intellect, they have not been able to avoid illusions and to attain the
end proposed, they at least have struck out new paths for the exercise of pur
intellectiial faculties ; one idea leads to another ; and thus they have opened the
way to discoveries of greater certainty. Even the searchers for the philoso
phers' stone, if, after all their labors, they have not succeeded in making gold,
have at least enriched chemistry with many valuable discoveries.
I think i shall not be mistaken if I assert, that Swedenborg, from the time
when he first began to think for himself, was animated by a secret fire, an ar
dent desire to attain to the discovery of the most abstract things; and that he
thenceforward thought that he had obtained a glimpse of the means of arriving
at his end. I think I ana justified in this supposition, on a comparison of his
last works with his first, thojigh they treat of very different subjects.
He contemplated the great edifice of the universe in general. He afterwards
exammed such of its parts as come within the limits of our knowledge. Se
saw that the whole is arranged in a uniform order and governed by certain laws

JEULOGimr OF SANDEL. 31
He took particular nbtice, in this immense machine, of everything that can be
explained on mathematical*principles. He doubted not that the Supreme Cre
ator had arranged the whole, even to the most imperceptible parts, in the most
entire harmony and the most complete mutual agreement ; and this agreement,
as a mathematical .philosopher, he end^§avdred to develope, by drawing conclu
sions from the smallest parts to the greatest, from that which is visible before
our eyes to that which is scarcely discoverable even by the aid of optical glasses.
He thus formed to himself a system founded upon a certain species of mecha
nism, and supported by reasoning — a system, the arrangement of wiiich is so
solid, and the composition so serious, thatit clairns and merits all the attention
of the learned : as for others, they may do better not to middle with it Accordi-
ing to this system, he explains all that the most certain'tfacts and the soundesf
reasoning can offer to our meditations. If we dare not adopt the whole, there
are at least many excellent things ini it which we may apply to our use. But he
went furtherJJ he wished to cor^b,ine this system with religion ; and to this ob
ject he almost 'entirely*devoted himself from the time pf the publication of his
Cfpera Philosophica et Mineralia,
- He passed the gfeater part of his latter years in foreign countries, to which,
after the year 1736, he made eight different journeys ; either to England, or Hol
land, or France, or Italy. He commenced with the latter countries : his travels
in which lasted till 1740. His principal object in these journeys was the print
ing of his new work's. , '
I cannot help admiring the great fertility of his pen ; for besides the numerous
productions, and especially the great work, of which we have spoken gikeady,
he was the author of the following ;^-
1. PrbdromiXs Philosophia Ratiocinantis de Infinite, de Causa Finali Creationis, et de
' Mechdnismo Qperationis Animus et Corporis, Printed at Dresden, in 1734.
2. (E'conomia Regni Animalis. Printed at Amsterdam, in two parts; the first in
1740, and the second in 1741.
• 3. Regnum Animate, In three parts ; two of which were printed at the Hague,
in 1744, and the third at London, in 1745.
4. De Cultu et Amore Dei, In two parts, London, 1745.* *
* The following would be the title of these four works in English : —
X. A Prodromus to a proposed work, to be called. Philosophy reasoning on the Infinite, oip
the Final Cause of Creation, and on the Mechanism of the Operation of the Soul ana,
' Body, The work itself was never published under that title ; but those which fol-
! low treat of the proposed subjects. ^.
2. The Economy of the Animal Kingdom, ' '
3. The Animal Kingdom,
4. On the Worship and Love of God, - i .
Though M. Sandel has numbered the ab&ve with the author's theological writings,
they do not in reality, belong to that class," though the*subjects of some of them are
closely connected With theology. The philosophical views they develope are mostly in
harmony with those of his theological works ; and their theological sentiments also are
seldom at variance witlv those ofthe latter, though they occasionally evince the absence
. of that superior illumination which he afterwajds enjoyed. Hisparticular illumination
is stilted to have commenced in 1'743; if it did; the two latter ofthe above works were
printed, and, most probably, were written, afterwards : but as their whole style and
character differ widely from those of his theological works, there seems some reason to
doubt whether the date of his specific illumination Should not, instead of 1743, be 1745.
Whilst, also, all his theological works abound with,references to each other, they do not
contain a single reference lo the ^ibove or to any other of his publications, except once
in the Index td the Arcana Calestia, where, under the word Cause, there is a reference

32 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
1. Arcana Ccelestia, In eight volumes, London, 1749 to 1756.
2. De Ultimo Judicio et Babylonia Destructa.
3. De Cado et Inferno.
4. De Equo Albo de quo in ApocaJypsi,
5. De Telluribus in Mundo nostro Solari, sea Planetis, et de Telturiims in Valo
Astrifero,
6. De Nova Hierosolyma .et ejus Doctrina Calesti.
These six works were all printed at London in 1758.
7. Doctrina Nova Hierosolyma de Domino,
8. Doctri'nf. Nova Him-osofymce de Scriptura Sacra,
9. Doctrina Vita pro Nova Hierosolyma, •
io. Doctrina Nova.Hierpsolymdde Fide.
11. Continuatio de Ultimo fudicio, et de Mundo Spirituali, ,^-.
12. Sapientia Angelica de Divino Amore et de Divina Sapientia.
These six works were all printed at Ainsterdam in 1763.
13. Sapientia Angelica de Divina Provider^ia. _ Amsljerdam, 1764.
14. Apocalypsis Revelata. Amsterdam, 1766. ' '' •-«,-
15. Delitice Sapientia de Amore Conjugiali; et Voluptates Insatfue de Amore Scorta-
torio, Amsterdam, 1768.
16. De Commercio Anima et Corporis, London, 1769.
17. Summaria Expositio Doctrina Nova Ecdesia, Amsterdam, 1769.
18. Vera Christiana Religio. Amsterdam, 1771,*
The titles of these works announce matters of great importance : and, though
the subjects of them are different, they are all'founded on Anatomy, on Physics,
on Philosophy, on explications of Holy Scripture, on certain revelatiqns and
visions ; and they all conduct us, aocording to his manner of treating them, to
serious meditations respecting the Supreme Being, the soul, things invisible and
spiritual, and the life hereafter. We thus now find soaring' above the clouds,
the same man whom we have just been following in the mines, in furnaces and
^ ¦ • r 
.  ;  S  '  ^r—t
to thS Worship and Love of God .• but thi^s single exception only seems to prove, that,
whUe that work in general was not written under the. same illumination as the author
afterwards enjoyed, what it contains, upon the subject referred to, is fully in agreement
therewith- Qn: account of this decided distinction of class between the above fouj
works of Swedenborg and the strictly theological writings which follow, we have not
numbered them all in one series, as in the original, but have commenced a new series
•of numbers with the latter. — Editors.
*¦ In addition to ^e above, the following works, found among his manuscripts aflgS
his decease, ha-jje since been published at London and Tubingen : — «.. '
19. Coronis sen Appendix ad Veram Christianam Religionem, 1780.
20. Summaria Expositio Sensus Interni Librorum Propheticorum Verbi Veteris Testa-
menti, necnon et Psalmorum Davidis. 1784.
21. Apocalypsis Explicata .secundum Senium Spiritualem, Four volumes, 1785 1786^
1788, and 1789. •¦ ' t ' - " . > ""T
22. IlHex Rerum in Apocalypsi Revelata. 1813.
23. Index Verborum, Nom'&ittn, et -Rerum,! inArcanis Ccelestibus, 1815.
24. Adversaria in Libras Levitici, Numerorum et Deuteronomii. 1841.
There was als.o printed in 1784, a small posthumous work, or rather fragment enti
tled, Clamis Hieroglyphica Arcanorum Naturalium et Spiritualium, per viam Repr'esenta-
tionum et Correspondentiarum. But this. does not properly belono- to the class of his
theological works, having evidently been written before he received his particular illu
mination, and apparently about the same time as his (Economia Regni Animalis and
Regnum Animate ;m the former of which works the first sketch ofthe system is offered,
and in the latter of which it is occasionally adverted to.

• EULOGIUM OF SANDEL. ' 33
workshops : and we find him everywhere equally diligent, zealous, and fertile
in emblematical illustrations.
The application which the composition of these latter works required, not per
mitting him to continue to discharge the functions of his office as Assessor of
the Board of Mines, he, in 1747, asked and obtained his Majesty's permission to
retire from it : who also granted the two requests which he added to his peti
tion; the first of which was, that he might enjoy, during life, by way of pension,,
fhe half of the salary attached to his office ; and tlje second, that this favor might'
be granted him without any addition of rank or title ; though these are things
which by the generality are not deprecated but eagerly sought after, and equally
regarded with the acquisition of riches.*
These last works of Swedenborg's, as far as I have been able to judge of them
from a slight inspection, confirm the idea I had previously formed of his system.
He explains in them, according to the laws of the system that he had adopted,
both things visible and invisible : from the former, he draws conclusionsf re-
* We have here, indeed, a rareinstance of that moderation and contentsdness of mind
by which Swedenborg was so eminently distinguished, and which was so truly in ac
cord with his spiritual character. In the English verson of this Eulogium heretofore
published, he is made to desire that the favor he requested might be granted without
derogation either of title or rank : but this is a strange oversight indeed of the translator ;
for -both the French copies — that of Pernetti, from which the former Englisji version was
made, as well as that which we have chiefly followed — here agree in the sense which
is given above ; botlj state that he requested that the favor might be granted him " sanj
amilioration de rang ni de titre." Swedenborg had now held an oflice in the govern
ment thirty-one years : and no doubt it is customary in that, country, as in this, to re
ward a faithful public servant, on his retirement, with a pension proportioned to the
length and value of his services, and to raise him to a higher degree of rank or title. It
is elsewhere stated, that such an offer was actually made to Swedenborg on this occa
sion : it was proposed to raise him from the first rank of nobility to the second, and
thus to confer on him the title of ^aron ; and, most probably, this would have been ac
companied with an addition to his former income, to enable him to support his new
dignity in a suitable manner : but he, as a man for whom neither wealth nor power had
any attractions, declined the title altogether, and requested that only half of his former
income — just as much as was sufficient to keep hira from want, and to enable him to
publish the works on which he was engaged — might be continued to him. By the way,
this transaction alone is sufiicient to evince how totally unfounded is the report which
has been propagated by his enemies in this country, that, a little before this time, he
went mad. If such was, in reality, his unfortunate situation, it would be sufficiently
extraordinary that he should still be permitted, in his own country, to assist, as usual,
in the deliberatiDns of the House of Nobles : but that it should be proposed, at such a
time, to raise him to a higher rank of nobility, and thus to add to his influence, would
have been extraordinary indeed. To think of such a thing, the king of Sweden must
have been mad hinxself.-^Editors,
t This and the following statement of M. de Sandel is extremely superficial ; but a
better judgment could not be expected from him, since, as he himself states, he had
not studied and examined the theological writings of his venerable countryman. As,
however, M. Sandel has given Swedenborg credit for the greatest sincerity and veracity,
which he exhibits as the prominent features of his character, we cannot explain what
Swedenborg has written on the spiritual world according to the principle stated by San
del " OS conclusions drawn from things visible respecting things invisible," For Sweden
borg did not publish what he has written respecting the spiritual world as things con
cluded from what is visible, or the natural world, respecting what is invisible, or the
spiritual world, but he published them as " matters of fact from what he heard and saw
in the spiritual world," This he has declared in the titles of several of his works. His
assertion was, that the Lord had mercifully opened the sight of his spirit, so that he
could, iu a state of perfect wakefulness, associate with spirits and angels, and thus, from
experience, he became acquainted with the nature of the spiritual world, its relation to
the natural world, and the state of men afler death. Every man, he st»tes, has, in his
material body, a spiritual body, for " there is a natural body, and there i» a spiritual
body s" (1 Cor. XV.) the organs of which are the only ground of all sensatiotts, since the

34 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
specting the latter: he represents to himself, in conformity witTi the world in
which we live, another and entirely spiritual world, in which, as in this, he ad
mits of degrees of perfection, an increase without end in the faculties of the in
habitants, a SimUarity and agreement of tastes and occupations, of conveniences
and mconveniences, of pleasures and of pains. Strongly impressed with these
ideas, he endeavored, in 'examining the Holy Scriptures, to combine them with
his philosopical principles. Nevertlieless, in describing spiritual things he has
not been able to avoid the ideas inseparable from material existence. He tells
us, however, that the whole is to be understood in a spiritual manner. This is
a judicious caution : but is there not reason to apprehend, that when we trust
too much to the imagination, we are in danger of falling into error.' I am led
to believe that Bishop Swedberg, otherwise a highly respectable and learned'
man, was a little iuclined this way. Several of his works seem to indicate it :
at least, we may conjecture from them that he had a tendency to behold, in
certain events, a species of prophetic indications. It is true that, in an ecclesi
astic, the defect of believing too much is preferable to that of believing too little.
But it seems to indicate, that the case might be the same with his learned son ;
who had, so to speak, inherited from his father that spirit of curiosity, with
which he entered on the investigation of the objects which strike the senses,
and of those which are beyond their sphere, and are even beyond the Umits pre
scribed to the human understanding.
I have probably dwelt too long on Swedenborg's theological works : these are
not matters to be discussed in an Academy of Sciences. Suffice it then to say,
that his merit and excellent qualities shine ^vith brilliancy, even where we are
endeavoring to discover in him the weakness inseparable from human nature.
i do not come here to defend errors or unintelligible principles : but I will ven
ture to assert — and I reckon, gentlemen, on meeting your approbation in the as
sertion — that where others would have discovered a deficiency of intelligence-
and a confusion of ideas, Swedenborg has displayed an astonishing assemblage
of knowledge; which he has arranged, according to his system, in such order,
material body in itself has no sensation, but is only the instrument by which the spirit,
that is, the man himself, has communication with the material world. In the spiritual
world the spiritual body sees, hears, feels, &c., in short, is in the perfect enjoyment of
all the senses in a far more exquisite degree than in the material body. These spiritu
al organs can, when it pleases the Lord, be opened before death, and man then can
come into communication with spirits and angels and see the objects of the spiritual
world, all of which, as being from the sun of the spiritual world, are moi material, but
substantial. Thus, the spiritual sight of the prophets and aposdes was opened when
they saw, in vision, the things they describe, as Zechariah, Ezekiel, Daniel, &o., and
especially John in the Apocalypse ; all the objeols they saw were not material but spir
itual, for there are spiritual substances as well as material ; but spiritual objects are not,
like material objects, subject to mechanical and chemical laws, nor to the conditions of
time and space, but they are subject to pure spiritual laws, and precisely correspond to
the states of the spiritual inhabitants, and thus represent the state of their afleotions and
thoughts, of their real life, whether good or evil. What, therefore, Swedenborg de
scribes, as /octs concerning the spiritual world and the states of departed spirits must not
be considered, according to M. Sandel's supposition, as conclusions drawn from visible,
or material things respectmg invisible or spiritual things, but as realities perceived in
spiritual light by his spiritual senses, and communicated to the world to promote the
wisdom, happiness, and salvation 'of mankind. The things, which Swedenborg de
scribes as facts and realities, which he heard and saw in the spiritual world, will be
seen, attested and proved by the examination and testimony ofthe celebrated German
philosopher, Kant, and others equally worthy of credit, which will be adduced farther
on,— Tafel.

EULOGIUM OF SANDEL. 35'
that the elements themselves would have striven in vain to tnrn him out of his
course. If his desire of knowledge went too far, it at least evinces in him an
ardent desire to obtain information Irtmself and to convey it to others : for you
never find in him any mark of pride or conceit, of rashness, or of, intention to
deceive. If, nevertheless, he is not tp be numbered among the doctors of the
church, he at least holds an honorable rank among sublime moralists, and
deserves to be instanced as a pattern of virtue and of respect for his Creator.
Never did he allow himself to have recourse to dissimulation ; and since, fol
lowing his example, I also ought to, speak with sincerity, 1 will state in what
respect I conceive he has erred. I think of a man who has been engaged all his
life in preparing a universal solvent — a menstruum capable of dissolving all the
productions of nature and of art — without ever considering, that, when he had
succeeded in making it, no vessel whatever could be capable of containing it.
Swedenborg was not satisfied with the usual attainments of the learned : he
wished to, pass the barriers which are opposed to man's acquirements by the ini-
perfection of his state, especially while the soul is tied to its frail partner, the
body. But it would be unjust to blame him for this defect,' without more
severely condemning those whose duty it is to know much, and who yet know
nothing. And still it would' Be inequitable to wish to depreciate a ma^ endow
ed with so many other fine qualities.
He was the sincere friend of mankind ; and in his examination of the charac
ter of others, he was particularly desirous to discover in them this virtue, which
he regarded as an infallible proof of the presence of many more. He was cheer
ful and agreeable in society. By way of relaxation from his important labors,
he sought and frequented the company of persons of information, by whom he
was always well received. He knew how to check opportunely, and with
great address, that species of wit which would indulge itself at the expense of
serious things. As a public functionary, he was upright and just : while he dis
charged his duties with great exactness, he neglected nothing but his own ad
vancement. Having been called, without solicitation on his part, to a distin
guished post, he never sought any further promotion. When his private occu
pations began to encroach upon the time required for the functions of his office,
he resigned it, and remained content with the title which he had borne while
exercising it for one-and-thirty years.
He was a worthy member of this Royal Academy ; and though before his ad
mission into it he had been engaged with subjects different from those which it
cultivates, he was unwilling to be an unuseful associate. He enriched our
Memoirs with an article on Inlaid Work in Marble, fqr Tables, and for other Orna
ments, As a member of the Equestrian Order of the House of Nobles he took his seat
in several of the Diets of the Realm ; in which his conduct was such as to
secure him both from the reproaches of his own conscience and from those of
others.* He lived under the reigns of many of our sovereigns, and enjoyed the

* In a letter of Count Hopken's, who had been for many years Prime Minister of
Sweden, published in the New Jerusalem JVfagazinc, printed in 1790, that nobleman
States, that the most solid and best written memorials on the state of the finances, pre
sented at the Diet of 1761, were drawn up by Swedenborg ; in one of which he refuted
a quarto volume on the subject, citing from it the corresponding passages, in the com
pass of a single sheet. This letter is adduced hplow — Editors.

36 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
partictilar favor and kindness of them all; an advantage which vutue and
science will ever enjoy under an enlightened government : and what people is
more happy in this respect than are we ?
Swedenborg (and this I mention without intending to make a merit of it,) was
never married. This was not however owing to any indifference towards the
sex : for he esteemed the company of a fine and intelligent woman as one of the
most agreeable of pleasures : but his profound studies rendered expedient for him
the quiet of a single life. It may be truly said, that he was solitary, but never
sad. He always enjoyed most excellent health, haying scarcely ever experienced
the slightest indisposition.* Content within himself; and with his situation, his
life'was, in all respects, one of the happiest that ever fell to the lot of man, till
the very moment of its close. During his last residence in London, on the 24th
of December, last year, he had an attack of apoplexy; and, nature demanding
her rights, he died on the 29th of March in the present year [1772], in the eighty-
fifth year of his age ; satisfied with his sojourn on earth, and delighted with the
prospect of his heavenly metamorphosis.
May this Royal Academy retain as long, a great number of such distinguished
and useful members !

Thus the Chevalier closes his oration ; on which it is needless to add any remarks to
those which we have offered above in our introductory observations. It evinces, beyond
all possibility of contradiction, that Swedenborg was distinguished by all the virtues,
abilities, and attainments, that can shed a lustre on the character of man; and that,
notwithstanding his theological writings must have caused him, with many, to be re
garded with suspicion, he retained among his countrymen the respect of those who knew
him best — of men distinguished both by rank and learning — till the last. It evinces, in
short, that his whole character and conduct were in the fullest accord vrith the state
ments of his writings ; — that if the statements of his writings are true, his character and
conduct were such as to authenticate and sustain therti. His writings thus come to the
reader with every possible claim to attention ; it is from the investigation of them that he
must finally form his conclusions.
II.
SWEDENBORG'S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF,
IN A LETTER TO HIS FRIENr,
THE REV. THOMAS HARTLEY, M.A.,
RECTOR or WINWICK, IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

The next account we shall adduce in regard to Swedenborg, is that which he gives of
himself in a letter to his friend, the Rev. T. Hartley, M.A., Rector of Winwick, in
Northamptonshire, who, having met with some of Swedenborg's works, sought an ac-
* How inconsistent is this with the story which has been invented and propagated in
this country, that he was once attacked with a most violent fever, attended with deh-
rium, from the effects of which he never recovered ! In Sweden, where his personal
history must have been best known, — thitTiiJitiinnnn nniii kind was ever beard o.
Editors,

LETd'EK TO THE REV. T. HARTLEY. 37
quaintance with their author, and was admitted by him to his intimate friendship. Mr.
Hartley has left his testimony respecting him, which we shall adduce below. The fol
lowing letter was written by Swedenborg to |Mr. Hartley, in reply to one which that
gentleman had sent him, requesting that he would leave, in his hands, some account of
himself, of his family and connexions :* —
" My Dear Friend,
" I take pleasure in the friendship you express for me in your letter, and re
turn you sincere thanks for the same : but as to the praises which you bestow
upon me, I only receive them as tokens of your love of the truths contained in
my writings, and so refer them to the Lord our Saviour, from whom is all truth,
because he is the Truth (John xiv. 6). It is the concluding part of your letter
that chiefly engages my attention, where you say as follows : ' As after your
departure from England disputes may arise on the subject of your writings, and
so give occasion of defending their author against such false reports and asper
sions as they who are no friends to truth may invent to the prejudice of his char
acter, may it not be of use, in order to refute any calumnies of that kind, that
you leave in my hands some short account of yourself; as concerning, for ex
ample, your degrees in the university, the offices you have borne, your family
and connexions, the honors which I am told have been conferred upon you, and
such other particulars as may serve to the vindication of your character, if at
tacked ; that so any ill-grounded prejudice may be obviated or removed ? For
where the honor and interest of truth are concerned, it certauily behoves us to
employ all lawful means in its defence and support.' After reflecting on the
foregoing passage, I was induced to comply with yourfriendly advice, by briefly
communicating the following circumstances of my life : —
" I was born at Stockholm, in the year 1689,t Jan. 29th. My father's name
was Jesper Swedberg ; who was bishop of West-Gothland, and a man of celeb
rity in his time. He was also elected a member of the [English] Society for the
Propagation ofthe Gospel in Foreign Parts; for he had been appomted by King
Charles XII., as bishop over the Swedish churches in Pennsylvania and London.
In the year 1710 I began my travels; first going to England, and thence to Hol
land, France and Germany ; whence I returned home in 1714. In the year 1716,
and afterwards, I had many conversations with Charles XII. King of Sweden,
who was pleased to bestow on me a large share of his favor, aud in that year
appointed me to the office of Assessor of the Metallic College ; in which I con
tinued till the year 1747, when I resigned it; but I still retain the salary annexed
to if, as an appointment for life. My sole view in this resignation was, that I
might be more at liberty to devote myself to that new function to which the
Lord hath called me. On my resigning my office, a higher degree of rank was
offered me : but this I utterly declined, lest it should be the occasion of inspiring
me with pride. In 1719, 1 was ennobled by Queen Ulrica Eleonora, and named
Swedenborg : from which time I have taken my seat with the Nobles of the
Equestrian Order in the Triennial Assemblies of the States of the Realm . I am a
Fellow, by invitation, of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm : but I
* The original Latin may be seen in a form,er periodical publication called the Aurora,
vol. ii. p. 224.
t It has been ascertained that this should be 16S8. See above p. 24.

8« DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
have never sought admission into any other literary Society, as I belong to an
angelic society, wherein things relating to heaven and the soul are the only sub
jects of discourse and entertainment ; whereas the things which occupy the at
tention of our literary societies are such as relate to the world and the body. In
the year 1734, 1 published, at Leipsic, the Regnum Minerale, in three vols. foUo<5
and in 1738, 1 took a journey into Italy, and staid a year at Venice and Rome.
" With respect to my family-connexions, I had four sisters. One of them was
married to Eric Benzelius, afterwards promoted to the Archbishoprick of Upsal :
and thus I became related to the two succeeding Archbishops of that See, both
named Benzelius, and younger brothers of the former. My second sister was
married to Lars Benzelstierna, who was promoted to a provincial government.
But all these are dead : however, two bishops who are related to me are still
living : one of them, named Filenius, is Bishop ef East-Gothland, and now offi
ciates as President of the Ecclesiastical Order m the Diet at Stockholm, in the
room of the Archbishop, who is infirm; he married my sister's daughter: the
other, named Benzelstierna, is Bishop of Westermania and Dalecarlia ; he is the
son of my second sister. Not to mention others of my relations who enjoy sta
tions of dignity. I live, besides, on terms of familiarity and friendship with all
the bishops of my country, who are ten in number ; as also with the sixteen
senators, and the rest of the nobility ; for they know that I am in fellowship
with angels. The king and queen also, and the three princes their sons, show
me much favor : I was once invited by the king and queen to dine at their table
— an honor which is in general granted onbr to the nobility of the highest rank ;
and likewise, since, with the hereditary prince. They all w^ished for my return
home : so far am I from being in any danger of persecution in my own country,
as you seem to apprehend, and so kindly w-ish to provide against ; and should
anything of the kind befal me elsewhere, it cannot hurt me.
" But I regard all that T have mentioned as matters of respectively little mo
ment ; for, what far exceeds them, I have been called to a holy office by the
Lord himself, who most graciously manifested himself in person to me, his ser
vant, in the year 1743 ; when he opened my sight to the view of the spiritual
world, and granted me the privilege of conversing with spirits and angels, which
I enjoy to this day. From that time I began to print and publish various arcana
that have been seen by me, or revealed to me ; as respecting heaven and hell,
the state of man after death, the true worship of God, the spiritual sense of the
Word ; witti many other most important matters conducive to salvation and
true wisdom. The only reason of my latter journeys to foreign countries, has
been the desire of being useful, by making known the arcana entrusted to me.
' " As to this world's' wealth, I have what is sufficient, and more I neither seek
nor wish for.*
" Your Letter has drawn the mention of these things from me, with the view,
as you suggest, that any ill-grounded prejudices may be removed — Farewell ;
and from ray heart I wish you all felicity both in this world and the next ;
which I make no doubt of your attaining, if you look and pray to our Lord.
" Eman. Swedenborg.
"London, 17.69."

* This remark is an answer to an offer by Mr. Hartley, to supply hira with monev.
should he have occasion for it. •* '

TESTIMONY OF THE -REV. N. COLLIN. 39
Now if the writer of this letter really was invested with the character he assumes,
could anything be more suited to that character than the whole of its contents % Does
not every sentence and expression in it bespeak the truly humble, pious, and heavenly-
minded man 1 Could any one who falsely pretended' to what the author professes,
write of himself in a manner so perfectly in accord with the pretensions assumed "!
Would it be possible for an impostor, whether hypocritical or self-deluded, to assume
(that air of genuine simplicity, inward composure, and unfeigned contentedness, which
reigns throughout the whole '!

IU.
TESTIMONY OF
THE REV. N. COLLIN, OF PHILADELPHIA,
respecting
SWEDENBORG.

We next adduce a confirmation ofthe statements in the above letter, together with a
cornment on its contents, by the Rev. Nicholas Collin, Rector of the Swedish Church in
Philadelphia. This gentleman did not profess the sentiments of Swedenborg : but in
the year 1801, when, in consequence of the adoption of those sentiments by many in
America, the character and Ufe of Swedenborg had there become the subject, as he
states, of "frequent and sedulous inquiries," he published the above letter of his illus
trious Countryman, with a comment of his own, in the Philadelphia Gazette of August
5th, 8th and 10th. It was reprinted in the New Jerusalem Church Repository, published at
Philadelphia in 1817, at which time Mr. C. was still performing the duties of pastor of
the Swedish church in that city. Mr. Collin was well qualified to give authentic infor
mation, having, when a very young man, lived three years at Stockholm, when, as he
says, " Swedenborg was a great object of public attention in that metropolis, and his
extraordinary character was a frequent topic of discussion. Not seldom he appeared
in public, and mixed in private societies ; therefore, sufficient opportunities were given
to make observations on him."
The comment begins thus : —
" His family connexions were such as he relates, and well known in Sweden;
some of them by myself personally ; particularly Bishop Benzelstierna. The
mention of his father, being, though hpnorable, modestly short, I shall enlarge
upon -it. This Jesper Swedberg was well qualified for one of the principal
Bishopricks in Sweden, by his piety, learning, integrity, b'enevolence, and all
other virtues. His plain manner of living enforced his zealous remonstrances
against ponJp and luxury, which, if not very common, yet were the more per
nicious in that distressful period, when Sweden had lost her veteran armies,
depended in a great measure on lads and old men for the combined forces of

40 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Russia, Poland and Denmark, and was moreover consuming by famine and
pestilence. The bishop's' influence animated that patriotic fortitude, which
sustained such burthens and misery, and blazed in so many battles ! His popu
larity gave particular energy to some public regulations, whic h lessened the
havoc of pestilence : a judicious and pathetic address to the people convinced
them, that interring in new grounds was a necessary measure, though a tempo
rary sacrifice to their laudable attachment to the consecrated grounds in which
the earthly remains of their beloved relatives reposed. The bishop was for
many years superintendent of the Swedish mission about Delaware. His letters
to the clergy and the congregations, which are preserved on his records, bear
witness to his zeal, kindness, and love of science. He requested of the mis
sionaries to inforrn him of any extraordinary events, in the moral and physical
world, which happened in these parts of America. Some of these relations are
recorded : one I find less credible, but founded on popular belief, and in part on
some very remarkable facts. As this excellent man has been charged with a
fondness for the marvellous, and the same foible is imputed as hereditary to the
son, I will candidly mention the only fact within my knowledge, which may
be so construed : a female head-dress, called in French fontange, made up of
laces or ribbons to a monstrous height of several stages, had long been an ob
ject of his indignation. In a parish of his diocese, a female still-born chUd had
a monstrous excrescence on its head, very similar to this ornament ofthe ladies.
He regarded this ss an ominous commination from heaven against the sinful
vanity, and published a very spirited poem, with a drawing of the hideous
forms. Those who sarcastically criticise this, ought, however, to reflect, that
the most learned physiologists, cannot yet decide what effect monstrous figures
may, by affecting the mother, produce on the unbombabe. Certain it was, that
the bishop struck a death-blow to many thousand fontangcs, and so far saved
many fathers and husbands from expense and vexation.
" Swedenborg is silent on the merits of his youth, which were great. The
author of a dissertation on the Royal Society of Sciences at Upsal, published in
17S9, mentions him as one of its first and best members, thus: ' His letters to tlie
Society while abroad, witness that few can travel so usefully. An indefatigable
curiosity directed to various important objects, is conspicuous in all. Mathe
matics, astronomy, and mechanics seem to have been his favourite sciences,
and he had already made great progress in these. Everywhere he became ac
quainted with the most renowiled mathematicians and astronomers, as Flam-
stead, Delahire, Varignon, &c. This pursuit of knowledge was also united with
a constant zeal to benefit his country. No sooner was he informed of some
useful discovery, than he was solicitous to render it beneficial to Sweden, by
purchase, or sending home models. When a good book was published, he not
only gave immediate notice of it, but contrived to procure it for the library of
the university.'
" That Swedenborg, on his return, was honored by frequent conversations
Avith Charies the Xllth, may well be believed by all who knew the real charac
ter of that king : he was not a mere warrior, but fond of useful sciences, thouoh
impeded from their promotion by a long unremitted warfare, which was indee^d,
after the defeat at Pultowa, a necessary struggle for the independence of his'
country. ' He had also acquired some knowledge of the Mathematics, and used.

TESTIMONY OF THE REV. N. COLLIN. 41
at leisure haurs, to amuse himself and his officers with, the solution of prob
lems. " Swedenborg composed an Algebra in the Swedish language, published in
1718. His Regnum Mirierale, which he mentions, is well known,, and may be
seen in the library of Philadelphia. The office of Counsellor in the Metallic
College was conferred on him by King Charles, as a reward for knowledge ac
quired by the labors of youth, and a means of making it very beneficial to the
nation : that Board having inspection over the mines and metallic works, so im
portant in that country, and being a constitutional department of the govern
ment. " Swedenborg asserts with truth, that he was in favor with the royal family,
and generally respected by the first classes. This was due to his leaming and
excellence of character. The then queen, Louisa Ulrica, sister of Frederic,
the celebrated kmg of Prussia, had extraordinary talents and hterary acquisi
tions. She patronized the arts and sciences in Sweden. Her large and ex
cellent library, which I have seen, employed much of her time. Gustavus her
son, then hereditary prince, afterwards king, was distinguished by his talents
and promotion of the sciences, both useful and ornamentaL The prelates and
others ofthe clergy, many of whom were his relatives and friends, honored him
on the same ground, being themselves scholars and weU-bred persons. He
could therefore assure his friend that he was in no danger of persecution ; be
sides, the National Church has never been severe ; and his works were at that
time in the Latin language, beyond the reach of the common people. I must,
however, observe, that but few paid him this respect, on account of his fellow
ship with angels. Some rather considered his theological theories as imbecili
ties ; the author above mentioned,* so candid in his eulogium, laments, never
theless, the striking contrast between the algebra and the visions of the New
Jerusalem. " Swedenborg states properly his rank of nobility. He had the common
degree ; and was not, as many in America style him, a baron; whii^ title de
notes the second class of noblemen ; the first among the three classes being
counts. " My conversation with Swedenborg, and other authentic sources of information con
cerning him : —
" In the course of my education at the University of Upsal, I had free access
to its excellent library, which, by its own revenue, and by donations, receives
continually one or more copies of every interesting new book. There I perused
the theological treatises of Swedenborg, pubhshed till the year 1765 ; among
them. Arcana Ccdestia, De Calo et Inferno, &c. In that year I went to reside at
Stockholm, and continued partly in that city, and partly in its vicinity, for nearly
three years. During that time, Swe.denborg was a great object of public atten
tion in this metropolis, and his extraordinary character was a frequent topic of
discussion. He resided at his house in the southern suburbs, which was in a
pleasant situation, neat and convenient, with a spacious garden and other ap
pendages. There he received company. Not seldom he also appeared in
pubhc, and mixed in private sbcieties ; therefore sufficient opportunities were
* See above p. 40.

42 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
given to make observation on him. I collected much information firom several
respectable persons who had conversed with him ; which was the more easy,
as I lived the whole time, as private tutor, in the family of Dr. Celsius, a gentle
man of distinguished talents, who afterwards became bishop of Scania ; he and
many of the eminent persons that frequented his house knew Swedenborg well.
" In the summer of 1766, 1 waited on him at his house ; introducing myself,
with an apology for the freedom I took ; assuring him that it was not in the least
from youthful presumption, (I was then twenty,) but from a strong desire jif
conversing with a character so celebrated. He received me very kindly. It
being early in the afternoon, delicate coffee, without eatables, was served, agree
ably to the Swedish custom ; he was also, like pensive men in general, fond of
this beverage. We conversed for nearly three hours ; principally on the nature
of human souls, and their states in the invisible world ; discussing the principal
theories of psychology, by various authors ; among them the celebrated Dr.
Wallerius, late Professor of Natural Theology at Upsal. He asserted positively,
as he often does in his works, that he had intercourse with spirits of deceased
persons. I presumed, therefore, to request of him as a great favor, to procure
me an interview with my brother, who had departed this life a few months be
fore, a young clergyman officiating in Stockholm, and esteemed for his devo
tion, erudition and virtue. He answered, that God having for wise and good
purposes separated the world of spirits from ours, a communication is never
granted withput cogent reasons; and asked what my motives were. I confess
ed that I had none besides gratifying br'otherly affection, and an ardent wish to
explore scenes so sublime and interesting to a serious mind. He replied, that
my motives were good, but not sufficient; that if any important spiritual or
temporal concern of mine had been the case, he would then have solicited per
mission from those angels who regulate those matters.* He showed me the gar
den. It had an agreeable building ; a wing of which was a kind of temple, to
which he often retired for contemplation ; for which its peculiar structure, and
dim, religious light, were suitable.
* Here the Editors of the New Church Repository appended a note as follows : 
"Although as to substance there can be no doubt of the correctness of Mr. Collin's
memory, yet with due deference to that respectable gentleman, we cannot but remark,
that we are of opinion he must have misapprehended one of Swedenborg's fexpressions.
We allude to that which is expressed by Mr. Collin in the following words : ' That if any
important spiritual or temporal concern of mine had been the case, he would then have
solicited permission from those angels who regulate those matters.' Now, as far as we are
acquainted with the writings of Swedenborg, we have no recollection of his ever havin^^
inculcated the ides^, that application for any favor, natural or supernatural, should be
made to angels, but to the Lord alone, "We cannot, therefore, but conclude, that the
declaration was either misunderstood, or mis-remembered." Upon which Dr Collin
in a letter to the Editors, gave the following explanation :  " '
^ " Gentlemen--Permit me to explain the following words in my conversation with
Swedenborg: 'That if any important spiritual or temporal concern of mine had been
the case, he ,would then have solicited permission from tliose angels who re<»ulate such
matters.' This answer to me is correctly translated from the Swedish. It does not im
ply, as you apprehend, any worship of angels, but only a request to them, as a<rents,
by Diyme commandment. Christians have generally believed such agency, as appears
from the Bible and ecclesiastical history. Many persons, not chargeable with credulitv
have ascribed to them infiuence on the human mind, and aid in dangers, when human
means and other causes were incompetent though this agency was not seen, heard, or
fet by the bodily organs. Swedenborg did, indeed, assert a very familiar ntercour°e
with them, but not any sort oi adoration. ^ la-mmar intercourse
" Nicholas Collin."

TESTIMONY OF THE REV. T. HARTLEY. 43
'"We parted with mutual satisfaction ; and he presented by me, to the said
Dr. Celsius, an elegant copy of his Apocalypsis Revelata, then lately printed at
Amsterdam. " I should have improved this personal acquaintance, but Swedenborg went
soon 'afterwards on his last travels, from which he^ did not return: he died in
London, and was buried in the cemetery of the Swedish church."
In a letter addressed by Mr. Collin to the Rev. John Hargrove, of Baltimore, dated
Philadelphia, March 16, 1801, which was lately found among the papers of Mr. H.
after his decease, Mr. C. states respecting Swedenborg ns follows ; —
" Swedenborg was universally esteemed for his various erudition in mathe -
matics, mineralogy, &o., and for his probity, benevolence, and general virtue.
Being very old when I saw him, he was thin and pale ; but still retained traces
of beauty, and had something very pleasing in his physiognomy, and a dignity
in his tall and erect stature. On my requesting his aid in procuring an mteview
with a brother lately deceased, he answered very properly, that the partition-
wall between this and the other world could not be opened without some im
portant cause, and not to gratify mere curiosity. When I come to Baltimore,
sometime this spring, I shall tell you more. — I am, &o. "Nicholas Collin."

IV.
TESTIMONY OF
THE REV. THOMAS HARTLEY, M. A.,
respecting
SWEDENBORG.

Mr. Hartley has left iis testimony respecting Swedenborg on record in the prefaces to
the English editions ofthe works On the Intercourse between the Soul and the Body, and
On Heaven and Hell, and in a letter to the translator of The True Christian Religion, the
Rev. J. Clowes, M.A., Rector of St. John's, Manchester, inserted in the preface to that
work. In the first of these prefaces, Mr. H. says respecting his author —
" I have conversed with him at different times, and ui company with a gen
tleman of a learned profession and of extensive intellectual abilities : we have
had confirmation of these things from his own mouth, and have received his
testimony, and do both of us consider this our acquaintance with the author and
his writings among the greatest blessings of our lives. The extensive learning
displayed in his writings evinces him to be the scholar and the philosopher; and
his polite behavior and address bespeak him the gentleman. He affects no
honor, but declmes it; pursues no worldly interest, but spends- his substance in
travelling and printing, in order to communicate instniction and benefit to man
kind : and he is so far from the ambition of heading a sect, that wherever he re-

44 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
sides on his travels he is a mere solitary, and almost inaccessible, though in his
own country of a free and open behavior. He has nothing of the precisian in his
manner, nothing of. melancholy in his temper, and nothmg in the least border
ing on the enthusiast in his conversation and writings."
Mr. H. makes similar remarks in his letter to the translator of The True Christian
Religion ; —
" The 'great Swedenborg (he says), was a man of uncommon humility. He
was of a catholic spirit, and loved all good men of every church, making at the
same time all candid allowance for the innocence of involuntary error. How
ever self-denying in his own person, as to gratifications and mdulgences, even
within the bounds of moderation ; yet nothing severe, nothing of the precisian,
appeared in him, but on the contrary, an inward serenity and complacency of
mind, were manifest in the sweetness of his looks and outward demeanor. It
may reasonably be supposed, that I have weighed the character of our illustri
ous author m the scale of my best judgment, from the personal knowledge I had
of him, from the best information I could procure respecting him, and from a
diligent perusal of his writmgs ; and according thereto, I have found him to be
the sound divine, the good man, the deep philosopher, the universal scholar,
and the polite gentleman; and I further believe, that he had a high degree of
illumination from the Spirit of God, was commissioned by him as an extraor-
dmary messenger to the world, and had communication with angels and the
spiritual worlds far beyond any since the time of the apostles. As such, I offer
his character to the world, solemnly declaring that, to the best of my know
ledge, I am not herein led by any partiality or private views whatever, being
much dead to every worldly interest, and accounting myself as vmworthy of
any higher character than that of a penitent sinner."
AVhat Mr. Hartley here says of himself is unquestionably true : for he was well known
to many of the religious characters of that day as a man of the deepest piety, and he
was at this time [1781] very far advanced in years, and near the end of his earthly
career : to the testimony of such a man to the character of Swedenborg, what_ excep
tion can be made 1*

V.
TESTIMONY OF DR. MESSITER,
RESPECTING
SWEDENBORG.

The "gentleman of a learned profession and of extensive intellectuEd abilities," men
tioned by Mr. Hartley above, was the late Dr. Messiter, an erainent physician of that
time. What his opinion of Swedenborg, the result of personal acquaintance, was, ap-
* Mr. Hartley was the author of a volume of sermons, and of other works, inculcat
ing the Christian life, as well as the translatdir of two of Swedenborg's worksj entitled
the Intercourse between the Soul and the Body, and the Heaven and Hell.

TESTIMONY OF DR. MESSITER. 45
pears from his correspondence with the Professors of Divinity at Edinburgh, Glasgow
and Aberdeen ;* to which Universities, by desire of Swedenborg, he, in 1769, presented
some of his works. In his letter to Dr. Hamilton at Edinburgh, Dr. M. says, —
" As I have had the honor of being frequently admitted to the author's com
pany when he was in London, and to converse with him on various points of
learning, I will venture to affirm, that there are no parts of mathematical, philo
sophical, or medical knowledge, nay, I believe I might justly say, of human
literature, to which he is in the least a stranger ; yet so totally insensible is he
of his own merit, that I am confident he does not know, that he has any ; and, as
himself somewhere says of the angels, he always turns his head away on the
slightest encomium. "
Dr. Hamilton, in his answer, candidly says, —
" I have seen enough to convince me that the honorable author is a very
learned and pious man — qualities that shall ever command my respect."
So in his letter to Dr. Gerard at Aberdeen, Dr. Messiter, speaking of Swedenborg's
works, says —
" They are the productions of a man whose good qualities resulting from his
natural and acquired abilities, I can with much truth, from my frequent con
verse with him, assert, are a high ornament to human nature. Credulity, preju
dice, or partiality, seem to have no share in his composition or character ; nor
is he in the least influenced by any avaricious or interested views. A proof of
this last assertion was afforded me, by his refusing an offer of any money he
might have occasion for while in England, which was made him on a supposal,
that his want of connexions in a place where he was a stranger might prove an
obstacle to his divine pursuits."
We will, however, adduce the letters of Dr. Messiter to the Scotch Professors : —
To the Professor of Divinity at Edinburgh. " October 23, 1769.
" Ret. Sir,
" As I have not the honor of knowing your name, I hope you will not attribute
that deficiency in the superscription to a want of respect towards the professor
of a science which I have ever held in the greatest veneration. The Hon. Mr.
Swedenborg has desired me to send you, as a present, some of his late Tracts,
which, should you think proper to peruse them, I doubt not but you will con
sider them as very extraorduaary, and certainly more proper to be submitted to
the scrutiny of gentlemen of your dignity and profession, than to that of those
whose want of a proper scale of literature but ill qualifies them to judge of their
sublimity. As I have had the honor of being frequently admitted to the author's
company when he was in London, and to converse with him on various points
of learning, I will venture to affirm, that there are no parts of mathematical,
philosophical, or medical knowledge, nay, I beUeve I might justly say, of human
literature, to which he is in the least a stranger ; yet so totally insensible is he of
his own merit, that I am confident he does not know that he has any ; and, as
himself somewhere says of the angels, he always turns his head away on the
" See Intellectual Repository, Vol. iii. (first series) p. 449, &c.

46 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
slightest encomium. What he knows of the most interestmg and noble science
of all, I most humbly submit. Sir, to your better judgment : yet I must say, that
though I have read much of the historical and mystical proofs of the truth of
Scripture, 1 have never yet met with any assertions so wonderfully affecting the
mind of man ; and wherever I have read of anything of this nature approach
ing in some measure to the gift of our author, it has generally been delivered
by persons whose education would scarcely secure them from the censure of
^enthusiasm or imposture. I should be glad. Sir, to be honored with a line from
you when you get the books, and happy to receive your opinion when it may
be suitable to you ,to confer that favor on me— I am. Sir, with the greatest re
spect, your most obedient and most humble servant, '
" H. Messiter.
" At Broom House, Fulham, Middlesex." The Professor's Answer. "Edinburgh, Nov. 6, 1769.
"-Sir, " I have received the books concerning which you 'W'ere pleased to advise me
in your favor of the 23d of October, for which I return you cordial thanks. I
have at present, and shall have during the winter season, but little respite from
the duties of my office of Divinity Professor here ; ^o that it will be seven or
eight months ere I can purpose to peruse them deliberately, and with that care
and attention which the serious and important nature of the Subjects therein
treated plainly requires. I have, however, seen enough to convince me that
the honorable author is a very learned and pious man — qualities that shall ever
command my respect. His sentiments, in several theological points of import
ance, differ not a little from those that are entertained in our North British Church,
and he supports them not wholly by argumentation from Scripture, but rests a
good deal on visions of angels and intercourse with the spiritual world : as I
cannot boast of any experience of that kind, I am the less qualified to judge of
the weight that ought to be laid on that mean of proof. This is all I can pre
sume to say at present, and on the footing of a very slight and cursory inspec
tion of the books. Meanwhile, as you have sent a copy of the Apocalypsis Rev
elata, and another quarto, in which Amor Conjugialis et Scortatio, or Fornicatio
Vaga et Libidinosa, are explained and contrasted in respect of their spiritual and
mystical meaning, I shall deposit these in the theological library here, as also a
single copy of each of the other papers and pamphlets, reserving to my own
proper use only a single copy of each of those publications of which you have
transmitted several copies ; the residue I shall give away, as from you, to such
of the ministers of this city-as to the best of my judgment, will most thankfully
receive them.— I am, with sincere respect and gratitude, Sir, your most obedient
and most obliged servant, "Robert Hamilton."

TESTIMONY OF DR. MESSITER. 47
To the Professor of Divinity in the University of Glasgow,
"Rev. Sir,
"Had_I the honor of your acquaintance I should not have addressed yott in the
general term of Professor of Divinity, and therefore hope your candor will not
suffer you to construe my ignorance into a disrespect I would not willingly be
thought guilty of. The Hon. Mr. Swedenborg has desired me to send you, as a
present from him, some late Tracts pf his writing, I hope not more extraordinary
than true. As I have had often the honor of conversing with him, I can with
great truth assert, that he is truly amiable in his morals, most learned and-hum-
ble in his discourse, and superlatively affable, humane, and courteous in his
behavior ; and this joined with a solidity of un^lerstanding and penetration far
above the level of an ordinary genius. Thus much 1 knpw of him, and there
fore sacredly affirm, though not without an humble .deference to your opinion of
his writings. If this character be allowed him, as I am confident it will in time,
it will remove the most general objections offered by the most violent and daring
Deists to revealed religion, viz., that the authors [who profess to have received
revelations] are obscure illiterate enthusiasts. The two last charges, his writings
(if not what is above said) will soon refute, and the first will be removed by the
account given of himself in the letter to his friend, which you have at the end of
the Summaria Expositio. Though I must beg pardon for having taking up thus
much of your time, I must yet take the liberty to remark, that the translation of
the above-mentioned Treatise is designed as a present for any English reader
you might think proper to present it to, but as it is very indifierently executed, I
am confident it will do the author no honor, and therefore wish he had omitted
it. I shall be glad to be honored with a line on receipt of the books, and on any
future convenient occasion shall be happy to receive your opinion of them. — I
am, Sir, with the greatest respect, your most humble and most obedient servant,
" H. Messiter."

The Professor's Reply.
"Sir, " I am favored with yours of the 23d October, signifying that you had sent
me as a present, from the Hon. Mr. Swedenborg, some of his late Tracts. The
box with the books came to my hand some days before I received your letter,
and you may judge of my surprise when I could not conjecture how or by
whom they were sent. ' I beg you will be so good as to return my thanks to the
honorable gentleman for his present. I dare not presume in a hasty manner to
pass any judgment upon performances which seem to contain several things not
a little extraordinary. Considering the excellent character you give the author,
I am persuaded he has the interest of religion at heart, and every friend of that
. interest cannot but wish success to intentions so pious and so disinterested. I
am sorry you think the translation ofthe Summaria Expositio so ill executed, be
cause it is natural to apply to the translation for a general notion ofthe author's
principles and views; and, if I mistake not, the original is not to be found in
the parcel which I have received. — I have the honor to be, with great respect,
Sir, your most obedient humble servant, "R. Traill.
or^UoM. aiaseow. Nov. 3, 1769."

48 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
To the Professor of Divinity in the University of Aberdeen.
"Rev. Sir,
" I hope the want of knowledge of your name will apologize for the direction
on the superscription of this letter, which I address to you in obedience to the
desire of my learned friend the Honorable Mr. Swedenborg, who has desired me
to present you with some late pieces of his writing. I wish, good Sir, you may
think them worthy of your perusal, as they are the productions of a man whose
good qualities, resulting from his natural, acquired, and blessed abilities, I can
with much truth, from my frequent converse with him, assert, are a high orna
ment to human nature. Credulity, prejudice, or partiality seem to have no
share in his compositions or character, nor is he in the least influenced by any
avaricious or interested view. A proof of this last assertion was afforded me by
his refusing an offer of any money he might have occasion for while in Eng
land, which was made him on a supposal that his want of connexions in a
place where he was a stranger might prove an obstacle to his divine pursuits.
I am inclined to mention this circumstance to obviate the jealousies most men
are apt to entertain of works of this sort, which they think only designed ad cap-
tandos denarios : but this suspicion seems also pretty well removed in the printed
letter entitled Ad Amicum Responsum, His learning, like his charity, is universal :
but what his merit in these performances may be, I humbly submit to your
superior judgment. — Excuse this liberty, and believe me to be, with the most
profound respect, Sir, your most humble and obedient servant, "H. Messtter."

The Professor's Answer, " Aberdeen, November 7, 1769.

¦Sir,

" It is about a week since I received the favor of yours of October 23, but the
books to which it refers came to hand only last night. I have had scarce time
at all to look. into them, and therefore can pretend to give no opinion of them-
but, as you desired to hear from me on my receivmg them, I could not think of
delaying to return my thanks to you and Mr. Swedenborg for the present to
which I have no sort of title. I hope you will do me the honor to offer him my
best respects. The necessary busmess of my profession at this season will
probably make it some time before I can read the pieces sent me, with such
care as to form an opinion of them : as soon as I am able to form it, I shall be
very ready to communicate it to you.— In the mean time, I am Sir, your obliged
humble servant, "Alex. Gerard."

TESTIMONY OF COUNT A. J. VON HOPKEN. ®
VI.
TESTIMONY OF MR. WM. COOKWORTHY,
respecting
SWEDENBORG.

With the Englishmen whose apprpbatioa of Swedenborg's sentiments was strength
ened by a personal acquaintance with himself, must bo reckoned the late Mr, Wm.
Cookworthy, a man of most superior character, the friend of the first Lord Camelfoid,
and of Captain Jervis, afterwards Earl St Vincent, and the associate of many of the
literati of his day. This gentleman testified his satisfaction with Swedeaborg aad his
writings, by joining with Mr. Hartley in translating the treatise on Heaven and Sell, andl
defraying the whole expense of the printing and publication.*

VII.
TESTIMONY OF
COUNT ANDREW JOHN VON HOPKEN,
hesfecting
SWEDENBORG.

This nobleman was one of the institutors of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences,
which, being a. man of eminent learning, he served for ^ coosidacable period in the
capacity of Secretary. He afterwards was, for maay years. Prime Minister ofthe Mng-
dom ; which station, in addition to his post as one of the sixteen Senators, with whom,
prior to the revolution in 1772, the royal power in feet was vested, the king being merely
the president of that body, made him the second person in the kingdom. He died on
the 9th of March, 1790. In the New JermaScm MagazuK, published in 1790 and ll^Sl,
are five letters of this nobleman to General Tuxen, iin answer to some inqniries Ksspect-
ing Swedenborg made by the latter. Count Hopken's letters exhibit much of the wari
ness of an old politician ; yet while he even seems to censttre some parts of Sweden
borg's writings, his anxiety to apologize for them clearly discovers what was his real
opinion.

Letters from. SetuUor Count Hd^n, to Gemml Tiaea.
S,ETTEa I.
"Sia, " My stay in the country, at a distance from the capital aad the gteat worid,
is the cause of my answering later than I ought the letter of Apiil Slst, 'with
which you have honored me. The office with which I was iavested ia my
* See a Memoir of him in TA« Intelbctml Repesiiersf, New Seciies, VoL i. p. 439, &0.
4

50- DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
country, has often made it my duty to give my opinion and eounsel in delicate
and difRcult matters ; but I do not recollect any one so delicate ever to have
"been submitted to my judgment, as that which you have been pleased to pro
pose to me. Such sentiments and persuasions as one pferson may entertain, do
not always suit others ; and what may appear to me probable, manifest, certain
and incontestible, may to others seeiii dark, incomprehensible, hay, even absurd.
Partly natural organization, partly education, partly professional studies, partly
prejudices, partly fear of abandoning received opinions, and other causes,
occasion a difference of ideas in men. To unite and settle them in tempo
ral concerns is not hazardous; but in spiritual matters, when a tender con
science is to be satisfied, I have not the spirit requisite for this, and I am also
bound to confess my want of knowledge. All I could say by way of prelimi
nary on this subject, regards the person of the late Assessor Swedenborg. I have
not only known him these two-and-forty years, but also, some time since, daily
frequented his company. A man, who like me has lived long in the world, and
even in an extensive career of life, must have had numerous opportunities of
knowing men as to their virtues or vices, their weakness or strength ; and in
consequence thereof, I do not recollect to have known any man of more uni
formly virtuous character than Swedenborg; always contented, never fretful or
morose, although throughout his life his soul was occupied with snblime
thoughts and speculations. He was a true philosopher, and lived like one ;
he labored diligently, and lived frugally without sordidness ; he travelled con
tinually, and his travels cost him no more than if he had lived at home. He was
gifted with a most happy genius, and a fitness for every science, which made
him shine in all those which he embraced. He was, without contradiction, the
most learned man in my country ; in his youth he was a great poet. I have in
my possession some remnants of his Latin poetry, which Ovid would not have
been ashamed to own. His Latin in his middle age was in an easy, elegant, and
ornamental style ; in his latter years it was equally clear, but less elegant after
he had turned his thoughts to spiritual subjects. He was well acquainted with
the Hebrew and Greek ; an able and profound mathematician ; a happy mechanic,
of which he gave proof in Norway, where, by an easy and simple method, he
transported the, largest galleys over the high mountains and rocks to a gulf
where the Danish fleet was stationed. He was liltewise a natural philosopher,
yet on the Cartesian principles. He detested metaphysics as founded on falla
cious ideas, because they transcend our sphere, by means of which theology
has been drawn from its simplicity and become artificial and corrupted. He
was perfectly conversant with mineralogy, having for a long time been Assessor
in the Mineral College, on which science he also published a valuable and clas
sical work, both as to theory and practice, printed at Leipsic in 1734: if he had
remained in his office, his merits and talents would have entitled him to the
highest dignity ; but he preferred ease of mind, and sought happiness in study.
In Holland he began ,to apply himself to anatomy, in which he made smgular
discoveries which are preserved somewhere in the Acta Literaria, I imagine
this science and his meditations on the effects of the soul upon our curiously
constructed body, did, by degrees, lead him from the material to the spiritual.
He possessed a sound judgment upon all occasions ; he saw everything clearly^
and expressed himself well on every subject. The most solid memorials, and

TESTMONY OF COUNT A. J. VON HOPKEN. " 51
the best penned, at the diet of 1 76 1 , on matters of finance, were presented by him.
In one of these he refuted a large work in quarto on the same subject, quoted all
the corresponding passages of it, and all this in less than one sheet. Of his
method of teaching we see proofs in all his writings which relate to, or are
founded on, the Arcana Ccelestia, He might, with or without reason, which I do
not indeed venture to determine, be accused of having given a heated imaging-
tion too free play in his revelations. But, for my own part, I have nothing on
which I could ^ound this criticism. " Whether, oi no, our Lord, in our times, grants
to particular persons particular revelations ; what the nature of such revelations
is ; and what is the criterion for distinguishing the genuine from the false : ofall
this I have no solid grounds forjudging. The author ofthe Monthly Review
judges admirably in every other respect except on matters of divinity ; and his
testimony on that head avails nothing with me. I once represented, in rather a
serious manner, to this venerable man, that I thought he would do better not to
mix his beautiful writings with so many memorable relations,* or things heard and
seen in the spiritual world concerning the states of men after death, of which

* A considerable portion of Swedenborg's writings consists'of what he calls memora
bilia, or memorable relations " of things heard and seen" in the spiritual world. (See
above p. 33, where the manner in which he saw them is explained.) At the conclusion
of every article on doctrine, in his large work, entitled, The True Christian Religion, or
the Universal Theology of the New Church, as well as at the conclusion of the explanation
of every chapter of the Word, as tp its spiritual sense, in the Arcana Ccelestia, and
Apocalypse Revealed, he has added one or more of these memorable relations, which
always tend either to illustrate the doctrine in question, or to convey some important
information respecting the state of man after death, or respecting his state as a spirit in
the spiritual world, in which he is to live for ever, either in states of ineffable happiness
in'heaven, or of unspeakable misery in hell, according to his previous life in the world.
The information, therefore, which these memorable relations profess to communicate is
of the utmost moment, and consequently claims the most serious attention of every
thinking mind. Levity and worldly-mindedness, we know, make light of everything
spiritual ; but seriousness and piety are delighted to become acquainted with things
which concern the spirit of man, and which point out, in the most effectual manner,
the way to holiness and consequent happiness, and present the most powerful persua
sives to desist from evil of every kind, and to seek peace and pursue it. This is the
effect which the reading of the memorable relations, contained in the writings of Sweden
borg, will invariably have upon the sincere and pious mind. All the objects aud phe
nomena ofthe spiritual world are, aocording to Swedenborg, directly correspondent to
the states of the inhabitants, so as perfectly to represent, in outward emblems, the af
fections and thoughts, that is, the real life, whether good or evil, of the spirits whom
they surround. That this is the fact. Holy Soripture, when read with any degree of
spiritual discernment, amply testifies. Thus, in the first Psalm, " The man wf,o walketh
not in the counsel of thi ungodly, ^c, is pronounced blessed, and is compared to a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, whose leaf also
shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Now, here the tree, the rivers of
water, the fruit, and the unfading leaf, are not only mere figures of speech, but are
emblems corresponding to the blissful state of the good man,- and depict the delightful
scenery by which he is surrounded when he becomes an inhabitant of the spiritual
world, or when he comes into heaven after death. That 'there are spiritual objects
and phenomena in the spiritual world, as cognizable to the spiritual eyes and senses of
spirits, as material 'objects and phenomena are cognizable to the natural eyes and
senses of men, although not subject to mechanical and chemical laws, as are material
objects, see above p. 33. And in respect to the wicked, and the abominations of wicked
ness, it is evident from many parts of the Scriptures, that every evil principle, and every
wicked lust is represented by outward emblems which correspond to thern, and which
portray them to tbe external senses of spirits ; we will only adduce one passage from
the prophet Ezekiel, chap. viii. 9, 10 : " And he said unto me,, Go in, and behold the
wicked abominations that they do here ; so I went in and saw, and behold eveet foem of
CREEPING THINGS AND ABOMINABLE . BEASTS, and all the idols of the house of Israel, por
trayed upon the wall round about," The prophet saw these things in vision, that is.

52 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
ignorance makes a jest and derision. But he answered me, that this did not de
pend on him ; that he was too old to sport with spiritual things, and too much concerned
for his eternal happiness to give in to such foolish notions, assuring me, On his hopes of
salvation, that no imagination produced in him his revelations, which were true, and
from what hehad heard and seen. This may be : the church cannot judge of mys
teries, nor caa I. The generality, when they are speaking of the theology of
Swedenborg, always dwell on his memorable relations, and think that everything
consists in these. In whatever he relates of the spiritual world, and the other
progressions in the angelic heaven, there appears, as I think, an analogy and
resemblance of the gradations which God has established in the world, and in
which no variations or exceptions are admitted ; insomuch, that Swedenborg
has taken the same road by which we proceed from the visible to the invisible,
from things known to things unknown, from several collected facts to one fun
damental truth before unknown to us ; in like manner as in arithmetic, we are
led-from known numbers to those we seek. We have no other way of obtain
ing -knowledge. Few persons have judiciously read his works, which every
where sparkle with genius ; if I meet with anything unusual or extraordinary,
and which might indicate a disordered understanding, I do not judge of it. We
read Plato with admiration ; but there is nothing to be met with in his works,
which, if related by another person, might not be deemed extravagant, incon
ceivable, and absurd. But I grow too prolix, Sir, and you may be tired with
such a long and hastily written letter. This I have written with a view of satis
fying in some manner your desire, and thus of proving the perfect esteem, with
which I have the honor to be. Sir, your obedient servant, " HdfKEH.
" Schenninge, May 11, 1772."
" P. S. Your epitaph on Swedenborg is very beautiful, true, and worthy of the
subject"

Count Hdpken to General Tuxen.
letter ii.
" Sir, " From your long silence, I concluded you had not been satisfied with my last,
contaimng my opinion on the late Assessor Swedenborg's System of Divinity ;
and from your letter of March Sth, I perceive I had some cause for my suspicions.
In every science but divinity, a man may give his opinion positively, and, if it
were erroneous, endeavor to make others embrace it also ; for this does not de
stroy the calm and quiet of the conscience. It is quite indifferent in the other
life, with regard to happiness, to believe with Ptolemy, that the earth rests m
the centre, and that the sun, with the other planets, revolves round it in twenty-
four hours; or with Copernicus, the opposite. But as soon as the question is
when his spiritual eyeswere open to see the objects in the spiritual world. The memo-
rctble relations of Swedenborg will be found, by every serious mind, to contain lessons of
wisdom, concerning tho spiritual states of men, ofthe greatest importance, which could
notToe so effectwall onmntunicated in any other manner.

TESTIMONY OF COUNT A. J. VON HOPKEN. 53
concerning a subject relative to salvation, which is to satisfy the conscience in
every period of life, then my thoughts are of a more tender nature, and I am
bound to use caution in communicating them to others. The late Swedenborg
certainly was a pattern of sincerity, of virtue and piety, and at the same time, in
my opinion, the most learned man in this kingdom ; but all these qualities,
which are so many evidences of ah honest, virtuous and pious life, do not, at
the same time, prove, that he could not err like other men. What to my judg
ment may appear evident, convincing, and indisputable, may to others appear
obscure, compUcated, and problematical. Our intellectual faculties are so dif
ferent, as well as our education and circumstances ; and hence proceeds all the
diversity of opinions prevailing among men, which are never to be reconciled.
I agree with you. Sir, in this, that the Swedenborgian system is more compre
hensible to our reason, and less complicate than other systems ; and while it
forms vhtuous men and citizens, it prevents at the same time, all kinds of enthu
siasm and superstition, both of vs^hich occasion so many and such cruel vexa
tions, or ridiculous singularities, in the world : and from the present state of re
ligion, (more or less everywhere conspicuous, according to the more or less free
form of government,) I am perfectly convinced that the interpolations which
men have confusedly inserted into religion, ha.ve nearly effected a total corrup
tion or revolution; and when this is seen, the Swedenborgian system will be
come more general, more agreeable, and more intelligible than at present — opini-
orum commenta delet dies, natura judicia confirmat, says Cicero. The work of God
is in its composition simple, and in its duration perpetual ; on the contrary, the
contrivances of man are complicate, and have no lasting subsistence. Those
few truths which we possess, and perhaps want in this world, are equally intel
ligible to the most simple as to the most profound metaphysician. Tenets and
arguments have troubled mortals more than convinced them ; excited more re
ligious quarrels and wars in Christendom, than they have made good Christians.
The judgment of father Hellen's has afforded me great pleasure, and proves him
to be a reasonable man. The late Swedenborg did not, on his death-bed, recant
what he has written ; of which I have particularly informed myself. Your own
opinion. Sir, on the affair of Gottenburg, is a lively and exact representation of
the persons interested. I remember, here the expressions of an English poet:
' Is there a churehman .who on God relies,
Whose life his faith and doctrine justifies t
They hunt good livings and abhor good liyes.'
No notice is to be taken of the English criticisms on the works of Swedenborg.
I have got those journals, but have not yet been able to discover the nature and
quality of their religious opinions. The letter of David Paul ftb Indagine is un
known to me ; and I have reason to doubt whether Swedenborg, in his life time,
ever knew of it. In his latter years, he never read the writings of others, being
abundantly occupied in writing himself Your correspondence. Sir, is not only
very agreeable to me, but also very edifying. T wish my answer may afford you
equal satisfaction; at least I can assure you ofthe sincere affection with which
I have the honor of remaining, Sir, your obedient servant, " HdPKlS:
" Schenninge, May 21, 1773."

54 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Count HdpJcen to General Tuxen,
i letter iii.
"Sir, "Partly travels, and partly indisposition have prevented my answering your
favor of the 28th May ; besides, the contents of that letter are such as to require
much time for reflection, much attention, and still greater caution in the execu
tion, than questions of another nature in general demand. I am not surprised,
that the late Assessor Swedenborg left the objections of Paul to Indagine unan
swered ; for though the system of the former has not a more powerful adversary
than this man, yet it runs no risk, as nothing is objected to Swedenborg, but
•what might on equally good ground be objected to orthodoxy, as it is called ;
even his Autopsy, or Visa et Audita,* are of such a nature, that they can never be
proyed, nor do they cause any faith and belief further than as the rest of his
tenets are well founded, and possess force and authenticity. Those "who take
upon themselves the business of refuting the opinions of others, ought first to
obtain a perfect idea of the system they mean to refute, and not catch at trifles,
which, by themselves, are apparently of no consequence, but m their connection
with the whole are of importance: secondly, to be cautious of making such
objections, as, with equal force, reason, andauthority maybe urged against what
is called orthodoxy. I think Paul kh Indagine has acted contrary to these rules ;
I am persuaded, Sir, you must already have observed these defects, which con
sequently need not be pointed out by me. I am no theologian ; but I do not
buUd my religion on that artificial and confused theology, which ambition, en
thusiasm, and superstition have spun out, which gives rise to sects, and excites
in weak minds anxiety and despair. If we look around us in Christendom, we
shall find the state of religion to be such as I have described, and that there is
no other cause for it. — I have the honor to remain, with particular esteem. Sir,
your obedient servant, H6pken.
" Schenninge-Ulfosa, Aug. ,1, 1773

Count Hbphen to General Tuxen.
letter IV.
"Sir, "By last post I received your honored letter with the greatest pleasure and ac
knowledgment for the interest you have been pleased to take in the change of
my situation. I have now experienced, that we are not masters of our own fate
in this world, but that it is governed by a superior Power, which demands submis
sion to its decreed. I should be too great a loser, if, on this change of my situa
tion, I were to lose your useful correspondence. This it is which I therefore
request of you, when you have matter and opportunity ; and, besides, I assure
you, that with me honores non mutant mores ; on the contrary, I shall endeavor on
all occasions to show the sincere and perfect esteem, with which I always am.
Sir, your most obedient servant,
..r-ni T -r, -......,4 ,, " H6PKKN.
"Ulfosa, Jan. 13, 1774."

• Things heard and seen in the spiritual world, or 'his memorable relations.

TESTIMONY OF COUNT A. J. VON HOPKEN. 55
Count Hbphen to General Tuxen.
lETTKR V.
*' Sir, " I have had the honor of receiving your letter dated Elsineur, June iBth. But
I am very sorry that I could only enjoy an hour of the edifying and learned con
versation bf Dr. Bastholm, and that I could not show him mpre attention and
wvility, as he was to continue his journey the next day through Upsal, without
returning to Stockholm. I found him to be a very rare clergyman, for he spoke
reasonal51y, and without acrimony, of all the different opinions which have of
late arisen in matters of religion. He was by no means a Swedenborgian, for
he did not understand his memorable relations; and I could wish the happy
deceased had left them out, since they may prevent infidelity from approaching
towards his doctrines. I represented to him these inconveniences ; but he said
that he was commanded to declare what he had seen in the other world ; and
he related it as a proof that he did not reveal his own thoughts, but that, they
came from ab6ve. As for the rest, 1 find in his system a simplicity and grada
tion, and such a spirit as the work of God in nature everywhere proves and
exhibits ; for whatever man creates is complicate, labored, and subject to vicis
situde. The authors of the Monthly Review, yj^ho every month publish criticisms
that are rather severe, speak of Swedenborg as an extraordinary and wonderful
man, and without adopting his principles, treat him with much regard and
respect. The sentence said to have been pronounced on Swedenborg by a
committee during the diet, which you request of me, has ijot reached my know
ledge, and probably does not exist in the manner of approbation. The matter
began at Gottenburg, particularly against the late Dr. Beyer, and was continued
here by the chancellor of justice, but came to nothing; for neither the accuser
nor the judges understood Swedenborg, and had no lights, or capacity to judge
of such matters. Dr. Beyer has employed a vast deal of pains about his Index,*
which deserves all admiration, and is well worth having. Here it is not to be
had, except either in the house of the deceased, or else from Amsterdam, where
it was printed. — I have the honor to be, with the most perfect esteem. Sir, your
obedient servant, " HdPKEir.
" Stockholm, July 6, 1781."
•" The above letters are faithful copies from the originals in my hands.
"C. Tuxen."

Opinion of Count Hyphen respecting the writings- of Swedenborg, in a letter to another
friend,
" Dear Sir,
" The present religion is rnystical and filled with paradoxes ; it is as incohe
rent and unreasonable, as if formed for cattle, and not for rational men : agree-
* This Index is a very elaborate work, entitled, " Index Initialis in opera Swtdenborgii
theologica, Iripartitws, Primus, Verborum, Nominum, Rerum ; Secumdits, Dogmatum, Sen-
tentiarum ; Tertius, Locorum Scriptural Sacrm Luculenterum, Scientim Correspondentia
rum, Doctrina Calesti Studioque Biblico Dicatus." Astelodami, 1779 — Dr. Beyer was
Professor of Greek Literature, and Assessor in the. Consistory of Gottenburg, and was
one of Swedenborg's intimate friends. We shall adduce below the testimony of this
pious and learned man concerning Swedenborg.

56 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
ably to its prevailing tenets, you may perpetrate any villainies, and yet be saved.
The doctrine of the priests is Polytheism. They assert that One is the creator of
the world, and another the author of religion ; they make all to depend upon faith
and momentary salvation. Bat the doctrine of Swedenborg is the most rational
of all Christian doctrines, and urges as its first object, to be of good and honest
principles. There are two circumstances in the doctrine and writings of Swe
denborg : the first is his Memorable Relations ; of these I cannot judge, not having
had any spiritual intercourse myself, by which to judge of his assertions,* either
to affirm or contradict them, but they cannot appear more extraordinary than
the Apocalypse of John, and other similar' relations contained in the Bible: the
second is his Tenets of Doctrine ; oi t]jese I can judge : they are excellent, iirefu-
table, and the best that ever were taught, promoting the happiest social hfe. I
kiiow that Swedenborg has related his memorabilia bond fide. I asked him once,
, why he wrote and published these memorable relations, which seemed to throw
so muph ridicule on his doctrine, otherwise so rational ; and whether it would
not be best for him to keep them to himself, and not to publish them to the
world .' But he answered, that he had orders from the Lord io pMish them ; and
that those who might ridicule him on ihat account would do him injustice; for, said he,
why ^toittd 1, whoarfi a man in years, render myself ridiculous for phantasies and false
hoods, I have sometimes told the king, that, if ever a new colony were to be
formed, no religion could be better, as the prevailing and established one, than
that developed by Swedenborg from the Sacred Scriptures, and this on the two
following accounts: 1st. This religion, in preference to, and in a higher degree
than, any other, must produce the most honest and industrious subjects ; for this
religion places properly the worship of God in uses. 2dly. It causes ihe least fear
of death, as this religion regards death merely as a transition from one state into
another, from a worse to a better situation ; nay, upon his principles, I look upon
death as being of hardly any greater moment than drinking a glass of water. I
have been convinced of the truth of Swedenborg's doctrine from these arguments
in particular, viz. That One is the author of everything, and not a separate person
the Creator, and another the Author of religion ; that there are degrees in everything,
and these subsisting to eternity— the history of creation is unaccountable, unless
explained in the spiritual sense. We may say of the religion which Swedenborg
has developed in his writings from the Word of God, with Gamaliel : 'Ifit he of
God it cannot be overthrown ; but if it be of man it will come to nov,o-ht,' " H6PKEN."
The above testimony must surely be allowed to carry the greatest weight, both as it
refers to the character of Swedenborg himself and of his writings. On the former sub
ject, the assertions of a person of such rank and knowledge of the world, and founded
on forty-two years intimacy, are beyond all exception ; and'on the latter, the opinion of
a man of such intelligence, and such evident prudence and caution; is entitled to the
highest respect.

See above p. 51, where the nature and use ofthe memorable relationsaxe explained.

TESTIMONY OF GENERAL TUXEN. \ 57
VIII.
TESTIMONY

GENERAL CHRISTIAN TUXEN,
RESPECTING
SWEtJENBORG.

Gonnected with the last testimony is that of General Christian Tuxen, to whom Count
H6pken's letters were addressed. This gentleman, being the king of Denmark's Com-
- missioner of War at Elsineur, at which port the vessels in which Swedenborg was pro
ceeding on his voyages frequently stopped in their passage through the Sound, repeat
edly obtained the company of the illustrious stranger at his house. In a letter to Mr.
Nordenskjold, dated from Elsineur, May 4th, 1790, and printed in the New Jerusalem
Magazine, he details many particulars of these interviews : and the result was, that he
was so completely satisfied with his " valuable guest," that he calls him, at the close of
his lelter, "our late benefactor, and in truth not only ours, but that of all mankind, if
they are seriously solicitous about their state after death. For my part," he adds, " I
thank our Lord the God of heaven, that I have been acquainted with this great man
and his writings. I esteem this as the greatest blessing J ever experienced in this life,
and hope I shall profit by them in working out my salvation."
The following is an account of these personal interviews :
"A report having been circulated, that the late queen dowager of Sweden,
Louisa Ulrica, had given Assessor Swedenborg the commission of speaking
with her deceased brother the Prince of Prussia; I inquired (says the general,)
of a certain minister,* a nobleman of great learning, who, for several years past,
had. honored me with his intimate friendship, whether he had heard anything of
this report, and what kind of person Swedenborg was, and what character he
bore. He answered me, that the report was not ill-founded ; that it had been
communicated by all the foreign ministers at Stockholm,- to their respective
courts ; that Swedenborg from his youth was acknowledged to be one of the
most learned men in Europe, particularly in mineralogy ; but added, at the same
time, that since^he had, during the last twenty-seven years of his life, given
himself up to the study of theology, it was thought by many, that, as he pre
tended he could speak with the dead, his understanding was deranged.
" As I lived at Elsineur, I also heard several other things concerning him ; that
he often passed the Sound in his travels to and from Amsterdam and London ;
and- in what manner he had answered his landlord who kept the Sign of Charles
the XIL, who, on asking him how that king fared in the other world, replied
that he retained the same sentiments and conduct in the world of spirits as he
did in this world. As also the following anecdote, which I had from a very re-

Senator Count Hfipken, whose testimony we have just adduced.

58 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
spectable friend, who was a witness of it, viz. : That himself, together with the
other officers of the custom-house at Oresound, had been invited by the Swedish
consul, Mr. Kryger, to dine in the company of Swedenborg, whom many of tlie'
first'people in town (also purposely invited) wished to see and Know. Being
all seated at table, and none of them taking the liberty of addressing Sweden
borg, who was likewise silent, the Swedish consul thought it incumbent on him
to break silence, for which purpose he took occasion, from the death of'the
Danish king Christian VI., which happened the preceding year, to inquire of
Swedenborg, as he could see and speak with the dead, whether he had also
seen Christian VL after his decease. To this Swedenborg replied in the affirma
tive ; adding, that when he saw him the first time, he was accompanied by
a bishop, or some other prelate, who humbly begged the king's pardon for the
many errors into which he had led him by his counsels. A son of the said
deceased prelate happened to be present at the table; the consul,"Mr. Kryger,
therefore fearing that Swedenborg might say something further to the disadvan
tage of the father, interrupted him, saying, Sir, this is his son ! Swedenborg re
plied. It may be, but what I am saying is true. This and other relations induced
me a few years afterwards to solicit ,the Swedish consul, Mr. Rahling, to ac
quaint me the next time Swedenborg came to Elsineur ; he soon afterwards in
formed me, by means of his nephew, Mr. Beyer, that Swedenborg was then
at his house at dinner, together with the captain who brought him over, and
desired I would make great haste as the wind proved favorable, and they were
on the point of embarking. I made all possible haste, and on entering the house,
I addressed the Assessor as being an intimate friend of the consul's, and came
on purpose to have the honor of the acquaintance of so celebrated and learned
a man as himself; and I requested his permission to ask him a few questions.
To this he civilly and mildly answered. Ask what you please ; I shall answer
all in truth. My first question was, Whether the relation, reported as having
passed between himself and the queen at Stockholm, was true ? He answered.
Tell me in what manner you haveheard it related, and I will tell you what part
of it is true or otherwise. I reglied, that as I saw he was on the point of going
on board the vessel, I supposed there was no time to lose, and therefore desired
he would have the kindness to relate the affair to me. He consented, and told it
me in the same manner as I had been informed of it before by means of letters
from people of credit ; adding, however, the following circumstances : That the
senator Count Scheffer, came one day to see him, and asked him whether he
would accompany him to the court next day ; Swedenborg inquired why he
proposed it, as he very well knew he occupied himself with other concerns than
going to court. Count Scheffer replied, that the queen, a few days before, had
received a letter from her sister the Duchess of Brunswick, in which she men
tioned a censure or criticism she had read in the gazette of Gottingen, on a man
at Stockholm, who pretended to speak with the dead ; and she wondered much
that the queen, in her letters to her, had never mentioned a word on that sub
ject. The queen ftieu inquired of those present. Whether it was true that there
was such a man, and whether he was not insane- ? To this Count Scheffer an
swered, That he was far from insane, but a sensible and learned man. Upon
this, the queen expressed her. wishes of seeing him ; when Count Scheffer said
that he wasintimately acquainted with him, and would propose it to him. The

TESTIMONY OF GENERAL TUXEN. 59
count accordingly made Swedenborg promise to accompany him to court, which
he did. The king and queen being arrived, entered into conversation with the
foreign ambassadors, and other principal characters at court, and then ap
proached Count Scheffer.who presented Swedenborg. The queen expressed
her satisfaction at seeing him, and asked him. Whether it was true, that he could
converse with the deceased ? He answered, Yes. She inquired further, Whether
it was a science that could be communicated to and by others ? No. What is
it then ? A gift" of the Lord. Can you, then, speak with every one deceased,
or only with certain persons ? He answered, I cannot converse with all, but
with such as I have known in this world ; with all royal and princely persons,
with all renowned heroes, or great and learned men, whom I have known,
either personally, or from their actions or writings; consequently, with all, of
whom I could form an idea ; for it may be supposed that a person whom I
never knew, nor of whom I could form any idea, I neither could nor would wish
to speak with. The queen then asked him, Whether he would undertake a
commission to her lately deceased brother .' He answered, with all my heart.
On this he followed the queen, with the king and Count Scheffer, to a window in
the apartment, where the queen gave him his commission, to which he prom
ised to bring her an answer. After this he was invited to the royal table, where
they put a thousand questions to him, which he answered truly. Some time
afterwards, Count Scheffer paid him another visit, and asked him whether he
would accompany him to court again, to which he consented. The queen on
seeing him, said, Do not forget my commission. He answered, It is already
done. And when he delivered her his message, she was extremely surprised,
and became suddenly indisposed; and, after some recollection, she said , This
no mortal could have told me ! On my inquiring whether any person had heard
what the. queen had said when she gave him the commission, he answered, I
do not know ; yet she did not speak so low but that the king and Count Scheffer,
if they had attended to it, might have heard it. This may be depended upon, as
the late venerable man himself related it to me.
"In the further course of conversation with him on tlie principles of religion
advocated and explained by him, I took an opportunity of asking him. How a
man, who was confident that he was serious in his duty towards God and his
neighbor, could be certain, whether he was in the right road to salvation or not .'
I was answered. That this was very easy ; and that such a man need only ex
amine himself and his own thoughts according to the Ten Commandments ; as,
for instance, whether he loves and fears God ; whether he is happy in seeing
the welfare of others, and does not envy them ; whether, on having received a
great injury from others, which may have excited him to anger and to meditate
revenge, he afterwards changes his sentiments, because God has said, that ven
geance belongs to him, and so on ; then he may rest assured, that he is on the
road to heaven ; but when he discovers himself to be actuated by contrary sen
timents, on the road to hell. This led me to think of myself as well as of
others ; and I also asked him. Whether he had seen the lately deceased king,
Frederick V., adding, that although some human frailty or other might be attrib
uted to him, yet I had certain hopes that he was happy ? His answer was. Yes ;
I have seen him, and I know that he is very happy, and not only he, but like-
wise,all the kings of the house of Oldenborg, who are all associated together.

60 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" Some time afterwards I was informed that he had returned by way of Got
tenburg to Stockholm, and as I had accidentally heard that the consistory had
begun to examine into a, letter written by him to a doctor of divinity at the
College (Dr. Beyer), which was declared by the dean (Dr. Ekebom) to be hereti
cal, I endeavored to obtain the extracts of the minutes that were printed, and
which were to prove the doctrine of Swedenborg to be erroneous ; but these
extracts aimed chiefly at blackening the character of Dr. Beyer and a learned
Dr. Rosen. I therefore wrote to Swedenborg, and requested him to inform me
concerning these transactions, and received a letter from him in answer, an at
tested coppy of which is annexefl to these anecdotes of my personal interviews
with Swedenborg.
" As I had been so happy for several years as to enjoy the famiUar acquaint
ance of the younger brother of Count H6pken, Baron Charles Frederic Hdpken,
who was Ambassador at our court from Sweden, and who had been in the like
capacity at Constantinople, and who was, moreover, a very courteous and
agreeable nobleman, I embraced an opportunity, after the death of Swedenborg,
of writing to this eminent man, and of putting several questions to him, which
he did not directly answer, yet very politely sent me the letters which I have
much pleasure in sending you ; all which are attested copies. They give a
faithful account of our late benefactor, and indeed not only of ours, but that of
all mankind, if they are seriously solicitous about their future state after death.
For my part, I thank our Lord the God of Heaven, that I have been acquainted
with this great man and his w^ritings. I esteem this as the greatest blessing I
ever experienced in my life, and I hope I shall profit by them in working out
my salvation.
" My valuable guelst took his leave of me, for the last time, in a very affection
ate manner, and I hope that I shall, in the other life, testify to him my grateful
heart. — I am, with all respect, yours, &c.. Christian Tuxen.
"Elsineur, May 4, 1790."

Letter from Emanuel Swedenborg to General Tuxen.
" Sir, " I received your letter of March 4th, by Lieut. Tuxen your son, who did me
the pleasure of paying me a visit. My duty demanded a speedier answer; but
as I waited for the conclusion of the affair at Gottenburg, in order to communi
cate something of it to you, I have from time to time postponed it. I have suf
fered this matter, and all the invectives used against me at Gottenburg, to come
to an end: and I have since sent the chancellor of justice, and the senator Eke-
blad, a copy of the annexed, by means of which I effected a change in the
business, of which I shall inform you some other time. The affair took its rise,
at Gottenburg, from the dean ; the deputies of that city havmg been instructed to
complain of me and Dr. Beyer to the diet, they pushed matters as far as they
could, but would never have effected anything, unless the bishop, Filenius, who
was then president of the clerical order, had taken upon himself the management
of it, and in a crafty manner gained over some members ofthe order, which the

TESTIMONY OF C. SPRINGER, ESQ. 61
bishop first did from a secret dislike, but afterwards out of inveteracy. For this
reason a committee was appointed by the order of clergy on the Swedenborgian
cause. Whilst they were deliberating on this subject, I was not suffered to be
present, but it was all carried on clandestinely ; yet the committee (which con
sisted of bishops and professors,) found the matter quite different from what
bishop Filenius had represented it : they tei'minated it in my favor, and, in their
report to the order, exjiressed themselves in regard to myself very handsomely
and reasonably. But thus far bishop Filenius prevailed, that a memorial should
be presented to hismajesty and council, that the chancellor of justice might ap
pease the troubles 'arisen at Gottenburg. In consequence of this, a letter was
addressed by the chancellor to the consistories, to desire their opinioij ; and this
occasioned the subject to be afterwards agitated in the chamber of council for
two days ; and it was then I presented the memorial annexed, which has also
been discussed, and concluded in such a manner, that the chancellor of justice
wrote to the consistory of Gottenburg, which is not against me, and the particu
lars of which I shall at another time communicate. ^ I knew nothing of all this,
whilst it was agitating ; but, enjoying the calm in mf chamber, I let the storm
rage without as much as it pleased ; for it was agreed both at the diet, and in
the council, not to touch my pei;son. I send you the inclosed copy, which I
have also presented to the council, in order that it may be communicated to the
Counts Bernstorff and Thott, whereby they may see the state of affairs, lest the
printed protocols of Gottenburg, which are fUled with invectives, should ope
rate against the good opinion they before had of me. If the inclosed could also
be translated into German, and printed in Hamburg, it would give me pleasure.
In the month of June next, I intend to set out for Amsterdam, where I am to
publish the Universal Theology of the New Church. If the ship then remains some
time off Elsineur, I shall have the pleasure of coming to your house, to wish
yourself, your dear lady and children, all possible happiness. — I remain, in all
affection, familiarity and friendship. Sir, your most obedient servant,
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm, May 1st, 1770."

IX.
TESTIMONY OF C. SPRINGER, Esq.,
i
SWEDISH CONSUL AT THE PORT OF LONDON,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG.

This gentleman was many years the intimate friend of Swedenborg, both in Sweden
and in England. He was known to many of the early readers of Swedenborg's works in
this country, and has left the strongest testimony to the worth and extraordinary char
acter of his friend.
The following is a letter, which Mr. Springer addressed to the Abb6 Pernetti, librari
an to the king of Prussia, who had written to Mr. S., wishing to receive information con
cerning Swedenborg's works, and to ascertain what he knew respecting him . —

62 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" Sir, " By the letter with which you have honored me, dated Berlin the 6th of
December last, which came late to hand, I perceive that you desire to have some
' of the works published by the late Assessor, Emanuel Swedenborg ; as also a
relation of the particulars that passed at my meeting with him during his life
time ; and that my friends, Messrs. de Nordenskjold, have directed you to me
for such information : in regard to which, I shall satisfy your desires on those
heads, so far as my strength and sight will permit me, which have failed me
considerably within the last two years, and which, on my approaching near to
my seventy-ninth year, is indeed less to be wondered at.
"It is to be observed, that Assessor Swedenborg was not a count, but a simple
gentleman up to the year 1719. His father, Jasper Swedberg, was bishop of
Skara, and a man of great learning ; but this Emanuel Swedenborg was gifted of
God with greater endowments.. His knowledge and sincerity were both very
remarkable. He was constant in friendship, extremely sober in his diet, and
plain in his clothing. His common food was bread and butter, and milk and
coffee ; yet at times he was wont to eat a little fish, but very seldom any meat;
he never drank above two glasses of wine, and that only in company. He dis
regarded places of honor, and therefore determined, about the year 1746, to re
quest his discharge from the place he had so long occupied: but the king
granted him, as a pension, the salary of his office, which he enjoyed to the time
of his decease. It gives me a very particular pleasure to understand that you.
Sir, intend to translate some of his works, to the intent that they may become
more generally known; and that you propose beginning with that entitled.
Arcana Ccelestia, It is in eight vols., and sells for eight -guineas. His last tract,
entitled, Coronis seu Appendix ad Veram Christianam Religionem, sells for two shil
lings. The expense for the carriage may be about three shillings more, so that
the total will amount to 'eight pounds thirteen shillings. An opportunity of
sending them by Hamburg may be found during any month in the year.
" I waited. Sir, on the Count de Luzi, and informed him of your commission
to me respecting these books. He told me, that he had not received any ad
vice, but as he was well acquainted with you it was sufficient, and that he
would take upon him to advance the money for the purchase of the books ;
a.dding afterwards, that it might not be amiss, that you should be informed of
the high price of them before they were sent. It will, therefore, entirely depend
upon you. Sir, to inform me whether you wish to have them sent.
" I apprehend. Sir, that you must be possessed of anotKer Latin work of the
late Swedenborg, entitled, De Calo et Inferno. I could wish, nevertheless, that
you were also possessed of the English translation of that work, which was
performed by the learned doctor in divinity, Thomas Hardey : in the margin of
that work are to be met with notes and observations ofthe translator. His trea
tise cost ten shillings.
" This Dr. Hartley has likewise translated into English, with notes and learned
observations, a small treatise of the late Swedenborg, entitled, A Theosophic Lu
cubration on the nature of Influx, as it respects the Communication and Operation ofthe
Sold and Body, in. 4to. The price of that translation is two shillings and six
pence : it concludes with a letter from Swedenborg to Dr. Hartley, concerning
his family and connexions.

TESTIMONY OF C. SPRINGER, JilSCl. 63
" There is also a small volume in 8vo., the Latin title of which is, Nova Hiero
solyma, &c. This also has been translated into Englishj but is imperfect.* The
Latin copy, is therefore more worthy of perusal on this account, than that edition.
It may not be amiss to observe, that although this translation is imperfect, there
is not, as I am informed, a copy to be sold. As to the Arcana Calestia, I am told
that there are but two sets of the volumes to be met with ; one of which I have
retained for your service.
" I shall now proceed to satisfy the desire you have. Sir, of being informed of
the discourses I had with the late venerable Swedenborg, as well by ourselves,
as in the presence of others ; but I must here observe, that as these discourses
were numerous, it would be too difficult to relate the whole.
"It is certain, that two or three weeks before his decease, and not two or three
days (as his opponents insinuate), I asked him, when he believed that the New
Jerusalem, or the New Church of the Lord, would be manifested, and if this
manifestation would take place in the four quarters of the world ? His answer
was, that no mortal could declare the time, no, not even the celestial angels ;
and that it was solely known to God. Read, said he, the Revelations, chap. xxi.
2, and Zechariah, chap. xiv. 9 , and you will find, that it is not to be doubted,
but that the New Jerusalem mentioned in the Apocalypse, which denotes a new
and purer state of the Christian Church than has hitherto existed, will manifest
itself to all the earth. I questioned him also concerning the letter that was writ
ten by the queen of Sweden to her brother the deceased Margrave ; he replied,
much ofthe common report is true, and part of it not; but perhaps the whole
of the matter is better known at Berlin than in other parts. I then asked him
whether it was true, as I was informed it was, that when he was at Gottenburg
(a town "about sixty Swedish miles from Stockholm), he had foretold to his
friends, three days before the arrival ofthe post, the particular hour ofthe be
ginning of the great fire that happened at Stockholm ; to which he replied, that
it was exactly true. I put to him also many questions concerning Charles the
XII. of Sweden, and received surprising answers from him on that head.
" I shall now proceed to relate to you. Sir, what I have seen and heard of him.
Fifteen years ago, Swedenborg was about to depart for Sweden, and desired me
to procure him a good captain, which I did. I made the agreement with a-
person named Dixon. Swedenborg's effects were carried on board the vessel,
and as bis apartments were at some distance from the port, v/e took for thdt
night a chamber at an inn sear it, because the captain of the vessel Vas to.come
and fetch him m the morning. He went to bed ; and I went to sit in another
room with the master of the house, with whom I was conversing. We both
heard a remarkable noise, and could not apprehend what it could , be ; and
therefore drew near to a door, where there was a little window that looked into
the chamber where Swedenborg lay. We saw him with his hands raised to
wards heaven, and his. body appeared to tremble.f He spoke much for the
space of half an hour, but we could understand nothing of what he said, except
* The extracts from the Arcana Calestia were omitted in that edition.
t Jt may be very easily supposed, that when Swedenborg had a very full and interior
communication with spirits, the effects of such communication would be visible in his
external look and deportment. As, however, he lived much in retirement, these effects
could not, of course, be often seen by others.

64 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
that, when he let his hands fall down, we heard him say with a loud voice. My
God ! But we could not hear what he said more. He remained afterwards very
quietly in his bed. I entered into the chamber with the master of the house,
and asked him if he was ill. No, said he ; but I have had a long discourse with
some of the heavenly friends, and am at this time in a great perspiration. And
as his effects were embarked on board the vessel, he asked the master of the
house to let him have a shirt ; he then went again to bed and slept tUl morning.
" When the captain ofthe vessel came to fetch Swedenborg, I took my leave
of him, and wished him a happy' voyage : having then asked the captaui if he
was provided with good and necessary provisions, he answered me, that he had
as much as was needful for the voyage. On this Swedenborg said, " My friend,
we have not need of a great quantity ; for this day week we shall, by the aid
of God, enter into the port of Stockholm at two o'clock.' On Captain Dixon's
return, he related to me that this happened exactly as Swedenborg had foretold.
" Two years afterwards, Swedenborg returned to London, where we continued
our ancient friendship. He informed me that he had sent his works to the Swe
dish bishops, but without fruit, and that they were received by them with the
same indifference as he had experienced on the part of the English bishops. I
observed a remarkable change amongst the bishops in London ; for before his
voyage to Sweden, they received his works with indifference, but after it, with
great respect. I asked him whence this change happened .' He replied, ' God,
knows the time when His church ought to commence.'
" His intimate friends here were the doctor in divinity, Thomas Hartley ; the
deceased doctor in philosophy, Hampe, a learned man, who was preceptor to
George I.; and the doctor in mediciiie, Messiter : But Dr. Hartley, a man of pro
found learning and a true servant of God, was his most intimate friend. It was
he who translated into English (as was observed above,) the work of Sweden
borg, entitled, De Calo et Inferno, with the learned observations thereon ; as also
that which is entitled, A Theosophic Lucubration on tlie nature of Influx, with notes "
of a like kind. This doctor is still alive, but far advanced in years.
" As to what relates to myself, I cannot, Sir, point out the reason of Sweden
borg's great regard for me, who am not a man of literature. It is true that we
were good friends in Sweden, but that this friendship should have continued be
tween us with such constancy as it did, is what I did not expect.
" The whole of what he has related to me, concerning my deceased friends
and enemies, and of the secrets which existed only between them and me, is al
most past belief. He even explained to me in what manner the peace was con
cluded between Sweden and the King of Prussia ; and praised my conduct on
that occasion. He pointed out to me the three great personages whose services
I made use of in that circumstance, which was, nevertheless a great secret be
twixt us. I asked him how he could be instructed of these particulars,.and who
had discovered them to him ; to which he replied, ' Who informed me of your
affair with Count de C— E— d ? You cannot deny the truth of what I have just
related to you. Cpntinue (added he) to merit his reproaches ; depart not from
the good-w^ay, either for honors or money; but, on the contrary,^ continue as
conptant therein as you have been hitherto, and you. will prosper.'
" I wish. Sir, that I was capable of reporting to you all that he told me ; but I '
must finish my letter in assuring you of the esteem with which I am, yours, &c.,
" London, January 18th, 1782." .. q Sprincir.

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. ROBSAHM. 65
X.
ANECDOTES
COLLECTED BY MR. ROBSAHM,
DIRECTOR OF THE BANK OF STOCKHOLM,
cbNCERNIN« THE
LIFE OF SWEDENBORG WHEN AT HOME.

Mr. Robsahm, who was also one of the intimate friends of Swedenborg, collected,
¦shortly after his decease, a number'of anecdotes concerning Swedenborg's life at home,
which he published in a pamphlet, and which, although not of much importance, may
nevertheless be read with interest by those who desire to know everything diat can be
known concerning the life of so extraordinary a man.
Mr. R. commences thus :
" Swedenborg was assessor of the Metallic College, and member of the Acad
emy of Sciences in Sweden. The little regard he had for titles of honor and hu
man grandeur, made him determine, after he began to devote himself exclusively
lo spiritual studies, to request his dismission from the office of assessor, the du
ties of which he had punctually fulfilled for about thirty years. He had a house
in the environs of Stockholm. It was built and arranged after his own taste ;
the apartments were rather small, but suitable to himself. Although he was a
man of most profound leaming, no other books were seen in his study than the
Hebrew and Greek Bible, together with his own indexes of his works, whereby
he saved himself the trouble, when referring to difierent passages, of going
through all which he had before written.
"Adjoining to the house was a pretty large garden, in the midst of which he
had a summer-house, or pavilion ; there were four doors to the apartment which
formed a square, which was occasionally turned, m an instant, into an octagon
form, by the means of four other doors which belonged to it. One of these doors
shut with a secret lock, which being opened, there appeared a glass door placed
opposite a fine greenhedge, where a bird w^s seen in a cage. This new spec
tacle produced an agreeable surprise of a second garden to the person who
opened the door, which Swedenborg related to be more agreeable than the first.
At the entrance of the garden there was a parterre well covered with flowers,
tvhich he was very fond of. He derived no other advantage from the garden,
for he gave the whole produce of it to the gardener who waited on him ; as also
that of a very handsome green-house, in which he took much pleasure.
" The gardener and his wife were the only servants he had ; of the latter he
never desired other service than that of making his bed, and of bringing water
into his first apartment ; he generally made his own cofiee on the fire in his
study, and took much of it well sweetened ; and when at home his dinner con
sisted of a small loaf put into boiled milk, and at that' time he neither drank
wine nor any spirituous liquor, nor did he take any supper : though he was
veiy sparing in his eating and drinking, yet he would sometimes, when in com-
5

60 BOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG:
pany, enjoy a moderate glass, but was always in one equal temper of min^^
and cheerful;
" He had a fire constantly kept up in his study from autumn, through the-
whole winter, until spring, but his bed-room was (contrary to the usual custom
in Sweden) always cold ; and according as the cold was more orless severe, he
made use of three, or four blankets. When he awoke he went into his study,
where there were always live coals, on which he laid wood with birch rind,.
having a number of Uttle bundles ready for convenience, and to make a quick
fire'before he set himself down to write.
" In his parior was a table of black marble, on which one would have sup
posed, at first sight, that a hand of cards had been carelessly thrown, it being so
well imitated. He made a present of this table to the Royal College of Mines,
who preserve it with great care. This room was neat and genteel, but furnished
in a plain style.
" His wardrobe was simple, yet suitable to the season. He wore in winter
a fur gown, and when at home in summer a morning robe. He usually spoke
very distinctly : when he began to talk in company every one was silent, as well
from the pleasure they had of hearing his discourse, as from a sense of his well
known great erudition, which he did not show but on occasions in which he
found himself compelled to prove his assertions, or the little weight of argument
of some with whom he conversed. Besides the learned languages, in which he
was well versed, he understood the French, English, Dutch, German, and Italian,
having often travelled in those- countries.
" In general, he would not enter into dispute on matters of religion : if he w^as
necessitated to defend himself, he did it with mildness and in few words; but if
any one would not be convinced, and became warm in argument, he retired,
saying, ^ Read my writings attentively and without prejudice, they will answer
you in my stead, and will afford you reason to change your ideas and opinions
on such things.'
"He used, at firsts freely to speak of his visions and spiritual explications of the
Scriptures ; but as this displeased the clergy, who proclaimed him a heretic and ,
madman, he resolved to be less communicative of his knowledge in company,
or, at least, more cautious, lest the censorious should have room to blame whaS
they could not comprehend like himself Mr. Robsahm once addressed the
rector of the parish where he lived (an old and respectable clergyman), asking
him what he should think of Swedenborg's visions and explanations of'the
Bible ? The venerable man answered, ' God alone can judge of this, but I can
not think him to be such a person as many do : I have myself conversed with
him, and in companies where we have been together, I have found him to be
a good and holy man..'
" It was remarkable, that Swedenborg never endeavored to persuade any
person to receive his opinions; he was once asked, whether it might be possible
for any one, but himself, to arrive at the same degree of spirituality ; he replied,
' Take good care, for the natural man lays himself open to temptations, when'
by his own speculations, he tries to find put celestial things that transcend his
understanding.' He then declared, how the Lord has taught us in the Lord's
Prayer to pray, Lead us not into temptation; which means, that we ought not, from
our own power and knowledge, to doubt of the divine truths revealed to us •

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. ROBSAHM. 67
' I never thought,' added he, ' I should have come into the spiritual state in which
I am; but the Lord had prepared me for it, in order to reveal the Spiritual Sense
of the Word, which he had promised in the Prophets and the Revelations.'
" An ecclesiastic, who was a follower of Zinzendorf, and a doctor of divinity
in Gottenburg, undertook to oppose the writings of Swedenborg ; but after
having first begun by asserting that he had not read' those writings, he went on
with his preliminary discourse, using the grossest invectives, and the most
malignant and scandalous expressions, even against Swedenborg's person; unto
which Swedenborg replied with so much modesty and mildness, without taking
notice of his antagonist's person, that all applauded both the substance of what
he said, and the manner in which he conducted himself.
" A certain critic, who is well known for observing but little decorum in his
expressions, as well on the writings of an author as on the author himself, also
undertook a bitter invective against his writings. The reply Swedenborg made
to it, was very short ; it was printed only to communicate to his friends, and
drawn up in the following terms : ' I have read what Dr. E. has related of me id
his Theologica Bibliotheca, p. 704, and find the same to contain the grossest scan
dals against my person. I have not iftef therein with a grain of pure reason
against any particular passage in my writings, and must observe, that to attack
finy person with envenomed daggers in such a manner, is against all laws of
justice ; and therefore I deem it but an indignity to use such kind of arguments
in reply to my opponent, as engaging in them would be more like two women
of the lowest class, who, in scolding, cast dirt into one another's faces, than any
thing else. Read, if you please, what is published in my last work, entitled,
Vera Christiana ReligiOi of those aircana, which were discovered by me from the
Lord, at No. 846 to 851, or page 492 to 502, and afterwards conclude, yet from
an unprejudiced reason, respecting my. revelation.' Moreover, there is some
account of this person to be found in a memorable relation, inserted in the above-
mentioned work, at No. 137, p. 105 to 108 ; which may be read by any that
wish to be further informed. ^
" It is a very singular circumstance, that almost all who have read the writings
of Swedenborg, with a design to refute^ them, have finished the attempt by
adhering to his sentiments.
" He was in nowise led by that self-love, which is observable in those who
publish new opinions concerning church doctrines ; neither did he seek to make
any proselytes, not even communicating his thoughts and sentiments, but to
those whom he thought virtuous, disposed to hear them with moderation, "capa
ble of comprehending them, and lovers of truth.
'•¦ He explained to Mr. Robsahm, the reason why the clergy at that time were
so unwilling to receive his interpretations of the Scriptures. ' It is,' said he, ' be
cause they confirm themselves in the doctrine of faith alone, from the schools,
the colleges, and the universities ; and having confirmed themselves in some
evil, do not see that evil as evil, but find every day more pleasure in it, and.ujce
versd,. Besides,' added he, ' although they see and find that I speak truth, their
ambition to preserve their reputation in the world, will not suffer them publicly
to profess, what they are convinced to be irrefutable truths.' This conversation
passed just after Swedenborg had been visited by the famous clergyman Dr.
Rutstrom, who died, in his confinement in the palace of Stockholm, alittle while

68 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
after the revolution in 1772. Swedenborg said, that Mr. Rutstrom acknowledged
it all ; but his life and actions proved, that he held his own tenets dearest to him.
The chaplain to the Russian embassy, Mr. Oronoskull, a monk of the order of
Alexander Newsky, who was at Stockholm with the ambassador Count Oster-
man, led a very orderly and decent life (contrary to the usual custom of many
Russian priests) ; he borrowed Swedenborg's works, which he read with great
pleasure ; he was likewise anxious to see and converse with such an extraordi
nary man. Mr. Robsahm fulfilled his desire, and invited him and Swedenborg
to dinner, in company with the late president of the Royal College of Commerce,
Mr. V. Carleson, the counsellor of the Chancery, Mr Berck, and some other
gentlemen. During dinner, the priest, among other things, asked of Sweden
borg, whether he had seen the Empress Elizabeth. He replied, I have often
seen her, and I know she is in a very happy state. These words occasioned
the priest to shed tears of joy. Her good sentiments towards her people, said
Swedenborg, were after her decease known in the other life ; for there it was
declared, that she never went into the council without praying to God for ad
vice and assistance to govern her country and people with wisdom and equity.
This discourse so much affected the priest, that he indicated by his silence and
tears his happy surprise.
"Mr. Robsahm having asked ofthe wife of Swedenborg's gardener, if she had
ever observed any change in the countenance of her master, soon after he had
conversed with spirits ; to this she repKed : ' Entering one day, after dinner, into
his chamber, I saw his eyes like unto a most bright flame : I drew back, saying,
in the name of God, Sir, what has happened extraordinary to you, for you have
a very particular kind of appearance .' What kind of look have I .' answered he.
I then told him what had struck me. Well, well, replied he (which was his
favorite expression), don't be frightened ; the Lord has so disposed my eyes,
that by them spirits may see what is in our world. In a short time this appear
ance passed away, as he said it would. I know,' said she, ' when he has con
versed with heavenly spirits, for there is a pleasure and calm satisfaction in his
countenance, "which charms those who see it ; but after he has conversed with
evil spirits, he has a sorrowful look.'
" Concerning his temptations, it has been mentioned by his honest servants,
the old gardener and his wife, that their master in the night time often spoke
aloud, when the evil spirits were with him, which they could easily hear, their
room being adjoining. When asked what caused his disturbance in the night,
he answered, that it had been permitted the evil spirits to blaspheme, and that
he had spoken against them zealously. It happened often, that, weeping bitterly,
he cried with a loud voice, and prayed to the Lord that he might not be forsaken
in his temptation which then assaUed him. His words were. Lord, help me !
Lord, my God, do not forsake me ! Those who saw hira in these states supposed
he was sick ; but when delivered from them, he returned thanks to GfoD, and told
those who were troubled for him, God be eternally praised ! comfort yourselves,
my friends, all has disappeared or passed away ; and be assured, that nothmg
happens to me, but what the Lord permits, who never lays on us a burden more
weighty than we are able to bear.
"Once it was remarkable, that after such a state he went to bed, and did not
rise for several days and nights. This gave his domestics much uneasmess =

ANECDOTES COLLECTED B"i^R. ROBSAHM. 69
they consulted together, and supposed he was dead, from some great fright.
They intended to break open the door, or to assemble their friends. At last the
man went to the window, and discovered, to his great joy, that his master was
alive, turning in his bed ; and the next day he rang his bell. The woman went
in, and related her own and her husband's uneasiness for him ; he told her with
a cheerful countenance, that he had been very well, and in want of nothing.
" On arriving at Gottenburg from London, he was told that his house had been
destroyed by the flames, in the great fire that burnt almost all the south suburbs
of Stockholm, in 1756. No, answered Swedenborg, my house is not burnt; the
fire only reached to such and such a part. What he said was true ; and the
circumstance was then of so recent a nature, that he could have had no particu
lar account of it, either by letter or by any person. It likewise appears that he
had predicted that such a fire would happen. ,
" One day a prisoner was publicly executed ; Mr. Robsahm went in the even
ing to visit Swedenborg, and asked him, how a malefactor, in the moment of
his execution, finds himself on entering the world of spirits.' He answered;
when he lays his head on the block, he loses his senses, and that, after the be
heading, when the spirit enters the world of spirits, the prisoner finds himself
alive, tries to ipake his escape, is in expectation of death, and in a great fright,
as thinking either on the happiness of heaven, or the miseries of heU in that
moment. At last, such a one is associated with the good spirits, who discover
to him, that he is really departed from the natural world. And then he is left
to the exercise of his own inclinations, which lead him to the eternal place of
his abode.* Swedenborg added, that a man ripened in evil, whom the law and
the axe, or halter, removes from earth, although appatently repenting, always
remains evil to eternity ; because his conversion is forced, and not performed
out of his own free will, which God requires. For unless his crimes had thrown
him into prison, where he sees death impending, he would not have turned his
thoughts to God, much less his heart, which is hardened by custom to a wicked
life ; and perceiving himself, after death, to live as before, he rushes headlong
into the same wicked practices, as hei did in the world, and thus is quickly led
on to the hell, with the spirits of which he was in conjunction while on earth.
It is a very different case, added he, with those who, indeed, are executed for
some crime, which they have committed in drunkenness or passion, but with
out any design; such persons repent earnestly of their actions; and unless'they
have, in the course of their life, confirmed themselves in opposition to the com
mandments of God, they become after death, when divested of their infirmities,
happy spirits.
" Although Swedenborg openly avowed and maintained the most profound
veneration for the Sacred Scriptures; although he never supported one principle
. contrary to the decalogue, or a good Christian life ; although his conduct was ex
emplary ; and although he never spoke either against the government or particular
persons, he was not exempted from persecutions ; he found enemies so determin
ed to do him mischief, that he deemed it necessary to leave the capital that he
might not fall into their hands. 'A young man, in particular, went even to his
own house, with a design to assassinate him ; the gardener's wife told him that
* This transformation is amply described in his Treatise of Heaven and HeU,

70 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Swedenborg was not at home, lest mischief should follow. But he would not
believe her, and ran into the garden, thinking to find him. God, however, who .
kept him under his especial protection, encompassed him on this occasion ; for
the young man being in haste to get in, a nail that was in the lock fastened so
to the cloak with which he was covered, that he could not disentangle himself,
and his naked sword fell from beneath the cloak out of his hands : thus greatly
embarrassed, the fear of being discovered seized him, and he retired with all
possible haste. This same person -wsls afterwards killed in a duel.
" His writings raised him many enemies amoiJgst the clergy, who found vari
ous pretences to persecute him. At the time of the meeting of the four houses,
called the diet, which was held in the year 1769, at Norkjoping, Swedenborg
had a box s^ent from England, containing some of his printed works ; these were
stopped for examination, according to the laws which prohibit the introduction of
all books reputed contrary to the Protestant Religion. Swedenborg desired, there
fore, the favor of Bishop Filenius, his nephew, and member in the house of the
clergy, to get this box returned to him, as he intended to make presents of these
books to the several members of the houses : notwithstanding the bishop cor
dially promised it, and, at the same time, embraced and kissed Swedenborg, yet
this very man did everything in his power to get these works confiscated. Swe
denborg used' afterwards to call Mm Judas Iscariot, because he had deceived
him with kissing, when he would have been satisfied with a blunt refusal, and,
therefore, could not help expressing his displeasure at such deceitful behavior,
being conscious that every person who knew him and his works, must allow,
that he always insisted on a good life, with integrity in all our dealings ; that
charity must be united with faith ; and that charity consists not only in thinking
no ill and speaking no ill of our neighbor, even in doubtful cases, where the
intention is not evidently bad, but that we must primarily keep in view the
necessity of promoting good uses, peace, love, and true knowledge. God, being
truth and sincerity Itself, cannot but abhor all falsehood and deceit, because •
they spring from impure motives, such as worldly-fear, self-interest, vanity, and
no trust in Providence ; and as God is love Itself, he cannot but abominate every
thing that tends to destroy the true peace and happiness of mankind.
" That very year, at the same assembly, some members of the house of the
clergy, had artfully laid a scheme, that our author should be exammed, and, after
examination, be declared as a man out of his senses, whom it was dangerous
to leave p,t liberty, but Hhat he ought to be imprisoned as a lunatic. A certam
senator,' and friend to Swedenborg, disclosed to him the whole plot, and advised
him to leave the kingdom. At this news Swedenborg appeared much afflicted
and going into his garden, fell on his knees, and prayed to the Lord to direct him
what to do. After this prayer he received this consolatory answer. That no evil
should toiich him. This really happened, as his enemies Were afraid to execute
their persecution, when they considered his being a member in the house of
nobles, and related to many of the nobility and dignified clergy ; however he
soon after undertook another voyage, but being informed, on his return, ofthe
evU intentions and malice of his persecutors, and, being instructed by experience
of what they were capable, he addressed himself to the king, in the following
terms, drawn up in- the form of a letter : —

* The Senator Count H6pken.

ANECDOTES COLLECTi^D BY MR. ROBSAHM. 5^
"=• Sire, ,
" I find myself necessitated at this period to have recourse to your majesty's
protection, having met with usage of such a nature, as no other person has ex-
perieiioed since the establish ment of Christianity in Sweden, and much less since
ihere has been liberty of conscience. The following is an abridgment of the
.particulars that are the. occasion of my requesting your Majesty's interference
— On (ny arrival in^ Sweden from foreign parts, I was informed, that Bishop
-Filenius bad suppressed and seized the copies of my'treatise, De Amore Conju^
.gwK, which I had printed in Holland, and which were sent to Norkjoping.
Having inquired of some hishops, whether Bishop F. had acted in this manner
from his own authority, ox from that of the clerical body, they replied, that they
had heard of the affair, but that none of them had been consulted about it, or
had given his consent thereto ; and that there was not one word set down in the
journal of the ecclesiastical court concerning it. Some ecclesiastics at Gotten-
hurg, being emboldened by this inconsiderateandviolentconduct of the bishops,
began to speak and declaim loudly against my writings, and so far succeeded
as to have an assembly appointed for their examination, consisting of some
bishops and professors in divinity. This assembly continued sitting for the
space of some months, and at length made a: favorable report, which stopped
the mouths of those accusers at once ; their attempts were then thought to cease,
and the affair to have an end. To prevent all thought of its being re-kindled, it
was- concluded, that a petition should be presented to your majesty, to issue
orders to the chancellor of justice, to give an information ofthe authors who had
raised the disturbance at Gottenburg. The bishop and deacon of that place,
¦who were the principal movers in this affair, seeing the little success of their
.project to engage the body of the clergy, to light up the fixe for which they had
made ready the materials, had recourse to calumnies and injuries, and filled
twenty printed leaves with invectives, which they circulated amongst the
public. I was farther informed, that your majesty, hearing of this dispute, took
it under your own consideration, decided it in the senate, and ordered the chan
cellor to forward letters relative thereto to the consistory at Gottenburg.
" Iliad no notice sent me ofall these proceedings; my person, writings, and
sentiments on the worship of the Lord our Saviour, were attacked and persecuted,
and I have neither been called to make my defence, nor been. heard respecting
it : but truth itself has answered for me. The accounts that were published at
Gottenburg on this matter, did not touch the substance of the cause, and were
filled with invectives and gross injuries. The first account I had of these
papers, was from a general commissary of war at Elsineur,* and a friend at
Stockholm, who lent them to me fox a day; and I found therein two letter? of
Bishop Filenius, wherein it is said, that he should meddle no more in it. I am
desirous to convince the world, that all these proceedings, from their beginning
to their end, have b&n carried on without my having ever been heard. A
xumor has, nevertheless, spread throughout Stockholm, that the chancellor of
justice has declared in writing to the consistory at Gottenburg, that my works
are prohibited, from being brought into that place, under the penalty of fifty
dollars ; and that my writings have been declared false, and not true. I have
* General Tuxen, mentioned above.

72 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
aheady informed your majesty, and beseech you to recall it to mmd, that the Lord
our Saviour manifested himself to me in a sensible personal appearance ; that he
has commanded me to write what has been already done, and what I have stiU
to do ; that he was afterwards graciously pleased to endow me with the privi
lege of conversing with angels and spirits, and to be in fellowship with them. I
have already declared this more than once to your majesty, in the presence of
all the royal family, when they were graciously pleased to invite me to their
table with five senators, and several other persons ; this was the only subject
discoursed of during the repast. Of this I also spoke afterwards to several other
senators ; and more openly to their excellencies Count de Tessin, Count Bonde,
and Count H6pken, who are stUl alive, and were satisfied with the truth of it.
I have declared the same in England. Holland, Germany, Denmark, and at Paris,
to kings, princes, and other particular persons, as well as to those in this king
dom. If the common report is believed, the chancellor has declared, that what
liiave been reciting are untruths, although the very truth. To say that they
cannot believe and give credit to such things, therein will I excuse them, for it
is not in my power to place others in the same state in which God has placed
me, so as to be able to convince them, by their own eyes and ears, of the truth
of those deeds and things I publicly have made known. I have no abUity to
capacitate them to converse with angels and spirits, neither to work miracles to
dispose, or force their understandings to comprehend what I say. When iny
writings are read with attention and cool reflection (in which many things are
to be met with as hitherto unknown), it is easy enough to conclude, that I could
not come to such knowledge, but by a real vision, and by conversing w^ith those
who are in the spiritual world. As a farther proof, T beseech* their exceUencies
to peruse what is contained in my treatise on Conjugial Love, page 314 to 316.
This book is in the hands of Count de Ekeblad, and Count de Bjelke. If any
doubt shaU stUl remain, I am ready to testify with the most solemn oath that can
be offered in this matter, that I have said nothing but essential and real truth,
without any mixture of deception. This knowledge is given to me from oiu
Saviour, not for any particular merit of mine, but for the great concern of all
¦ Christians' salvation and happiness ; and as such, how can any venture to assert
it as false .' That these things may appear such as many have had no concep
tion of, and of consequence, that they cannot easUy credit, it has nothing re
markable in it, for scarce anything is known respecting them.
" If it is true, that the chanceUor has written to the consistory at Gottenburg,
in the terms which I have related from the public rumor, it wUl give occasion to
conclude, that my writmgs contain errors, and that what I have declared to be
revealed to me are falsities, which can iri nowise be proved, unless construed
into a sense I never intended. -In such a case, according to the laws on that
head, I might be arrested and shut up in prison, and all this without being heard
in my own defence. This is the motive for my having recourse to your majesty
for protection ; for since the establishment of Christianity and liberty in our coun
try, it is a thing altogether unheard of, that any person has been proceeded against
in the manner they have against me.
" On this important affair, which concerns not only my writings but also

* At that time the king only presided in the senate, to which body at large he there
fore addressed this letter.

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. ROBSAHM. 73
my person and reputation, I humbly request your majesty, that the. reverend
clergy may deliver their opinion to yourself on that matter, likewise the minutes
ofthe council which examined the writings, and the letter said to be forwarded
by the" chancellor of justice to the consistory at Gottenburg, to the intent that I
may be informed thereof, and, as well as others of your majesty's subjects, be
enabled to make a suitable reply, and heard in my own defence, possessing the
like right and privileges to require it.
" As to what relates to the Drs. Beyer and Rosen of Gottenburg, I advised
them to notfiing, but to address themselves to our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, as a means of attaining to heavenly go6d and blessedness, for he only
has power in heaven and on earth, as declared in Matthew xxviii. 18. As far as
I have been able to leam, they have said no more. This is conformable to
the Augsburg confession, the Formula Concordia, and the whole of Sacred Writ.
Yet these gentlemen have become no less objects of the most cruel persecutions
than myself, arising from the enmity of the bishop and dean of that town. I
can say the same of my writings, which I regard as another self; and that all that
this dean has laid to my charge is mere scandal and falsehood. I have farther to
entreat, that the two letters adjoining to this, which I wrote to Dr. Beyer con
cerning this bHsiness, may be read.* " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm, May 10, 1770."
" It is well known by many living witnesses, that Swedenborg, after his ex
traordinary call to be an instructor of mankind, dedicated himself entirely to the
great work which was assigned him. The future part of his life was spent,
agreeably to the high commission he had received, in studying dUigentiy the
Word of God, in opening and elucidating the great truths therein contained, and
in publishing them to his fellow-creatures, together with the important informa
tion made known to him concerning another world. ' For this purpose, he fre
quently left his native country to visit distant cities, particularly London and Am
sterdam, where all his theological works were printed by him at a great expense.
afid with little prospect or probability of a reimbursement.
" It is in the writings of the studious and contemplative that we must read
their lives, and learn what they were; and if we look at Swedenborg in this

* In Swedenborg's letter to Hartley (see p. 36), we have seen it stated, by Sweden
borg. that up to the year 1769 he had suffered no persecution in his own country, but
tliat he was on the most friendly terms with the bishops and senators, many of whom
he had frequently informed respecting his extraordinary state, as having his spiritual
sight opened, to communicate with the spiritual world. However extraordinary this
might appear to thern, they did not, on that account, treat hini with less respect ; but
as Mr. Collin observes. " he was universally esteemed for his various erudition, and for
his probity, benevolence, and general virtue." (See p. 43.) When, however, his
writings began to<De seriously read by such men as IDrs. Beyer and Koseri, and the truths
they contain, to make some impression, it was natural to expect that the spirit of oppo
sition and persecution would soon manifest itself; and no one expected this opposition
more than Swedenborg himself, who well knew, and who has often declared, that the
Doctrines of the New Church would meet with the most violent opposition from the
doctrines ofthe old church. (See, in particular, his exposition ofthe xii. chapter ofthe
Revelations.) Swedenborg, on his return to Sweden from London, after he had written
his letter to Hartley, found that the storm of excitement and persecution was being
raised against him, which occasioned this appeal to his majesty, the king of Sweden,
for protection.

74 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. I
view, we are astonished at the greatness of his labors, the extent of his know
ledge, the purity and consistency of his doctrmes, the order and perspicuity of
his discussions, all which bespeak a mind vasdy above the common sort, inde
fatigable in its exertions, profound in its researches, iUurainated and clear in its
perceptions, pious, sober, and solid in its principles.
" With respect to this highly gifted man's visions and communications with
the spiritual world, in a frequent visible -intercourse with angels and other spi
rits, they are so well known and attested both in this and other countries, that
sincere ahd weU-informed minds wiU no longer doubt of their reality ; nume
rous welLrknown instances might be adduced in confirmation of them : the fol
lowing transactions, which maybe depended on, will perhaps prove not unac-
ceptalDle to many of our readers.
"The senator. Count H6pken. and the wife of Swedenborg's gardener, have
confirmed me in the truth of the two following transactions. After the decease
of M. de Marteville, certain people came to demand a debt of his widow, of a
considerable sum of money, that they said was due to them by her deceased
husband ; this she knew was not a just demand, because she was certain it had
been paid during his life- time, yet could.not tell ¦where the acquittance was put.
In her trouble she applied to Swedenborg, who informed her the next day where
it was, telling her he had spoken with her deceased husband, who related to
him where he had put this acquittance, and that she would find it in the particu
lar place he described. The acquittance w^as found in the place Swedenborg
had named. This account was universally known, both at court and in Stock
holm, and every one related it aocording to his information.*
" Notwithstanding the number of visits that Swedenborg received from people
of all ranks, he would never receive any particular ones, and more especially
those of the female sex. without one of his domestics being present ; he also
required that his visitors should speak in the language of the country; the rea
son for which he gave was, I will have, said he, witnesses of my discourse and
conduct, that all pretences to malicious assertions and scandal may be taken
away. ' ' The foUowing fact is a proof of what I have just observed , and which I h ave
from the wife of Swedenborg's gardener. Bishop Hallenius, the successor- of
Swedenborg's father, paying a visit to Swedenborg, the discourse began on the
nature of common sermons. Swedenborg said to the bishop, among other
things : ' You insert things that are false in yours ;' on this, the bishop told the
gardener, who was present, to retire, but Swedenborg commanded him to stay.
The conversation went on, and both turned over the Hebrew and Greet Bibles,
to show the texts that were agreeable to their assertions: at length the conver-
.sation finished, by some observations tending as reproaches to the bishop on his
avarice, and various unjust actions; you have already prepared yourself a place
^in heU. said Swedenborg ; but. added he. I predict that you wUl some months
hence be attacked with a grievous Ulness, during which time the Lord will seek
to convert you. If you do then open your heart to his holy inspirations, your
conversion wiU take place. When this happens, write to me for my theological

* The other memorable transaction is that concerning the queen of Sweden. See
above p. 58.

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. ROBSAHM. 75
works, and I wUl send them to you. In short, after some months had passed,
an officer of the province and Ipishoprick of Skara came to pay a visit to Swe
denborg. On being asked how the Bishop Hallenius was ; ' He has been very
Ul,' replied the officer, 'but at present he is well recovered, and has become al
together another person, being now a practiser of what is good, full of probity.
and returns sometimes three or four fold of property, for what he had before un
justly taken into his possession.' This bishop was from that time, even to the
hour of his death, one of the greatest supporters of the Doctrine of the New
Church of the Lord, and declared openly, that the theological writings of, Swe
denborg were the most precious treasures given for the welfare of mankind.*
" Swedenborg was of a very mUd temper, yet just, and incapable of perverting
truth, for human respects or any other motive. Mr. Robsahm having asked him
if a certain curate, who was greatly esteemed in the capital on account of his
flowery sermons, and who was lately deceased, had a place in heaven ? ' No,'
said Swedenborg, ' he went directly into the abyss ; for this ecclesiastic left his
devotion in the pulpit : he was not pious, but a hypocrite, proud, and greatiy
vain of the gifts he had received from nature, and the goods of fortune he was
continually seeking to acquire. Truly, said he, false appearances will stand us
in no stead hereafter ; they were all separated from him after his decease ; the
mask has fallen off from him ; and at that period it is manifest to all, whether the
man is inwardly evU or goot^
" I met him in his carriage, when he' was going to London, on his last voyage
but one, and asked him how he durst undertake so long a voyage at the age of
eighty ; do you think, added I, that I shall see you return hither ? Be not un
easy, my friend, said he, if you live we shall see one another again, for I have
yet another voyage of this kind to make. He returned accordingly.
" The last time of his departure from Sweden, he came to see me on the day
he was to set out, and I then asked him if we should meet again. He answered
me in a tender and touching manner : ' I do not know,' said he, ' whether I shall
return; but am assured, I shall not die before I have finished, the publication of
the book, entitled True Christian Religion, and for which only I am now about
to depart. But should we not see one another again in this lower world, we
shall, in the presence of the Lord our heavenly Father, if so be. that we observe
to do his commandments.' He then took a cheerful leave, and went with an ap
parent vigor of body of a man of thirty years of age.
. " Some time before his last voyage, he had petitioned his majesty the .king,'
Adolphus Frederick, to expedite letters to the consistories of the kingdom, for
the examination of his writings, and to enjoin them to give their advice on the
contents ; but the consistories did not do it.
" The king having met Swedenborg, said, ' The consistories have been silent
on my letters and your writings ;' and, putting his hand on SwejJenborg's shoul
der, added. 'we may conclude that theyhave found pothing reprehensible in
them, and that you have written in conformity to truth.' "

A remarlcable Anecdote concerning Dr. Beyer and Emanuel Swedenborg,
" About the year 1766. Swedenborg went to Gottenburg, intending to embark
for England : when' he arrived there, he took his passage in a vessel which was

76 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
to saU in a few days. During his stay at Gottenburg. Dr. Beyer accidentally inet
with him in company, and entertaining, from report, the same sentiments with
many others in that country, with respect to his being a madman, on account
of his assertion, that he had communication with the spiritual world, he was
surprised when he observed that Swedenborg spoke very sensibly, without dis
covering any marks of that infirmity of which he was suspected ; he therefore
invited Swedenborg to dine with him the day foUowing. in company with Dr.
Rosen. After dinner, Dr. Beyer expressed a desire, in the presence of Dr. Rosen,
to hear from himself a full account of his doctrines ; upon which Swedenborg.
animated by the request, spoke so clearly, arid in so wonderful a manner, on
the subject, that the Dr. and his friend were quite astonished. , They gave him no
interruption; but when the discourse was ended. Dr. Beyer requested Sweden
borg to meet him the next day at Mr. Wenngren's and to bring with Mm a paper,
containing the substance of his discourse, in order that he might consider it
more attentively. Swedenborg can?e the day following, according to his pro
mise, and. taking the paper out of his pocket, in the presence of the other two
gentleman, he trembled, and appeared much affected, the tears flowing down
his cheeks; ;when, presenting the paper to Dr. Beyer, ' Sir,' said he. ' from this
day the- Lord has introduced you into the society of angels, and you are now
surrounded by them.' They were all greatly affected. He then took his leave.
and the next day embarked for England.
" The Dr. immediately sent for his writings, and to arrange the subjects more
distinctiy in his mind, began the Index* {Index Initialis in Opera Swedenborgii
Theologica, ^c). which, as he prepared, he sent, sheet by sheet, to Amsterdqpi to
be printed. He was thirteen years in completing that work, and on the day he
sent off the last sheet corrected, he sickened, took to his bed. and, in a few days.
it pleased the Lord to caU him to himself, to bestow on him the reward of his
useful lab ors. t
" After Dr. Beyer had read the writings of Swedenborg, he became so con
vinced of the truths contained therein, that he declared, not only to many in
dividuals among the clergy, but likewise in the public consistory, his fuU assent
to aU the doctrines revealed in those works. This was the cause of the violent
persecution he endured to the end of his life, which is, in some measure, evident
from the letters which passed between him and Emanuel Swedenborg.''^

* See above p. 55.
t,'^u''/?'^','Sn.'^^' '^"^i^^'^^x?^ °"^ °^ *^ ^''''"'¦^ °f '^« ^'^ Jerusalem Magazine,
published m 1790, from Mr. Wenngren, mentioned above, in the year 1786 who is
now living at Gottenburg, and is one of the magistrates of that place. '
if. These letters will be adduced below.

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. PROVO. n
XI.
ANECDOTES OF SWEDENBORG
WHEN IN LONDON.
COLLECTED BY MR. PROVO.*

May 2, .1787, Mr. Prove caUed on Mr. Bergstrom. who keeps the King's Arms Tavern,
in "Wellclose-square : who, in a conversation of an hour's length, related to him as fol
lows : —
" I was personaUy acquainted with Assessor Swedenborg : he frequently
called on me, and once lived ten Weeks together with me in this house ; during
which time I observed nothing in him but what was very reasonable and be
spoke the gentleman. He at that time breakfasted on coffee, ate moderately at
dinner,, and drank one or two glasses of wine after it, but never more. In the
afternoon he drank tea. but never ate any supper. He usually walked out after
breakfast, generally dressed neatly in velvet, and made a good appearance. He
was mostly reserved, but complaisant, to others. He has told me that very few
were given to see the things that he did, and that he often saw many extraor
dinary things. Mr. Springer once asked him, when at dinner here, about the
state of a person who was the occasion of Mr. Springer's being obliged to leave
Sweden, and who was deceased'; to which he answered that it was very bad,
and that he hoped his would be better. A secretary of Baron Nolken. who was
present, put an impertinent question to him of a similar kind, which he refused
to Answer, observing, that he never answered such questions as originated in
ill-wUl or malice. He commonly retired to his chamber in the evening, and
once I heard some noise from thatpart, and went to speak to him about it ; and as
he seemed rejoiced, I asked him the occasion ; when he told me that he had seen
some extraordinary things which pleased him. He told me the story about the
queen of Sweden's [Ulrica's] brother : she had secretly burnt a letter pf his to
her, sent a short time before a battle in which he was killed, and she wanted to
know some other particulars relative to the contents : Swedenborg, some days
after her application to him. returned, and told her that her brother was offend-
• These Anecdotes were inserted in the Intellectual Repository for January, 1836, by
the Rev. S. Noble, who, in a letter to tbe Editors of that work, gives the following ac
count of them : —
" Gentlemen, " In my ' .Appeal in Behalf of the Doctrines of the New Church, ^c.,' I have made
some use ofthe following Anecdotes. Except as to the extracts given there, they have
never been printed. Every authentic testimony, however, respecting the gifted indi
vidual to whom they relate, ought, I think, to be put on record in some permanent Re
pository : I therefore transmit, them for your work. The paper sent was transcribed by
me from a copy in the handwriting of the late Mr. ServantI, lent by that gentleman to
me for the purpose. He informed me that his was transcribed from a copy in the pos
session of Mr. J. A. Tulk ; who, Mr. Servant^ understood, had it from Mr. Provo him
self. Mr. Beter Provo was a respectable gentleman of the medical profession, who
published the work called ' Wisdom's Dictates.' — I am, &c. " S. Noble.
" Dec. 15, 1835."

78 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
ed that she had burnt his letter ; and as this was knovra to none but herself, she
nearly fainted at hearing it ; and was always very courteous to him afterwards.
He also related the affair of the Countess de MartevUle, from whose husband's
information, after his decease, he told her where a receipt for a sum of money
lay ; where she found it ; for which she wished to make Swedenborg a hand
some present, but he refused it. Also the story of the fire at Stockholm : and
that after he had gone out from the company , into the garden of the house at
Gottenburg, he returned, and told the company soon after, that his house and
garden were safe, and described how near the flame had come to it, though no
account from thence had then arrived. The remarkably speedy voyage that
Captain Hodson had when he carried him to Stockholm, he related to me. being
but seven days on the voyage,' and that the captain never once dropped anchor
all the time, a thing he was greatly sufprised at himself, and said that he found
Swedenborg's company so agreeable, that he was much delighted and' taken
with him. He once lived in the Minories ; and after that in Cold Bath Fields.
where I often went to see him ; and he told me, some short time before he died, '
that as it had pleased God to take away the use of his arm by a palsy, his body
was now good for nothing but to be put into the ground. I asked him whether
he would take the sacrament, and whether I should bring Mr. Fernelius, the
Swedish minister .' He said. Do : and we both returned soon after. He told the
priest to pronounce or read the blessing on it (or the consecration), and leave
the rest of the form to him, as he knew uery well what it meant and was : this
he did: and after Swedenborg had taken it, he perceived a strong degree of
heat in his face. He was quite clear in his mind at the time, and said all was
then properly done, and thanked the clergyman for attending. This was on
the Friday ; and he died on the Wednesday following. Mr. Charles Lindegren
sent his effects to Sweden.
"Mr. Mathesius was an opponent of Swedenborg, and said that he was
lunatic, &c. ; but it is rema,rkable that he went lunatic himself, which happened
publicly one day when he was in the Swedish Church, and about to preach ; I
was there, and saw it : he has been so ever since, and sent back to Sweden,
where he now is: this was about four years ago. In general, Swedenborg kept
retired', and sought to avoid company, and a knowledge of where he was.
Some of his friends here spoke against him. and some were for him: for my
own part, I'think he was a reasonable, sensible, and good man : he was very
kind to aU, and generous to me. As for his peculiar sentiments, I do not meddle
with them. I do not know of any of his manuscripts being left here; and as
for his books, I think Mr. Lindegren can best teU what was done with them,'
who is at present in the Royal Exchange Assurance Office. Swedenborg re
ceived his remittances from him. He always appeared to have money suffi
cient for him. A Mr. GriU, in Dunster-court, Mincing-lane, also knows some
thing of him. I do not remember seeing any books in his chamber, and. not
understanding Latin, I never read any of his works."
" Mr. Cookworthy related to Mr. Pro,vo,in 1778, that hehad been with Mr.
Hardey to see Swedenborg in Cold Bath Fields, a few years before he died, and
that he was near two hours with him, and well satisfied with his company. A
person was there who objected to some things that Swedenborg said, and
argued the point in his way; to which Swedenborg said. ' I converse with an-

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. PROVO. 79
gels, or receive information from them, about such things :' which offended that
person ; though Mr. Cookworthy saw that it was the most f&rcible argument
that could have been used ; and as a proof of his approbation of the'testimony,
he afterwards published the first edition of the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, which
cost £100.
" In 1781, Mr. Hartley related to Mr. Provo. that he had been with Sweden
borg in Cold Bath Fields several times; that he was a kind and sensible man,
and had something so loving and taking in his manner as highly delighted
those he spoke with : but what his sentiments of him were, may be seen in the
prefaces to the works on Influx, Heaven and- Hell, and Universal Theology; and
by his executing the translation'of the Heaven and Hell, when near seventy years
of age. and subject to many bodily infirmities, solely from a desire to render the
work public for the general good of the Tjvorld.
" Mrs. Lewis [an advertisement at the end of the Delitia Sapientia, Sfc, states
that the works are sold by Mr. Lewis. Paternoster Row. and Mr. Hart (see the
following article), in Poppin's- court. Fleet- street,] told Mr. Provo, about the year
1778, that she thought Swedenborg a good and sensible man, but that it appeared
to her that he was too apt to spiritualize things (when speaking of their corres
pondence). She said he was very abstemious, and lived chiefly on almonds
and raisins.
"Mr. Hart related to Mr. Provo, about the year 1779, that he thought Swe
denborg a remarkable nfan. for whUst he was abroad, old Mr. Hart, his father,
died in London. On Swedenborg's return he went to spend an evening at Mr.
Hart's house, in Poppin's-courc. After being let in at the street ddor. he was
told that his old friend, Mr. Hart, was dead ; to which he replied. ' I know that
very well, for I saw him in the spiritual world whilst I was in HoUand, at such
a time [near the time he died, or soon after] ; also whilst coming over in the
packet to England : he is not now in heaven,' continued he, ' but is coming
round, and in a good way to do w^ell.' This much surprised the widow and
son, for they knew that he was just come over, and they said that he was of
such a nature that he could impose on no one, that he always spoke the
truth concerning every little matter, and would not have made any evasion
though his life had been at stake. Mr. Hart, the father, printed all the Arcana
Calestia, in Latin ; Swedenborg was fond of his company, and often went to
spend an evening there : he used to take particular notice of Mr. Hart's little
girl, whom Mr. Provo saw at the time, then about ten years old.
" Mr. Burkhardt, a Swede, and formerly clerk to the' Swedish Chapel here,
told Mr. Provo. in 1783, that he knew Swedenborg, and was present once when
he dined in London with some of the Swedish clergy ; he said that some argu
ment passed between Swedenborg and one- of them concerning the Lord, and
the nature of man's duty of life to him, and that Swedenborg overthrew the
tenets of his opponent, who appeared but a chUd to him in knowledge. Mr.
Burkhardt added, that Swedenborg was a holy, good man, much given to ab
straction of mind ; that even when walking out he sometimes seemed as if in
private prayer, and latterly took but littie notice of things and people in the
streets. After his decease he was carried to this person's house, and buried
from thence.

80 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" In 1785, Mr. Keene went down into the vault of the Swedish Chapel, and
saw his coffin, which lies next to Dr. Solander's."

In connexion with these anecdotes of Swedenborg during his residence in London,
we insect the first public advertisement of his writings which was in 1750:
" Paternoster-Row. Feb; 5. 1750.
" Advertisement, by John Lewis, printer and pubUsher, in Paternoster-Row,
near Cheapside, London. Beit known unto all the learned and curious, that
this day is published, the first number of Arcana Calestia, or Heavenly Secrets,
which are in the Sacred Scriptures, or Word of the Lord, laid open ; as they are
found in the xvi. chapter of Genesis : together with the wonderfiU things that
have been seen in the world of spirits, and in the heaven of angels.
" This work is intended to be such an exposition of the w^hole Bible as vtras
never attempted in any language before. The author is a learned foreigner,
who wrote and printed the first volume of the same work but last year, all in
Latin, which may be seen at my shop in Paternoster-Row, as above-mentioned,
" And now the second volume is printing, both in Latin and English ; to he
published in cheap nunibers, that the public may have it in an easier manner,
in either tongue, than in whole volumes.
" It must be confessed that this nation abounds with a variety of commen
taries and expositions on the Holy Bible ; yet when we consider what an inex
haustible fund of knowledge the Sacred Scripture contains, the importance of
the subjects it treats of, and the vast concern every man has in those things they
relate and recommend, we may cease to wonderthat so many ingenious pens
have been employed in sounding the depths of this vast ocean ; and he must be
a very dull writer indeed, who does not find a pretty large number of readers of
any work he may publish of this kind. I would be far from depreciating the
merit of any man's performance, nay. I will allow, that it is owing to the labors
of learned and pious men. in their disquisitions after truth in the Bible, that we
of this kingdom have been enabled to discern truth from error, and to know
more of the mind and wUl of God in his Word, than the priests of Rome were
wiUing we should. Yet give me leave to add. that these sacred writings are
capable of speaking to the heart and understanding of man, by more ways than
have been thought of, or put into practice ; and he who can discover new
treasures in these sacred mines, and produce from them such rich jewels as
were never yet seen by the eye of man. wiU undoubtedly challenge our strictest
attention, and deserve encouragement in his pious labors. This, then, may be
said of our author. He has struck out a new path through this deep abyss,
which no man ever ti:od before ; he has left all the commentators and expositors
to stand on their own footing; he neither meddles nor interferes with any of
them ; his thoughts are aU his own ; and the ingenious and sublime turn he
has given to everything in the Scriptures, he has copied from no man; and
therefore, even in this respect, he has some tifle to the regard of the ingenious
and learned world.
" It is true, when a reader comes to peruse his work, if he expects to under
stand him with a slight and cursory reading, he wiU find himself greatly mis-

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS WRITING'S. 81
taken ; his thoughts are too sublime and lofty to be surveyed with a weak or a
wanton eye ; his language is quite different from the common modes of speech;
and his sense is sometimes so deep and profound, as not to be readUy appre
hended by a common understanding. Whoever, therefore, takes this book in
hand, and finds passages in it not easUy intelligible, let him not throw it by as a
thing of no value, nor content himself with a bare perusal; but let him read it
over and over again ; let him study the drift and design of the author ; and I
will answer for it, that the more and oftener he reads it, the more instruction
and delight he will receive from it. The author has a depth, which, if once
fathomed (and it is not iinfathomable), wUl yield the noblest repast to a pious
mind But if any one imagines that I say this to puff a book, in the sale of
which my interest is so nearly concerned, any gentieman is welcome to peruse
it at my shop, and to purchase it or not, as his own judgment shall direct him.
" Nothing recommends a boot more effectually to the public than the emi
nence and credit of its author : nothing is more notorious, than that a weak per
formance, if it appears under a great name, shall be better received in the world
than the most sublime and ingenipus productions of an obscure person : so that
it is not merit but prejudice that generally governs the judgment ef men.
"Though the author of Arcana Calestiais undoubtedly avery learned and great
man. and his works-highly esteemed by the literati, yet he is no less distinguish
ed for his modesty than his great talents, so that he will not suffer his name to
be made public* But though I am positively forbid to discover that, yet I hope
he wiU excuse me if I venture to mention his benign and generous qualities.
How he bestowed his time and labors in former years, I am not certainly
informed (though I have heard by those who have been long acquainted
with him, that they were employed in the same manner as I am going to
relate) : but what I have been an eye-witness to, I can declare with certain
truth ; and therefore I do aver, that this gentieman; with indefatiga^e pains
and labor, spent one whole year in studying and writing the first volume
of Arcana Calestia, was at the expense of two hundred pounds to print it^
and also advanced two hundred pounds more for the printing of this second
volume ; and when he had done this, he gave express orders, that all the money
that should arise in the sale of this large work should be given towards the
charge of the propagation of the gospel. He is so far from desiring to make a
gain of his labors, that he wiU not receive one farthing back ofthe four hundred
pounds he has expended ; and for that reason his works wUl come exceedingly
cheap to the public.
" I further declare. I have not the least reason in tHe world to believe him a
bigot to any mode or method of religion ; I know not what community he be
longs to, or whether he belongs to any : if any one can guess by his writings.
he knows where to find them. But it matters not what or who the person is
that writes, if his writings are founded on truth, ant^agreeable to such learned
men as are competent judges of theni. The deepest and most learned, as well
as the most valuable pieces, are sometimes misunderstood and rejected for many
* Swedenborg did not desire to have his own name prominently exhibited in connex
ion with the great cause he was the instrument of advocating ; he did not wish to be
come the head or leader of a sect ; he addressed his writings to all denominations of
Christians, and desired his readers to see the truth from its inherent light, and not be
cause it was advocated by some dignified and celebrated name.
6

82 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
years, even by learned men themselves ; to instance only three performances out
of the many that might be produced, viz., Locke on the Human Understanding,
Milton's Paradise Lost, and Prideaux's Connection of the Old and New Testament.
Those who have been conversant with books, especiaUy in the trading way,
cannot be ignorant of the difficulties these valuable pieces have.met with in
making their way into the world : and it is as remarkable now to observe, how
they have been called for and admired for many years past.
'= How this great work of Arcana Calestia wUl succeed in the world, is impossi
ble at present to determine. If all inen of learning were of the same mind with
theingenious and pious Mr. Penny, of Dartmouth, we nied not fear success ;
for, in his letter to me, on the publication of the first volume, are these following
words : ' I have long ardentiy wished to see the historical part of the Old Testa
ment, which seems only to regard the Jewish dispensation (and upon that ac
count is too lightiy regarded by the major part of the present Christian world),
proved to be as delightful, instructive, and as necessary for the knowledge of
Christians as the New. This Arcana Calestia gives me fullest satisfaction of.' &c.
A copy of this letter was printed at large in the Daily Advei-tiser of Christmas-
day. 1749. Now this delightful, instructive, and necessary knowledge cannot
be expected from this part of Holy Writ, unless the historical part of the Old
^ Testament be allegorized in some such manner as our Latin author has here
done it. And the great and learned, as well as the inspired Apostle Paul, clearly
give encouragement to this way of writing. (Gal. iv. 24 ) And our author nei
ther rejects, nor disturbs the literal sense by his allegorical exposition.
" Soon after the publication of Mr. Penny's letter before-mentioned, a grave,
judicious, and learned gentleman was pleased to call at one of the bookseUer's
where this famous Latin book was appointed to be sold : and when he had cast
his eye over part of the work, he inquired who the author was ; but being told
that the author would not be known, ' WeU,' said the gentieman, ' I confess that
at these years I am not fond of new acquaintance, but should be extremely glad
to have some conversation with him ; for,' continued he, with great earnestness,
* I never saw, nor heard, nor read of so surprising a man in all my days !'
^' Any one of small judgment may guess at the cheapness of the work, when
he finds that six hundred and forty quarto pages, in Latin, of the first volume,
^ are sold for no more than six shUlings unbound. But fliis second volume,
which is now publishing in Latin and English, will be unaccountably cheap, as
any one may conclude, even by the postage of the Latin copy from abroad : for
the bare postage of this first number cost no less tiian twelve shiUings, and now
it is printed, does make fifty-two quarto pages in the English tongue; and all to
he sold for no more than eight-pence, which is not half the price that such
a quantity of paper and print is generally sold for. The postage of the second
number came to eighteen shiUings ; and that ofthe third amounted to one pound
two shiUings ; and yet thes^e two numbers are to be sold for no more than nine-
pence each ; so that from hence it is easy to imagine how cheap the whole wUl
be. especially when printed in such a grand and pompous manner at so low a ¦
price. But it is the generous author's absolute command that it should be so,
who. it is plain, wants neither purse nor spirit to carry on his laudable imder-
*aking. " As the copy comes from a foreign country, and as one number may contain

FIRST RECEPTION OF HIS WRITINGS. 83
neariy double the quantity of another, it is utteriy impossible to fix a certain
regular time for the publication of each. But this the pubUc may be assured of
that when a fresh number is published, it shall be advertised in the newspapers.
Those who are pleased to give their orders to the news-carriers. wiU have every
number as certainly as though they were apprised of the certain time of its com
ing out. And the price will be printed on the titie of each English number (and
every Latin number, will be of the same price with the English), so that the
readers may be sure that they wiU not be imposed upon; for sometimes the
bulk of the book wiU plainly appear to be worth five times as much as will be
required for it.
".Those who are so happy as to be weU acquainted with the Latin tongue,
wUl be highly delighted with the author's elegant and sublime language."

First Reception of the Writings of Swedenborg,*
The first volume ofthe Arcana Cmlestia, containing tho explanation ofthe first fifteen
chapters of Genesis, was pubUshed in London, in the. Latin language, in the year 1749,
and was the earliest of Swedenborg's theological works. Our readers will not be dis
pleased to see the following lelter,t from, probably, the first person who embraced the
truths it contains, expressing the satisfaction he derived from it. Though not a docu
ment of any decided importance, it is interesting as a curiosity, and as evincing that the
truths of the New Church found some receivers on their very first publication. This
letter was sent to the Daily Advertiser, formerly a popular newspaper, of Christmas-
day. 1749, by the publisher ofthe work, and is introduced by his business-like note, to
the Editor, as follows: — „.»..
" Sir, " If you will insert the following letter in your paper, it may induce the curious
in the learned world, to peruse a work very entertaining and pleasant, and oblige,
" Sir, yours, &c. " John Lewis.
" ' To Mr. John Lewis, in Paternoster-Row, Cheapside. London.
" ' Dartmouth, October 15. 1749.
" ' Mr,. John Lewis,
" ' Sir. — Accidentally reading the advertisement of the Arcana Calestia, excited
by the oddness of the title, I presently ordered my friend in London to send me
one. The extraordinary degree of pleasure the reading of it has given me, and
the yet more expected from what more is to be published, induces me to request
advice as often as any new publication happens, which I apprehend to be de
signed annually. My reason for troubling you, is, because I very rarely see any
of the public papers, and, consequently, future advertisements may escape my
knowledge ; which, I hope wUl excuse me.
" ' I have long ardentiy wished to see the historical part of the Old Testament..
which seems only to regard the Jewish dispensation (and upon that account is-
too lightiy regarded by the major part of the present Christian world), proved to
be as delightful, instructive, and as necessary for the knowledge of Christians as
the New. This the Arcana Calestia gives me the fullest satisfaction of. But the
* See Intellectual Repository for 1826, p. 179. t Mentioned above p. 82.

84 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
iUumuied author, whoever he is, ( is it Mr. Law .') must expect a considerable
army of gown-men t6 draw their pens against him : it is a blessing their power
is prescribed within impassable bounds.
" ' The favor of a Une in answer, to know what dependance I may make upon
you, wUl very much oblige. Sir. your most humble servant, " ' Stephen Penny.
" 'P.S. Perhaps the author was concerned in the publication of Mr. Hutchin
son's works ? Has he published any other work, and at what price ?' "
To this the bookseller appends the following notice :
"This large Latin book is neatiy printed in 4to. ; and sold by Mr. Nourse, at
the Lamb, opposite Katharine-street, in the Strand ; Mr. Ware, at the Bible on
Ludgate-hiU ; and by John Lewis, printer of the same, as above-mentioned :
price 6s. unbound."

Connected with those who knew something of Swedenborg personally, was the late
- Mr. Servante. who was the principal editor of the New Jerusalem Magazine, published
in 1790. This testimony is chiefly valuable on account of the portrait of Swedenborg
in advanced age, engraved by Martin, the fidelity of which is singularly proved. As
Mr. Servante was one of the earliest promoters of the doctrines of the Ne^v Church,
we shall adduce the brief memoir concerning him, which, soon after his death, was
inserted in the Intellectual Repository for 1817. p. 514: —
" On the 23d August. 1817. in his 76th year, died Mr. Henry Servant^. As a
member of the New Church, he was, in London, one of the earliest promoters
of its doctrines. Having been, many years since, engaged in the publication of
the New Jerusalem Magazine, a work which contains much interesting and useful
information. As a true Christian, he endured with patient and pious resigna
tion his share of those trials and sufferings which are experienced to be so high
ly conducive to the regenerate life. Beloved and respected as he was by his
relatives and friends, to whom his exemplary mUdness and humUity had endear
ed him, they cannot faU to blend the tear of tender regret, with their sincere con-
gtatulations on his advancing state. He was amiable in his life, and expired
with littie or no previous iUness. as in the sweetness of sleep, without a struggle
or a sigh.
" Mr. Servantfe was descended from a respectable family in the south of France.
a branch of which fled to this country, on the revocation of the edict of Nantz,
to preserve the freedom of their religious sentiments. He had himself been
from his youth a smcere seeker after religious truth, and had undergone severe
anxieties in consequence of not being able to obtain the satisfaction which he
wanted : but at length meeting, by apparent accident, witii one of tiiose parts of
the second volume of the Arcana, which were published m English at the same
time as the Latin original, his former doubts were instantiy removed, and tiie
light of truth shone at once into his mind, bringing with it a clearness of con-
viotion which was never afterwards obscured, but was more and more iUusti^ted
to tiie day of hisdecease. The reader may also feel an mterest in bemg inform
ed, that he .was one of the last remaining individuals who remembered the per
son of Swedenborg, though at the time he saw him he did not know him. He

DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. 85
was once passing along St. John's-street. London, in the neigborhood of which''
Swedenborg lodged, when he met an old gentieman of a dignified and most vene
rable appearance, whose deeply thoughtful yet mUdly expressive countenance,
added to something very unusual in his general air, attra,cted his attention very
forcibly : he turned ipund, therefore, to take another view of the stranger, who
also turned round and looked again at him. Some years afterwards, when Mr.
Servants had received the truth in the manner above stated, he called on Mr.
Hindmarsh for some of the writings; when seeing in that gentleman's parlor a
portrait of the author, he instantly recognized in it the venerable stranger whose
appearance had so much interested him. The portrait which he saw was
copied from the print engraved by Martin, representing Swedenborg in advanced
age, the fidelity of which is thus singularly proved."

XII.
REFUTATION OF THE FALSE REPORT
THAT SWEDENBORG,
A FEW HOtTRS BEFORE HIS DEATH,
HAD RETRACTED HIS WRITINGS.

This report was first propagated in Holland; it was not heard of till several years
after Swedenborg's death.' As the receivers of Swedenborg's writings in Holland *ere
greatly concerned to hear this report, especially as it was said to have emanated from
the persons at whose house Swedenborg lodged and died, and they wrote to Mr. Robert
Hindmarsh, in London, requesting him immediately to inquire ofthe persons in ques
tion,- who were still living, and to ascertain whether the report were true or false. The
following is Mr. Hindmarsh's letter, in reply to the inquiry from Holland, together with
the, aflidavit, taken before the Lord Mayor of London, by Mr. and Mrs. Shearsmith, at
whose house Swedenborg died :
" Sir, " I am in possession of the most authentic proof of the falsity of the report
you mentioned to have g0,ined credit in HoUand, regarding Baron Swederjborg's
having disowned, or retracted, his doctrines and communications when he was
drawing near his end. The persons in whose house he lived, and where he
died, upon being told this cfrcumstance, freely offered, of their own accord, to
take their oaths before a magistrate, that the whole of the said report is totally
void of foundation, to the best of their knowledge . You wUl see this accordingly
confirmed by the enclosed document, sworn to in the presence of the Lord Mayor
of this city, and of which you are at full liberty to make whatever use you may
think proper, in order to destroy the infiuence of so malevolent an insinuation.
Allow me to add here, what I have further learnt from Mr. Springer, a Swedish
gentleman residing here, and a very intimate friend, as you may have heard, of
Swedenborg's :— ' When the deceased found his end approaching, and expressed
a wish to have the communion administered to him, somebody present at the

86 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
time proposed sending for Mr. Mathesius, the officiating minister of the Swedish
church. This person was known to be a professed enemy of Swedenborg, and
had set his face against his writings : it was he that raised and spread the false
account of Swedenborg's having been deprived of his senses. Swedenborg
therefore declined taking the sacrament from him, and aetually received it from
the hands of another ecclesiastic of his own country, named Fernelius. who at
that time was a reader of Swedenborg's writings, and is said to have continued
to do so ever since, at Stockholm, where he is now living; and I have been
assured that, on this occasion, Swedenborg expressly exhorted him to continue
steadfast in the truth.'
" Mr. Mathesius is said to have become insane himself, a short time after this ;
and becoming thereby incapable of his function, has existed ever since, in that
melancholy state, upon the king of Sweden's bounty.
" Mr. Springer further says, ' That a short time before his death, Swedenborg
had his spiritual or internal sight withdrawn from him, after having been favored
with it during so long a course of years : that he was under the greatest tribula
tion of mind on that account, calling out. " 0 my God ! hast thou then at last
abandoned thy servant .'" This seems to have been the last of Swedenborg's trials.
He continued several days in that deplorable condition ; but at length recovered
his spiritual or internal sight. He was then comforted again, and became happy
as before.'
" Mr. Springer received this assurance from Swedenborg's own mouth ; and
all I write now is from an exact copy of part of a letter written by Mr. Springer
himself — I remain, &o., " Robert Hindjiar sh.
" London, Nov. 28, 1786." Affidavit referred to in the above Letter,
"Richard Shearsmith. of Coldbath Fields, London, peruke-maker, and Eliza
beth Shearsmith, formerly Reynolds, his present wife, jointly and severally make
oath, and say. That the late Honorable Emanuel Swedenborg came to lodge a
second time at his, this deponent's, house. No. 26 Coldbath Fields, aforesaid, in
the month of July or August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-one, and
continued to lodge there untU his death, which happened the twenty-ninth of
March following. That a short time before Christmas, one thousand seven
hundred and seventy-one, he had a paralytic stroke, which deprived him of his
speech, and occasioned his lying in a lethargic state for three weeks and up
wards, during the whole of which time he took no sustenance whate.ver, except
a littie tea without milk, and cold water occasionally ; and once, about two tea-
spoonsful of red currant jelly. That about the expiration of three weeks from
the time he was so struck, he recovered his speech and health a little, and eat
and drank toast, tea, and coffee, as usual. That from that time to the time of
his death he was visited but by a very few friends only, and always seemed un
wiUing to see company. That about a month before he died, he told this de
ponent, then Elizabeth Reynolds, spinster, who was then a servant to her fellow-
deponent and Mrs. Shearsmith her then mistress, that he should die on a par
ticular day, which to the best of her recollection and belief, happened on the
day he had foretold. That about a fortnight or three weeks before he died, he re-

I CONFIRMATION OF SHEARSMITH'S TESTIMONY. 87
ceived the sacfament'in bed from tJie hands of a foreign clergyman, and enjoyed
a sound mind, memory, and understanding to the last hour of his life. That
about five o'clock on Sunday the twenty-ninth day of March, he asked her,
this deponent, and her then mistress, who were sitting by his bed-side, what
o'clock it was ; and upon their answering him that it was about five o'clock, he
repUed, 'That is good, I thank you, God bless you,' or to that effect; and in
about ten minutes after, he heaved a gentle sigh, and expired in the most tranquil
maimer. And these deponents jointly and severally on their oath declare, that,
to the best of their recoUection and belief, no person whatever visited him, either
the day before, or the day on which he died. And these deponents positively
declare that they never did. either directly or indirectly, say or assert to any
person or persons whatsoever, that the said Emanuel Swedenborg had, a few
hours before his death, retracted or contradicted any part of his writings, as has
been falsely reported; nor did they ever hear him, nor do they believe he ever
did, say a word that expressed or implied such an idea; nor were these depo
nents ever asked a question relative to that circumstance, by any person or per
sons whatsoever, until the twenty-second day of October last, when Mr. Thomas
Wright, of the Poultry, London, watchmaker, and Mr. Robert Hindmarsh, of
Clerkenwell-close, printer, called upon"them to inquire into the truth or false
hood of such report, which these deponents then declared to them, and now
again on their oaths declare, to be a false and groundless report.
'.' Richard Shearsmith,
" Sworn at the GuUdhall, London, the 24th day " Elizabeth Shearsmith.
of November, 1785, before me,
" T. Wright, Mayor."
The above affidavit was 'translated into French, and printed at the Hague ; by which
means the false report that had gained credit there was completely refuted, and the
enemies of truth were effectually silenced.

The above testimony confirmed by Mr. B, Chastanier,
" As a strong confirmation of the above testimony, I. Benedict Chastanier.
surgeon. No. 62 Tottenham-court-road, am happy in being able to declare, that
the late Rev. Mr. Hartley* declared to me. on the very first visit he paid me in
1778. at my house, then in Grafton-street, Soho, that three or four days before
Swedenborg's death, he, together with Dr. Messiter,t waited on him, and in the
Doctor's presence, earnestly pressed him openly to declare, whether all he had
written was strictly true, or whether any part, or parts thereof wfere to be ex
cepted. 'I have written,' answered Swedenborg, in avery emphatic manner,
' nothing hut the truth, as you will have it more and more confirmed hereafter all ihe days
of your life, provided you always keep close to the Lord, and faithfully serve Him alone,
in shunning evils of all kinds as sins against Him, and diligently searching His Holy
Word, which from beginning to end bears incontestible testimony to the truth of ihe doc
trines I have delivered to the world.' — Dr. Messiter, lately deceased, has also more

* See above p. 37. f See above p. 44.

88 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
than once affirmed to me this plain declaration of his intimate friend, Mr. Hart
ley. As witness my hand this 9th of May, 1790: " Benedict Chastanier."*

XIII.
ANECDOTES OF SWEDENBORG
WHILE
IN HOLLAND.

Swedenborg was well known at Amsterdam, having published many of his works in
that city. A gentleman, named D. Paulus ab Indagine,t has left several things on re
cord concerning Swedenborg, which, although not of much importance, and. in some
respects, evidently erroneous, we shall here adduce. The following is an extract from
a letter which D. P. ab Indagine addressed to Swedenborg, dated March S, 1769 .- —
" yir doctissime, celeberrimeque ! [Most learned and celebrated Man.]
" I have thoroughly examined the principles of your system. You rest your
principal proofs on what you maintain you have seen.| You relate wonderful
things, which you assert you have heard and seen. Hitherto you have published
works On the Last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon ; On Heaven and Hell;
On the White Horse ; On the Earths in tlie Universe ; On the Wisdom of Angels, &c.
The Arcana Calestia, your most extensive work, consisting of eight parts, I have
not yet been able to meet with, and, of course, have not read.§ More writings
of this kind have appeared. You have sent. I am informed, a copy to all the
bishops of England; but not one has given himself the trouble to confute them.
The Dutch have criticised one of your last works, entitied Conjugial Love, &c., with
much care, and with a praiseworthy modesty. The critic at Amsterdam whh-
holds his judgment and his final decision, untU he has seen the complete work,
which, you. promise, shall appear within two years. ' We expect, therefore.'
says the reviewer. ' a greater development, and a fuller iUustiration. which, we
doubt not, wUl appear in due time. In the mean time,' says he. at the conclu
sion of his remarks. ' the divines, in our opinion, can spare themselves the
trouble of refuting the id6as of this extraordinary man.'
" Your last work you have distributed amongst the divines of aU sects m tiiis
city, not only amongst the Reformed, but also amongst the Roman Catiiolics;
you have also advertised it in other cities, and in the otiier universities of Hol
land. Far be it from me to place limits to the divine omnipotence ; I lay for the

* See New Jerusalem Magazine, 1790, p. 226.
t This individual is described in collateral documents, as being a highly respectable
and learned man, resident at Amsterdam.
t This is by no means the case ; all the proofs of his doctrines are based unon the
Word of God, and. enlightened reason. '^
§ This does not comport with what he says in the first sentence, " I have thoioughlv "
Slc, since the principles of his system are chiefly developed in this his most extensive
work.

ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY D. P. AB INDAGINE. 89
.present, my metaphysics andfrny psychology aside, in order that I may not do
injustice to a venerable man of eighty.six* years and upwards, who is a learned
man, and of an excellent and upright character; and I would by no means de
tract anything from his merits. I wiU, therefore, admit, that it has pleased the
Lord to manifest himself to you, and to send you to teach something new.' which
the church and the whole human race have hitherto not known ; yea, I wUl
admit, that you are permitted to be in the spiritual world with angelss and, at
the same time, to dwell in this, world with men, and this already for twenty-five
years ; but. n^y dear friend, why do you not convince the unbelieving world of
this your peculiar calling ?
" It is reported, that you have related, word for word, from the world of spir
its, the conversation which the queen of Sweden formerly held in this world
with her brother, the king and prince of Prussia, at Charlottenburg, near Berlin 5
and that the queen, who well knew that no one was present at this secret con
versation, and that, consequently, not a word of it could be repeated by any
person living, was compelled to admit, that you had ascertained the most particu
lar circumstances of this conversation, and must certainly have had an inter
view with her deceased brother. It is weU known that men, in general, are
very attentive to wonderful things, and very desirous of knowing them. Various
friends have told me of this occurrence, and many, whom I have heard relate if,
have added to it something of their own ; but that this remarkable occurrence
did happen, you yourself have told me ; and why do you not make it publicly
Imown to the unbelieving world ? Truth seems to require this of you ; you have
the queen, and the king, as well, for witnesses ; and they, no doubt. wUl not
refuse to give their testimony."t ,
The Swedish Documents, p. 104. give extracts from letters written by this respectable
man at Amsterdam, who was acquainted with Swedenborg. and contain certain things
which he communicates to an intimate friend at Hamburg. In his first letter, dated
Jan. 26. 1771, he says, amongst other things —
" You ask me what this venerable old man (Swedenborg) is now doing ? This
I can tell you ; he eats and drinks very moderately, but keeps his chamber rather
long, and thirteen hours appear to be not too much for him.f Whd!i I informed
him, that his work On the Earths in the Universe had been translated and pub
lished, he was much delighted, and his eyes which are always smiling, became
StiU more brUliant. He is now indefatigably at work ; yea, I must say, that he
* This is a mistake, since Swedenborg was only eighty-four when he died.
t Such testimonies have been given ; and the queen herself testified several times to
the truth of this occurrence. But Swedenborg's doctrine, which contains the develop
ment of spiritual truths, could not, be demonstrated by miraculous phenomena ; nor
does it stand in need of stupefying miracles, which, for the time their influence contin
ues, deprives a man of the use of his freedoni and rationality. It rests upon interior
grounds — upon Soripture and reason ; and- the miraculous experience which Sweden
borg and others may have bad, only serves as a confirmation. Those extraordinary oc
currences could, indeed, demonstrate that he was in a condition to experience things in
the other world ; but, as they could by no means prove his doctrine, he consequently re
fused to record them, and lo appeal to them as proofs of his doctrine : and this he no
doubt told D. P. ab Indagine ; for we find, that he afterwards conversed much with'
him when at Amsterdam. — Tafel,
:); It must be observed, that his time was not all consumed in sleep, but a great por
tion of it in meditation and spiritual intercouise, when he would, of course, prefer being
secluded from the world. — Tafel,
7

90 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Ikbors in a ihost astonishing and superhuman manner at his new v^ork. Only
think ! for every printed sheet (4to.) he has to prepare four sheets of manuscript ;
he now prints two sheets eVery week, and corrects them himself, and conse-.
quentiy he has to write eight sheets every week ; and what appears to me utterly
inconceivable, fee has not a single line beforehand in store.* His work is to
¦consist, as he himself states, of about eighty sheets in print; and he has calcu
lated that it vOTll not be finished before Michselmas. The titie of this work is
the foUowing ; ' True Christian Religion, containing the Universal Theology of the
New Church, predicted by the Lord in Daniel, chapj viii- 1,3.14. and in the Apocalypse,
chap. xxii. 1. 2, by Emanuel Swedenborg, servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.' I
could not. in my open manner, conceal my astonishment, that he should put
himself upon the titie-page as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. But he re
plied. ' I have asked, and have not only received permission, but have been
ordered to do so.' It is astonishing with what confidence the old gentieman
speaks ofthe spiritual -W-orld. of the angels, and of God himself. If I were only
to give you the substance of our last conversation, I should fill many pages.;
He spoke of naturalists (those who ascribe all things to nature), whom he had
seen shortly after their death, and amongst whom were even many theologians,
or such, at least, as had made theology their profession in this' life. He told me
mings Which made me shudder, but Which, however, I pass by. in order not to
be ovet hasty in my judgment respecting him. I wiU willingly admit, that I
know not what to make of him ; he is a problem that I cannot solve. I sincerely
Wish, that upright men, whom God has placed as watchmen upon the walk of
Zion, had some time since occupied themselves with this mem."
The Swedish Documents mention also another letter^ written by the same person,
addressed toi a respectable merchant at Hamburg, dated March 5, 1771 ; in which he
says, amongst other things — ¦
" I cannot forbear to teU you something new about Swedenborg. Last Thurs
day, I paid liim a visit, and found him, as usual, writing. He told me, ' that he
had been in conversation that same morning, for three hours, with the deceased
king of Sweden. He had seen him already on the Wednesday ; but, as he ob
served that he was deeply engaged in conversation with the queen, who is stUl
living, he would nbt disturb him.' 1 ^Uowed him to continue, but, at length,
asked him, how it was possible for a person, who is still in the land of the liv
ing, to be met with in the worid of spirits .= He replied. ' that it was not tiie
queen herself, but her spiritus familiaris, or her fajjiiliar spirit.' I asked him what
that might be ? for I had, neither heard from him anything respecting aptiear-
ances of that kind, nor had I read anything about them. He then mformed me-
' that every man has either his good or bad spirit, who is not only constantiy
witii him.t but sometimes a littie removed from him, and appears in tiie world

* This is a mistake ; for Swedenborg had contemplated his last work several' years
before he printed it. He first p«bhshed, in 1769. the Summaria Expositio Doctrina
Novce EctltSKB, ire, as a forerunner to the work in question. He had written it at home
and brouBht it to Amsterdam to be published, after having been at Paris for that pur'
pose, (feee below p 6l.) He.no doubt, revised the MS. as he sent it, sheet by sheet,
to the press, and probably made addmons and alterations, and this might lead Ab Inda
gine to suppose that he composed it immediately before it was sent to press
t" Every roan has his associate spirit; and every man attracts to himself a spirit
1"t! C.*°fi. /sof s^also 1 cTsiVr '° '^' P^'^^P'^"" °' ^^^ understanding."

ANECDOTE RESPECTING HIS VISIT TO PARIS. 91
of spirits. But of this the mailf still living knows nothing ; the spirit, however,
knows everything. This familiar spirit has everythmg in accordance with his
corhpanion upon earth ; he has, in the world of spirits, the same figure, the same
countenance, and tlie same tone of voice, and wears also similar garments ; in
a word, this /a/nitor spirit ofthe queen.' said Swedenborg. ' appeared exactly as
he had so often seen the queen herself at Stockholm, and had heard her speak.'
In order to allay my astonishment, he added, ' that Dr. Ernesti,* of Leipzig, had
appeared to him, in a similar manner, in the world of spirits, and that he had
held a long disputation with him.' What will this learned professor say. when
he comes to hear of it .' Probably he wUl say. that the old man is in his second
chUdhood ; he wiU only laugh at it. and who can be surprised ? I have often
wondered at myself, how I could refrain from laughing, when I was hearing such
extraordinary things from him. And what is more, I have often heard him re
late the same things in a numerous company of ladies and gentiemen, when I
weU knew that there were mockers amongst them ; but, 'to my great astonish
ment, not a single person e'ven thought of laughing. WhUst he is speaking, it is
as though every person who hears him were charmed, and compelled to be
Ueve him. He is by no means reserved and recluse, but open-hearted, and ac
cessible to aU. Whoever invites him as his guest, niay expect to see him. A
certain young gentleman invited him last week to be his guest, and although he
was not acquainted with him, he appeared at his table, where he met Jewish
and Portuguese gentiemen, with whom he freely conversed, without distinction.
Whoever is curious to see him has no difficulty ; it is only necessary to go to his
house, and he allows anybody to approach him. It can easily be conceived,
however, that the numerous visits, to which he is liable, deprive him of much
time. — I am, &c., " D. P. &b Indagine."

With respect to the work above mentioned, entitled " Universal Theology of the True
Christian Religion, ^c," which was the last that Swedenborg himself superintended
through the press, it may be proper here to observe, that it was Swedenborg's intention
to have this work printed and published at .P.'.ris, whither he went, in 1769. for that
purpose. When he arrived, it was necessary, according to the laws which then regu
lated the press in France, to submit the work first to the censor royal to receive permis
sion to print it j as, however, permission could.not be given without saying in the title-
page, that it was printed either at Amsterdam or London. Swedenborg being in all things
most scrupulous as to the truth, peremptorily refused to concur in this falsehood, and
accordingly went to Arfnsterdam, where the work was printed.
The following authentic anecdote, which proves that this was the fact, is extracted
from the advertisement prefixed to the French^ edition of the first volume ofthe TVuc
Christian Religion, printed at Paris in 1S02 ; —
" Swedenborg came to Paris in 1769. He wished to have his True Christian
Religion printed there ; but it was necessary that the work should be submitted
to the censors. M. Chevreuil, then censor royal and doctor of the Sorbonne,
who was appointed to examine it, told him, after having read it, that a tacit
peripission would be granted him, on condition, as was customary in such cases,
* See T, C. jR. 137, where Swedenborg alludes to this circumstance. •'

92 DOCUMENTS CCINCERNING SWEDENBORG.
that the titie should *say, pi-inted at London, of at Amsterdam, But Swedenborg,
with a rare delicacyi perfectiy suited to his principles, would not consent to it;
and the work, therefore, was not printed at Paris.* This anecdote, which has
not hitherto been known, was attested to one of the editors by M. ChevreuU
himself Our author speaks of this journey in a letter to Dr. Beyer, dated Am
sterdam, March 15, 1769, in which he says, that he shall set off for Paris in a
month.f And ih another letter to the same, from Stockholm, of October 30th in
the same year, he says that he has learnt that a letter has been printed at Gotten
burg. in which it is pretended that he had received an order at Paris to quit that
city ; hut, adds he, that is a pure falsehood, as M. Creutz, the Swedish ambas
sador in France, can testify."

We have now adduced all the documents^ we can find respecting the life of Sweden
borg as it was known and observed by persons distinguished for their intelligence, piety.
and respectability, both in Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and England. In the testimony
to Swedenborg's virtues and attainments, thus borne by so many most unexceptionable
witnesses who knew him well, and against which no opposing testimony whatever.
from pers9ns acquainted with him, can be adduced, we surely have the most satisfac
tory confirmation, not only of his own account of his life and character, but of all that
is advanced, as to his qualifications for the office to which he declares he was appoint
ed, namely, that of unfolding the spiritual sense of the Holy Word, and pf explaining
the genuine doctrines of the Christian Religion, and as to the antecedent probability,
that he might be the human instrument selected to communicate the truths connected
with the Second Advent ofthe Lord, on the supposition that the time for that event has
arrived. We also see that many men of the very first respectability, intelligence, and
learning, who formed their opinion from a knowledge ofthe man as well as of his writ
ings, believed, during his liie-time. that he actually was such an instrument.
But it may perhaps be thought, that if, in consequence of having been called by the
Lord to a holy ofiice. he really had the privilege of conversing with angels and spirits,
some plain proofs of it, beyond his own assertions, might occasionally occur. Now that
such proofs did occur, is a Certain fact. He, indeed, never appeals to them in support
of his mission : he shows, in various parts of his writings, that where the mind is not re
ceptive of truth byits own evidence, no external testimony will force it in : he therefore
affirms, what we shall presently advert to, that it would have been incompatible with
the nature ofthe truly spiritual dispensation lo be opened by the second coming ofthe
Lord to prove it by miracles. To the performance of miracles, therefore, he made no

* In respect to Swedenborg's intention of having this work published at Paris, the
Enghsh editor of these " Documents" begs here to i-ecord a fact which has appeared to
him rather extraordinary, since it indicates that the original design of Swedenborg.
namely, that of having the work published at Paris, was. to a certain extent, carried out
The editor, when at Paris jn the autumn of 1S26. went one day into a respectable old
book shop ; the proprietor, neaily eighty years of age. on being asked if he had any of
the theological works of Swedenborg, replied, that he had a few copies of the "True
Christian. Religion," and one or two oi " Heaven and Hell." The editor having purchased a
copy of each of these works, the old gendeman observed, that about fifty years a-'b, he
had met with the " True Christian Religion," and thinking it to be a very curious book,
he wrote to Amsterdam, requesting his agent to buy up all the copies ofthe said work
he could find, and to send them to Paris, so that this work, although printed at Amster
dam, was, accordmg to Swedenborg's original intention, chiefly issued from Paris
t See New Jerusalem Magazine, p. 142. These letters will be adduced below
i Except one respecting his having a fever, and being delirious, &c., propagated by
Wesley in his Armenian Magazine,the refutation of which will be adduced in its proper
^laoe below. . See above p. 36 note. '^ ^

TESTIMONY OF THE QUEEN OF SWEDEN. 93
claitu ! yet as Providence permitted him, on some occasions, to give full demonstration
of his supernatural knowledge, we must conclude that it was granted for some useful
end. That end may be. to afford satisfaction to those, who, though favorably inclined
towards the doctrines of the .New Church in general, would yet feel more assured by
some external tokens. On those who are decidedly opposed to the truths contained in
our author's writings, no external tokens whatever, we are quite certain, would induce
reception ; but to others, those which follow may be useful as confirmations : in which
light, only, they are offered.
Two of the most extraordinary instances of Swedenborg's access to the spiritual world,
are those respecting the Countess de Marteville, whose husband was ambassador at the
Swedish court from Holland, and the queen of Sweden, Louisa Ulrica, wife of king
Adolphus Frederick, aud sister of the celebrated Frederick of Prussia. Many editions
'of these anecdotes in different works, resting on the authority of different relaters, have
appeared; but all agreeing in substance. Both of them are given by M. Pernetti, in
th© preface to his French translation of the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, upon the au
thority of Count HSpken. Both are mentioned, also, by Mr. Springer ; and that re
lating to the queen is given in the letter of General Tuxen's cited above ; who states,
that, having heard of it from various persons, he inquired the exact particulars from
Swedenborg himself. But we will give it in the queen's own words, as recorded,
together with the anecdote of the Countess de Marteville, by an author who cannot be
suspected of any partiality in favor of Swedenborg ; we mean M. DieudounI ThiebauU,
a French savant of the school of Voltaire, and Professor of Belles Lettres in the Royal
Academy of Berlin. He was the author of a work translated into English, and printed
at London in 1805, under the title of" Original Anecdotes of Frederick the Great, King
of Prussia," He represents queen Louisa Ulrica as being, like her brother, a professed
esprit fort, carrying it even to the avowal of atheism ; which we mention as necessary
to account for the contradictory remarks with whioh she concludes her narration ; and
because it make^ hei' a more unexceptionable witness to the fact she relates. It oc
curred in 1758.

PART II.
TESTIMONIES TO SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOUKSE WITH THE
SPIRITUAL WORLD.

XIV.
n

THE QUEJ:N of SWEDEN'S TESTIMONY
CONCEKNINfi swedenborg's
INTERCOURSE WITH THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.

" I know not on what occasion it vi/as," says M. Thiebault, " that, conversing
ene day with the queen on the subject ofthe celebrated vi-sionary, Swedenborg,
we (the members of the academy,) expressed a desire, particularly M. Meriaa
and myself, to know what opinion was entertained of him in Sweden. I, on my
^art, lelated wjhat had been told me tespecting him by Chamberlain d'Hamoa

94 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
who was still alive, and who had been ambassador from Prussia both to Holland
and France. It was, ' That his brother-in-law (the Count de Marteville), ambas
sador from Holland to Stockholm, having died suddenly, a shopkeeper demand
ed of his widow the payment of a bill for some articles of drapery, which she
remembered had been paid in her husband's life-time : that the widow, not
being able to find the shopkeeper's receipt, had been advised to consult with
Swedenborg, who, she was told, could converse with the dead whenever he
pleased ; that she accordingly adopted this advice, though she did so less from
credulity than curiosity; and at the end of a few days Swedenborg informed
her, that her deceased husband had taken the shopkeeper's receipt for the money
on such a day, at such an hour, as he was reading such an article in Bayle's
Dictionary in his cabinet ; and that his attention being called immediately after.
wards to some other concern, he put the receipt into the book to mark the place
at which he left off; where in fact it was found, at the page described.' The
queen replied, that though she was but little disposed to believe in such seem
ing miracles, she nevertheless had been willing to put the power of Sweden
borg, with whom she was acquainted, to the proof: that she was previously ac
quainted with the anecdote I had related, and it was one of those that mostly
had excited her astonishment, though she had never taken the pains to ascer
tain the truth of it ; but that Swedenborg having come one evening to her court,
she had taken him aside, and begged him to inform himself of her deceased
brother, the Prince Royal of Prussia, what he said to her at the moment of her
taking leave of him for the court of Stockholm.. She added, that what she had
said was of a nature to render it impossible that the prince could have repeated
it to any one. nor had it ever escaped her own lips : that, some days after. Swe
denborg returned, when she was seated at cards, and requested she would grant
hira a private audience; to which she replied, he might communicate what he
had to say before the company ; but .Swedenborg assured her he could not dis
pose his errand in the presence of witnesses : that in consequence of this intima
tion the queen became agitated, gave her cards to another lady, and requested
M. de Schwerin (who also V7as present when she related the story to us.) to
accompany her: that they accordingly went together into another apartment,
where she posted M. de Schwerin at the door, and advanced towards the farthest
extremity of it with Swedeiiboi^ ; who said to her. ' You took, madam, your
last leave of the Prince of Prussia, your late august brother, at Charlottenburg,
on such a day. and at such an hour of the aftemopn ; as you were passing after
wards through the long gallery, in the castle of Charlottenburg. you met him
again ; he then took you by the hand, and led you to such a window, where
you could notbe overheanl. and then said to you these words :  .' The
queen did not repeat the words, but she protested to us they were the very san>e
her brother had pronounced, and that she retained the most perfect recollection
of them. She added, that she nearly fainted at the shock she experienced : and
she called on M. de Schwerin to answer for -the truth of what she had said ;
who, in his laconic style, contented himself with saying, ' All you have said,
madam, is perfectly true— at least as far as I am concerned.' I ought to add,
(M/ Thiebault cwitinues,) that though the queen laid great stress on the truth of
her recital, she professed herself, at the same time, incredulous to. Swedenborg's
supposed conferences with the dead. 'A thousand events,' sa^she, ' appear'
•i&explicable and supernatural to us, who know only the im^diate conse-

^ TESTIMONY OF THE QUEEN (W SWEDEN. »S
quences of them; and men of quick parts, who are never so weU pleased as
when they exhibit something wonderful, take an advantage of this to gain an
extraordinary reputation. Swedenborg was a man of learning, and of some
talent in this way ; but I cannot imagine by what means he obtained the know
ledge of what had been communicated to no one. However, I have no faith in
his having had a conference with my brother.' "

These philosophical remarks of the queen's would deserve introduction in a work
which I have often thought (says the Rev. S. Noble in his able "Appeal in Behalf of
the Doctrines of the New Christian Chureh, fyc," pi 203.) might be written, and be
equally amusing aud instructive, under tbe title of " the Ctedulity of Unbelievers."
Here is an accomplished princess, who finds another person, in possession of a secret
which she is quite sure was only known to herself and her deceased brother r she knows
that he did not obtain it from herself, yet rather than belieVethat be obtained it from,
her brother, ^e imagines the existence oi a " talent"' incomparably more inexplioablb !
The samS observation (continues Mr. Noble.) applies to several' other relaters ofthe
story. One of these is Baron de Grimm. He allcws Swedenborg to have been. "¦ a
man distinguished not only by his probity, but also by his knowledge and his intelli
gence." [Un homme d/istingu^ non seulement par sa probiti mais encore par ses connai-
sances et-seslumiires.i Yet he. after giving the above anecdote, gives this contradiction-
iu-terms as his judgmicnt on it ; " This fact is confirmed by authorities so. respectable;.
that'jV is impossible to deny it ; but the question is how to believe it !" QCc fait est covi-
firmi par des autoritis si respectables qu' il est impossible de le nier ; mais le moyen d!y
croire .']* Bat Baron de Grimm was professedly a determined atheist, and therefore
could not believe any fact, however evidenced, which supposes, as real, the existence-
of man after death.
Another relator of tbe anecdote is not much less in consistent. This is Captain Charles:-
Leonard de Stahlhammer, Knight of the Royal Order of th& Sword. Some editions of
the story affirm, that what Swedenborg repeated to the queen were the contents of a
letter which she had received from her brother ; and as the main facts were undeniable,
some of Swedenborg's enemies, so late as 1788, endeavored to account for them by the
improbable tale, that Count Hflpken had intercepted and opened the letter before- the
queen received it. and that he and another senator communicated the contents of it to
Swedenborg. paying him for that purpose a mysterious visit in the night. To this
Captain Stahlhammer replied, in a letter dated May 13t'n, 1788., and printed in some of
the Gazettes.t
As we have a more authentic account of the first of the above-menstioned transactions
in a Memoir of Swedenborg by >C. Robsahm published by Dr. Tafel in his Magazine,
we give it in this connexion, together with a confirmatory statement from Mad. de-
Marteville's second husband. — B,
" An ambassador from Holland, named Marteville-. died at Stockholm. After
his death a fconsiderable sum was demanded of his widow in payment of a
debt. She felt very certain the debt had been paid, but was unable to find a
receipt for the money. After some time she found one among her husband's
papers, and it was reported all over the city that Swedenborg had discovered it
by means of a conversation with M. Marteville in the spiritual world. I in
quired, of Swedenborg about the circumstance, and he told me that the lady had
* See Memoirs Hist, Lit, et Aneedotiques, tiris de la Correspondence addressee au Dut
de Saxe Got^^ar k Baron de Gi-imm, Tom. iii. p. 56. Ed. Lond. 1813.
t See Ihtellmual Repository for 1813, p. 370.

96 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
been to him and told him her trouble, and he had promised that if he met her
husband in the spiritual world, he would inquire of him about the matter.
'This soon happened,' continued Swedenborg. 'and M. Marteville told me
that he would himself go to his house on the following night to see after the re
ceipt.' " I received no other answer for the lady and I have taken no other part in the
matter, but I have heard that the widow spoke to her husband in a dream, and
he told her where to find the missing document in his private bureau."
¦ We add an interesting statement concerning the anecdote respecting the widow of
Mr. Von Marteville. contained in a letter from the Danish General who was tbe second
husband of that lady. It is published by Dr. Tafel in a note to the above memoir. — B.
" About a year after the death of M. Von Marteville, my wife felt a desire to
see the notorious* and famous Baron Swedenborg. who at that time was her
neighbor in Stockholm. Several ladies of her acquaintance partook of her curi
osity to have a nearer view of so strange a person.
" Accordingly the ladies went to his house and were admitted together. Swe
denborg received them in a very beautiful garden, where they found him in an
elegant summer-house, having an arched roof
" Among other questions my wife asked Swedenborg whether he knew M.
Von Marteville. He answered, No ; for while that gentleman was at the Swedish
court, he was himself detained in London.
" In passing. I may here mention that the story of the twenty-five thousand
Dutch guilders is perfectly correct thus far. that a claim was instituted agahist
my wife for that amount, and she could produce no discharge of the debt.
Meantime the circumstance was not mentioned in society. [M. Von Marteville
had received the sum and paid it out again, but after his death no receipt could
be found.] Eight d,ays afterwards M. Von Marteville appeared to my wife in a
djeam. and mentioned tp her a private place in his English cabinet, where she
would find not only the receiptbut also a hair-pin set with twenty brilliants, which
had been given up as lost. This happened about two o'clock in the morning.
Full of joy. my wife arose and found them in the place designated. She return
ed again to rest, and slept till nine o'clock. About eleven, the Baron Sweden
borg was announced. His first remark, before my wife had time to speak, was,
that he had, during the preceding night, seen several spurits. and among others,
M. Von Marteville. He had wished to converse with him. but M. Von Marte
ville excused himself on the ground that he must go to discover to his wife
something of importance; that he then departed out of the society in. which he
had been a year, and would ascend to one far happier.
" This is the true statement of the laSair in which my wife was concerned as
well with respect to the receipt as with the Baron Swedenborg.
" I attempt not to penetrate into the mystery — I am not called on to do it. I
atn merely required to make a plain statement of facts. This duty I have per
formed, and it will give me pleasure to be assured that your reverence has de
rived from it the desired satisfaction.

* In the original this word has a very contemptuous meaning and proves that the
writer was not an adherent of Swedenborg, as no one friendly to him wduld have used
it- • .

TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN DE STAHLHAMMER. 97
" My wife desires her respects to you. I am with all high consideration your
devoted servant; &c."

XV.
TESTIMONY or
CAPTAIN DE STAHLHAMMER,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITUAL WORLD.

This gentleman declares that his account " can be attested by many persons of dis
tinction, who were present, and are still alive." The letter is as foUows : —
" Stockholm, May 1 3, 1788.
" I have read, with astonishment, the letter giving an account of the conver
sation which the famous Swedenborg had with the queen Louisa Ulrica ; the
circumstances related in that letter are altogether false; and I hope the author
will fecuse me. if, by a faithful account, which can be attested by many per
sons of distinction, who were present, and are still alive. I convince him how
much he has been deceived.
"In 1758. a short time after the death of the Prince of Prussia, Swedenborg
came to court, where he was in the habit of attending regularly. As soon as
he was perceived by the queen, she Said to him, ' Well, Mr. Assessor, have you
seen my brother ?' Swedenborg answered. No ; whereupon she replied, ' Jf you
should see him. remember me to him.' In saying this, she did but jest, and
had no thought of a,sking him any information about her brother. Eight days
afterwards, and not four-and-twenty hours, nor yet a particular audience, Swe
denborg came again to court, but so early that the queen had not left her apart
ment called the white room, where she was conversing with her maids of honor
and other ladies of the court. S^vedenborg did not wait for the queen's coming
out, but entered directly into her apartment, and whispered in her ear. The
queen, struck with astonishment, was taken ill, and did not recover herself for
some time. After she was come to herself, she said to those about her, ' There
is only God and my brother who can know what he hasjtist told me.' She owned that
he had spoken of her last correspondence with the prince, the subject of which
was known to themselves alone. '
" I cann6t explain how Swedenborg came to the knowledge of this secret ;
but this I can assert, upon my honor, that neither Count H6pken. as the author
of the letter falsely states, nor any other person, had intercepted the queen's
letters ; the senate then permitting her to write to her brother without the lea|st
interruption, regarding her correspondency with hiin as a thing quite indifferent
to the state. .

98 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" It is evident that the author ofthe above-mentioned letter is utterly ignorant
ofthe character of Count H6pken. This respectable' nobleman, who ha& ren
dered the most important services to his country, possesses greatness of mind
and goodness of heart, and his advanced age has in nowise impaired these val
uable endowments. During the whole of his administration, he united the most
enlightened poUcy with the most scrupulous integrity, and was a declared
enemy to secret intrigue and underhand devices, which ha looked upon as
means unworthy of accomplishing his purposes.
" The author is no better acquainted with Assessor Swedenborg. The only
weakness of this truly honest man was his belief in the apparition of spirits ;
but I knew him for many years, and I can confidently aflarm.that he was as fully
persuaded that he conversed with spirits, as I am that I am writing at this .mo
ment. As a citizen, and as a friend, he was a man of the greatest integrity,
abhorring imposture, and leading an exemplary life.
" The explication, therefore, which Chevalier Baylon gives of this circum
stance, is void of foundation ; and the visit said to have been made in the night
to Swedenborg. by Cpunts H6pken and T  , is purely invention.
" As to the rest, the author of the letter may be assured that I am no follower
of Swedenborg ; the love of truth alone has induced me to relate, faithfully, a
fact, which has been so often stated with details entirely false ; and I verify
what I have just written with the signature of my name :
"Charles Leonard de Stahlhammer."
This letter bears a double testimony in, Swedenborg's favor : it establishes the reality
pf Ijis intercourse with the spiritual world, and it corroborates the truth of his assertioAS
respecting the inability of miraculous evidence to communicate faith : for here is a
writer decidedly affirming the certainty of a supernatural fact, and yet calling it a weak
ness in S wedenborg to believe in the apparition of spirits.

XVI.
TESTIMONY
OF THE CELEBRATED GERMAN PHILOSOPHER
EMANUEL KANT,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITIJAL WORLD.

The opinion of this celebrated man respecting Swedenborg and his extraordinary
case, as having communication with the world of spirits, having been asked by a Uterary
lady of quality. Madame de Knoblook. afterwards widow of Lieut.-Gea. Klingspom.
Kant replied in the following letter, dated Kfinigsberg, August 10th, 1758 : 
" I would not have deprived myself so long of the honor and pleasure of obey
ing the request of a lady, who is the ornament of her sex, in communicating the
desired information, if I had not deemed it necessary previously to inforhi my-

TESTIMONY OF EMANUEL KANT. 99
self thoroughly concerning the subject of your request. Permit;me, gracipus
lady, to justify my proceedings in this matter, inasmuch as it might appear that
an erroneous opinion had induced me to credit the various relations concerning
it without careful examination. I am not aware that any body has ever per
ceived in me an inclination to the marvellous, or a weakness approaching to
credulity. So much is certain, that, notwithstanding all the narrations of appa
ritions and visions concerning the spiritual world, of which a great number of
the most probable are known to me, I have always considered it to be most in
agreement with the rule of sound reason to incline to the negative side; not as
if I had imagined such a case to be impossible, although we know but very
little concerning the nature of a spirit, but because the instances are not in gene
ral sufficiently proved. There arise, moreover, from, the incomprehensibility and
inutility of this sort of phenomena, too many difficulties ; and there are. on the
other hand, so many proofs of deception, that I have never considered it neces
sary to suffer fear or dread to come upon me, either in tbe cemeteries of the
dead, or in the darkness of night. This is the position in which my mind stood
for a long time, until the accounts of Swedenborg came to my notice.
" These accounts I received from a Danish officer, who was formerly my
friend, and attended my lectuses ; and who, at the table of the Austrian ambas
sador, Dietrichstein, at Copenhagen, together with several other gtfests, read a
letter which the ambassador had lately received from Baron de Lutzow. the
Mecklenburg ambassador at Stockholm ; in which he says, that he, in company
with the Dutoh ambassador, was present, at the queen of Sweden's residence,
at the -extraordinary transaction respecting Swedenborg, which your ladyship
will undoubtedly have heard. The authenticity thus given to the account sur
prised me. For it can scarcely be believed, that one ambassador should com
municate a piece of information to another for public use, which related to the
queen of the court where he resided, and which he himself, together with a
splendid company, had the opportunity of witnessing, if it were not true. Now
in order not to reject blindfold the prejudice against app^iritions and visions by
a new prejudice, I found it desirable to inform myself as to the particulars of
this surprising transaction. I accordingly wrote to the officer I have mentioned
at Copenhagen, and made various inquiries respecting it. He answered that he
had again had an interview concerning it with the Count Dietrichstein ; that the
affair had really taken place in Jhe manner described ; and that Professor Schlegel,
also, had declared to him, that it could by no means be doubted. He advised
me. as he was then going to the army under General St. Germain, to write to
Swedenborg himself, in order to ascertain the particular circumstances of the
extraordinary case. I then wrote to this singular man, and the letter was de
livered to him, at Stockholm, by an English merchant . I was informed that
Swedenborg politely received the letter, and promised to answer it; but the an
swer was omitted. In the mean time I made the acquaintance of an English
gentleman who spent the last summer at this place, whom, relying on the
friendship we had formed, I commissioned, as he was going to Stockholm, to
make particular inquiries respecting the miraculous gift which Swedenborg is
said to possess. In his first letter, he states, that the most respectable people in.
Stockholm declare, that the singular transaction alluded to had happened in the
manner you have heard described. He had not then had an interview with Swe-

100 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
denborg, but hoped soon to embrace the opportunity; although he found it diffi
cult to persuade hiiiiself that all could be true which the most reasonable persons
of the city asserted, respecting his communication with the spiritual world. But
his succeeding letters were quite of a different purport. He had not only spo
ken with Swedenborg himself, bnt had also visited him at his house; and he is
now in the greatest astonishment respecting such a remarkable case. Sweden
borg is a reasonable, polite, and open-hearted man : he also is a man of leam
ing ; and my friend has promised to send me some of his writings in a short
time. He told this gentleman, without reserve, that God h^id accorded to him
Ihe remarkable gift of communicating with departed souls at his pleasure. In
piroof of this, he appealed to certain known facts. As he was reminded of my
letter, he said that he was aware he had received it, and that he would already
have answered it. had he not intended to make the whole of this singular affair
public to the eyes ofthe world. He should proceed to. London in the month of
May this year, where he would publish a book, in which the answer to my letter,
as to every poiiit, might be met with.
" In order, gracious lady, to give you two proofs, of which the present exist
ing public is a witness, and the person who related them to me had the oppor
tunity of investigating them at the very place virhere they occurred, I will nar
rate to you the two following occurrences.
i[The first of these occurrences is that respecting Madame de Marteville. only
differing from the relation of it given from Thiebault,* by representing the re
ceipt to have been found, by direction from the deceased M. de Marteville. in a
secret drawer of a bureau, which bureau, ignorant of the secret drawer, Mad.
de M. had previously searched in vain. The other affair is the fire at Stockholm ;
and the particulars are given more minutely by Kant than in any account be
fore known in England. He proceeds thus : — ]
" But the iollowing occurrence appears to me to have the greatest weight of
proof, and to set the assertion respecting Swedenborg's extraordinary gift out of
all possibility of doubt. In the year 1756. when Swedenborg. towards the end
of September, on Saturday, at four o'clock p.m., arrived at Gottenburg from
England. Mr. William Castel invited him to his house, together with a party of
fifteen persons. About six o'clock. Swedenborg went out. and. after a short in
terval, returned to the company, quite pale and alarmed. He said that a danger
ous fire had just broken out in Stockholm, at Uie Sudermalm (Gottenburg is
about 50 milesf from Stockholm), and that it was spreading very fast. He was
restless, and went out often. He said that the house of one of his friends, whom
he named, was already in ashes, and that his own was in danger. At eight
o'clock, after he had been out again, he joyfully exclaimed, ¦ Thank God ! the
fire is extinguished, the third door from my house.' This news occasioned great
commotion through the whole city, and particularly amongst the company in
which he wis. It was announced to the govemor the same evening. On the
Sunday morning, Swedenborg was sent for by the governor, who questioned
him concerning the disaster. Swedenborg described the fire precisely, how it
had begun, and in what manner it had ceased, and how long it had continued.
On the same day the news was spread through the^city. and. as the governor

* See above p. 93. f German miles ; nearly 300 English.

TESTIMONY OF EMANUEL KANT. 101
had thought it worthy of attention, the consternation was considerably inorea^d ;
because many were in trouble on account of their friends and property, which
might have been involved in the disaster. On the Monday evening a messenger
arrived at Gottenburg. who wa,s despatched during the time of the fire. Iri the
letters brought by him. the fire was described precisely in the manner stated by
Swedenborg. On the Tuesday morning the royal courier autived at the gover-
ner's, with the melancholy intelligence of the fire, of the loss which it had oc
casioned, and of the houses it had damaged and ruined, not in the least differ
ing from that which Swedenborg had given immediately it had ceased ; for the
fire was extinguished at eight o'clock.
'?'What can be brought forward against the authenticity of this occurrence ?
My friend who \vrote this to me. has not only examined the circumstances of
this extraordinary case at Stockholm, but also, about two months ago. at Gotten
burg, where he is acquainted with the most respectable houses, and where he
could obtain the mpst authentic and complete information ; as the greatest part
of the inhabitants, who are still' alive, were witnesses to the memorable occur
rence. — I am, with profound reverence. &c. &c., " Emanuel Kant."*
Kant, in another VFork.t bears testimony to the memorable occurrence respecting the
queen of Svireden and Swedenborg. mentioned above p. 94.
"Towards fhe end of 1761^ (says Kant), M. Swedenberg [Swedenborg] was
invited to the court of a princess, whose greait understanding and intelligence
rendered it almost impossible that she could be duped or deceived-; Sweden
borg's visit to the queen was occasioned by the universal report of the visions
of this man. After several questions, the object of which appeared rather to
sport with his imaginaiions, than to procure any news from the other world, the
queen, before they parted, gave him a secret commission, which ha^ relation to
his' intercourse with spirits. After some days Swedenborg came with the an
swer, which was of that nature, as to place the queen, according to her own
confession, in the grea.test astonishment, because she found it was true, and, at
the same time, declared, that no living man upon earth could have communi
cated it to him. This occurrence was recorded in the Report of an ambassador at the
court of Sweden, who was present at the time, to another ambassador at Copenhageri, and
it agrees precisely with the^ investigation which has been made respecting rt."§
Dr. Clemm, Professor of Theology at Tubingen, also records, in one of his works.H
these three remarkable occurrences. It appears, that a German prelate, Oetinger. a
man of great reputation, in his day. on account of his learning and piety, wrote to the

* The above letter is taken from a work entitled. Darstellung des Lebens und Charak-
ters Immanuel Kant's, von Ludwig Ernst Borowski, von Kant selbst gennau rividlrt und
berichtigt. Konigsberg, 1804. That is. " Description of the Life and Character of
Emanuel Kant, by Lewis Earnest Borowski : revised and corrected by Kant himself."
f " Trdume eines Geistersehers, erlautert durch TrOume der Metaphysick. Konigsberg,
1770." p. 85. Dreams of a Spirit Seer, illustrated by dreams of Metaphysics.
% This should be 1758.
§ The Italics are Kant's, which indicate, that he himself did not doubt the truth of
the memorable occurrence.
U " Vollst. Einleitwng in die Religion wnd. gesante Tkeologie, Bd. 4. Tub. 1767," p.
206.

102 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
queen of Sweden expressly to ascertain whether the report respecting her own case and
Swedenborg were true. The queen replied that it was true.*

" Swedenborg's omittmg to answer (says Mr. Noble.t) by letter, professor
Kant's inquiries relating to the above affairs, may appear extraordinary. But it
is to be remembered, that he never, himself, laid any stress upon these super
natural proofs of the truth of his pretentions ; and never does he appeal to them,
or so much as mention them in his works. How strong an evidence is this of
his elevation'of mind ; and of his perfect conviction of the truth of the views he
was made an instrument for unfolding, with his own divine apppintment to t8at
purpose, as standing in no need of such evidence for its support ! Could it be
possible for any of the merely fanatical pretenders to divine communications to
appeal to such testimonies of supernatural endowment, how eagerly would they
seek to silence objectors by referring to the queens, counts, amba!ssadors. gov
ernors, and university professors, that had been witnesses of their power ! But
it is precisely on account of the silencing nature of such evidence that Sweden
borg declines to appeal to it. Doubtless, however, it was of Divine Providence
that occasions arose which constrained him to give sudh demonstrations, and
that they were recorded by others : because such things serve for confirmations
of th^ truth, though they are not the proper grounds of its original reception.
When presented also upon testimony, and at a distance of time, they lose that
compulsive character which they possess when they take place, or nearly so,
before our eyes : and thus they may then become useful to draw the attention of
receptive mihds to the truth, which, when known," may convince by its ovra evi
dence. " That supernatural evidences, at a distance of time, lose that compulsive
character which they possess when they take place, or nearly so before our
eyes ; and that minds not receptive of the truth, will then throw off the atten
tion to it that was only compulsively induced, are facts of which Kant himself
afforded a melancholy example : for he afterwards wrote a pamphlet in which
he depreciates Swedenborg and his writings. But, as observed by the editors,
when his lettei: was first published in English in The Intellectual Repository :— t
" On the whole, this letter of Kant's must certainly be deemed a very valuable
document, and ought to have great weight with, all unprejudiced minds. He
here, it must be allowed, exhibits the true spirit of a philosopher. Prejudiced,
at first, like most men of science, against all belief in spiritual intercourse, he
consents, on &adinga.primdfacie case made out in favor of that of Swedenborg,
to mvestigate the matter thoroughly : he does so : and comes at last to the con-
clusion.'that some of the cases are so well established, as ' to set the assertion re-
speding Swedenborg's extraordinary gift out of all possibility qf doubt,' Admit this,

» See also " Stilling's Theorie der Geister-kunde, *e. ;" or Theory of Pneumatoloev
English translation, p. 88, note. ^¦"
t See " Appeal, Src," p. 213.
% For January. 1830, from whioh some of the preceding remarks are abridced See
all that is there said upon Kant and his system, p. 57-62. For what he afterwards
wrote against Swedenborg, with an exposure of its utter futilitv, see tm IQS iQs iqq
ofthe No. for July, 1834. "' ^P" '¦"'' ^^^' ^^^>

REMARKS ON THE TESTIMONY OF KANT. 103
and as we have already seen, the truth of his having, received such a divine
commission as he affirm* he had. follows, of course. To allow the reality of
his ' extraordinary gift,' and to reject his account of the way and purpose in and
for which he received it, is to make a fact unyitelligible, and -^even incredible,
though admitted to be indubitable. Nor will the attempted solution of some of
the German writers, followed by some in England, at all meet the difficulty.
When they tell us, that his alleged spiritual experience was nothing else than
the vivid embodying of the conceptions of his own mind, they tell us what, so
far concerns the relations in his writings, though not easy to believe, it were
also not easy to disprove. But how does it explain the cases mentioned by
Kant ? Supposing Swedenborg able to form so vivid a conception of the de
ceased M. de Marteville as to fancy he heard him speak ; yet that a piece of in
formation respecting a fact in the natural world, thus heard only in imagination,
should be verified by ihe event, were indeed an extraordinary coincidence. How
lively Soever the idea that he might be able to conjure up in imagination of the
prince of Prussia ; yet that he should succeed in extracting from this phantom,
the mere creation of his own mind, the knowledge of the secrets between the prince
and the queen, never told to any other person, were also a miracle, such as only
the credulity of sceptics could be capacious enough to take in. And with what
ever force of coloring he might manage to picture to his fancy a fire three hun
dred miles off. till at last, believing it real, he becomes alarmed for his ovim
liouse ; yet that everything thus imagined should prove true in every particular, if
nothing but the activity of his own conceptions had given it birtji, weie a phenom
enon to puzzle much wiser philosophers than either Germany, or any other
country, ever beheld. In declaring, then, that some of the examples are such
as ' to set the assertion of Swedenborg's extraordinary gift out of all possibility
of doubt,' Kant has fixed the brand of folly on those of his own disciples, who
sagely resolve the whole into vividness of conception. Nor is this testimony of
Kant at all weakened by his own defective consistency, in afterwards slandering
Swedenborg's works. '.An adequate cause here operated: and belief, solely
founded on the basis of miracle, is never permanent. When he came to the con
viction of the reality of Swedenborg's spiritual intercourse, he viewed this merely
as an extraordinary fact, and did not connect it with any particular vievi^s of
truth. When he afterwards found that the views of truth with which it was
connected by Swedenborg. either militated against, his own, or would deprive
him of the praise of the best of them, the pride of self-intelligence interfered ;
and upon the altar of this demon is to be immolated the adversary or the rival.
Then he labors to depreciate, whom, in his letter fo Madame de Knoblock, he
had taken pleasure to honor. That letter remains, still honorable to Sweden
borg; and the writer'^s departure from the candid spirit which dictated it, reflects
disgrace only upon himself,"

104 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING. SWEDENBORG.
XVII.
TESTIMONY ^
or
DR. JOHANisr HEINRICH JUNG-STILLING
PROFESSOR OP THE UNIVERSITIES OF HEIDELBERG AND MARBURG.
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE SPIRITUAL
WORLD.

The next testimony we shall adduce to prove that Swedenborg had intercourse with
the spiritual world, is that of Dr. J. H. Jung-Stilling, late Professor ofthe universities of
Heidelberg and Marburg, and private aulic-counsellor to the Grand Duke of Baden.
This testimony is recorded in his work, entitled " Theory der Geisterkunde."* Stilling
was the author of several works much read in Germany; he was a man of great learn
ing and piety, and highly respected. In the work above mentioned he records the
three occurrences cpncerning the queen of Sweden, the mislaid receipt, and the fire at
Stockholm. Although Stilling did not receive the theological doctrines of Swedenborg,
having evidendy never read them, or having only seen his work on Heaven and Hell,
and a few extracts published by Oetinger, he firmly believed that Swedenborg had in
tercourse with the world of spirits, for. says Stilling, "he occasionally furnished proofs
which were unobjectionable ; it is true that these statements have been controverted, and the
good man accused of deception ; but the latter I loudly deny,"-f Having related the oc
currences above mentioned, he says. " I must nov? add a fourth experimental proof
^hich has never been previously made public, and which is fully as important as any
ofthe foregoing. I can vouch for the truth of itj with the greatest confidenop."4:
"About the year 1770. there was a merchant in Elberfield.with whom, during
seven years of my residence there I hved in close intimacy. He was a strict
mystic in the purest sense. He spoke little ; but w-hat he said, was like golden
fruit on a salver of silver. ' He would not have dared, for all the world, know
ingly to have told a falsehood. This friend of mine, who has long ago left this
world for a better, related to me the following anecdote. His -business required
him to take a journey to Amsterdam, where Swedenborg at that time resided ;
and having heard and read much of this strange individual, he formed the in
tention of Visiting him. and becoming better acquainted with him. He therefore
called upon him. and found a very venerable-looking friendly old man, who re
ceived him politely, and required him to be seated; on which the following con
versation began :— ' Merchant. Having been called hither by business, I could
not deny myself the honor, Sir, of paying my respects to you : your writings
have caused me to regard you as a very remarkable man. S. May I ask you
where you are from ? M. I am from Elberfield, in the grand duchy of Berg.
Your writings contain so much of what is beautiful and edifying, that they have
made a deep impression upon me : but the source from whence you desive them^

* " Theory of Pneumatology,'^c," See a translation of this work by Samuel Jackson,
London. 1834.
t EngUsh translation, p. 88. j^ p. 90.

TESTIMONY OF DR. H. JUNG- STILLING. ' 105
is so extraordinary, so strange, and uncommon, that you will perhaps not take
it amiss of a sincere friend of truth, if he desire incontestible proofs, that you
really .^ave intercourse with the invisible world., S It would be very unrea
sonable if I took it amiss ; but I think I have givAi sufficient proofs, which can
not be contradicted. M, Are they those, that are so welt known, respecting the
queen, the fire in Stockholm, and the receipt ? S, Yes, those are they, and they
are true. M, And yet many objections are brought against them. Might I ven
ture to propose, that you give me a similar proof ? S. Why not ? Most willingly !
M, I had formerly a friend, who studied divinity at Duisburg. where he fell intd
a consumption, of which he died. I visited this friend, a short time before his
decease; we conversed together on an important topic: could you learn from
him what was the subject of our discourse ? S. We will see. What was the
name of your friend ? The merchant told him his name. S, How long do you
remain here ? M. About eigljf or ten days. S, Call upon me again in a few
days. I will see if I can find your friend.' The merchant took his leave and
despatched his business. Some days after, he went again to Swederiborg, ia
anxious expectation. The old gentleman met him with a smile, and said, ' I
have spoken with your friend ; the subject of your discourse was, the restitution
of all things,' He then related to the merchant, with the greatest precision, what
he, and what his deceased friend, had maintained. My friend turned pale ; for
this proof was powerful and invincible. He .inquired further, 'How fares it
with my friend .' Is he in a state of blessedness ?' Swedenborg answered. ' No,
he is not yet in heaven; he is still in Hades, and torments himself continually
with the idea of the restilutiori of all things.' This answer caused my friend the
greatest astonishment. He ejaculated, ' My God ! what, in the other world .''
Swedenborg replied, ' Certainly ; a man takes with hira hisfayorite inchnations
and opinions ; and it is very difficult to be divested of them. We ought, there
fore, to lay them aside here.' My friend took his leave of this remarkable man,
pei'feCtly convinced, and returned, back to Elberfield. What says highly enhght-
ened infidelity to this ? It says. ' Swedenborg was a cunning fellow, and that
he employed a secret spy to get the matter out of my friend.' To this I candidly
reply, that Swedenborg was of too noble a mind, and had too much' of the fear
of God ; and my friend was too discreet to act in siich a manner; Such like
evasions may be classed under the head of the ' transfiguration of the Redeemer
by means of moonshine !'*
* As taught iu the Neological Schools of Theology in Germany, iu whioh they en
deavored to account for all the miracles mentioned in the Scriptures on merely natural
principles. These neologians, as ihey are called, are the confirmed Saddiicees of the
present day. It must, however, be gladly admitted, that, at the present tim«. this ab
surd and profane system of explaining the Scriptures is not so prevalent in Germany as
it was.

106 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
XVIII.
TESTIMONY *

THE REV. JOHN WESLEY,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITUAL WORLD.*

"Among Mr. Wesley's preachers, in the year 1773, was the late Mr. Samuel
Smith, a man of great piety and integrity, who afterwards became one of the
first ministers in our church. Having heard a curipus anecdote, said to rest on
his authority, I wrote (says Mr. Noble,) to Mr. J. I. Hawkins, the weD-known
engineer, who had been intimately acquainted with Mr. Snlith, to request an
exact account of it. The following (a Uttle abbreviated) is his answer ; it is
dated February 6th, 1826:—
"Dear Sir,
" In answer to your inquiries. I am able to state,*' that I have a clearrecoflecr
tion of having repeatedly heard the Rev. Samuel Smith say, about the year 1787
or 1788, that in the latter end of February, 1772, he, with some other preachers,
was in attendance upon the Rfev. John Wesley,' taking instructions and assisting
him in the preparations for his great circuit, which Mr. Wesley was aboutto
commence ; that while thus in attendance, a letter came to Mr. Wesley, which
he perused with evident astonishment ; that, after a pause, he read the letter to
the company ; and that it was couched in nearly the following words :t —
" ' Great Bath-street. Coldbath Fields, Feb., 177?.
" ' Sir, — ^I have been informed in the worid of spirits that you have a strong de
sire to converse with me ; I shall be happy to see you if you will favor me with,
a visit. — lam, Sir, your humble Servant, " ' Emai;. Swedenborg.'
"Mr. Wesley fi;aRkly acknowledged tothe company, that hehad been very
str^ongly impressed with a desire to see and converse with Swedenborg, a^jd
that^e had never mentioned that desire to any one.
" Mr. Wesley vwote for answer, that he was then closely occupied in prepar
ing for a, six months' journey, but vi^ould do ^imself the pleasure of waiting upon
Mr Swedenborg soon after his return to London.
" "Mr. Smidi further infprmed me. that h8»,afteipAv,ards learned that Sweflqn^org
wrote in reply, that the visit proposed by Mr. Wesley would be too late, as he,
Swedenborg, should go into the worid of spirits on the 29th day of the next
month, never more to return. »

'Extracted from Mr. Noble's '• Appeal in Behalf of the Doctrine, ofthe New Church*
4rc," pp. 246-251. The reader's attention is especially referred to this work, as an
able vindication and confirmation of the said " Doctrines."
t The letter was most probably in Latin ; but Mr. Vesley, no doubt, would read it
inEnghsl)^^, ¦

TESTIMONY OF THE REV. JOHN WESLEY. lIMl
• " Mr. Wesley went the circuit, and. on his return to London [if not, as is most
probable, before], was informed of the fact, that Swedenborg had departed this
life on, the 29th of March preceding.
" This extraordinary correspondence induced Mr. Smith to examine the writ
ings of Swedenborg ; and the result was, a firm conviction of the rationality and
truth ofthe heavenly doctrines .promulgated in those invaluable writings, which
doctrines he zealously labored to disseminate during the remainder of his natu
ral life.
" That Mr. Smith was a man of undoubted veracity, can be testified by several
persons now living, besides myself; the fact, therefore, that such a cori^espond-
ence did take place between the Honorable Emanuel Swedenborg and the Rev.
John Wesley, is established upon the best authority.
" On referring to Mr. Wesley^s printed journal, it may be seen, that he left Lon
don on the first of March in the year 1772 ; reached Bristol on the third, Worces
ter on the 14th,. and Chester on the 29th, which was the day of Swedenborg's
final departure from this world. Mr. Wesley, in continuing his circuit, visited
Liverpool, and various towns in the north of England, and in Scotland, return
ing through Northumberland and Durham to Yorkshire, and thence through
Derbyshire, Stafibrdshire, and Shropshire, to Wales; thence to Bristol, Salisbury,
Winchester, and Portsmouth, to London, where he arrived on the 10th of October
in the same year, having been absent rather more than six months.
" I feel it my duty to accede to your request, and allow my name to appear
as your immediate voucher. — I remaia, dear Sir, yours, very sincerely,
"John Isaac Hawkins."
" To this I can add, that the Rev- M. Sibly has assured me, that he has heard
Mr. Smith relate the above anecdote ; and that he could mention, if necessary
several other persons still living who must have heard it too. He fully, also,
supports Mr. Hawkins' statement in regard to Mr. Smith's veracity. Thus it is
impossible to doubt that Mr. Smith affirmed it ; and it is difficult to suppose that
he could either wilfully or unintentionally misrepresent an incident -rtfhich must
have impressed him so strongly, and of which his consequent adoption of Swe
denborg's sentiments formed a collateral evidence.
" It may here be proper, to observe, that the translation of Swedenborg's little
work ' On the Intercourse between the Soul and the Body' had been published not long
previously (in 1770). with a preface by the translator, addressed to the Uniref-
sities, urging the author's claims to attention. This Mr. Wesley had probably
seen, and had thence conceived the desire he acknowledges to see the author.
The discoveiy that thisdesure, though it had remained a secret in his own breast,
was known to Swedenborg must have affected him very strongly : it must have
convinced him that Swedenborg's assertion, that he possessed the privilege of
conversing with angels and spirits, was true : and it is natural to suppose that he
would conclude from it, that- the cause assigned by Swedenborg of his havfiig
received this privilege, namely, that he might be qualified fpr a holy office to
which he had been called, was true also. There is fur,ther, the strongest evi
dence that Mr. Wesley's conviction went as far as this. I had heard an anec
dote demonstrating it, related in conversation by the reverend and venerable Mr.
Clowes, rector of St. John's, Manchester, whoge high character for evepr quality

108 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
t ^ .-cs.-;*-*. .^ •
that can adorn a minister of the gospel, and of course for veracity among the
rest, is acknowledged hy all Who knew him (and few" were known through a
wider circle)— by those who differed from him as wi^'ll as by those who agreed
with him in theological sentiment; I therefore wrote to him, to request a written
statement of the particulars, with leave to publish it with his name ; with which
request, he kindly complied. The part of his letter (dated January 19, 1826,)
which relates immediately to this subject, is as follows : —
" ' My very dear Sir, — In full and free compliance with your wishes, as express
ed in your kiud favor of the 16th. I send you the following memoir of the late
Mr. Wesley, as communicated to me by my late pious and learned friend, Rich
ard Houghton, Esq.. of Liverpool, who was also intimately acquainted with Mr.
Wesley, insomuch that the latter gentleman never visited Liverpool without pass-.
ing some time with Mr. Houghton. As near as I can recollect, it was in the
spring of the year 1773 that I received the communication, one morning, when I
called on Mr. Houghton at bis house, and at a time. too. when the writings of
the Hon. E. Swedenborg began to excite public attention. These writings were
at that time unknown to myself, but not so to my friend Mr. Houghton, who'was
m the habit of correspondence with the Rev. T. Hairtley on the subject, and was
very eager to make me acquainted with them. Accordingly, in the course of
our conversation, my friend took occasion to mention the name of Mr. Wesley,
and the manner in which he. on a late visit to Liverpool, had expressed his sen
timents on those writings. We may now (said Mr. Wesley,) burn all our books of
Theology. , God has sent its a teacher from heaven ; and in the doctrines of Swedenborg^
we may learn all that it is necessary for us to know.' "
" The manner in which Mr. Wesley Jiere expressed himself was strong indeed ;
so much so, that were it not certain that his mind must have been at that time
under a very powerful influence in Swedenborg's favor, he might be suspected
to have spoken ironically. This I observed in my letter to Mr. Clowes ; to which
he replies, ' I can hardly conceive. 'from the manner in which it was expjpssed
by Mr. Houghton, that irony had anything to do with it :' and Mr. Houghton
must have knotsrn with certainty whether it had or not. His repeating Mr.
Wesley's observation to Mr. Clowes, as an inducement to him to peruse the
writings of Swedenborg. is a complete proof that Mr. H. believed it to mean
what it expresses. But an examination of dates will show, that Mr. Wesley's
statement to that gentleman was made while the impression from Swedenborg's
supernatural communication was acting in all its force. Mr. Clowes' interview
with Mr. Houghton was in the spring of 1773. Mr. Wesley does not appear to
have been at Liverpool between that time and the 1 0th of the preceding October,
when he returned from his last great circuit. In that circuit he did visit Liver
pool, and was there early in April. 1772. .This, then, must be the 'late visit'
mentioned by Mr. Houghton; and this was within six weeks after he had received the
extraordinary communication from Swedenborg. This is certain : and it is also
highly probable, that, at the time of his visiting Liverpool, the effect of that com-
municatibn was greatly strengthened, by the verification of the announcement,
which, we have seen. Swedenborg had made to him, of the day of his own
death. He died, as he had announced, on the 29th of March : there can be little
doubt that a notice of it appeared in the papers : it would thence, it is highly
probable„be known to Mr. Wesley when he was at Liverpool, about a fortnight

TEST^IMONY OF„THE REV. JOHN WESLEY. 109
afterwards: and theAsrds he then uttered to Mr. Houghton will not. appear
stronger than he migmbe expected to use, when two such recent and completely
incontrovertible proofs of the truth of Swedenborg's claims were operating on
his mind.
" Yet Mt. Wesley, thus miraculously convinced of the truth of Swedenborg's
claim (as far, at least, as relates to his intercourse with the spiritual world),
afterwards exerted himself to check the extension of the same conviction to
others ! — in which, however, he only afforded a proof of Swedenborg's constant
assertion, that miraculous evidence is inefficacious for producing any real or
permanent change in a man's confirmed religious sentiments. When Mr. Wes
ley uttered the strong declaration respecting Swedenborg and his writings, he
< spoke of the latter, rather from what he expected to find them, than from what
he actually knew them to be. The probability is, that he afthis time knew little
more of them than he had learned from the tract * On the Intercowrse :' which
contains, probably nothing that he would except against; especially as it is
certain, as will be seen presently, that even the treatise On Heaven and Heli,
which gives the main results of Swedenborg's spiritual experience, was not con
demned by him. Bnt when he came to find that Swedenborg's writings mili
tated against some of the sentiments that he had strongly confirmed in his own
mind ; these, which were his interior convictions, gradually threw off the ex
terior conviction arising from merely outward though miraculous evidence:
hence he afterwards accepted the false report of Mathesius.* and promoted its
circulation. Indeed, there can be no doubt that, then, such a statement as that
of Mathesius would operate as a relief to him ; for though he could not receive
the whole of Swedenborg's doctrines, the positive proof he possessed of the
author's supernatural knowledge must often have disturbed him in his rejection
of them : he must therefore have been glad to meet with anything which could
make him, in regard to that rejection, better satisfied with himself. Finally, per-
hapiljf other causes assisted t6 strengthen his opposi(tion. When first he publish
ed the slanderous report (in 1781), he still se,ems to have had s^me misgivings;
hence he prefaced it with the acknowledgment, that Swedenborg was 'a very
great man,' and that in his writings ' there are many excellent things ;' when he after-
"wards seemed less inclined to admit so much, although, no douht, he still spoke
sincerely, a little human frailty, perhaps, influenced his judgment. It is well
knovi^n that Mr. Wesley was always prompt in laking measures to put down
anything, like rebellion among his disciples, — anything that tended to the dimi
nution of his authority over their minds. Now it is a certa.in fact, that Mr.
Spiith was not the only one of his pupils who bepan to think th^ doctrines of
the New Church superior to those of Methodism : among his other preachers
who came to the same conclusion, were Mr. James Hindmarsh, Mr. Isaac Haw
kins, and Mr. R. Jackson, deceased, with Mr. J. W. Salmon and Mr. T. Parker,
still living ;t all of whom became -active promoters of those doctrines : it there
fore is not to be wondered at. if Mr. Wesley at last took the most decisiv.e steps
to check their further extension among his fiock.
" The above appea,rs to me to be a fair and highly probable account of the
* Who reported that Swedenborg had a fever, and that he had been deranged j see
' following document. i..
i "When (he first edition of the " Appeal, 5-c." was published.

110 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
progress, on this subject, of Mr. Wesley's mind. It is not, however, here offered
with the view of casting any imputation on his memory. I have little doubt,
that, though some erroneous sentiments confirmed in his understanding pre
vented hirn from accepting, in this world, the doctrines of the New Church, his
intentions were upright, and there was a principle of real good in his heart,
which, in the other life would throw, off the errors that obscured it. and enable
him to receive the truth. This, it is probable, was seen by Swedenborg, and
was the reason of his inviting him to an interview : and thus, I trflst, though Mr.
Wesley acted chiefly as an opponent to him while on earth, he may now be
associated with him in heaven. Let it, also, be remembered, that for the alleged
fdcts published by Mr. Wesley. Mr. Wesley himself is not responsible : he was
herein imposed upon by Mathesius. Let not. then, his~ followers still confirm
themselves against Swedenborg's testimony by what Mr. Wesley pubUshed
against him : let them rather weigh, without Mr. Wesley's prejudices, the reasons
he had. and might have had, for coming to a finally favorable conclusion ; and let
them accept the sentiments virhich, we may hope, Mr. Wesley now holds, in
stead of adhering to those which he, in all probability, has rejected."

XIX.
REFUTATION OF THE FALSE EFFORTS
propagated by
THE REV. MR. WESLEY.

" It has given much pain," says Mr. Noble in the same work, p. 243. " to the
receivers of the doctrines communicated in the writings of Swedenborg, that
the circulation of the report of his insanity should have been materially promoted
by a man so much entitled to respect as the late Rev. Mr. Wesley. It is how
ever certain, that in the part which that respectable person took in the affair, he
was completely imposed upon by tbe minister pf the Swedish Chapel in Lon
don. Mr. Mathesius, who was Swedenborg's personal and violent enemy. Mr.
Wesley, indeed, professes to give his statement on the authority of a Mr. Brock
mer. as well as of Mathesius : this, however, was only because Mathesius told him
that he derived his information from BroCkmer ; but ,this, Brockmer totally denied,"
as is evident from the following document : —
" Refutation of the false ReporU propagated by Mr. Wesley.*
" Mr. Wesley asserted, in his Arminian Magazineioi August, 1783, p. 438, that
he was informed by one Mr. Brockmer, of London, and also by Mr. Mathesius,
a Swedish clergyman, that Swedenborg, while he lodged at the house of the
former, ' had a violent fever, in the height of which, b^jng totally delirious, he
broke from Mr. Brockmer, ran into the street stark nali^!^,roclaimed himself

* See Hindmarsh's " Vindication ofthe Character and Writings ofthe Hon Emanutl
Swedenborg, §•«.,'•' pp. 15-20. 2nd Edit.

REFUTATION OF MR. WESLEY'S FALSE REPORTS. HI
the Messiah, and rolled himself in the mire.' Beuig desirous (says the Rev.
Robert Hindmarsh), "6f ascertaining the^ruth or falsehood of this story from Mr.
Brocknier's own mouth, I tap.de it ray busmess, in company with three other
gentlemen now deceased, to wait upon him at his apartments in Fetter-lane, and
to ask him whether he had ever communicated to Mr. Wesley, or to any other
person, such information as above stated, at the same time showing him the
different numbers ofthe Magazine, in which the reports published by Mr. Wes
ley are contained. After hearing the passages read. Mr. Brockmer. -without
hesitation, denied the fadt, positively declaring, ' that he had never opened his mouth
on the subject to Mr. Wesley, nor had he ever given such an account to any other person .•"
and he seemed much displeased, that Mr. Wefley, should have taken the liberty
to make use of his name in public priig;. without his knowledge or consent.
' Swedenborg,' said he, ' was never afflict^, with any illness,* m,uch less with' n violent
fever, while at my house .• nor did he ever break from me in a delirious state, and run in
to the street stark naked, and there proclaim himself the Messiah, as Mr, Wesley has un-
justly represented. But perhaps he may have heard a report to that effect from some ath^r
person ; and it is well known, that Mr, Wesley is a very credulous man, and easily to he
imposed upon by any idle tale, from whatever qinarter it may come,'
" I then put the following rjuestion to Mr. Brockmer : ' Supposing it to be true,
that Swedenborg did actually see and converse with angels and spirits, did you
ever . observe anything in his behavior, that ihight not nathrally be expected on
such an extraordinary occasion ?' He replied as follows : ' If I believed that to
be true, I should not wonder at anything he said or did ; but should ratl\er won
der, that the surprise and astonishment which_ he must have fellf on such an oc
casion, did not betray him into more unguarded expressions than were ever
known to escape him : for he did and' said nothing, but what I could easily ac
count for in my own mind, if I really believed what he declares in his writings
to be true.'
" It is to be observed, that Mr. Brockmer was one of the people called Mora
vians, who are by no means friendly to the doctrines ofthe New Church, as laid
down in the -writings of Swedenborg. The testimony, therefore, of such a man
in favor ofthe equable and bec'oming deportment of his noble lodger, and to the
silencing of those unfounded reports, to which Mr. Wesley (once an admirer of
Swedenborg arid his writings, but afterwards an avowed enemy to both).t so
hastily and unworthily lent himself, must be received with due respect by every
candid and unprejudiced mind.
" It appears, then, that the report of Swedenborg's having been seized with
a. fever, in the height of which he broke from Mr. Brockmer. ran into the street
naked, and proclaimed himself the Messiah, is totally false. But even supposing
it to be true, that he once had a fever accompanied- with delirium, an affliction
to which the wisest and best of men are subject, what has this to do vsrith the
general tenor of his writings, composed while he was in perfect health ? Is the
character of a man to be estimated by what he says or does in such a state ?
Would Mr. Wesley, or any other person, wish to be judged in this way ?
" Mr. Brockmer pliAjl a few months after he made the declaration above recited :
 ^^  * — ¦  ¦  -_  ¦_ 
* That Swedenborg enjoyed excellent health, and was never known, in his own
country, to have had a violent fever, is asserted by M. Sandel ; see p. 36, aud note
t See above pp. 106-108.

112 ^ DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
but the peruke-maker alluded to by Mr. Wesley, namely. Mr. Richard Shear-
smith.* who lived in Coldbath Fields, Clerkenwell, and at whose house Sweden
borg afterwards lodged and died, survived Mr. Brockiner many years. Him also
I well knew, and have often had occasion to speak to him of the character,
habits, and manners of Swedenborg: and he uniformly gave the most unequiv
ocal and honorable testimony concerning him, both with respect to the good
ness of his heart, and the soundness of his understanding. He declared him
self ready to attest (upon oath, if required), that, 'from the first day of his
coming to reside at his house, to the last day of his life, he always conducted
himself in the most rational, prudent, pious, and christian-hke manner : and he
was firmly of opinion, that every report injurious to his character had. been
raised,merely from malice or disaffection to his writings, by persons of a bigoted
and extracted spirit.' Mr. Shearsmith has been dead now for some years, I
saw him not long before his death ; and he continued to bear the same testimony.
which-he had so often repeated in my hearing during the course of the thirty
years that I had known him.
. " The other person, whom Mr. Wesley names as having given him the same
information as Mr. Brockmer had done, was Mr. Mathesius, a Swedish clergy
man. Of the credit due to this Mathesius. the following extract of a letter firom
Christopher Springer, Esq., a Swedish gentleman of distinction then resident in
London, and the intimate friend of Swedenborg. will enable the reader to form
a just and correct estimate. Speaking of Swedenborg's death, he observes.f
' When the deceased found his end approaching, and expressed a wish to have
the communi^Q administered to hnn. somebody present at the time proposed
sending for Mr. Mathesj.us, the officiating minister of the Swedish Church. This
person was known to be a professed enemy of Swedenborg's. and had set his face
against his writings. It -was he that raised and spread the false account of Swe-
denB9rg's having been deprived of his senses. Swedenborg therefore declined
taking the sacrament from hirn, and actually received it from the hands of
another ecclesiastic of his own country, named Fernelius, who at that time was
a reader of Swedenborg's writings, and is said to have continued to do so ever
since, at Stockholm, where he is now living (in 1786) ; and I have been assujed,
that, on this occasion. Swedenborg expressly exhorted him fo continue steadfast in
the truth. Mr. Mathesius is said to have, become insane himself.J a short time
after this ; and becoming thereby incapable of his function, has existed ever
since, in that melancholy state, upon the bounty of the king of Sweden.'
" What now are we to say of the report first invented by Mr. Mathesius the
Lutheran divine, afterwards propagated by Mr. Wesley the Arminian divine,
and lastly by Mr. Pike the Baptist divine, but that they each found it the easiest
and most convenient argument to be drawn against the heavenly doctrines
contained -in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg ? When the theologians of
former days found themselves unable to withstand the new. but powerful, doc
trines of divme truth delivered by the Saviour of the worid, some said, ' He is a
good man : others said, Nay ; but he deceiveth the people (John vii. 12). ' He is

* See above p. 86. •
t See above p. 85. We repeat the extract here for the sake ofthe connexioo.
i See above p. 78.

REFUTATION OF MR. WESLEY'S FALSE REPORTS. 113
beside hiAiself (Mark iii. ?1). 'And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is
mad;, why hear ye him? But others said, these are not the words qf^im.that
hath a devil : can a devil open the eyes of the blind ?' (John x. 20, 21.) Now we
know the truth of our Lord's words, when He saith. ' The disciple is not above
his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple to be as his
master, and the servant as his lord : if they haye called the master of the house
Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household' (Matt. x. 24,
25). And again. ' The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have perse
cuted me, they will also persecute you' (John xv. 20). In all ages ofthe church,
divine truth has been persecuted in the persons of those who have been its most
strenuous asserters and advocates ; and in general according to the degree in
which they have manifested their sincerity, integrity, and faithfulness in the dis
charge of their duty, in the same degree have they been subjected to the derision
and scorn of the world. It was not therefore to be expected, that Swedenborg,
the distinguished and devoted servant of his Lord, would- escape the malevolent
and bitter attacks of his enemies, who either through ignorance of the doctrines
he taught, or through envy at their success, are disposed to treat the disciple in
the same ungenerous manner as their predecessors of old had treated his Divine
Master. But as Michael the archangel, in disputing with the devil about the
body of Moses (the historical sense of the Word), durst not bring against him a
railing accusation, so it is the duty of those who are engiaged in the defence of
a good cause, to imitate so illustrious an example, and to leaye all judgment to
him who cannot err."

"Theije is no trace pf any allusion,'(says the Rev. S. Noble, in his ' Appeal Ifc,,'
p. 244.) to this tale of the fever and consequent delirium in any authentic source
of information : and the Chevalier de Sandel. we have seen above.* not only de
clares, that Swedenborg. 'being endowed with a strength of faculties truly ex
traordinary, in the decline of hi§ age. soared to the greatest? heights to whicJi
the intellectual faculty can rise.' — for this might be the case notwithstanding
his having had a fever and delirium ; but he asserts further.f that ' he enjoyed
such excellent health, that he scarcely ever experienced, the slightest indisposi
tion.' Could this general assertion have been made, if so terrible an exception
to it had ever happened ? In short, what with the inherent inconsistencies in
the story itself, and the virtual refutation of it by Sandel. there is enough to
evince its utter falsehood, could no direct contradiction pf it be given. Bnt such
direct contradiction of it, taken from the lips of Mr. Brockmer. does exist, testi
fied by the Rev. R. Hindmarsh. who was still living to confirm it.f Thus the
whole origin of the story was evidently no more than this : Swedenborg men
tioned freely to Brockmer the commencement of his spiritual intercourse : Brock
mer talked of it : and from the idle reports which thus got abroad. Mathesius,
nearly forty years afterwards, fabricated the tale with which he imposed on Mr.
Wesley. This fact is alone sufficient to fix the brand of imposture on the whole
story. The charge against Swedenborg of mental derangement, is built upon
* Page 23. t Page 36.
J: When the first edition ofthe " Appeal, 4rc," was published. See above p. 110.

114 DOCUMENTS-|!0J>rCERNING SWEDENBORG.
circumstances allefed to have' Pccurred forty years before the charge -was
brougljifeforward. and vifhich had never been heard of in the -whole of the in
termediate period ! Whjat more palpable mark of fabrication could exist ?
"But if from the story of the fever and delirium (continues Mr. Noble), as
sumed as true, any should contiiiue to argue that Swedenborg remained insane
ever after; with much more plausibility might it be argued, that a man who
became positively insane, and continued the 'remainder of his life in that state,
might have been partially deranged long before it was suspected : and if so. we
could easily account for Mathesius' imagining the tale he propagated ; for that
he went mad. is a well-authenticated fact. We are by no means prone to assume
the distribitfion of divine judgments ; but it really ife difficult to avoid thinking
that we behold one here. All must allow it to be a remarkable.coincidence. that
the man who first imputed insanity to Swedenborg, and was the chief cause of
its being believed by others, should himself have experienced the deplorable
visitation; which jhappened. also, soon after hei'gave the information to Mr.
Wesley. The_.Ahr^gd des Ouvrages d' Em, Swedenborg, which was published at
Stockholm in 1788. states in the preface, that Mathesius had become insane, and
was then living in that state in that city. The same is affirmed in the New Jeru
salem Maigazine; one of the editors of which was Mr. C. B. Wadstrom. a Swedish
gentleman of great respectability, well known for his efforts in the cause ofthe
abolition of the slaVe-ttade, and who must have had ample means of knowhig the
fact. In a MS. minute, also, in my possession,* of a conversation held by Mr.
Provo, May 2nd, 1787, with Mr. Bergstrom. master of the King's Arms (Swedish)
Hotel, in Wellclose-square ; the latter says as follows :t ' Mr. Mathesius was an
opponent of Swedenborg. and said that he was lunatic, &c. ; but it is remarkable
that he went lunatic himself; which happened one day when he was in the
Swedish church and about to' preach : I was ihere and saw it -¦ he has been so
ever since, and sent back to Sweden, where he now is : this was about four
years ago.' All the accounts agree : and thus evident it is. that into tbe pit
which this unhappy man digged for another, did he fall himself."
XX.
TESTIMONY OF
THE CELEBRATED OBERLIN,
OF THE BAN-DE-LA-ROCHE, OR STEINTHAL,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITUAL WORLD.

This testimony is recorded in the Intellectual Repository toi April, 1840. pp. 151-162,
ih a visit, which the Rev. J. H. Smithson paid to the worthy and exemplary Oberiin
two years prior to his death. Ha-ving described certain particulars ofthe journey from
Strasburg to the Ban-de-la-Roche where OberUn lived, Mr. S. proceeds as follows :¦=•
* Since printed at length in the Intellectual Repository for January, 1830, and inserted
above p. 77.
t See above p. 78.

TESTIMOPrt? OFtTHE CELMiATED OBERLIN. 113
" On entermg the house (of Oberiin) I was met by the venerable pastor, then
in the eighty-fourth year of his age. I presented my fetters of recomnpBndation ,
and he immediately saluted me with a cordial welc(*me. and taking me by the
hand, led me into his apartment. He seemed to feel' a deeper interest in my
visit, from the circumstance of my being an Englishman. The numerous be
nevolent societies in England had always excited his admiratijin at the extraor
dinary efforts made to benefit our race, and to distribute the Word of God'ia all
languages for the healing of the nations, and a visit of one of the sons of Britain,
who took an interest in these beneficent undertakings, seemed a peculiar treat
to one'who for nearly sixty years of his life, had deVoted himself so zealously to
the accomplishment of those objects, which the religious and philanthropic
Societies of Britain contemplate. The stature of Oberiin was tall ^nd well-pro
portioned, and the -weight of four score years and upwards, had %carcely caused
his person to bend ; his sight .was not dim, and he appeared to enjoy the, use of
his faculties unimpaired; but the energy thatformerly act-^ted'him, had abated
in its vigor, like the rays of the summer's sun, when vergiug;-||6ihe distant west.
His countenance was very expressive, and full of that energetic app^fance,
which is the characteristic of firmness and greatness of soul.
" In a short time after my arrival, dinner was announced, and Oberiifi, leading
me by the hand, showed me the place at his table, which was always reserved
for the friend and the stranger, opposite to the seat which he occupied himself.
The entire household dined together : himself, his friends, and the housekeeper
occupying the upper, and the servants, and frequently one or other of the in
habitants of the more distant part of the valley, the lower end of his table. Ober
iin embraced this opportunity to instil many solid principles of gooflness and
virtue into the hearts of his family, his flock, and his guests. He well knew the
correspondence there is between feeding the body, and nourishing the mind ;
and how the affections of the heart are. on such occasions, more open to receive
the seeds of truth scattered by the paternal hand of the master, who is loved, and
whose life is a continual testimony <3f the precepts he professes. Oberiin spoke
German and French with equal ease and fluency ; on the frontiers, between?
Germany and France, these two languages are indispensable to the pastor, as
the population is partly of French, and partly of German extraction. Our con
versation was^ in German. He was full of inquiries respecting many things in
Britain. After dinner he took me to his library, a large upper room ; two sides .
of which were fitted up with shelves from the top to the bottom, and >vell stock
ed with books in several languages. The other two sides were furnished with
maps, diagrams, plates, designs, and models, of various kinds, by- which he in
structed the members of his flock in the useful arts of life, suclt as architecture,
in its most simple application, the construction of bridges, of agricultural imple
ments, &c. In all these useful arts and sciences he had, from the commencement
of his ministry ig SteintHal instructed his people, and had brought them,.by a
superior system of agriculture, by forming roads across the most accessible parts
of the mountains, and by introducing the manufacture of some of the most useful
articles of domestic and agricultural economy, to a state of comfort and com
parative independence, although inhabiting the wildest and most ungenial dis
tricts of France, where the winter is said to be as cold as in the latitude of St.
Petersburg, and where^only three months of fine, warni, genial weather can be

116 DOCUMENTS C0NCERNIN(3^ SWEDENBORG.
expected. The fadf^|h4 Obe^n rendered this dreary, solitude, in which a few
wild, barbarous hordes of mgn barely existed, a comparative garden, abounding
with all the necessaries qi| life,^nd that he trained his flock to the knowledge
and practice of eyangeltcal tmth and virtue, aud opeiied their minds to a per
ception of heavenly realities, through the knowledge contained in Swedenborg's
work On Heaven and Hell, is the cause of his wide-spread celebrity among the
continental nations of Europe. This would be the proper place, if time and
space.|permitted. to describe some of those acts of eminent usefulness, which
Oberiin ^performed in agriculture and the arts, which were not only so beneficial
to his immediate vicinity, but also to his country at large. His country ajf^ow-
ledged his services, and honored his name, by presentmg him with a gold
medal. ,
" Having received a few explanations from Oberiin respecting the diagrams.
models, &c., which I observed in his library. I prepared myself to converse with
him on fhings of a more exalted character— on his manner of perceiving the
truths ofthe Word, as well as his conceptions respecting the realities of heaven.
and th|^.spiritui'state of man in general. I at once asked him whether he had
read arey of the works of Swedenborg ? Without replying, he immediately
reached 'l^bopk. and clapping his hand upon it. expressive of great satisfaction, <«
told me, ;fcat he had had this treasure many years in his library, and that he
knew frpnii his own experience that everything related in it was true. This
treasure was Swedenborg's -work On Heaven and Hell, As I had^ijely become
acquainted vcjith the theological writings of the enlightened Swedehborg. and as
Oberiin was almost the only person I had met with who had any knowledge of
those wfltings, T was. of course, highly delighted to meet with, a man. whose
name w^s universally honored, and vp^hose life and character were considered as
a bright e^mple of every Christian virtue. The great weight which accompa
nied the name of this good man, and the approving declaration he had already
made respecting one of the most , important works of Swedenborg. materially
strengthened my convictions of the truth of his claims to universal attention. I
?accordingly felt the deepest interest in conversing with Oberiin on the the sub
ject of Swedenborg',pi^eolo§jy. and the amazing spiritual intelligence displayed
in his -writings, and mquired how i^had happened, that he had arrived at con
victions so solid respecting the facts and truths contained in the work On Heav
en and Hell, He replied,, ^hat when he first came to reside as a|)a:sfer among the
inhabitants of Steinthal. they had many superstitious notions resgecting the prox
imity pf the spiritual worid. and ofthe appearance of various objects and phe
nomena in thjit world which, from time to time, were seen by some of the peo
ple belopging^his flock. For instance, it was not unusual for a person who
had died to appear to some individual in the valley. This gift of second sight,
or the opening of thp spiritual sight, to see objects in a spiritual state of exist
ence, was. however, confined to a few persons, and continued but a short
period, and at different intervals, of time. The report of evei^ new occurrence
of this kind was brought to Oberiin. who at length became so much annoyed,
that he was resolved to put down this species of superstition, as he called it,
from the pulpit, andex,erted himself for a considerable time to this end; but with
little or no desirable effect. Cases became more numerous, and the circum
stances so striking as even to stagger the scepticism of Oberiin himself. About

TESTIMONY^ OF THE CELEBRATED OBERLIN. 117
this time, being on a visit ^t Strasburg. hemetwithtthe wcaflc On Heaven and Hell,
which a friend* recommended him to peruse. TMs work, as he informed me,
gave him a full and satisfaotqry explanation of -the extraordinary cases occur
ring in his valley, and which he himsglf was, at ltengtlfS*frpm evidences whi6h
could not be doubted, constrained to admit. The satisfactory solution of these
extraordinary cases.afforded great pleasure to his mind, ahd he read the ' treas-
*ure.' as he called it. very attentively, and with increasing delight. He no longer
doubted in the nearness of the spiritual -world ; yea. he believed that man, by
virtue of* his better part — his immortal mind — is already an inhabitant of the
sjJiritual World, in whioh, after the death of the material body, he is to continue
his existence for ever. He plainly saw from the correspondentrelation existing
_ b^fween^the two worlds, that when it pleased the Lord, man might easily be
placed, by opening'his spiritual senses, in open communication ««vith the world
of s;^irits. This, he observed, was frequently the case with the seers mentioned
in the Old Testament ; and'^y might it not be so now, if the divine Providence
saw fit, in order to instruct 'jflankind more fully inrespect to ,their relation to a
spiritual state of existence, and to replenish their minds with Inore acur^'e and
copious vifews respecting heaven, the final home of the good, arid hell, the final
••abode of the wicked. . »» i**
" This conversation of Oberlin's seemed highly reasonable and delightful ; and
I inquired further, by what means he had arrived at convictions so solid respect
ing the truth,,c|i Swedenborg's statements and descriptions concerning the world
of spirits, and heaven and hell. ' He replied, that he himself "had had'feculai-and'
demonstrative experience respecting these important subjects, and that, strange
to say, he had come into that state of open communion with the world m spirits,
which he had formerly considered as a rank species of superstition, and which
he had endeavored to extirpate from the valley. He observed, thatljie inhabi
tants of that mountainous district had always been notorious for this peculiar
kind of spiritual experience, and in this respect much resembled the higblanders
of Scotland, of whom he had heard and read similar accounts. He. therefore,
could readily understand Swedenborg's case, who, for most useful and salutary*
purposes, was mercifully permitted to enjoy an opeij intei^urse with the world ¦
of spirits, during so many years of his life, in order to instruR pankind in respect
to subjectsiof the greatest moment to wisdom and happiness, and of which they
are so deplojp)ly ignorant : with regard to himself,"^however. he had only had
 it . ¦  .  :  .
* I think I have^ heard, that this friend was the celebrated Dr. Jung-Stilling, with
whom Oberiin was very intimate. He was also intimate with the celebrated LaVater,
of Zurich, witb.-whom.f he told me, he corresponded; and as Lavater is known, from;-
his.Jetters to Sweden.bojgi.(see below pp. 121, 122.) to have been a' great 'admirer.
of his writings, he, no cfou-bt, often mentioned them "to Oberiin. I haverajso under
stood, thsW these three distinguished ragn were fellow-students. They all feltt a deep'
interest in thfi writings of Swedenborg. and their exemplary Christian chai'acter and,:
intelligence have ^etcised very considerable influerfce over great parts of Germany andj.
Switzerland, whe^'their names will bejield in everlasting remembr'ance. In res"p'ectta7
Stilling, see above pp. 104. 105. Here I would observe in respect to Stilling, that he did
not adopt the theological doctrines o( Swedenb,qrg. whioh renders his testimony given
above so tnuph the more impartial. It is evideitt. however, that in his practical writings
he infused many of Swedenborg's sentiments into those works which have rendered Stil-
ling'S na-me respected and reverpd among the pious of Germany. See, in particular, his
" Heimweh," or Desire for Heaifen ; and his " Scenen aus dem Geisterreiche" or Scenes
from the World of Spirits.

118 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING gWEDENBO?^.
glimpses, as it were, into the spiritual world, which continued only for short
periods, and at distant interva]^ ; aniMf lie had not read Swedenborg's work, he
could not rationally and satisfactorily h^-ve explained to himself the various
objects and phe.nomena.he had beheld. ifUft '
"From this time, he observed, he cesii^ed to manifest his opposition against
the 'superstition' in question, and endeavored, when anything occurred, to Jjirn
it to the instruction and edification of his people. He carefully -wrote-.^own
every occurrence, and drew from it some salutary instruction, which either
warned his flock against evil, or encouraged them in gopdness and virtue. -ySe
said that he had a large pile of papers, which he had -written on this kind^af-
spiritual phenomena, containing the facts, with his own reflections upon ftima.
One of these occurrences I can here relate. In the year 1806. a tremendous. con
vulsion of natum occurred in Svi^itzerland, which deeply rtio^d the v^ha]|^ oj^
Europe : it was the fall of the Rossberg. a great mountain, -whifih suddenly fell,'
and buried several villages under its ruins. This catastrophe excited the greatest
consternation throughout the. whole surrounding country, and deeply affected
Oberliji .and the people of Steipthal. As it was customary in cases of deep ej^
citement for some person or other in the valley to become clairvoya'0, that is,
to have their spiritual vision opened ; so in this case, several individuals became
clairvoyant, and the unfortunate people who had been destroyed by the moun-
*tain, were seen in the world of spirits. They appeared, said Oberiin, in places
very similar to those they had left in the natural world, and associated together,
as they had b^n accustomed to do, but by degrees they separated from each
other, and -were associated according to their moral worth. This account, Ober
iin observed, was in agreement with what Swedenborg says respecting the state
of man immediately after his departure from this world ; and likewi.se fespectr
ing what he^states in regard, to the manner in which spirits associate together,
I or constitute societies ; for all are there arranged according ' to their njoral
worth,' — those who are good, and, in similar affections, constitute heavenly .
societies, and those who are evil, and in,similarmalignan%;dispositions, form in
fernal societies. !^-:
" So convinced was Oberiin of the salutary importance of teaching his flpck
respecting heayen and'fiell, and the correspondent relation which man sustains
to the spiritual world, that he formed a chart, or map, representing heaven,
which he hung up in his church. This celestial diagram, as it wag called, was
taken from Solomon's temple, which, in all respepts corresponded to heaven.
These correspondences Oberiin had derived from Swedenborg,^d he pointedj
out to his flock, that according to their humility, piety^ fidelity, and their love of
being usef^^^'io -each other, would be theh elevation in the Load's kmgdom,
either to t^g first, second, or third heaven. His flock were extremely delighted
to hear hi^p^lis concerning heaven ; and the manner in which he exj)lained
to them how ffie love.of the Lord,above all things, and thejove of«uf neighbor
pyen better than ourselves, constitutes the life "and soul^of the heavenly king-
don*, served, no doubt, to Jtindle that celestial fire of mutual Itjve amongst his
("people, which made thdn ' a bright apd shinmg light' to all around them. For
the numerous instances o^remarkabl^self-denial, of benevolence to the orphan,
widow; and stranger; of liberal contributions from.-their scanty means fo pfo-
cure Bibles for those in the surrounding districts, tfiat did not possess the Word

TESTIMONY OF THE CELEBRATED OBERUN. 119
p '• '4-.
bf God, and'to purchase artjcles of clothiog, and implements of use for those
who -were destitute, and not able to work for the want of necessary means:
these facts, I repeat, when co^isidered in connexion with the general exemption
from vice and crime, were strfliing q)^o^ of something like that genuine spirit
of Christianity, which has seldom been witnessed upon earth, but which, as the
New Jerusalem Church advances, -will not be so great a stranger amongst men. '
J, "From iseeing, as explained ^y Swedenbojg, that the Lord's kingdom is a
kingdom of uses, Oberiin resolved all the exertions and operations of his life
inte one ejigpent — use. He taught his people, that to be useful, and to shun all
ei^as-sin against the Yxstd, in being ¦mefvl.,\& the tmly heavenly life. On this
a^eotot. jphen his flock assembled in the cmirch on the week-day, to hear from •
tligif beloved pastor^ome insftftctive and edifying discourse, the females brought
•with t|>pm theifHq^pigr needlework, and platting, and thus worked with their
Ulandf, whilst their minds were being instructed in various kinds of useful know
ledge. His discourse on some week-day evening was, not exclusively theologi
cal aqd reUgiouff, although religion was blended -with everything he said ; but
it fitequently conveyed some eminently practical ideas on the various useful arts
of commoBr life. These useful ideas on the concerns of ordinary life were
^ways connected with something heavenly, and ascribed to the goodness of
our heavenly Father; in this manner Oberiin connected the concerns of earth,
with the realities of heaven, and brought down a celestial influence into the
common duties of life. *
" The day after my arrival was the Sabbath, and I anticipated much pleasure
in hearing the venerable pastor address his flock. He preached in French ; his
discourse was characterised by simplicity and warmth. He almost invariably
called Jesus his heavenly Father, which struck many as a peculiarity not com
mon with Christians in general, but I well knew how he had contracted this habit
of addressing the object of his supreme love and worship. From the work On
Heaven and Hell, he had clearly seen, that.no other is acknowledged throughout
heaven as the Divine Father than the Lord Jesus Christ alone, foir ' he that seeth
him seeth the Father.' The cb^Ech was full, and humility and devotion seemed
impr^ged upon every countenance. He addressed them like a father addressing
his children, and often called them his chers enfants, — his beloved children. He
said he had^baptized nearly all of them. and. as infants, had taken them in his
arms ; and they, when the service was over, assembled ,around him, and called
him papa, inquiifing after the l]|!alth of himself and his lamily. They also testi
fied their regardftpid their gratitude by sending him various presents— -the first
flowers of the spring, the first vegetables and fruits of the garden, were present
ed to the beloved paster, Jhus reciprocating the sweetest affections eif, .^e mind '
by external emblem*. ^Hatitud^and love. Hovif delightful,*! -thought, it ia to
be'a pastor, when tbSs sweet spirit of reciprocation exists ! where the minist,ejj,
in his aQxietsjr aind labor to perforin the arduous duties of his offi%. is so'othed'-
and strengthened^iot only, .by the consciousness, depending on divine mercy*
andassistance, of having endeavored to do what he could for the 'instruction and
salvation of his flock, but by the sweet recnprocation of^acknowledgmeni^and
affection. ¦%' »
" I afterwards was eager ta»^mbraoe the opportunity of enjoying sob
versation with Oberiin on the spiritual sense of the Word. But in tl)

1 20 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
I was disappointed ": he acknowled^d that the Word has a spiritual sense ;
but his knowledge of it>» seemed scanty and obscure. ' He told me, he regretted
that he had never been able to procuUBj^wed^borg's works, in which the
Word is explained as to its spiritual 'seil&et'these vi^orks not having been trans
lated either into French or German, and the Latin copies being so scarc-e, that
he could never procure them. The works of Swedenborg which he possess
ed, were the Heaven and Hell, Divine Love and Wisdom, Divine Providence and. if I
mistake not, a German translation of the Earths in the Universe.
" The different biographers of Oberiin have carefully concealed his l^ilection
for the writings of Swedenborg ; th^ all agree, however, that he had peculiar
views concerning heaven and hell and the human soul. And M. Morelj wha
has recently written memoirs of Oberiin, says, ' OoAlin had|Hiuch originality in
his conceptions, and his most singular ideas bore the impress 'of a great soul :^
he attached an emblematical sense to colors. His ardent imagination, nourilhed
by the inystical -works of Swedenborg. delighted to bound over the threshold of
the tomb, and to expatiate in the mysterious world which awaits the soul, when
separatedfrom its earthly bonds."* ' • ¦»

PART III.
LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS EEIATIVE TO SWEDENBORG'S
GENERAL CLAIMS.

XXI.
LETTERS
FROM .(^
THE CELEBRATED J. C. LAVATER,t ^
OF Z.UEICHj
,«
TESTIFYING HIS ADMIRATION OF SWEDENBORG'S .WRITINGS.

It 'is not known (says Dr. Tafel), whether Swedenborg wrote In reply to Lavater, Ot
not; it is very probable that, as these letters contain nothinghut inquiries arising from a
trifling curiosity ^he did not reply. *ntleft him. by continuing to' rea'd his (Swedenborg's')
writings, to form his own judgment. That Lavater continued to be a* diftgenfr reader
of the writings of Swedenborg, is evident from certain treatises w^ich he wrote On
the Lord, On Redefnption, and The Atonement, which are written in the strictest agree
ment with Swedenborg's doctrines on those subjects. - ,

* See La NouveUe Jerusalem, Deux. Annee. 233. \
t See New Jerusalem Magazine for 1790, pp, 179 a«i« 245. Where two letters from
Lavater the celebrated author.of the " Treatise on Physiognomy, ^c," are inserted • the
editors say that the orignal Latin letters were then in their possession. '

LETTERS FROM THE CELEBRATED LAVATER. 121
LETTER I.
" Most reverend and excellent man.
" I doubt not but you are often troubled with letters from foreigners with
whomyou are unacquainted, and as you are much engaged in meditation, busi
ness, travels, and the company of persons of renown, you will probably con
sider the present application from an unknown Swiss as trifling and imperti
nent : yet knowing that so great a man was my contemporary. I could hot help
inquiring of him a few things -which seemed to me to be of the greatest import
ance, as I know no person in the world but yourself (who have given proofs of
an extraordinary and almost divine knowledge), capable of resolving my ques
tions, I shall therefore take the liberty of proposing them, and trust you will
condescend to satisfy me therein as soon as possible.
" I. I have been engaged these three years with heart and soul in writing a
poem on the future happiness of Christians, and have lately written several
letters particularly to Zimmerman, the present celebrated physician to the Iring
of'England. an Hanoverian, and my intimate friend, to the end that I might col
lect the opinions ofthe wise and learned, before I should publish the poem itself.
I most fervently wish to have your opinion also, which would be of great use to
me ; but as I do not know whether you are conversant with the German
language, I would wiUipgly send you a copy, or, if you please, translate the
principal parts into Latin.
" n. I have a long time been convinced from the Holy Writings and my own
particular experience, that God frequently favors faithful and ardent prayers in
such a manner, that on account of them not only wonderful things have been
done, but even real miracles effected. I am now writing a dissertation on that
subject, and therefore beg to know your opinion. You may probably not doubt
that God and Christ still work 'miracles for the sake of the faithful, who are much
united to him ; perhaps some certain instances, which are beyond doubt, may
have come to your knowledge. Is it true that a very pious girl at Stockholm,
of the name of Ca!tharine Fagerberg, has, when asked, by means of prayer, and
an extraordinary faith, quickly cured many persons otherwise incurable ? Cotdd
you furnish me with certain and authentic proofs of the truth thereof.'
" III. I have heard and read much of your familiar conversation wjth the
spirits of the deceased ; may I be permitted, most respected mau. to propose to
you some questions, from a mind that is very sincere and filled with respect
towards you. by the solution of which I may be convinced concerning these
almost incredible reports.
" 1. Felix Hess, a friend of mine, died March 3., 1768, — whether he will ap
pear to me. while lam living, and when, and in what manner ?—whel her he
will reveal anything to me respecting the happiness of those in heaven, or con
cerning my ecclesiastical destination on earth ? (I fervently desired him before
his death to comply with my request if possible.)
" 2. Henry Hess, brother to the deceased, my very good friend, — whether, and
when, he will be convinced of that power of faith and prayer which I (each,
and of which he still doubts? — and which ofthe inhabitants of Zurich, who are
yet in a doubtful state, will be convinced .'
" 3. Shall I ever be so happy as fo converse with angels or spirits of the de-
9

122 .DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. ^,
ceased without any false fanaticism, .and -without disobedience against the com-
mandmtijf of God, notto interrogate the dead ; and by what manner of life, or
by what virtues, I could arrive at so high a privilege ? • »' ' '
" 4. Whether- the dream I hadJi^iie 9,this year, proceeded from Felix Hess .'
" Be not angry, thqu most pcellent and learned man, with a very studious
disciple of truth, who, will neither be rashly credulous, nor a disbeliever, but has
an open breast, ready to" recei-ye, from his, inmost soul whatever truth beams
forth. Fajrewell,; do, npt suffer me long to wait, in vain for an answer. May,
God and Christ', to whom we belong, whether living or dead, be with you.
I " John Caspar Lavater.
" Zurich. Swit^eriand. Aug. 24, 1768."

LETTER II.
" Mbst noble, venerable, and beloved '
in Christ our Lord.
" I have taken the liberty of writing to you a second time, as it is likely you
ihay not haVe received my other letter on account of your travels ; but I have at
last learnt by what means this will probably reach you.
" I revere the wonderful gifts thou hast received of our God. I revere the
wisdom which shines forth from thy writings, and, tlierefore.cannot but seek
the friendship of so great and excellent a man now living. If it is true what is
rfeported. God -will show to thee how niuch I seek to converse with thee in the
simplicity of my mind. I am a young man 'not yet thirty years old, minister of
the gospel : I am and shall be efnployed'in the causeof Christ as long as I live.
I have written something ott the hapjiiness of the future life. Oh! if I could
exchange letters with thee oh this subject, or rather converse ! I add a writing :
thou shalt know my soul. One thing I beg of thee, thou divinely inspired man !
Ibeseech thee by the Lord not to refuse me.
" In the month of March, 1768, Felix Hess, my best friend died, a youth of
;&irich. twenty -four years of age. an upright man. of a noble mind, striving for a
Christian spirit, but not yet clothed with Christ. Tell me, pray, what he does ;
paint to me his figure, state, &c. in such words, that I may know that' God in-
truth is in thee. I send also a cipher Writing, which thou wilt understand if it
is true what is reported of thee : I request it may not be shown to any person.
" I am thy brother in Christ. Answer very Soon a sincere brother : answer
the letter I have sent, and in such a mamier, that I may see what I am believ-'
ing upon the testimony of others; Christ be with us, to whom we belong, living
or dead. "John Caspar Lavatek.
« Zurich, Switzeriand, Sept. 24, 1769."

Ills LETTERS TO DR. 6. A BEYEiK. ' " nis
XXIJf. ¦
LETTERS FROM

SWEDENBORG TO DR. BEYER,*
GREEK PROFESSOR. AND ASSESSOR ISf THE CONSISTORY OF GOTTEKBURe,
ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

This gentleman, in the year 1768.t became one of Swedenborg's most intimate friends',
and one ofthe most active promoters of his sentiments. This drew upon him asevere
persecution from the Consistory at Gottenburg. • The matter was .carried before the
supreme government, when, ii} compliance with an order from the king, Dr. Beyer
presented to his majesty, Jan. 2, 1770, a declaration of his sentiments in regard to the
doctrines of Swedenborg.^ Tojvnrds the close, the amiable and learned author expresses
hirnself thus; "In obedience to your majesty's most gracious command, that I should
deliver a full and positive declaration respecting the writings of Swedenborg, I do
acknowledge it to be my duty to declare, in all humble confidence, that so far as I
have proceeded in the study of them, and according to such gifts for investigation and
judgment as I possess, 1 have found in them nothing but what closely coincides with the
words of the Lord himself; and they shine with a light truly divine." The following
aip ¦ certain letters which Swedenborg wrote to this learned and pious individual.

To Dr, Beyer.

" I have now at length arrived at the end ofthe Apocalypsis, and send you. Sir,
eight copies thereof, two bound, and six in sheets, which you will please to dis
pose of in the following manner : one copy for yourself, one for the bishop, one
for the dean, one for Dr. Rosen, one for the mayor (Mr. Patterson), and one for
the library ; the other two you may lend out to your friends. At the conclusion
of every chapter there are me??ioroWcretotons separated from the text by asterisks,
which you will please to read over first, whereby a fundamental knowledge'
will be acquired ofthe miserable state to which the reformed churches are re
duced by the doctrine oi fakh alone, lam now going from this place for Eng-'
land, where some disturbance has most likely arisen, as the bishbps of England
are strongly pointed out in the memorable relations, hut necessity required it. — I
remain, &c.,' ;. "Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Amsterdaan, April 8. 1766."
*¦ See New Jerusalem Magazine, 1790, p. 30, where the following letters are said to be
faithfully.translated from the original by J. Strand. ^ '
t Wo have seen above p. 75. the way inwhich Dr. Beyer first became aoquaiintM^
with Swedenborg and his writings.
t It xnajt be seen in the Intellectual Repository i vol. i. (first series,) p. 113 : it has-a;lso
been since published in the form of a small tract : for it contains a masterly vindication
of the s'britiments selected by the Consistory for condemnation. This document we
shall adduce below.

124 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
LETTER II.
To Dr, Beyer.
" With regard to the writings of St. Paul, and the other apostles, I haye not
given them a place in my Arcana Cmlestia, because they are dogmatic wnritings
merely, and not written in the style of the Word, as are those of the prophets, of
David, of the Evangelists, and Revelation of St. John.'
" The style of the Word consists throughout in correspondences, and thence
efiects an immediate communication with heaven ; but the style of these dog
matic writings is quite difierent. having, indeed, communication with heaven,
but only mediate or indirectly.
" The reason why the apostles wrote in this style, was, that the New Chris
tian Church was then to begin through them; consequently, the same style as
is used in the Word would not have been proper for such doctrinal tenets, which
required plain and simple language, suited to the capacities of all readers.
" Nevertheless, the Writings of the apostles are very good books for the church,
inasmuch as they insist on the doctrine of charity and faith thence derived as
strongly as the Lord Himself hath done in the Gospels, and in the Revelation of
St. John, as will appear evidently to any one who studies these -writings with
attention. "In the Apocalypse Revealed, No. 417. 1 have proved, that the words of Paul, in
Rom. iii. 28. are quite misunderstood; and thus the doctrine of justification by
faith alone, which at present constitutes the theology of the reformed churches,
is built on an entirely false foundation. — I remain, &c., " EkANUEt Swedenborg.
" Amsterdam, April 15, 1766."

letter III.
To Dr. Beyer,
I
" I arrived here on the Sth of this month. The voyage from England hither
was made in eight days. The wind was favorable, but attended with a violent
storm, which occasioned so short a passage. I have since received yours of the
17th September, and am glad to find yourself and my other friends are well at
Gottenburg, to all of whom you will please to present my compliments.
" I wish much blessing to the intended publication of the Library of Sermons,^
and send you herewith my subscription for the same. I presume you will use
all necessary precaution in this work, because the time is not yet arrived, that
the essentials of the New Church can be so received ; the clergy, who have so
much confirmed themselves in their tenets at the universities, find it difficult to
be convinced : for all confirmations, in things pertaining to theology, are. as it
weie, glued fast in the brains, and can with difficulty be removed; and, whilst
they remain, genuine truths qan find no place. Besides, the new heaven of Chris
tians, from whence the New Jerusalem from the Lord will descend (Rev. xxi. 13). is not
yet perfectly settled.

* See the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture No 11'?''
t Tbe title of a work written by Dr. Beyer. x- , . xo.

HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A. BEYER.
" It is now generally thought here at Stockholm, that faith and cliarity must
advance together, and that the one cannot exist without the other, by reason that
good works are the fruits of faith, aad show themselves in a state of justification (yet
very few of the Lutherans think beyond this) ; although the learned have not
yet discovered any connexion between faith and good works ; for which reason
they assert good works to be only things of a moral and civil nature, and so far good,
but not available unto salvation, &c. They are also in the right, because from
such a faith no other works can be derived ; the case is diff'erent as to faith m
Jesus Christ,
" With respect to the Divine Humanity of the Lord it is not contrary to the For
mula Concordia, where we are taught, that ' in Christ God is Man, and Man is God,
and the assertion of Paul is confirmed, that in Christ all the fullness ofthe Godhead
dwelleth bodily,' &c. Of the writings of Behmen I cannot judge, as I have never
ead them. — I remain, &c.,
* " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm, Sept. 25. 1766."

letter IV.
To Dr, Beyer.

" By your friend. Sir, I have been asked several questions, to which be pleased
to receive the following as an answer : —
" I. My opinion concerning the writings of Behmen and L  ? — Answer. I have
never read them, as I was prohibited reading dogmatic and systematic theology,
before heaven was opened to me. by reason, that, unfounded opinions and in
ventions might thereby easily have insinuated themselves, which with difficulty
could afterwards have been extirpated, wherefore, when heaven was opened to
me. it was necessary first to learn the Hebrew language, as well as the corres
pondences of which the whole Bible is composed, which led me to read the
Word of God over many times ; and inasmuch as the Word of God is the source,
whence all theology must be derived. 1 was thereby enabled to receive instruc
tions from the Lord, who is the Word.
" II. How soon the New Church is to be expected ? — Answer. The Lord is preparing
at this time a new heaven of such as believe in Him. and acknowledge Him
to be the true God of heaven and earth, and also look to Him in their lives,
which is to shun evil and do good ; because from that heaven shall the New
Jerusalem, mentioned in Rev. xxi. 2. descend. I daily see spirits and angels,
from ten to twenty thousand, descending and ascending, who are set in order.
By degrees as that heaven is formed, the New Church likewise begins and in
creases. The universities in Christendom are now first instructed, from whence
will come ministers; because the new heaven has no influence over the old
clergy, who conceive themselves to be too well skilled iu the doctrine of justifi
cation by faith alone.
"III. Respecting the promised treatise cpncerning infinity, omnipotence, and omni
presence 7 — Answer. There are many things interspersed in the Angelic Wisdom
concerning Divine Providence, on these subjects, at No. 46-54, and 157 ; also in the
treatise On Angelic Wisdom concerning Divine Love and Divine Wisdom, No. 4, 17,

126 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
19, 24, 44. 69. 72,.76,. 106,456„31&; and in the Apocalypse Revealed,'No, 961, and
these will be still further treated.on i^ The Mysteries of Angelic Wisdom concerning
Conjugial Lot)e; but forasmucK' as to write a separate treatise on these divine
attributes, without the assistance of something to support them, -would occasion
too high an elev.ation of the thoughts. I have therefore treated on these subjects
in a series with other things which fall within the understanding.
" I have with pleasure perused your new Essay on the Gospels;* concerning the
first advent, there are fine interpretations. Here I shall mention the signification
of a manger, of the baptism of John, and of Elias. A manger signifies instruction
from the Jf ord. because mules and horses signify the understanding of the Word
(See Apocalypse Revealed, No. 298) ; and in a manger is their nutrition ; that there
was no room in the inn, signifies, that there was no place of instruction in Jeru
salem ; wherefore it is said to the shepherds, who signify the church to come,
" This shall be the sign unto you ; ye shall find the babe lying, in a manger" (Luke ii.
12). The baptism of John prepared the heavens, that the Jewish people might
subsist when God Himself should appear among them ; and John as • well a*
Elias, who was the chief of the prophets, signifies, all the prophecies in the Old
Testament concerning the Lord and His advent.
" Since here (in Stockholm), they now begin to think more of charity than be
fore, and to be persuaded that faith aad charily cannot be separated, therefore
faith alone begins also to be called the Moravian faith. — I remain, &c..
"Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm. Feb., 1767."

letter y.
To Dr, Beyer.
" I had the pleasure of receiving yours. Sir, of the 23d of November, 1768!
The reason why I did riot answer it. was, that I would postpone it until a litde
work was published, entitled, A brief Exposition ofthe Doctrine of the New Church,
signified in the Revelations hy the New Jerusalem, in which work are fully shown
the errors of the hitherto conceived doctrine, of justification by faith alone, and the
imputation of the rigfiteousness, or merits, of Jesus Christ, This' treatise I have sent
to all the'clergy throughout Holland, and I intend to convey it to the most emi
nent in Germany, t have been informed that they have attentively perused it.
and that some of them have already discovered the truth, and that others do not
know which way to turn themselves ; for what is written therein, is perfectly
convincing' that the doctrine above-mentioned is the- cause that no true theology
now exists in Christendom. I intend sending you. by the first ship. tvVelve
copies of this work, which you will please to dispose of in the following man
ner : one copy to the bishop, one to the dean, and the rest, except your own, to
the prbfessors of theology at the colleges, and the clergymen in the city, since
no one can more rightly judge of the same, than he who lias fundamentally received
the mysteries of justification. After this little work is perused, be pleased, kindly,
* This excellent work of Dr. Beyer, consistsof homilies or discourses for every Sunday
throughout the year, written. 0(i the principles of the New Church ; and in, Sweden, by
those who receive the doctrine, is greatly esteemed ; although the author was much per
secuted on that account, and the book afterwards prohibited.

HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A, BEYER. 127
to request fhe dean to declare his opinion thereof in the ' Consistory. All those
that can. and are willing to see truth, will accede.
" I am now much inquired of, respecting the New Church, when it will take
place .' — to which I answer : by degrees, as the doctrine of justification and im
putation is extirpated; which probably may be eff"ected by this work. • It is
known, that the ChristiaVi Church did not take place immediately after the as-
cension'of Christ, but increased successively, which is also understood by these
words in the Revelations : ' And the woman flew into the desert, into her place, where
she is nourished a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent' (xii. 14).
The serpent or dragon, is that doctrine.
" In about a month I am going from hence to Paris, and that with a desigii
Which beforehand must not be made public.
" With regard to the visions of several mentioned in your letter, they are no
thing but ph'antaitic visions,-^With my respectful compliments to the bishop, &c.,
I remain, &c., " Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsteirdam, March 15, 1769."

letter VI.
To Dr, Reyer.
" I arrived at' Stockholm the beginning of this month, and was kindly received
by all Classap of-people, and instantly invited by their Royal Highnesses the he
reditary prince and his sister, with both of whom I had a long conversation. I
also dined -with several ofthe senators, and conversed with the first members of
the Diet, and with the bishops here present, who all behaved very kindly and
aS'ably tb me, except bishop Filenius. On being informed that my copies of the
-work, De Amore Conjugiali, were stopped at Norkjoping, I inquired of the bish
ops, Enander from Abo, of Benzelstierna from Westeras, of Bishop Lutkeman,
and of bishop Lamberg, how matters stood respecting my writings, who all as
sured me, that they knew no other but that the books were taken care of, lest
any part 6f them should be lost before my retutn home ; 'but that bishop File
nius had made a representation of the matter to the clergy in the Diet, who had
given him no answer, and much less consented to any confiscation; and that
his motion was not accepted, or minuted down in the proceedings of the Diet;
and consequently that none of the clerical order in the Diet bore any part in it.
Except bishop Filenius. -with whom I had some dispute, as he insisted on their'
being revised, before they were delivered ; and he will not hear mentioned, that
theirevisal of this book, -rtrhich is not theological, but chiefly moral, is unneces
sary, and conseqhently absurd. Such a mode of proceeding would prepare the
way for a ' dark age ' in Sweden. Nevertheless, this behavior ofthe bishop'
cannot affect me in the least, -as I 'have brought over thirty-eight copies of this
work with me, and had sent over five of them before ; the half of which num
ber I have delivered and' sent to the bishops, to the different orders ofthe Diet, to
the senators, and to the Royal Family, and" when the rest in like manner are
distributed, there will be more than sufficientfor Stockholm. I think of sending
those that are stopped at Norkjoping, abroad, -where they are much desired.

128 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" I send herewith a little treatise, printed in London, entitled, De Commercio
Anima et Corporis, which has been sent to the societies and universities in Eng
land and France. Please to peruse the latter part of it : most likely it is also
translated into English. I gave only to bishop Benzelstierna that little treatise,
entitled, A Brief Exposition of the Doctrine ofthe New Church, enjoining him at the
same time, in the strictest manner, to take care not to let it pass into other peo
ple's hands, because there are but very few in Sweden, whose understandings
are receptive of true theology, and therefore the Hght that is given from the
^ord of God. is not received by them. As. for instance, what is said in Rom.
iii. 28, and in Gal. ii. 16. where an imputative faith of the merits of Christ is not
meant, but real faith in Jesus, which is a faith from Him and in Him. Neither
are the works of the law of the Decalogue meant in those places, but the works
of the Mosaic law. proper to the Jews. Neither is Rom. iv. to be understood, of
the imputation of the present church, &c., nor will they be enlightened by such
Scripture texts as concern the Son of God ; that by the Son of God is not to be un
derstood any Son of God from eternity, but the Son of God conceived in time from
Jehovah God. and born of the Virgin Mary, according to the very words them
selves, in Luke i. 32-35 ; Matt. iii. 17 ; xvii. 5 ; John xx. 31 ; 1st Epistle of John
V. 20. 21. and other places. This is l.kewise agreeable to the Apostolic Creed,
where no other Son of God is mentioned, and consequently the primitive church
knew of no other.
" That a Son of God from eternity was inserted in the Nicene and Athanasian
Creeds, arose from this, that they found no other way to refute and banish the
Arian errors. (See the Apostolic Creed.) I therefore adhere to the ApostoUc
Church. " To call on God the Saviour, can in nowise be denied throughout Christendom,
and still less by the Lutherans who abide by the Augustine confession, p. 19;
and also in the Apology, p. 226 ; and. moreover, that in Christ Man is God, and
God is Man ; as also many other particulars already mentioned. The Formula
Concordia likewise explauis a Divine Trinity in those that are renewed through
faith, p. 695, Apol. p. 130; but which in reality is not a true explication of the
Divine Trinity in God the Saviour, as shall be fully demonstrated in that work,
which I intend laying before the public within the space of two years. In the
meantime, the Brief Exposition, as a forerunner of it. will prepare the way for
its reception. This treatise has been dispersed throughout Christendom, Swe
den excepted, and that for this reason : because true divinity exists there only
in its wintry state ; and. in general, towards the North Pole, there is a greater
length of spiritual night than in the southern parts ; and therefore, those who
stand in that darkness may be supposed to kick and stumble more than others
against everything in the New Church, which is the produce of an unprejudiced
reason and understanding; yet. at the same time, we are to admit of some
exceptions to his observation in the,, ecclesiastical order. I apply to myself
what our Saviour says to His disciples, Matt. x. 16.
" The remarkable particulars related concerning your wife, in her dying hours,
were wrought through the impression of two clergymen, who so directed and
employed her thoughts in conversation, as to effect a conjunction with such
spirits as she then spoke of. In the hour of death, it happens at times, to some
people, that they are in a state of the spirit. The spirits, who first spoke through
her, were ofthe dragon's society, that were cast out of heaven, agreeably to the

HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A. BEYER. 129
prediction in the Revelations, xii. They are thence become so filled with enmi
ty and hatred towards our Saviour, and, consequently, towards His holy Word,
and all that belongs to the New Church, that they cannot even bear to hear the
name of Christ mentioned. When the sphere of the Lord, proceeding from the
heavens, lights on them, they become as it were mad, and in a terrible rage ; and
directly seek to hide themselves in holes and caverns, as spoken of in the Reve
lations vi. 16. Your deceased wife was with me yesterday, and informed me
of a variety of things concerning what she thought, and what she had spoken
to you her husband, and to the clergymen, the seducers. Were I at this time
near you,. I could relate a number of things on this head, which will not admit
of being sent in writing. — I remain, &c., " Emanuel Swkdenbor&.
" Stockholm, October 30. 1769."
" P. S. This letter may be shown to others, and also copied or printed, if
deemed necessary. Two honorable friends in London have sent me an invita
tion there, and 1 have almost resolved on going thither the ensuing spring.
" I have been told, that in Gottenburg a letter has been printed, which men
tions, that I was ordered in Paris to depart from that city, which is a direct false
hood : Count Creutz, our envoy in Paris, can certify."*

lETTER vn.
To Dr, Beyer.

" In my last letter the shortness of time would not permit me to give an an
swer with respect to the relation of the boy of Skara. which, if true, proves the
communication of spirits with man. A genteel and rich family here in Stock
holm are desirous of taking the boy into their house, and to educate him in every
branch he may wish to learn. If the youth has an inclination, and could have
an opportunity of the company of some person coming this way. the family
would be very happy; and in that case you will be. pleased to furnish thirty
dollars for the expenses on the journey, and to give hira my direction, that I may
conduct him to the house. I will pass in silence his vision of the white serpents,
which he had in his tender infancy, especially as it may admit of being explain
ed in different senses ; but his knowing the use of herbs, and the cure of certain
diseases, if really the case, is not from the reason, that such diseases and cures
exist in the other life among spirits and angels ; but there exist spiritual diseases
and spiritual uses, which correspond with the natm-al diseases and cures in this
world, so that the correspondences effect such things when they happen. And
as there are no natural diseases among the spirits in the spiritual world, there
are neither any hospitals ; but, instead of them there are spiritual mad-houses,
in which are those who theoretically denied God, and in others, such as practi
cally did the same. Those who in the worid were idiots, at their arrival in the
Other world are also ' foolish and idiots ; but being divested of their externals,
and their internals opened as is the case with them all. they acquire an nnder-
* Respecting Swedenborg's visit to Paris, in order to publish in that city his " Uni
versal Theology, 4re." See above p. 91.

130 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
standing agreeable to their former quahty a,nd life, -inasmuch as tbe ddual follies
And madnesses dwell in the external natural man, and not in the internal spiritual: -
" With regard to what passed in the earliestpart of my life, about which you
wish to be informed : from my fourth to my tenth year, my thoughts were con
stantly engrossed by reflecting upon God. on salvation, and on the spiritual
affeetions of man. I often revealed things in my discourse, which filled my pa.
rents with astonishment, and made them declare at times, that certttinlj the angeii
spoke thtough my mouth. ' ' •
" From my sixth to my twelfth year, it was my greatest delight to converse
with the clergy concerning faith; to whom I often observed, that charity or love
was the life of faith, and that this vivifying charity or love was no other than the
love of one's neighbor; that God vouchsafes this faith to every one; but that it is
adopted by those only who practise that charity.
" I knew of no other faith or belief at that time, than that (Jod is the Creator and
Preserver of Nature ; that he endues man w^ith understanding, good inclina
tions, and other gifts thence derived.
"I knew nothing at that time of this systematic or dogmatic kind of faith,
that God the Father imputes the righteousness or merits of his Son-to whomso
ever, and at such times, as he wills, even to the impenitent. And had I heard
of such kind of faith, it would have been then, as now, perfectly unintelligible
to me. — I remain, &c., " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm, Nov. 14, 1769."

LETTER vm.
To Dr, Beyer.

" I received y.ours of Dec. 2d this day, also the printed letter, which at first
caused a pla^lor among a great part of the clerical body ; yet clamor does no harm,
being like the ferment in wine when fermenting, after which it is purified ; for Unless
wliat is wrong is brought into a stcite. of ventilation, and is thus rejected, what is right
cannot be discerned and received, I have, indeed, been informed of the proceed
ings of the deputies in the clerical assembly of the Diet, but I did not stir one
step to defend that cause ; knowing that the Lord Himself, our Saviour, defends
His chureh, particulariy against those who refuse to enter through the right dooi
into the sheepfold. that is, into the church, and thus into heaven ; such are called,
thieves and robbers. The Lord Himself declares, ' He that entereth not by the door
into,, the sheepfold, but elimbeth up some other way, is a thief and a robber; £
am the door, if any man enters by me, he shall be saved, and he shall find pas
ture' (John X, 1, 7, 8, 9), I have moreover been told by an ai-igel from the Lord,
that I may rest securely upon, my arm in the night, by which is meant that night, in,
which the ^vpl;ld is now immersed, as to what relates to the church.
" t have alsp read the appendix to The Spy, No- 48. and in the concluding ex-.
pressions I perceive the interior sense of the author, which is easily discovered.
_ " With respect to the two clergymen whom your deceased wife has spoken of^
she has not mentioned their names, for which reason neither can I mention

HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A. BEYER. 131
them. It is well known, that among the clergy there are also erroneous spirits,
in this country as well as in other parts of the world. When she had related
this among other things, she departed to the dragon spirits (draconicos), who'on
the day of her death first spoke through her. and she is still with them.
" An extract from the records by the dean (Ekebom) of Deo. 6th. has also been
communicated to me, in which he still continues his usual indecent invectives,
which I may consider as barkings, against which we must not attempt to takp
Up a stone to cast at them and to drive them away.
" I am glad that you are translating into Swedish the little work of The Inter
course between the Soul and Body. It has been very well received abroad in all
places, as well as by many intelligent persons here in Stockholm. — I remain, fee,
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm. Dec. 29, 1769."

LETTER rX.
ToDr, Beyer.
. "I received your letter dated the 18th March, together with a copy of that
which you delivered to his Majesty. You mention also that a report has arrived
at Gottenburg. concerning, a resolution which was to have been proposed in the
senate ; but that, since the copy of that letter which I wrote you lias been com
municated to senator Count Ekeblad, and to the great chancellor of justice, this
matter has been brolight forward again, and terminated agreeably to the letter
from the great chancellor of justice to the Consistory at Gottenburg. of which
letter I request you to send me a copy. Had the first proposal been established,
that Swsdenborgianism, as they call it, should not be spoken of, and this, notwith
standing, signifies the worship ofthe Lord, what would.have been theresult, but
a f|ea^ in the clergy to speak about Christ and his protection of the human race ;
for in, such case they would have run therislf of being insulted as suppprierajOf
Swedehborgianism, and in consequence thereofi Christianity , in Sweden would
decrease and becoine Spcinianism, and finally Heathenism, which may be con-
firrned from.MaUhew xii. 30. arid, Marl?; ix;. 40. Such would have been the off
spring born from that first proposal. Thi.s is the reason, that when certain zeal
ous clergymen in this pi,ty first heard the rumor thereof, that they became aston
ished, imagining justly that, by such a way of proceeding. Christianity in this
country .wpuld totally vanish. I am informed that the bishops and many of
,^e clerical order of the state^ at the Diet expressed themselves with, great pro
priety concerning, tliose doctrinal principles which were then discussed.
" What has been presented to the consistories against ray writings, not hav- '
ing been communicated tp me, I am totally ignorant of what passed in the
senate on that subject. , , .... ;
" I go next June to Amsterdam, where I intend to publish the Universal Theoloj
gy of the New ChurcJi; the wprship of the Lprdis the foundation therein, and if
upon that foundation the true house, or temple, shall not be built, others yv'^
erect upon it iit/>a«ari'o, or brothels.* . ... ,
* 'Which spiritually mean perversions and falsifications of all the truths ofthe 'Word.
(See Rev. xvii.)

132 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" As to what regards the draconical spirits, they are all removed far towards
the south, where the learned obtain a certain place, and every one there his cel-
lulam.or little chamber, wherein he confirms himself ia justification by faith alone ;
and they who have confirmed this from the Word of God, depart thence into a
desert, and so on further. The rest, when they come out. obtain no dwellings.
To what place they afterwards go, I do not yet know : in heaven there is no
place for them. It befals them aocording to the description in the Apocalypse
Revealed, 421. But that abyss which is there described is now removed farther
in the south, as observed before. — 1 remain, with all friendship ahd confidence,
&c., " Emanuel Swedenborg.
Stockholm. April 30. 1770.

LETTER X.
To Dr, Beyer,
"As I am going, in a few days, to Amsterdam, I shall take my leave of you
in this letter, hoping that our Saviour will support you in good health, preserve
you from farther violence, and bless your thoughts. I convey you herewith the
copy of a letter, which I am about to send to the universities, as well as to the
great chancellor of justice. Please to salute kindly Dr. Rosen, and I am. &c.,
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm. July 23. 1770."
Copy of a Letter addressed to the Universities of Upsal, Lund and .Albo.
" In a few days I am going to Amsterdam, and intend to publish the whole
Theology of the New Church, the foundation whereof will be the worship of the
Lord our Saviour, on which foundation, if no temple should now be built, lupa-
naria (brothels)* would be erected.
" Now having been informed, that the religious trial, relative to Dr. Beyer and
Dr. Rosen, in Gottenburg. was immediately taken up and surprisingly termi
nated by the senate, and as this may become a subject of conversation in many
places during my absence, therefore, to prevent any malicious judgment, which
may probably proceed from the mouths of certain persons, arising from their
ignorance or interior malice, it is my duty from the importance and necessity of
the subject, to communicate what I have delivered to his Majesty thereon,
which is as follows : —
" ' I have been informed by two gentlemen in the senatorial department of justice,
that the senators are pontifex maximus, to which I then gave no answer ; but in
case I should still hear such assertions from them, I shall answer that they are
not at all pontifex maximus, but vicarius vicarii pontificis maximi ; because Jesus
Christ our Saviour is the only Pontifex Maximus; the states of the kingdom are
His vicarius, wherefore they are answerable to Him. and the senators are tlie
iitcornfor the states ; because they are appointed, and that hence they are vicarius
vicarii pontificis maximi. That the Pope of Rome called himself pontj^cem maii-
mum, is of pride, because he has taken and assumed to himself all the power of
Christ our Saviour, and placed himself on His throne, making the people believe
that he is Christ upon earth. Every inferior pontifex or vicarius pontificis maximi
* See above p. 131, note.

HIS LETTERS TODR. G. A. BEYER. 133
ought to have their consistory. The states of the kingdom have their consistory
in the ecclesiastical division of the states, and the senators have their consistory,
particularly at the universities ; but in the determination of this matter they
have acknowledged the consistory of Gottenburg to be their consistory, and
have probably assented verbatim to the opinions of that consistory, not being ap
prised that this was the most important and the most necessary subject that
has been brought forward these 1700 years in any council or senate, because it
concerns the New Church, which is predicted by the Lord in Daniel and in the
Apocalypse, and agrees with what oUr Lord says in Matt. xxiv. 22.
" ' I have not yet received the answer of the senate. It has been once pre
sented, but resolved that it should rest till the return of those senators who were
present on the former occasion. — I remaii;, &c., " ' Emanuel S-Wedenborg,"

LETTER XI.
To Dr, Beyer.
" In the letter of the honored Mr. P. Haminarberg, I have received a copy of
the deposition or reflections of Dr. Ekebom, the dean, concerning the writings
published by me. Enclosed you will receive my defence, which you will have
the kindness to hand over to the venerable Consistory, after having taken a copy
of it for yourself, and one for the bishop, which I will thank you to send to him.
Should the. Dr. and Dean [Ekebom] not recal his deposition or reflections, and
entirely reject them, I intend, as the remarks or opinions of the council, of the
high court, and of the colleges, have been published, that the deposition of the
dean and my defence shall also be published ; upon which I can afterwards
commence an action at law concerning the proceedings, Next week I intend
to go to Paris.* Should anything particulariy important occur in this matter. I
wish in Paris to receive news concerning it. through a letter addressed to the
care of Count Gust. Phil. Creutz. the ambassador. With heartfelt salutations to
my acquaintance and friends in Gottenburg. I remain. &c.
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsterdam, April 15, 1769."

LETTER XII.
To Dr, Beyer,
"I send you herewith ten copies of the work published by me, entitled. De
Amore Conjugiali, which you can sell, when an opportunity arises, at nine cop
per dollars (Swedish) the copy. This book is much in request at Paris, and in
many places in Germany.
"Ofthe work lately published, namely. Summaria Expositio Doctrina Nova Ec
desia, I send only one copy : you will oblige me by keeping this for yourself
alone, and by communicating it to nobody, because it contains an improvement
of the whole system of theology prevalent at the present day in the Christian

• Respecting Swedenborg's visit to Paris, see above p. Bl.

134 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
world; and, to a certain extent.it also- contains the theology, which shall be
that of the New Church. What is therein contained will,- with difficulty, be un-
derstood by any in Gottenburg, except by yourself. This small work has been
sent to all the professors and divines in Holland, and has already come to the
principal Gterman universities, and it is now being translated into English at
London : it wiU also be published at Paris. On which account we must first
wait for the, opinions and- judgment concerning it out of Sweden, before it is
made publicly known m Sweden. I therefore request that you will, till then.
keep it for yourself. • ¦
" On the 26th April I shall set off for Paris. !• remain, with all friendly. -wishes,
&c., yours, &c., ¦ 3 , " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Amsterdam, April 23, 1769."

LETTEb. Xnl
To Dr. Beyer.

' " Only two days ago I received your letter of the last month (March), and -was
surprised, as I read it through, at the reports, which, it appears, have come
from Stockholm to Gottenbui^, to the effect that yourself, together -with Dr,
Rosen, shall be deposed, and banished the country, which I certainly cannot be
lieve, since it contradicts ray reason to suppose, th^t any person can be deposed'
from his office, and banished from the country, from his mere allegation that he
is a heretic in the highest degree, without e-venan inquiry being made into the
principal state of the question. In the printed protocols 1 nowhere find that the
parties have even gone into the subject, but that they have only endeaVoifed to
make an attack [upon my writings] with unworthy reproaches and insults.
whereas the- Subject itself, and the state of the question is this: whether' it be
permitted toiaddress ourselves immediately to the Redeemer and Saviour Jesus
Christ. or'Whether we be obliged to go a round-abouf way, namely, to God the
Father, that he may impute to us the merit and righteousness of his Son and
send the holy spirit? But that we should go the other way. which is the straight
Way. namely, to the Redeemer Jesus Christ, is in' accordance both with the
Augsburg Confession, and the Formula Concordia, and also with our own prayers
and psalms ; and it entirely agrees with the Word of God.
" In the Augsburg Confession are the following words : — ' For [the Scripture]
sets before us Christ alone as Mediator, Propitiator. High Priest, and Intercessor;
he is to be invoked, or addressed ; and he has promised that he will hear our
prayers ; and the Sacred Scripture very greatly approves of this worship, namely,
that he should be invoked, or addressed, in all afflictions' (1 John ii. 1).
"In the Formula Concordia are the following words : ' We have a command
that we should^call upon Christ according to that saying, '' Come unto me all ye
who labo*,; &c., which is certainly said to us ; and Isaiah says. ch. xi. ' In that
day the're shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of die people.
On him shall the nations call.' And in Psalm xiv, ' The rich among the people
shall entreat thy countenance.' And in Psalm Ixxii. ' And all kings of the earth
shall fall down before him,' And in another verse, • They shall pray before him

HIS LETTERS TO DR. G. A. BEYER. 139
continually." And in John v. Christ says, ' All shaH honor the Son, even as they
honpr the Father.' See also Paul, i., Thesa. ii. What is here adduced is taken
yeihatim theiefiom iFormala Conwdie).
" In oiir Psailm book there are prayers aad psalms which are addressed solely
to Jesus Christ. A,3 an example, 1 will adduce only from Psalm 266, the follow
ing. ' Jesus is my , defence, and ray heart's- delight. Hear, O Jesus, my voice !
Depending on Christ I shall be safe, and free from sin. 1 shall not fear Satan,
howsoever he may rage ; Jesus stands by .m e. . All cares -which burden my heart
Ij past.upon Jesus ; he cares .for me before the day begins ; now I live securely.'
'Verses 1,.3, g. . , .,
"Besides all this, there are in two of myjletters,* which have been received an^
printed in the Gottenburg protocols, many proofs adduced from the whole of the
For^'iih Co»»6<?^«j2'ffi,. that; our Saviour is, according to his human nature, also God,
which Luther and the Formula Concordia corroboratfe -tvith alJ power, and which
also is in agreement with the entire Word of God. I will here only refer you to
Colos. ii. 9 ; 1 Epist, John r. 20, 21 . More tP the same purport has been adduced!
from one of my works, an extract of which m,ay be found in the printed proto
cols or reports of the Gottenburg Consistory. This [doctrine] is there called
S^edenborgianism ; bnt fat my part I call it true Christianity, '¦ •' '
; ";' This is tbe state of the question, concerning which we how contend, which
on the one^side the members of the Consistory hs/ve not, in the least, touched,
but.haveonly burst forth into shameful reproaches, which are of such a nature
as, to B-ffect npt only my person;amd,honor, but even our Redeemer and his holi
ness. I '.,.-. .
. "As to the Son, pf ,G»pd- from eternity, la-bout which swb|eet there is also a dis-
pute,J bave also proiyed, tjiatfin thei Apostle's creed, which is received through
out Jhe whole Christian world, and which contains; the teaching ofthe apostles,
no. other Son pf God is meant, than the. Son. of God born in time, who is our
Redee,tn,er,hin>6elf, to whom every man can address himself, and, according to
thfi|A^gsbli^rg Confession and the Formula Goneordice, he must address himself, in
ojrder to fipd salvation. . If this doctrine were taken away, 1 would rather dwell
inTartayy than in Qh^stendom; Should another wish to go still further, to a
Sf)r!,frometernityf he.is free to do so^
,"Ji;hrpughryour letter, ^and the intimated fear respecting hard treatment, I have
been occasioned to unfold and explain tbe matter m this manner, as theological'
subjects are of,sucb,a.nat.ure, that a person may easily wander in darkness re
specting them, particulariy if the accusers, from pretended learnmg, blacken
them with such gross expressions, and thus kill the ' male chOd ' with murder
ous words. Howeyer,,I beheve. and- 1 feel persuaded, that his Majesty and his
enlightened coupsellors -will judge of the matter according to its true nature, and
without reference td the glosses and remarks of the dean and of others : for if
you were deposed and banished from the country, what else would the present
as well as future generations say, but that this had happened on no other ac
count, than because you had addiresse'd'yourself immediately to our Lord and
Saviour, and, nofvVithstanding,- you did hot deny the Trinity. Would not this
cause every one'to be greatly astonished and indignant? This subject, in its

• Th(sas letters may be seen above p. 127-133.-

136 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
whole extent, will soon be laid before the whole Christian worid.* the judgment
of which I shall afterwards hand over to his Majesty, and to the honorable mem
bers of the state : for the priestly order, in the assembly of the state, is not au
thorized to hand over to his Majesty any particular depositions which should
necessarily be followed. Religious matters belong also to others.
" As to your journey hither, I do not see that your presence could contribute
much to your defence. Will you have the kindness to send a copy of this letter
to his Excellence, the Counsellor N. N. von StockenstrOm. and one to his Excel
lence, the Counsellor N. N. Hermansson, with the remark, that you have sent
them by my desire. I also intend to send a copy of it to the Chancellor of Jus
tice, and another copy to his Excellence Count Ekeblad.
" I remain. &c. &c.
" Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm. AprU 12, 1770."

LETTER XIV.
To Dr, Beyer.
" Captain Sjoberg has informed me. that he has a commission from Mr. Ham
marberg to purchase some copies of the works published by me. viz. four of
each, and also of the work which has just appeared ; but on account of the
strict prohibition, the captain durst only take one copy of each ; besides this I
have made him a present of a copy of the last published work. Perhaps Mr.
Hammarberg may know of some way of receiving another copy, if it were sent
afterwards. In a few days I shall send to Stockholm by Captain Casp. Nyberg
two copies of the work just published entitled ' Vera Religio Christiana,' one for
the Bishop. Dr. Menander. and the other for the Bishop, Dr. Serenius, and
amongst other matters. I shall give them to understand, that so soon as the as
sembly of the states is pretty numerously attended. I shall send in a formal com
plaint about the proceeding of the counsellor of state in the Gottenburg affair
concerning you and me ; from which I hope for a favorable result. Herewith
I send you two copies of the printed promemoria\ against Dr. Ernesti. You can.
if you please, communicate one to the members of the Consistory, as it has been
circulated in Germany. What is said therein is also applicable to your dean.
With heartfelt salutations to Dr. Rosen. — I remain, &c. "Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsterdam, July 2, 1771."

Immediately after the preceding letter to Dr. Beyer, the Swedish Documents observe,
that in the correspondence with that gentleman the following remarkable lines were
found. " In the small treatise sent (to you) as well as in my former writings, I do not
mean a Son of God born from eternity, but a Son of God conceived and born in the
world, in whom is the Divine Trinity. In the Apostle's Creed, which was the con-

upon

upon Ji. D. m Ills jaiuuumeca j. amiogica, p. 784, may be seen appended
translation ofthe Coronis, ox Appendix to the True Christian Religion.

DECLARATION OF DR. G. A. BEYER. 137
fession of faith of the Apostolic church, no other Son of God is named, still less
is any other understood in the Evangelists. Luke i. 32. 35 ; Matt. iii. 17 ; xvii.
5 ; John xx. 32 ; 1 John v. 20. 21. But that the Council of Nice afterwards
assumed a Son of God born from eternity, and added another divine person, took
place because they could find no other way to put down the errors of Arius ;
and on this account it is. that the church, at the present time particulariy insists
that reason shall be held captive in obedience to a blind faith. But whether it
can come into the conception, or idea, of man so to explain the subject may
probably be seen in No. 117, and also in No. 44." — (See Sum. Expo.)
XXIII.
A DECLARATION
RESPECTING THE
DOCTRINES TAUGHT BY SWEDENBORG,
DELIVERED IN OBEDIENCE TO THE ROYAL COMMAND,
JANUARY 2, 1770, TO mS MAJESTY, ADOLPHUS FREDERIC, KING OF SWEDEN.
BY GABRIEL ANDREW BEYER. D.D..
PROFESSOR OP GREEK LITERATURE, AND MEMBER OF THE CONSISTORY OF GOTTENBURG.

As the reader will naturally desire to know something of the circumstances which
gave occasion to the following " Declaration," a few particulars are submitted for his
satisfaction. A persecution was excited by the dean of Gottenburg, in Sweden, and
some of his clergy, against the Rev. Drs. Beyer and Rosen, members of the ecclesiastical
Consistory of that place, in consequence of their having read with approbation the
theological writings of their eminent countryman, Emanuel Swedenborg. The object
ofthe dean's mistaken zeal was. to obtain a prohibition ofthe reading of those writings
as heretical, and lo inflict upon those who favored them the severe penalties, which the
laws of the kingdom then allowed in cases of dissent from the Swedish Lutheran Church.
The affair came under the cognizance ofthe supreme council ofthe state, called, under
the form of government at that time established, the senate, in which the king himself
presided : and it was in obedience to a mandate issued from this authority, requiring of
Dr. Beyer an explicitstatement of his sentiments respecting the writings of Swedenborg,
that the following paper was drawn up. It had considerable weight in preventing the
government from coming to a rash and unjust conclusion respecting the subject of it;
and it is well calculated to have a similar influence upon those into whose hands it may
now fall. 'When it is known that the effect of a condemnatory sentence would have
been the banishment ofthe writer from his native land, every candid person must ad
mire the modest constancy whioh this document evinces ; and, independently of this
consideration, must be disposed to think favorably of sentiments vShich could inspire so
steady a conviction of their truth in a mind evidently so well qualifled to form a correct
judgment on such subjects. We behold in the author of this paper a pious and learned
man, who, amid the utmost respect for the institutions of his country, discovers an under
standing and temper superior to common prejudices and well adapted for the right ap-
10

138 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
prehension of sacred truths, ability to explain and defend them, and a eomrage prepared
to suffer anything rather than renounce or disguise them. We also are presented with
some of the reasons which led him to Jiis conclusions, and which wiH be foiaad weU
worthy ofthe most serious consideration.

DECLARATION, &c.
" It is your Majesty's most gracious order, that there should be sent in an un
equivocal representation of the light in whieh the members of the Consistory re
gard the principles of Assessor Swedenborg.
" This high order, in agreement with the memorial ofthe chancellor of justice,
dictates the manner in which this representation is to be regularly drawn up,
after every possible information has been collected from his voluminons writ
ings. " Having been from my infancy watchful respecting the established form of
doctrine, and zealous for its protection, of which some of my poor attempts in
writing are proofs, it happened about four years ago that I met with some of
Assessor Swedenborg's works. His mode of writing on theology at first ap
peared to me incomprehensible, and without interest ; but being led forward by
curiosity to peruse about half a volume with calm atteiition, I discovered import
ant reasons to form a resolution not to desist until I had perused the -whole of
his writings on that subject: and, may I be permitted to observe with the most
profound submission, that notwithstanding I devoted to the perusal of them
every moment that could be spared from the duties of my ofEsial situation, by
which I was enabled to read some of them over and over, still could 1 wish to
be allowed to weigh them many years longer, in order to qualify myself to give
a mature account of their i mpbrtant contents. The theological works of Asses
sor Swedenborg are all printed, in large quarto, in Latin.
" Before 1 proceed to my most humble ' Declaration,' it behoves me seriously
to consider what is the power and testimony of the Holy Word, and at the same
time to keep in sight the rules and orders of thechnrch; and as far as I adhere
to these, I hope my ' Declaration' will be graciously judged of, as coming from
one who is not influenced, on this occasion, by the consideration of who and
where, and by what men of high reputation the subject of theology has been regard
ed as decided. Your Majesty graciously gives permission, even to the meanest
of your subjects, to substantiate his opinions on the best ground he is able. Our
Lord's own words are : ' But be not ye called Rabbi : for one is your master (teacher)
even, Christ ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth : for
one is your father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters (teachers) : for one
ia your master (teacher), even Christ (Matt, xxiii. 8, 9, 10).
" Accordingly, the compilers of the Articles of Faith received in the Swedish
Church say, ' We believe, acknowledge, and teach, that the only rules and guides
by which all doctrines and all teachers of doctrines must be viewed and judged are,
and can be no other than, the writings of the prophets and apostles, both in the
Old and New Testament. Holy Writ alone is acknowledged as a measure, rule,
and judge ; by which, as by a touchstone, all doctrines must be accurately in
vestigated and decided upon as to whether they be true or false.'
" As, therefore, doctrine is deemed pure so far only as it flows from the Word

DECLARATION OF DR. G. A. BEYER. 139
of God. and is proved thereby, and as the privilege of avowing it. when in con
formity with the law of God. is allowed. I venture in ray weakness, yet with
humble confidence, to pbur fotth the deepest sentiments of ray heart, respecting
the theological writings of Assessor Swedenborg.
" Convinced by experience, I must in the first place observe, that no man is
competent to give a just and suitable judgment of those writings, who has not
read them, or who has read them only superficially, or with a determination in
his heart to reject them, after having perused, without examination, some de
tached parts only : neither is he competent who rejects them as soon as he finds
anything that militates against those doctrines, which he has long cherished and
acknowledged as true, and of which perhaps he is but too blindly enamoured :
nor is he competent, who is an ardent, yet indiscriminatmg Biblical scholar, that,
in explaining the meaning of the Scriptures, confines his ideas'to the literal ex
pression or signification only : and, lastly, neither is he competent, who has alto
gether devoted himself to sensual indulgences, and the love ofthe world.
" But, on the other hand, the lover of iruth, whose head and heart are free from
the foregoing shackles. — 'Who will impartially try the spirits, whether they are of
GoD (1 John iv. 1). and who prays to the Lord for illumination, will discover
many remarkable circumstances in the works of this enlightened author which
give thein a claim on his attention. For instance, though it is now twenty years
since they were first published and sffread abroad amongst most of the European
states, universities, libraries, and learned men. they stand, as far as we know.
Without a single refutation to this hour, if we except some partial reviews, filled
with crude and calumniating judgments, and void of all rational arguments. It
will also be seen, that there beams forth throughout the writings of Assessor
Swedenborg the most satisfactory evidence of his intimate acquaintance with
the Hebrew, Greek, arid Arabic languages, to say nothing of the Latin; and a
most abundant illustration and corroboration of the subjects he treats of, from
all the commendable and useful sciences ; — such as philosophy in its deepest
and most exalted recesses, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, experimental
philosophy, natural history, architecture, history, and, above all, anatomy. And
further, throughout all his works, there is discoverable a coniplete harinoryr. an
uninterrupted order in the subjects, and such a coherence in their proofs, as
linies them together in as close a connexion as those of any mathematical dem
onstration : indeed, when viewed by those who are willing to accompany the
author in his chain of evidence, they are such as must carry conviction to every
candid mind. It will likewise be discovered, that the fundamental opinions
with -which the author first sets out are the same throughout, and are proceeded
upon in the other works, which everywhere harmonize and agree with them.
In short, it will be found, that in the whole history of learned men no example
can be produced, which can, in all the above considerations, be compared with
that of our author.
" It may be further remarked, that all his theoretical positions lead to a prac
tical result ; for which purpose amendment of life is every where insisted upon, to
gether with the necossity of bringing it into agreement with the order and com
mandments of heaven. It will also be discovered, that better subjects of the
state cannot be desired than those whose principles are formed upon these doc
trines.

140 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" Should we proceed in our inquiry, and judge of the claims of these writ-
tings to our attention by their use in illustrating the Holy Word, it will then be
fpund, that the piost difficult passages which the Sacred Records contain, may.
upon Assessor Swedenborg's mode of explication, be developed in a satisfactory
manner ; and that even those things hard to be understood, in the writings of Paul.
may. by this light, be easily comprehended. Let no person, therefore, hereafter
think of the author as Festus did when he addressed Paul, and said. ' Much learn
ing doth make thee mad' (Acts y xvi. 24).
, "But to take a nearer view of the subject, these theological writings may be
divided into three general classes : the first, comprehending every point touch
ing the mterpretation of the Holy Scriptures ; the second, everything appertainmg
to the doctrines of religion ; and the third, the numerous things that the author
has seen or heard, during his intercourse and experience with the spiritual
world. I. "With regard to the Interpretation ofthe Sacred Scriptures,it is immediately to
be perceived, that the obscure views of spiritual truth, pursued at a guess by
Origen. Cocceius, and many other pious divines, and seen but by partial glimpses,
have, by Assessor Swedenborg in his Arcana Calestia, and the two works on
the Apocalypse, been brought forth to the full light of day. This will manifestly
appear, whenever, with due consideration and an acquaintance with the terms
employed to elucidate his principles, we read attentively and successively the
contents prefixed'to each chapter, by which means we shall acquire a connected
general idea of that book of the Word which he is proceeding to explain ; but still
stronger will be ourlightif we proceed to each chapter individually, and osberve
firom the given signification of each word, how all the chapters are united in a
connected series in the internal sense. The explanation of words and things used
by Swedenborg is constant and invariable ; and when once appreh,ended. may,
according to the soundest rules of interpretation, be applied to other parts of the
Word, much in the way that we use the lexical interpretation of words to enable
us to study the works of a foreign author in their original language. How un
expectedly will it be found upon such an investigation, that there are discovera
ble, even in those books which are to all appearance merely histprical. purely
spiritual and celestial things ; that is, things in the highest degree worthy of the
wisdom of God. relating solely to himself, to heaven, and to the church l-r-as,
for example, in the history of Lot and his daughters (Genesis xix. 31). And
lest any person should hastily suppose that such signification and interpretation
are merely imaginary, the author has observed with all possible care the most
universally acknowledged rule of interpretation, that the Smptures must be inter
preted by the Scriptures ; his interpretation is consequently conducted upon the
most conclusive principles. And forasmuch as the majesty and glory of the
spiritual and celestial senses are veiled in the heavenly cloud, or literal sense of
the Word, he has been truly qualified from on high to dispel the mist,— to bring
to light and fully to explain what the genuine doctrines of the church ought to
be ; for as the church is spiritual, it must derive all that makes it such firom the
spirituality of the Word, so that there can be no truth of the church, unless at
the same time it be a truth of heaven ; and there can be no consociation and
conjunction with the Lord and heaven, but so far as the men of the church think

DECLARATION OF DR. G. A. BEYER. 141
from the Word, out of the Word, and uniformly with the Word, because the
Lord is Himself the Word (1 John i. 14).
" The exalted ideas which we ought to cherish respecting the Holy Scriptures
are shown and proved in bis work concerning the Sacred Scriptures, and in that
concerning the White Horse. But should the question here be asked, Why at
this late period of time, and not earlier, such a meaning should be brought to
light, a copious and satisfactory answer will be found in many parts of his writ
ings ; as for example, in the work on the Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine
Providence, 264. The author here observes. ' That a doubt may he inferred against
Ae Divine Providence, because heretofore it was not known, that in every particular of
the Word there is a spiritual sense, and that its holiness consists therein. For,' says he,
' it may be suggested as a doubt against the Divine Providence, Why is this re
vealed now for the first time, and why by this or that person, and not by any
primate of the church ? But whether a primate, or the servant of a primate, be
made choice of for such a work, depends upon the Lord's good pleasure, to
whom both the one and the other are best known. But the reason why that
sense ofthe Word was not revealed before, is, because if it had been revealed
before, the church would have profaned it. and thereby have profaned the sanc
tity of the Word itself. The church, not long after its establishment, was con
verted into Babylon, and afterwards into Philistia ; and Babylon does indeed ac
knowledge the Word, but yet contemns it, saying,' that the Holy Ghost inspires
them in their supreme decisions equally as much as it inspired the prophets. A
reason why they acknowledge the Word, is. for the sake of the Pope's vicarship,
•which they found on the Lord's words to Peter; but yet they contemn it. be
cause it does not accord with their views. For that reason also it is taken from
the people and hid in monasteries, where there are but few who read it. Where
fore, if the spiritual sense of the Word, in Which the Lord dwells, and at the
same time all angelic wisdom had been revealed, the Word would have been
profaned ; not only as is now the case in its ultimates, which are the things con
tained in the literal sense, but also in its intimates, or inmost meaning. Philistia.
by which is meant faith separate from charity, would also have profaned the
spiritual sense of the Word, because it places salvation in certain words which
are to be thought and spoken, and not in any good that is to be done, as was
shown before, and so makes that a saving principle which is not such ; and,
moreover, removes the understandmg from things which ought to be believed.
And what have such persons to do with the light in which the spiritual sense of
the Word is .' Would it not be turned by them into darkness ? When the natural
sense is turned into darkness, what would the spiritual sense be.' Is there any
one of those who have confirmed themselves in faith separated from charity, and
in justification by it Jalone," that desires to know what the good of life is; or
what love to the Lord is. and towards their neighbor ; or what charity is ; what
the goods of charity; what good works are. and what it is' to do; yea. what
faith is in its essence, or any genuuie truth that constitutes it .' They write vol
umes, and confirm nothing but what they call faith ; and all the things above re
cited, they say are contained in that faith. From which it is evident, that if the
spiritual sense of the Word had been revealed before, the case would have been
according to what the Lord says in Matliew, " If thine eye be evil, thy whole body
ihall be full of darkness ; if, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is

142 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
that darkness" (vi. 23). By the eye, in the spiritual sense of the Word, is meant
the understanding. Hence, then, it is evident, that the spiritual sense of the Word
was to be revealed for a new church, which will acknowledge and worship the
Lord only, and hold His Word sacred, and love divine truths, and reject faith
separated from charity. But more may be seen relative to this sense of the Word,
in The Doctrine ofthe New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, 6-26 ; as. what
the spiritual sense of the Word is. 5-26 : that there is a spiritual sense in all and
every particular of the Word, 9-17 : that it is by virtue of the spiritual sense that
the Word is of divine inspiration, and holyin every, single expression, 18. 19:
that the spiritual sense of the Word has been heretofore unknown, and why it
was not revealed before, 2U-25 : that from henceforth the spiritual sense of the
Word will be opened to none but those who are principled in genuine truths
from the Lord. 26. From these considerations, then, it may appear, that it is of
the Divine Providence of the Lord that the spiritual sense has been concealed
from the world until the present age. and in the mean time was preserved m
heaven among the angels, who from it derive their wisdom. This sense was
known and also cultivated among the ancients who lived before Moses ; but in
asmuch as their posterity- converted the correspondences, of which solely their
Word, and, consequently, their religion consisted, into various idolatries, and
the Egyptians into magic, the knowledge of it. by the Divine Providence of the
Lord, was withdrawn. — first among the children of Israel, and afterwards, for
the reasons mentioned above, among Christians, and is now first opened for the
Lord's New Church.'
II. In regard to the Doctrines of Religion contained in our author's works, and
which are dispersed through them all. but especially through those volumes
which constitute the second class of his writings ; we see them everywhere
illliqiinated, and, even according to the letter, unanswerably confirmed, by the
clearest declarations of the Word. For it is a fundamental rule with him respect
ing every doctrine of the church, that it must be drawn from the literal meaning
of the Word, taken in its proper series and connexion, and confirmed thereby.
This rule he has pursued in all his doctrines, which are always clearly proved
by the most unquestionable passages of Scripture. See, for example, how he
has demonstrated, in the Doctrine concerning the Lord, that there is but one God;
that Jesus Christ is that God; and that in Him is the Divine Trinity, called
Father. Son. and HotT Spirit.
" Every part, therefore, of Swedenborg's writings will, upon a due investiga
tion, have a tendency to enable us to see and to acknowledge,— _^?-.s(, an unde
niable conformity between his doctrines and the genuine meaning of the Word
of God : secondly, such a strength in the demonstrations as cannot be overthrown
if we take this for a principle, that the doctrine of the church must be that wisdom
which cometh from above (James iii. 17): thirdly, ia these writings there will be
found a thorotigh harmony with the doctrines contained in the writings of the
apostles; which doctrines, by means ofthe aboveraentioned principles, are ex
cellently illustrated and developed, and thus acquire a peculiar clearness and
strength, especially when we take notice of what the author alleges in his Doc
trine ofthe Lord, 55, respecting the primitive Christian Church : aad fourthly, we
shall be enabled to see that Ihe tendency of the whole of the author's doctrines
is, to impress Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only God of heaven and earih ;

DECLARATION OF DR. G. A. BEYER. 143
Vie Creator, Redeemer, Saviour, and Regenerator ; the All in All of heaven and the
church. And farther, he continually insists, that we ought to live according to
His divine order and commandments, -which are, 'to love Him above all things''
because he is love itself, ' and our neighbor as ourselves.'
" The most general objections made to the writings of the author by those who
-are ignorant of their true nature, are. that they do away with Christ's satisfac
tion; turn people from faith in Christ; set up self-righteousness and human
merit; and resemble Socinianism. Nevertheless, when his sentiments upon
the above subjects are duly examined, it will be evident, from arguments drawn
and demonstrated from the Word, that as tp the first objection, namely, respect
ing Christ's Satisfaction, that doctrine is fully admitted : for the Lord, he con
tends, in assuming Humanity, fulfilled all that is contained in the Word, from
the highest divine principle to the lowest natural principle^ which is the proper
meaning of that phrase. He maintains, further, that in the same Humanity, the
Lord combated the powers of hell, overcame and subdued them ; that He glori
fied His humanity, that is, rendered it divine, and so is a complete SavIgur to
Eterjsitt ; aud that thus, with respect to His Humanity as well as to His Divinity,
He is THE omnipotent Gqd. Higher and more exalted principles respecting the
Satisfaction made by the Lord for the human race, cannot be required.
" Respecting the second objection, on the subject of Faith in CnRisT.no author
has urged the necessity of such faith with more force. He insists on it in a
thousand passages, and especially in his comment upon John iii. 16, and xv. 4,
besides teaching throughout all his writings the impossibility for any Christian
to enter the kingdom of heaven and to be with the Lord, who does not acknow
ledge Jesus Christ to be the only God, the Redeemer, and Justifier.
" The thurd objection, as to Self-righteousness and Merit, has no ground what
ever in the author's writings, He everywhere keeps close to the above passage
of John : 'Abide in me. and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself.
except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye abide in me' (xv. 4) ;
and insists that man can only arrive at a conformity with the divine will by the
practice of good, in appearance indeed as from himself, but still under the ac
knowledgment that in reality it is from the Lord: he therefore maintains, tliat
man is in himself npthing but what is evil and false, that is to say. nothing but
the love of self and of the world ; consequently, that man can claim no merit,
but that all merit belongs, without the possibility of man's participation in it, to the
Lord alone,
"Respecting the fourth objection, namely, the charge of Socinianism., no man
can possibly maintain doctrines more repugnant to Socinus and his followers
than our author, wha frequently quotes the principles of Socinus for the express
purpose of refuting them.
" Another pretext for opposing our author's labors, is, that his views extend
feeyond the sphere of the received doctrines, and announce high and important
truths in a manner altogether novel and unusual. In answer to which, it may
be proper to consider, that as what is spiritual infinitely exceeds in all respects
that which is natural, and yet additions are daily being made to our stock of
natural knowledge ; who shall hinder the divine light also from spreading its
beams as far as it is the will Of our Lord God to permit ? And does that man
aiet wisely who shuts his intellectual eye against that light, or who puts his can-

.144 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
die under a bushel .' When truths apparently new and unknown, but whieh in
their essence are the old and genuine truths, are again manifested, terms must
likewise be required to express them, which may appear new and unusual at
first sight, though they are; nevertheless, the necessary vehicles for conveymg
such sublime and important information.
" III. To proceed briefly, yet explicitly, to the subject of the author's experience
and intercourse with the spiritual world, and as to what he has seen or heard therein ;
respecting which it may be aflSrmed. that a confidence in the reality of what he
has thus seen or heard, will be the natural result of an acquaintance with, and
an acknowledgment of, the fundamental principles of his system. For proof of
some of the ideas suggested in the author's works— such as of that concerning
the sun in heaven, that it is the essential Love and Wisdom proceeding from the
Lord ; that it is the origin of every good and truth ; that the genuine human
principle originates in it ; also, that the will and the understanding are the essen
tials of man, and that they are the receptacles of good and truth ; that without
the senses, internal and external, there can be no perception of life ; that life and
the senses do not exist except in proper organic forms ; that the kingdom of the
Lord is, from the greatest tp the least, a kingdom of ends and uses ; besides
many other general ideas, of which a complete knowledge may be obtained;
see the volume treating of the Wisdom of Angels concerning the Divine Love and
Wisdom. It may be observed, how little mankind have hitherto been able to
form, in any degree, a precise idea respecting the eternal world ! With what
delight then ought we now to leam what has hitherto been unknown, and even
supposed impossible to be known I The more these truths are examined, the
more they will be found to harmonise with the accounts given us in the Holy
Scriptures, where these subjects are represented to view m the general literal
meaning, but are more particularly contained in the spiritual sense.
" I do not. with all due submission, think it necessary to touch upon those
titles which have been unthinkingly bestowed upon the author. — such as fanatic.
visionary, enthusiast, and several others, dismissing them, as applied to so en
lightened a servant of the Lord Jesus, as names without any acknowledged
meaning, only reminding those who so apply them of the words bf Peter. ' That
they speak evil of the things that they understand not.'
" In obedience, therefore, to your Majesty's most gracious command, that I
should deliver a full and positive 'Declaration' respecting the writings of Swe
denborg. I do acknowledge it to be my duty to declare, in all humble confidence,
that as far as I have proceeded in the study of them, and agreeably to the o-ift
granted to me for investigation and judgment, Ihave fmmd in them nothing hut
what closely coincides with the words of the Lord Himself, and that they shine with a
light truly divine."*

* "Some parts of this "Declaration." which had only a local or temporary refer
ence to the Government and Church of Sweden, not being interesting to the generality
of persons in this country, having been omitted, a few verbal alterations therefore
became necessajy. ,

HIS REPLY TO DR. EKEBOM'S DEPOSITION 145
XXIT.
SWEDENBORG'S REPLY
TO
DR. EKEBOM'S DEPOSITION.
DELIVERED TO THE CONSISTORY AT GOTTENBURG, MARCH 22, 1769.

In connection with Dr. Beyer's " Declaration, fyc." are the two letters which Sweden
borg wrote in reply to Dr. Ekebom's " Deposition." which he delivered to the Consistory
as containing the objections whioh he raised against Swedenborg's theological writings.
These two letters are probably the same vsrhioh Swedenborg mentions in his letter to
the king.*
"Dr. Ekebom's 'Reflections' have been communicated to me. which he deli
vered in the Consistory, relative to the doctrines of the New Church, which have
been declared to the world in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and the Apocalypse
Revealed, liy our Saviour Jesus Christ, throngh me His servant ; and. forasmuch
as I find, that the Doctor's ' Reflections ' are full of reproaches against me. as
well as occasionally laden with untruths, I deem it too prolix to reply particu
larly to them, especially as I perceive they have been written by a person, who
gives no bridle to his tongue, and who has no eyes in his forehead, to be able to
see what is to be found in those writings, conformable to the Word of God, and
to an enlightened understanding ; such are the characters whom our Lord de
scribes in Matt. xiii. 13. 14. 15. I shall only notice the following words from the
Doctor's ' Reflections :' That this doctrine is in the highest degree heretical, and, in points
the most tender to every Christian, Socinian. This doctrine cannot be called hereti
cal, forasmuch as in it is acknowledged and confirmed : I. The Divine Trinity;
see the Doctrine ofthe New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord, 55. seq., and the Apoca
lypse Revealed, 961, 962. II. The Sanctity ofthe Holy Scripture, especially as to its
literal sense ; see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scriptures,
27, seq.. 37, seq.. 50, seq., and in the Apocalypse Revealed, 200, 898, 911. III. A
Christian Life; see the Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, from the Precepts
of the Decalogue, from the beginning to the end. IV. The Union of Faith and
Charity; see the Apocalypse Revealed, in various places. And. V. That a Faith in
God must be directed towards our Saviour, according to his own declaration. John iii.
15. 16 ; vi. 40 ; xi. 25, 26 ; xx. 31 ; and especially John iii. 35. 36, and Col. ii. 9.
Likewise from the Formula Concordia, that in Jesus Christ. God is Man, and Man
is God. 607. 762, 763, 765. 840, seq. That His Human Nature has been exalted
to the Divine Power and Majesty, 337, seq;. 607, 608, seq., 774, 833, seq., 844,
847, 852. 861, 863. 869. That unto Jesus Christ was given all power .in Heaven
and Earth. 775. 776, 780, 833. That also as to His Human Nature He fills aU
things by His immediate presence. 337, 375, 600, 608,611,738,768.783.784,
785, 786; App, '^^3, 150, with many more passages: see the edition, Leipsic,

¦* See above p. 71.

146 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
1765. Agreeably to these references, and in obedience to what the Lord Himself
teaches in John xiv. 16, faith in God must be directed towards the Saviour Him
self. From this alone it may be concluded, how undeservedly and barefacedly
this doctrine has been attacked with such opprobrious language, and that it
could not have been said by a man of a sound heart, ' That it is full ofthe most
intolerable fundamental errors, seducing, heretical, captious, and in the highest
degree to be rejected.' This flood of blasphemy is poured out upon the worid.
although the Doctor allows in his ' Reflections,' 2. that he never read my writ
ings, ill the following words : — ' I do not know Assessor Swedenborg's religious
system, nor shall I take pains to come at the knowledge of it. I was told that
it may chiefly be learned from the following works, which he has published, viz.:
Concerning the New Jerusalem, Concerning Faith, and Concerning the Lord, works
which I do not possess, neither have I read or seen them.' Is not this to be
blind in the forehead, but to have eyes behind, and even these covered with
a film? To see and judge of writings in such a manner, and in such like terms.
can any secular or ecclesiastical judge regard otherwise than as criminal,' The
book entitled. The Doctrine of the New Church, mentioned by the Doctor, may be
had at Gottenburg. so that if he had pleased, he might have had a sight of it.
The Doctor blasphemes, likewise, the spiritual sense of the Word, which our
Saviour at this time has given to be revealed, as if the same blasphemies would
prove a hinderance to the Sacred Scriptures, which, even according to his de
cision, still continue to contain the principles of the knowledge of faith, religion,
and the revealed theology; although in tlie Doctrine ofthe New Jerusalem concern
ing tlie Sacred Scriptures, it is fully shown and demonstrated : I. That the sense
of the letter of the Word is the basis, continent, and foundation of its spiritual
sense, 27-36. II. That the divine truth in the sense' of the letter of the Word is
in its fullness, its sanctity, and its power, 37-49. III. That the doctrine of the
church is to be deduced from the literal sense of the Word, and to be confirmed
thereby. 50-61. IV. That by the literal sense of the Word, there is a conjunction
with the Lord, and a consociation with the angels. 62-68 ; and. further, concern
ing the Spiritual Sense of the Word, and its invaluable uses. 5-26. and Apoca
lypse Revealed, '200, 898, 91\, and in a thousand other places. Respecting the
other point, namely, the charging those doctrines with Socinianism. the same is
a horrid blasphemy and untruth; forasmuch as Socinianism signifies a negation
of the divinity of our Lord Jesjis Christ, when, in fact. His divinity, in this doc
trine of the New Church is principally confirmed and proved, and that the Saviour
has so fully completed the reconciliation and redemption of man. that without
His coming no man could have been saved, see Apoc. Rev, 67, and in many
other.places; in consequence whereof. I consider the word Socinian to be a
scofl[ing and a diabolical reviling. This, with the rest of the Doctor's ' Reflec
tions,' may be considered in the same sense as ' the flood which the dragon cast
out of his mouth after the woman, that he might cause her to be swallowed up
by the flood, during the time that she was yet in the wilderness ' (Apoc. xii. 15).
And it may come to pass, that the same which is mentioned in verse 17. may
likewise take place : 'And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
make war with the remnant of her seed, who kept the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.' That the New Jerusalem signifies the
New Church, which is to be the bride and the wife of the Lamb, see Ayocalypx

HIS REPLY TO DR. EKEBOM'S DEPOSITION. 147
Revealed, 880. 881 ; and that this same church, undoubtedly, is coming,^ because
the Lord himself has predicted it ; see Apocalypse xxi. and xxii. ; likewise
Zechariah xiv. 7. 8, 9 ; and in the last chapter of the Apocalypse, in these words :
• I. Jesus, have sent mine angel, to testify unto you thtse things in the churches.
I am the root and race of David, the bright and morning star. And the spirit
and the bride say. Come. And let him who heareth say, Come. And let him
who is willing, receive the water of hfe gratis ' (16, 17). " Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsterdam, April 15, 1769.
" P. S. I request this letter may be delivered to the venerable consistory, and .
a copy of it to the right reverend Bishop.
" N. B. The then Bishop Erie Lamberg, president of the Consistory, was at
that time at a Diet in Norkjoping."

LETTER II.
" Before I set out on my journey to Paris, which I purpose to do next week, I
think proper to make the following addition to my foregoing 'Reply' to Dr. Eke
bom's 'Reflections.' It was said therein, that I have written, L That the Holy
Scriptures have hitherto been ill and sinistrously explained (.Apoc. Rev. 1), which is
entirely untrue, as there is nothing of the kind to be found in the passage quoted.
II. That there is no satisfaction given for the sins of the world, which is also entirely
untrue. III. T/iat I rail at justification, by faith alone. This is true, I allow, because
faith alone is faith separated from charity, or from good works, and faith sepa
rated from charity has been rejected by the imperial judgment at Stockholm, and
afterwards by the university at Upsal. and probably, likewise by those at Lund
and Abo. The Doctor is determined not to know, that good works, which are
said freely and spontaneously to follow faith, and are called the fruits of faith,
the works of the Spirit, and the works of grace, and which are performed in a
state of justification, have agreeably to the Jbrmuto Concordia, no connexion with
faith, and, accordingly, do not contribute at all to salVation • nay, that it would
be detrimental, if they should combine and mix themselves with faith, and that
which is without connexion, is in itself separate. Among the quotations from
the Formula Concordia concerning the Divinity of Christ, there are some nupi-
bers in my former reply erironeously set down, viz., 337, 375, ought to be 737,
775 ; for which reason I adjoin herewith a more distinct and copious extract
from the Formula Concordia, from the Leipsic edition, 1756. as follows : — That in
Christ God is Man, and Man is God, 607, 765. That Christ, true God and Man,
is in one indivisible Person, and abideth to eternity. 600. 762. 763. 840. That
Christ, as to the Human Nature, has been raised to the omnipotent power of God,
forasmuch as Hs was suen a man that the Human Nature had so close, and so in
effable an union and communion with the Son of God, as to becoine One Person,
607. That Christ's Human Nature has been exalted to the Divine Majesty and
Power, is known from the Council of Ephesus. and Chalcedon; next from the
fathers, as Athanasius. Augustin, Chrysostom, Eusebius, Cyril. Eustachius. Greg
ory. Epiphanius. Theodoret, Basil the Great, Theophylact. Hilary. Origen. Niceph-
orus, Nyssenius, Vigilius Leo, 840, 878. It is also confirmed from the Word in

148 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
many places. 608, 844, 847. 852, 861, 863. 869. That Christ's Human Nature has
received the most excellent, the greatest and supernatural properties, and the
celestial perogatives of majesty, strength, and power. 774. Moreover, the spirit
ofall wisdom. 781. That Christ operateth in. with, and through, both natures.
and through the human, as by the organ of Deity, 773. 779. 847. That this takes
place by the hypostatic union „glorification, and exaltation, 774. 779. That in a state
of humiliation. He emptied Himself, and did not put forth and manifest that
majesty always, but when it seemed good to Him. until He put off the form of
a servant after the resurrection, and entered into the very Divine Glory and
Majesty, pp. 608, 764, 767. That by virtue of the hypostatic union, He wrought
miracles even in the state of exinanition, pp. 167. 767. That Christ is our Re
deemer, Mediator. Head. High Priest, and King, as to both natures. 773. That
Christ was essentially exalted to the right hand of God, according to His Human
Nature, 608. .That He is at the rignt hand of God, that He has risen above all the
heavens, and actually fills all things, and rules everywhere, not only as God. but
also as man, as the prophets have prophesied concerning Hira, into the posses
sion of which He actually came according to the Huraan Nature. 768. That the
right hand of God is everywhere, and that Christ according to His Humanity
governs all things by His presence, and holds all things under His feet. 600.
That through the unity of the person were given to Christ, as to the Huraan Na
ture, Majesty, Glory, Omnipotence, and Omniscience, with the most inward
dominion of all things. 737, 60S, 834; App, 147. 148. That Christ, by the per
sonal union and exaltation according to the flesh, being seated at the right hand
of God, received all power in heaven and upon earth, 833. That Christ, even
according to the Human Nature, has all power in the heavens and the earth. 775,
779. This is confirmed by passages. from the Scriptures. 775. 776. 780. That
Christ, aocording to the Human Nature, is omnipotent. 3. 10. 611. 768. 783. 785;
App. 150. That the regal office of Christ is this, that as God-man, in both na
tures, as King and Lord of heaven and earth. He might govern, by His inraost
presence-, all things in the kingdom of power, grace, and glory, 787. 876; App.
149. That the flesh of Christ is- vivifying, and that Christ possesses the power
of vivifying according to the Human Nature, 6, 776, 777, 783 ; App, 152. That
Christ, according to both natures, is to be adored and worshiped, agreeably to the
Augsburg Confession, 276 ; App, 151. That Christ overcame the devil, hell, and
da^nnation, 767, 6 13, 614, 788 ; App. 150. Should double the niimber of quota
tions from the Formula Concordia be required concerning the Person of Christ, as
well as concerning Justification by Faith Alone, they shall be produced the next
opportunity. " Emanuel Swedenborg.
"Amsterdam. May 22, 1769.
" P S. This original letter, or a copy thereof, please to deliver to the venera
ble Consistory ; it might also be proper, that the right reverend Bishop should
have one presented to him."

HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. OETINGER. 149
XXV.
SWEDENBORG'S CORRESPONDENCE
WITH
DR. OETINGER,
PRELATE OP MURRHARD, IN WURTEMBERG.

Oetinger was a man of distinguished learning and piety, and highly respected by bis
countrymen.* He was the author of many works, and 'attained the highest dignity in
the church ; he was appointed by his Serene Highness the Duke of "Wurtemberg to the
prelacy of Murrhard. He was one of the first in Germany who became acquainted
with the writings of Swedenborg. He translated many things from the Arcana Ccelestia,
and the Earths in the Universe, He also published an analysis of Swedenborg's Natu
ral Philosophy, and compared it with his Heavenly Philosophy.
From an unpublished MS. of the life of Oetinger. written by himself. Dr. Tafel has
extracted the following : At page 129. he says. " I wrote the second part of the Earthlg
and Heavenly Philosophy in tho presence of death ; this, I thought, was to be my last
work, but I recovered, and Swedenborg's book On Heaven and Hell came to hand,
which I translated, and extracted from it the first part of Earthly and Heavenly Philos
ophy, and sent it, having submitted it to the censorship, to the press at Tubingen. In
the meantime the prelacy of Murrhardbecame vacant. I was well aware, although I
had been proposed as prelate ten years before, thati had many enemies, and, therefore, I
wrote a candid letter to his Serene Highness, upon which he sent me two letters in four
days, appointing me prelate. The book which I had written ajjpeared afterwards, but
the Consistory was much incensed at its appearance, and called upon me to justify my
self. I was at Stuttgart about twelve months, and returned again to Murrhard. I then
devoted myself to the work entitled Philosophice Scripiurana, but was again compelled
by the Consistory to appfeal to the Privy Council. The consistory interdicted me from
publishing anything either within or without the country. Upon this, my son, a physi
cian, published a work, under his own name, entitled Metaphysicd et ChemiCa. After
this I wrote to Baron Swedenborg at Stockholm, who replied to my letters ; the corres
pondence may be seen in Dr. Clemm's German Theology, Sfc."
Oetinger says further, in the Biography already mentioned, " Swedenborg sent me
his books. jDe TelXu/ribus Platietarum, De Amore Conjugiali, and also his last work, De
Yera Religione Christiana, Swedenborg also sent me some other letters, one of which
I jnsertedin the translation ofthe Earths in the Universe,"-^ Dr. Tafel adds, " I found
in the year 1831, at the house ofthe learned Dr. Veesenmeyer, at Ulrn, this very letter,
written by Swedenborg himself, and was kindly permitted to take a perfect copy of it. "t
Oetinger translated the Heaven and Hell, the Earths in the Universe, and some extracts
from the Arcana Calestia. He also took a lively interest in the dispute which took place
in the Consistory at Gottenburg respecting the theological writings of Swedenborg.
Hence arose a storm of bitter ahimosity against this worthy man, in which he suffered
much mental anguish. In his Biography he says many things respecting his state of
* See some account of Oetinger in the Intellectual Repository, Jan. 1830, pp. 1-4.
t This letter may be seen in the New Jerusalem Magazine May, 1790, p. 3.
% See also the same work, p. 35, where this letter. is inserted.

ISO DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
mind at this period, and how he endeavored to bring the importance of Swedenborg's
theology and his spiritual discoveries before the world. We shall subjoin a few extracts
from his Biography : —
" The Consistory." says Oetinger." was highly incensed against me, and through
the assistance of the prelate Faber. who had for sorae time acted against me,
although at first he had been one of my best friends, had induced the Privy Coun
cil to send me an interdict, that if Swedenborg should come into this part of
Germany. I was not to receive him. This interdictory communication troubled
me. and I appealed to his Serene Highness, who was of my opinion, that the
Holy Scripture should be interpreted without employing worldly philosophy ;
and he said to me. that if I had a thousand persecutors they should not hurt me.
Faber defended the opinion, which was contrary to that ofthe enlightened duke,
and endeavored to refute me in a dissertation De Sensu Morali, in which he as
serts that the philosophy of Wolfius should be laid as the basis of juris natura,
aad that, consequently, ^ws and theology should be measured and determined ac
cordingly. I refilted this position in ray book on the Philosophy of the Ancients.
This so much annoyed Faber that he came into the Consistory, and endeavored
to procure measures to coerce me, but I remamed firm, and knew that God was
with me."
In order to understand this, it is necessary to be kno-wn that, at that time, it
was a subject of discussion amongst many theologians in Germany, whether
fixed principles of philosophy should be adopted as the basis of Scriptural, in
terpretation ; the philosophy of Wolfius was that which some theologians agreed
to adopt. Oetinger opposed this theological movement, and maintained that
the grundweisheit of Scripture, that is, its interior truths and evidence, should be
the means of its interpretation.
" Swedenborg,;' says Oetinger, in another place, "is, in my estimation, the
forerunner of a new era. That, in the kingdom of Jesus Christ upon earth, ac
cording to Dan. ii. 44, vii. 27, the faithful will have a faculty, by which they
will be able to hold communion, and converise with those who are in the
marriage of the Lamb, cannot be doubted. JEor according to Heb. xii. 22, the
faithful have come to Mount Zion. and to an innumerable company of angels,
not only in faith, but by means of the gifts of the Spirit, they can also come into
communion with them, and hear and see them. This gift, or this office, by
which others, who cannot see and hear, may be instructed in the things of
heaven, ought not to be doubted or denied in respect to Swedenborg. because
the facts evincing Swedenborg's communication with the world of spirits, are
denied by nbbody in Stockholm,* and these facts prove that Swedenborg's a.sser-
tion is right, when he says, that he has communication with the world of
spirits." "Hence," continues Oetinger, "it may be seen, why God has. at this time,
permitted such a man as Swedenborg to arise, and why he was educated by
his father, a most venerable bishop, and of noble rank, so carefully in innocence,
and in scientific learning; all these preparations, under Providence, tended to
fit him to pass through the most important events, which no other man has had
to experience. As Swedenborg is the instrument of restoring the lost commu-

These facts were the raetaorablo occurrences menfioned above pp. 93-103.

HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. OETINGER. 151
nion with the invisible world, that pure and unspotted life, in which we see he
was trained and educated, was necessary. The first promise that Jesus gave to
His disciples, was ' That they should, see heaven open' (John i.) ; and this, we might
reasonably expect, would be the first thing announced at His second coming."
" Since these are abominable times, when from exce-jsive self-love, discord
and hatred prevail, God has. in the most important matter respecting the state
after death, and the nature of the inner man. raised up Swedenborg to assist us.
Jacob Behmen appeared also some time ago. but as he was not informed, as he
himself states, in the sciences, therefore God has raised up Swedenborg, who is
mightily conversant with the sciences, and who, from his youth' up. has led a
pious innocent life, and who, in his labors of love, has had no eye to honor,
rank, or wealth. , This man God has prepared and chosen like Daniel, in order
to set up. through him. an extraordinary light to this sceptical and unbelieving
wprid. I believe, according to what he himself states in a letter to a friend.* that
the Lord has appeared to him, and that his interior senses have been opened to
see and to hear things, which we cannot see and hear. But as no manifestations
or revelations from God can take place, but in strict agreement with the laws of
order, by which God necessarily regulates, all his operations, so in respect to
Swedenborg; what he makes known to us. is done aocording to those laws of
order, by which the relation between the visible and invisible worlds is governed.
Now. as Swedenborg had great experience in the sciences qf algebra and the
higher mathematics, especially in cosmology, and in all these respects must be
considered equal to Leibnitz.f he has been chosen as a suitable instrument,
h^pVing been prepared from his youth, to make known these things to man
kind." " God may have appeared to Swedenborg in a way which we may not fully
understand ; but he is certainly a phenomenon, such as the world never saw be
fore." " Concerning the Jure talionis, the Scripture has said but little, but Swedenborg
has spoken abundantly and beautifully about it."
" No example of divine influences can be found so brilliant as in Sweden
borg." We might continue these extracts from the writings of Oetinger respecting the works
and character of Swedenborg. but we will conclude with one from his book entitled
The High Priesthood of Christ, pubUshed in 1772. At p. 47, he says, " Swedenborg
was from youth innocent, pious, and exemplary, and by no means addicted to imagi
nary pursuits. Geometry, algebra, and mechanics, had guarded him against everything
like phantastic studies. Diotrephes barked loudly against John, the beloved disciple of
Jesus i and why should we wonder that Swedenborg is so misrepresented and calum
niated 1 Satan has his greatest delight, and his most delicious feagt, when he can set
theologians by the ears, and excite strife and animosity amongst them. But the Lord
will bring to light that which hat been concealed in darkness."

* To Mr. Hartley. See above p. 36.
t This assertion, coming from Oetinger, is highly important, since few were better
acquainted with the philosophy of Leibnitz than he, as is evident from his work en'Uled
Earthly and Heavenly Philosophy, in Which he gives an analysis of the system of Leib
nitz, between whom and Swedenborg. he well knew the comparitive merits. Letbmtz
enjoys nearly the same celebrity in Germany as Newton does in England.

152 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
The Letters which Swedenborg wrote to Dr. Oetinger are the following : —
LETTER I.
To Dr, Oetinger,
"I arrived this day from my voyage to England and Holland, and received the
two letters you sent me, one of which is dated the 13th of October. 1765. and
for both of which I return you many thanks. There are five treatises under
the title. Ex Auditis et Visis, that is from what I have personally heard and seen re
specting thera. and they are as follows : 1st. Tlie Treatise on Heaven and Hell.
2d. On the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, 3d. Of the Last Judgrnent, 4th.
Ofthe White Horse mentioned in the Revelations. 5th. Of the Earths in the Universe.
" I this year published the work entitled The Revelations Revealed, which was
promised in the treatise On ihe Last Judgment, and from all which writings it may
be plainly seen that I converse -with angels. Every person may see, that by the
New Jerusalem is meant a new church or congregation, the doctrines and arti
cles of whose faith cannot shine in their true splendor, and give light to others.
without the divine aid. because they are only figuratively described in the Reve
lations, that is to say. according to correspondence ; and the true doctrine of it can
not be published to the world, but by such as to whom the needful revelation is
made. I can sacredly and solemnly declare, that the Lord Himself has been
seen of me. and that he has sent me to do what I do. and for such purpose has
he opened and enlightened the interior part of my soul, which is my spirit, so
that 1 can see what is in the spiritual worid, and those that are therein; and this
privilege has now been continued to me for twenty-two years. But m the pre
sent state of infidelity, can the most solemn oath make such a thing credible, or
to be believed by any ? Yet such as have received true Christian light and un
derstanding, will be convinced of the truth contained in my writmgs. which are
particularly evident in the book of the Revelations Revealed, Who. indeed, has
hitherto known anything of consideration of the true spiritual sense and mean
ing of the Word of God, the spiritual worid, or of heaven and hell ; the nature
of the life of man, and the state of souls after the decease of the body ? Is it to
be supposed, that these and other things of alike consequence are to be eternally
hidden from Christians .' That many very important particulars relatmg to them
are at this day revealed for the first time, is done in regard to the New Jerusalem
and for the sake of the New Church, because the members thereof are endowed
with a capacity to apprehend them, which others might also have, were it not
for their weak unbelief of the possibility of such things being made known to
any, and by them to the worid. These writings of mine do not come under the
terra of prediction, but revelations. Farewell, &c.— I remain, your most ready
servant. " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockhohn, Sept. 23. 1766."

letter n.
To Dr, Oetinger.

" You suggest a dbubt in respect to Christ's having power given Him over alt
flesh, and yet the angels and heavenly beings (Angeli et Calites) have not flesh, hut lucid

HIS LETTERS TO DR. OETINGER. 153
bodies. To this be pleased to receive kindly the following reply : That by all
flesh, there spoken of, is meant every man, wherefore in the Word mention is
sometimes made of all flesh, whioh is to denote every man. As to what con
cerns the bodies of the angels, they do not appear lucid, but, as it were, fleshy,
for they are substantial and not material, and things substantial are not trans
lucent before the angels. Every material thing, or substance, is originally de
rived from what is substantial, and every man cometh into this substantiality
when he puts off", by death, the material films or coverings, which is the reason
why man after death is a man, but purer than before, comparatively as what is
substantial is purer than what is material. That the Lord has power, not only
over all men, but also over all angels, is evident from His own words in Mat
thew : ' All power, is given to me in fieaven, and in earth' (xxviii. 18).
"Inasmuch as hi your letter you make mention of the natural and spiritual
sense of the Word, lest it should be supposed that I have written anything con
tradictory conQerning.-those senses, I adjoin a few lines, wherein these two
senses ofthe Word are' described. " E.MANUEL Swedenborg.
" Amsterdam, Nov. 8. 1768."

Concerning the Natural and Spiritual Sense of the Word.
" That there is an internal or spiritual sense in the Word, in its external or
natural sense, as a diamond in its matrix, or as a beautiful infant in its swad
dling clothes, is a truth which has heretofore been altogether unknown in the
Christian world, and hence also it is altogether "unknown what is meant by the
Consummation of the Age, the Coming of the Lord, the Last Judgment, and by the
New Jerusalem, on which subjects many things are spoken and predicted in the
Word of each Testament, both Old and New. Without the unfolding and un
swathing of the literal sense of the Word by its spiritual sense, who can know
intellectually what is signified by the things which the Lord predicted in Matt.
xxiv., and also in the Revelations, and in like manner in Daniel, and in the
Prophets, in many passEiges ? Make the experiment yourself, if you are so dis
posed, by reading those passages of the prophetical Word, which treat some
times of wild beasts and cattle, sometimes of forests and brakes, sometimes of
valleys and mountains, sometimes of bats, of ochim, tziim. satyrs, &c. &c. ; try
whether you can perceive anything divine therein, unless you believe it to lie
concealed inwardly, inasmuch as it was inspired of God, just as a diamond lies
concealed in its matrix, as was said above. That the diamonds, or treasures,
which lie concealed withia. are those things which the internal sense contains,
is fully demonstrated in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the
Sacred Scripture. 5-26 : and in the same doctrine it is further proved, that the
literal sense is the basis, continent, and firmament of its spiritual sense, 27-36 ;
also, that the divine truth in the literal sense of the Word is in its fulness, in its
sanctity, and in its power. 37-49 ; and, likewise, that the doctrine of the church
is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and to be confirmed thereby.
50-61 ; and. moreover, that by the literal sense of the Word, through the medium
of its spiritual sense, there iseffected conjunction with the Lord, and consocia
tion with the angels, 62-69. 11

154 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
" To the above, I shall add somewhat new from the spiritual world. The
rulers of the church, who flock into th^t world after death, are first taught con
cerning the Sacred Scripture, as containing a spiritual sense, which in the world
was unknown to them, and they are also told, that the angels of heaven are in
that sense, whilst man is in the sense at the letter ; and further, that a translation.
or change, ofthe latter sense, into thfe former, is eff'ected with man, whilst he
reads the Word under holy influences, and that there is a kind of unfolding or
unswathing, somewhat like the breaking of the shell, encompassing an almond.
and the casting away the shell, so that the naked almond passes into-heaven.
and is received by the angels ; and also like a seed cast into the earth, and being
there stripped of its outward coats, puts forth its germ. That seed is the Word
in the sense of the letter, and the germ thence put forth is the spiritual sense.
and this latter passes to the angels, but the former rests with man; still.' how
ever, that seed remains with man in his mind, aS m its ground, and in time pro
duces its germ, and fructifies it, if man. 'by the seeds of life, which are the truths
of faith, and the good things of charity, is joined with the Lord, and thereby con-
sooiated with the angels. The above rulers are further admonished to receive
thoroughly this belief, that the Word in its bosom is spiritual, because it is di
vine ; and that unless they receive this belief, they may be seduced by satans,
even to deny the sanctity of the Word ; in which case the church disappears
amongst them. This further argument is also urged with them, that if they do
not believe the internal sense of the Word, the Word may finally come to ap
pear to them as an unpolished and unconnected -writing, or as a book full of all
heresies, inasmuch as from the literal sense, as from a kind of lake, heretical
principles of every sort may be drawn forth and confirmed. Those afterwards.
who believe the internal sense of the Word, are received into companies of an
gelic spirits, -who are in process of time elevated into heaven and become an
gels ; but those who do not believe, are removed apart to companies of spirits,
who in process of time, are cast into hell, and become satans. They are called
satans in hell, who in the world had falsified the truth of the Word, and who,
in consequence thereof, had imbibed false principles, insomuch that they could
no longer see anything of truth."

letter ill.
To Dr, Oetinger.

" I. To your interrogation, Whether there is occasion for any sign, that lam sent
hy the Lord, to do what I do? I answer, that at this day no signs or miracles will
be given, because they compel only an external belief, but do not convince the
internal. What did the miracles avail in Egypt, or among the Jewish nation,
who, nevertheless, crucified the Lord ? So. if the Lord was to appear nyw in
the sky. attended with angels and trumpets, it would have no other eflect than
it had then. (Luke xvi. 29, 30. 31). The sign, given at this day. will be an illus
tration, and theace a knowledge and reception ofthe truth ofthe New Church; some
spealcing illustration of certain persons may likewise take place ; this works more
efi'ectually than miracles. Yet one token may perhaps still be given,
" II. You ask me, If I have spoken with the Apostles ? To which I reply, I have

HIS LETTERS TO DR. OETINGEilEl. ^'^5
spoken one whole year with Paul, and also of what is mentioned in the Epistle
to the Romans iii. 28. I have spoken three times with John; once with
Moses; and I suppose a hundred times with Luther, who owned to me that.
contrary to the warning of an angel, he had received the doctrine of salvation
by faith alone, merely with the intent that he might make an entire separation
from popery. But with the angels I have conversed these twenty-two years
past, and daily continue so to do,: with them the Lord has given me association,
though there was no occasion to mention all this in my writings. Who would
have believed, and would not have said, show some token that I may believe .' '
and this every one would have said who did not see the like.
" III. Why from a philosopher I have been chosen io this office ? Unto which I give
for answer : to the end that the spiritual knowledge, -which is revealed at this
day, might be reasonably learned, and naturally understood ; because spiritual
truths answer unto natural ones, inasmuch as these originate and flow from
them, and serve as a foundation for the former. That what is spiritual is simi
lar unto, and corresponds with what is human or natural, or belonging to the
terrestrial world, may be seen in the treatise On Heaven and Hell, 87-1 15. I was.
on this account, by the Lord, first introduced into the natural sciences, and thus
prepared from the year 1710-1744, when heaven was opened unto me. Every
one is morally educated and spiritually regenerated by the Lord, by being led
from what is natural to what is spiritual. Moreover, the Lord has given unto
me a love of spiritual truth, that is to say, not with any view to honor or profit,
but merely for the sake of truth itself; for every one who loves truth, merely for
the sake of truth, sees it from the Lord, the Lord being the 'way and the truth'
(John xiv. 6). But he who professes the love of truth for the sake of honor or
gain, sees truth from his own self-hood, and to see from one's self, is to
see falsity. Falses confirmed shut the church, but truths rationally confirmed,
open it. What man can otherwise comprehend spiritual things, which enter
into the understanding ? The doctrinal notion received in the Protestant Church,
viz., that in theological matters, reason shall be held captive under obedience to
faith, locks up the church; what can open it, but an understanding enlightened
by the Lord .' Revelations Revealed, 9 14.
" I am very sorry that you have suffered persecution for translating the work
On Heaven and Hell into German ; but what suff'ers at this day more than truth
itself? How few there are who see it! nay, -who will see it; therefore be not
weary, but indefatigable in defending thetruth. " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Stockholm, Nov. 11, 1766."

106 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
XXVI.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER
FROM
DR. BEYER TO DR. OETINGER,
AT MURRHARD.

Dr. Oetinger corresponded with Dr. Beyer, to whom he stated several objections re
specting Swedenborg's writings ; the following letter contains these objections and their
refutation. These objections, it is evident from what Oetinger afterwards wrote in his
diflferent works, and especially in that entitled " The High Priesthood of Christ," (see
above pp. 150-151.) were to a great extent, if not entirely, removed. Dr. Beyer's
letter is as follows :
" I could wish that you and Swedenborg. as being two eminently learned and
honest men, entertained the same opinions ; but notwithstanding the difi'erence
which subsists between you on theological points, your indefatigable and unal
terable love for truth, which, shines so conspicuously, gives me an assurance
that it will very shortly be removed ; yea. that you will even accede to Swe
denborg's sentiments wjth a full assent, should you be pleased, and would your
duties permit you, to take a deeper and more general vie-w of all his -writings.
"For myself, whilst I am reading, neither his name, nor the dignity of his
person, passes before my eyes, which he indeed himself wishes to extinguish,
in order that the reader may only hold in honor the holiness of the subjects on
which he treats : and I am no longer led to inquire, by what deep attainments
in sciences and philosophy he had arrived at celebrity before the year 1745. but
my whole endeavor is, to acquire a rational judgment oif his theospphical doc
trines, according to the true Biblical theosophy. Besides, it is impossible to see
divine things, such as all. those which relate to the kingdom of the Lord, heaven.
and the church, in any ^jther than a divine, that is, heavenly light. Such things
can receive no light from the light of nature, or the sun of the natural world, or
as we may say. from the pomp of all natural sciences, which fall under the
name of philosophy, and the merely human understanding, be they as pure as
p.ossible. Undoubtedly, what is superior can flow into what is inferior, but not
vice versd, ; and the truths derived from heaven can illustrate and correct the
truths derived from the worid, but not these the former. We certainly stand in
need of illumination from the Lord and Saviour through the heavens, to be ena
bled to understand what is spiritual and celestial, which may then be confirmed
with man. through rational and natural sciences, provided we do not believe
that power and strength are derived from the latter. I also remember that Swe
denborg nowhere depends, in his tlieological writings, upon the scientific phi
losophical principles he had learned before, or argues from them ; still less does
he draw forth his arguments from mechanical philosophy ; from the motion, rest,
figure, position, or properties of matter ; from natural phenomena ; nor does he
defend the nature and property of spiritual things by them, forasmuch as they

LETTER FROM DR. BEYER TO DR OETINGER. 157
are as distinct as the poles from natural things, although they coincide in ap
pearance ; at the same time that he has himself a loiowledge of this Jaranch of
philosophy, and strongly recomraends ihe pursuit of it to others. He says, that
he is indebted for all his theosophical doctrines, and all the clear explanation of
the holy prophecies, to the Word of God alone, and to the illumination of the
Lord. But in proportion as we form a more imperfect view of these things — the
more we are careless in suff'ering the true knowledge of God to obtain a right form
in our hearts — and the less we meditate upon the infinite wisdom and divine
holiness of the Word, unendowed with a right conception of it, the further we
are removed from the science of all sciences, which is called the science of cor
respondences. " An illumination comes from the Lord our God ; the Word of enlightening
wisdom is fhe truest mirroy : the science of correspondences supports the spir
itual sight, a sight which cannot be dispensed with. What our views therefore
ought to be. respecting these three fundamental points, may be clearly learned
from The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines, 280-310, and 249-266 ; only let
us not spare the trouble to examine more deeply other individual important pas
sages from the Arcana Calestia, along with'the peculiar treatise on the Doctrine of
ihe New Jerusalem concernirig the Lord, and concerning the Sacred Scriptures. Re
specting the science of correspondences, it is not probable that any person can
conceive any idea of them, -who thinks it a labor to acquire an intimate acquaint
ance with the treatise On Heaven and Hell, 87-i IS; as well as the remarkable
passages in the Arcana Calestia, 2987. and the following numbers, and especially
the general idea of them, 7550. Being therefore persuaded, from the high
esteem in which you hold everything that is divine, that you will spare no pains,
be they ever so great, to maintain the truth as it is presented to us in unshaken
dignity, I proceed, and with your approbation, more confidently, to examine,
with becoming raodesty, the objections you have advanced against his writ
ings. " 1. You say that Assessor Swedenborg had not been called to give an interpret
ation of the Scripture, but 'to raake known in these our days, the things he has
seen and heard in the spiritual world.
" 2. You attribute to him that he does not follow the literal meaning.
" 3. You think that he leads to a doubtful and uncertain explanation of most
passages in the Scriptures.
" 4. That he rests more upon the science of correspondences, than upon the
clearest expressions of the Sacred Word.
" 5. That he invents things repugnant to the declaration of Scripture, respect
ing the White Horse and the White Horses, the Resurrection from the Dead.
the Last Judgment, the New Heaven and the New Earth, and the Holy City, the
New Jerusalem.
" 6. That he offends mightily against th^ analogy of faith, and teaches the
doctrine of the Trinity, not as the apostles have done, but according to the
Schwenkfeldian method.
" 7. That he diminishes the authority of Paul, by not ascribing to his writings
the title of the Word of God.
" 8. That he is not introduced to celebrity by signs and wonders, at least he
does not bring them forth as open credentials, and that the divine seal is want
ing.

158 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" 0. That the prophecy of the New Jerusalem, which within two years was
to have been fulfilled, is refuted by its non-accomplishment.
" 10. That the interpretation ofthe Apocalypse seems to have been introduced
in favor of the new invented church.
" The above are neariy all the general points of objection, which I find in your
writings advanced against Swedenborg ; after I have laid open to you in truth
and simplicity what I have to oppose 'to each of these objections, you will judge
yourself, whether they justly or unjustly deprive him of his credit.
" I. In a conversation, during which I asked Swedenborg many questions. I
received from hira, in the year 1767, amongst others this answer : ' That it had
been forbidden him to apply to the reading of dogmatical and systematical
writings, until the heavens were opened to him, and for this reason, because by
the study of such writings, groundless opinions and inventions might easily in
sinuate themselves into the mind, which might in process of time be hard to
eradicate. Therefore,' says he, ' when the heavens were opened to me, I was
obliged to learn the Hebrew language, as well as the correspondences in which
the whole Bible is written ; which has been a motive for my reading the Word
of God more frequently; and as the Word of God is the fountain from whence
the whole of theology must be drawn, I acquired thereby a capacity to receive
instructions from the Lord, who is the Word itself' He has likewise, in a letter
from Stockholm, dated 14th November, 1769, given me a description of the state
of his eariiest youth. ' From iny fourth year,' says he, ' to my tenth, I was con
stantly engaged in meditations about God, salvation, and the spiritual afl'ections
and states of men ; I have often uttered things at which my father and mother
marvelled, who would say, that angels altogether spake through me : from my
sixth to my tenth year, it was my delight to discourse with the clergy concern
ing faith, that love is the life thereof, and that the love which gives that life is
love towards our neighbor; that God gives faith to every one, but only those ac
cept of it who practise that love : at that time I knew of no other faith, than
that God created nature, that He preserves it, and gives wisdom and understand
ing to men; of that doctrinal assumed faith. -vvhich says that God the Father
applies the righteousness of His Son to whomsoever and whensoever He wills,
even to those who have not repented, I knew nothing at that time, and if 1 had
known it, as I do now, it would have been far beyond my understanding."
Hence it may be accounted for, in my opinion," continues Dr. Beyer. " how an
assessor of the Metallic College can maintain the character of a theologian, if
his indisputable erudition be also taken into consideration; and a theologian
too. who is free from prejudice, and far more enlightened than the unintelligible
Behmen. " If the theology, which is now-a-days in vogue, should be stripped of all in
ventions and conclusions from reasoning, what, pray, would there be left re
maining ? *
" Let'the history of doctrines be consulted, and an inquiry be instituted, at
what periods of the worid. under what opportunities, and under what founders,
theology has grown to its height; and it will be immediately seen, that most of
the prevailing doctrines are modern, and that they have been extended and

* See the letters adduced above pp. 123-137.

LETTER FROM DR. BEYER TO DR. OETINGER. 159
spread abroad through human authority, grounded upon perplexed reasonings.
It is, therefore, better to forget them, or to lose sight of them, than to acquire
them ; yea. while we liold any of them in esteem, the true doctrine is altogether
denied admittance ; wherefore Swedenborg, agreeably to the private communi
cation whioh he imparted to me. and which I have above related, did himself
derive from the Word alone, under the instruction of the Lord, those doctrines
wliich are taught in heaven ; and if he does understand them, and has the felicity
to read also in heaven that Word, which is there preserved, and which corres
ponds with our Word as to every particular (for correspendences are natural
truths and speculums of celestial things,) in the sense which is adapted tp the
celestial spirits {Doctrine of the New Jei-usalem, 70-75, likewise Last Judgment, 57).
can there be any apprehension, but that he may assuredly be a true interpreter
of the Scriptures .' When you say you consider him as one who is constantly
advancing his visions, or rather memorable relations, 1 do willingly admit it. But
in the Arcana Cales.lia, 1967. and elsewhere, passages which deserve your at
tention, give a satisfactory information of the difference which subsists betwee.i
a prophet and a visionary; if you please you may add to the abPve also 1806,
1786; from The Divine Providence, 13i; and from The Heaven and Hell, 76, .249,
The inmost or celestial meaning; of the 'Word, is itself the right doctrine of the
church ; the Word yields the doctrine, and the doctrine is the whole of the
Word : now this cannot be taught better, by any means, than through a seer.
forasmuch as it cannot be seen without an especial illumination, which a seer
enjoys above others, his sight being, opened by the Lord into the light of heaven.
"H. I do not know that any man ever treated the subject of the literal sense
of the Scriptures as of greater holiness than the author in question ; we may .
therefore, directly and openly meet the accusation with which he is attacked.
as one who speaks meanly and slightly of the literal meaning ofthe Scriptures.
and. consequently, has committed errors. In the Arcana Calestia, 705, he proves.
in a masterly manner, that the very words of the Scripture have been inspired.
In the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, concerning the Sacred Scriptures, which is pro
fessedly a work devoted to this new inquiry, he proves, with the most compre
hensive and unshaken arguments, in my opinion, that the literal meaning is the
basis upon which the whole superstructure of the celestial and spiritual mean
ing pf the Word rests, 37 ; that in the literal meaning, divine truth is to be found
in its fulness, holiness, and power, 50; that the doctrine of the church must be
derived from the literal sense, and be confirmed thereby. 53 ; that through the
literal meaning of the Word, a conjunction is to be obtained with the Lord and
consociation with the angels > and in SO. that in each there is a close com
munion of the Lord with the church, and thence a conjunction of good with
truth. Let the subject be only closely investigated, and not superficially looked
into. In the same manner I should wish tp be considered and properly weighed
the Arcana Calestia, 1400. 1644.6222. 9407 ; Apocalypse Revealed, 1 ; not to mention
other passages which are quoted from the Arcana Calestia, in the New Jerusalem
and its Heavenly Doctrines, 262. It is therefore manifest, that Swedenborg does
not reject and despise, as he is so strongly charged with doing, the diligence
necessary to be, used in laboring to attain the knowledge of the literal sense of
the Word, as if the same were useless ; so far from it, that he has not only ap
proved of that earnest application by his own example, but even has recom-

160 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
mended it, in the passages that ,1 have referred to above : for the purer and
clearer the vessel is, out of which we drink a generous cordial, the more grate
ful and effectual will that cordial prove ; and the more accurately a man is in
structed in Holy Writ, agreeably to philology.* or a correct knowledge of the
Sacred Text in its letter, or literal meaning, the more he is brought into a'capa-
city to apprehend, with greater certainty, perfection and clearness, the true mean
ing of any passage of Scripture which presents itself. As to my genuine opin
ion npon this subject, it may, be seen from a short discourse upon the twofold
method of interpreting the Sacred Scriptures, which I annex to this letter by
way of appendix.
" III. With respect to the difficulty, whioh, dear and reverend Sir, so much
affects you. namely, that Swedenborg. hi some passages, has taught that the
literal sense perishes as a shell, without use. and that thereby the author con
tradicts himself; the manner in which we are to understand this, will be made
clear to our satisfaction by a diligent consideration of 1871. in the Arcana .Cales
tia, taken in their connexion with what I have said above, and what J have
further to remark. In the other life, where' man is a spirit, the natural and
material ideas, which derived their origin from the literal sense, which sounds
terrestrial and worldly, perish, and do not appear again, forasmuch as the infer
nal, spiritual, and celestial, meaning succeeds them, which is accommodated to
the nature of spirits ; and even'in this life, while man fixes his attention upon
the light' of heaven, he does not so much observe the literal words and forms of
expression ofthe Scriptures. This circumstance also takes place in private and
general conversation, when ignorant and simple- people count words, but the
wise insist chiefly upon the purport and meaning of the speaker: some will re
count verbatim the fine and ornamented expressioiis, while others despise, and
even forget, the phraseology, but retain and weigh the importance of the subject.
The wiser a man is, the less solicitous he is about words ; it becomes a prudent
man, carefully to weigh the things themselves, and not to adhere solely to the
external, that is. the literal form of the discourse; — how much more. then, does
it behove that man so to do -who looks abpve nature. Hence it is evident, that the
literal sense of the Word stahds in analogy to the state of the inhabitants ofthe
respective worlds. On this occasion, it' may not be useless to consider, and
weigh with proper attention, the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the
Sacred Scriptures, 65, 66 ; also Arcana Calestia, 2395, and Concerning the Inter
course between ihe Soul and the Body, 12. The chief obstacle which prevents most
of the learned from thinking and speaking with proper accuracy of the letter of
the Scripture, is undoubtedly this, that they dispute with too much insipidity,
and disparage the divine Word and truth, which chiefly originates in their igno
rance of the spiritual nature of things, because they are njisled through the
mater'iality of their ideas ; but if we give athorough consideration to the Doctrine
of the Sacred Scripture above-mentioned , and withal consult the Arcana Calestia,
2763. 7055. 9094. with tlie Heaven and Hell, 254. and the Apocalypse Revealed, 945,
we shall be, struck with such an astonishment at the Sacred Scripture, as to ac
knowledge how very wrong it is to startle so much at writings similar in their
nature.

» In the Intellectual Repository it is "philosophy, ".hat. this is a mistake: in the origi
nal it is i^MWogj'. ' . ,

LETTER FROM DR. BEYER TO DR. OETINGER. 161
"I"V. This consideration reUeves me from the necessity I should otherwise be
under, of saying something respecting the science of correspondences, as being
highly necessary for the interpretation of the divine prophecies ; nor will it cost
any man much labor, to see into the meaning of the 'W'ord. divested of its mate
rial clothing ; for example.how the words, house, city, Jerusalem, and others, do
and can contain something internal, as oil -within the fruit ; I say it will not cost
any man much labor, who will not esteem it "unworthy of him to give a tho
rough reading to those demonstrations, contained in the small volume on The
White^Horse, 1-5, and the Apocalypse Revealed, from the beginning to the end, and
especially 907.
" V. Respecting the Last Judgment, and Swedenborg's explanation of the
New Heaven and the New Earth, his Work on these subjects, published in 1757,
with its continuation in 1763. presents to us a sound knowledge concerning
them. As to the doctrine of the resurrection, he everywhere sets at rest the
acute understandingupon that subject, and that by arguments which he derives
from the nature of both worlds : an intellect which extends itself above the
world and the senses, sees very easily that his sentiments are by no means con
trary to the Soripture. but, on the contrary, do altogether coincide with it.
"YI. But more important seems t6 be the charge-, which you do not hesitate
to bring against Swedenborg, namely, that he pays no i'egard to the analogy of
faith, and in his doctrine respecting the most Holy Trinity, does not hold with
the apostles, but with Schwenkfeld. This, I must allow, is a very great and a
very important error, which would eclipse every other excellence, if it were not
visible that this charge cannot be attached to Swedenborg, and that the very
way in which he unfolds this point is suffictent of itself to clear him frora it. It
may be adraitted that the Schwenkfeldian doctrine, as being more easy to
amend, may have the pre-eminence over others, but at the same time I believe
it -will require no great penetration to discover , that Schwenkfeld and Sweden
borg do not entertain the same principles. I wish, however, you would take
the trouble to learn from my small treatise respecting the plan of St. John's
. -writings, which I have annexed to this letter, that Swedenborg's^doctrine on this
pomt is justly held to be apostolic.
"Vn. But you. reverend Sir. and your much esteemed colleague, -Mr. Seitz.
suppose that our great author has committed a blameable error respecting the
sacred authority of Paul, by not acknowledging his and the other apostolic
writings to be canonical, by refusing them the dignity of the Divine Word; this
will be best cleared up. by a letter of Swedenborg himself, which he wrote to
me from Amsterdara, the 15th of April. 1766. as follows : — ' With regard to the
writings of Paul and the other apostles, I have not given them a place in my
Arcana Ccelestia, because they are dogmatic writings merely, and not written in
the style of the Word, as are those of David, ofthe prophets, ofthe evangelists,
and of the Revelation of John ; the style of the Word consists, throughout, in
correspondences, and thence has a direct and immediate communication with
heaven (Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, 113); but
the style of these dogmatic writings of Paul, and the other apostles, being differ
ent, their communication is only mediate or indirect. The reason of this diver
sity of style is. that as the rules and tenets of the Christian Church were to be
formed from these writings of the apostles, the style used in the Word would

162 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
not have been proper for the purpose ; which required plain and simple lan
guage, suited to the capacity of all readers. Nevertheless, the writings of the
apostles are to be regarded as excellent books, and to be held in very high
esteem, inasmuch as they insist oui the two essential articles of charity and faith,
in the same manner as the Lord Himself has done in the gospels, and in the
Revelation of John ; as will appear evidently to any one who studies those
vsnritings with attention. In my Apocalypse Revealed, I have pointed out that pas
sage (Romans iii. 28), which has been so misunderstood, and so imperfectly
explained, as fo have given rise to that erroneous doctrine of justifying faith,
so fatally introduced into the Reformed churches.' Let us now judge of this
charge alleged against him. In truth, I could more readily and speedily do
away with many of the errors with whioh he is reproached, .and firom which
he must be freed, if you. reverend Sir. would allow me to introduce, instead of
my own arguments. Swedenborg's own defence, as exhibited in his -writings.
for surely there never was a man who wrote in such agreement -with Scripture
and reason.
VIII. " Miracles and prophecies carry no proofs of an enlightening conviction ;
besides we dare not look for them at this period of the world. To satisfy our
selves upon this pomt. let us examine Matt. xii. 32. 39 ; xvi. 4; Mark viii. 11.
12 ; Luke xii. 5. 7 ; John xx. 29, and what Swedenborg himself says in his An
gelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, 129, 135. and Conjugial Love, 535-
To me it appears that the most divine seal, and the one most suitable to the
state of all men. respecting Swedenborg's case, is this, that his principles har
monize with sound reason, and that a lover of his writings will find his way
cleared by their means from so many doubts, so many contradictions, and so
many doctrines revolting to sound reason. Trnth. as far as it deserves this
namCj cannot but be comprehensible and in agreement with itself, if we are
disposed to view and consider it in its own ground, and in its own order; but
who can reach those higher truths — I mean those divine, and consequently.
hidden ones — without a revelation from God ? These Swedenborg has brought
to light, and by no means -ascribes them to his own researches, as several pas
sages in his writings clearly prove ; for example, Angelic Wisdom concerning the
Divine Providence, 135, and the latter part of the preface to the Apocalypse Revealed ;
also in the work^concerning Conjugial Love, 532 : and surely mankind never re
ceived the revelation of heavenly and divine truths with greater marks of cer
tainty than the present ; if, therefore, they are not accepted, when they aye now
so rationally presented, it cannot be expected that their acceptance can be ac
complished by the assistance of miracles and prophecies; for how can heavenly
doctrine become ours, if it be not accepted with our will and understandmg?
That Swedenborg has knowledge of hidden occurrences, has been proved by a
few well attested instances, but he is no ways disposed to avail himself of them
to procure assent and credibility to his writings.
" IX. And further, reverend Sir, I would not wish you to take Swedenborg's
declaration, in the conclusion of his work upon Conjugial Love, respectmg the
future publication of his doctrines, as if thereby he meant to set himself up for
a prophet, and to maintain that in the course of two years the New Church
would be established. It is the doctrine of that church, to which he alludes,
and which he promised in two years should be pubhshed. which accordingly

LETTER FROM DR. BEYER TO DR. OETINGER. 1^3
took pilace." For in a letter which he wrote to me from Amsterdam on the 20th
of April last, he mentions as follows : — ' I wonder that your suit and controversy
still continue at Gottenburg. against which I will urge a complaint at the next
Diet, when I shall transmit the Universal Theology of the New Heaven and the New
Chufch, whioh -ivill appear in print at the end of June. I will send two copies to
each member of the Diet, and request that they may , -appoint from all the re
spective orders, an assembly of deputies to give their final decision.'
" But previous to this, he wrote rae a letter from Amsterdara. dated the 15th of
April. 1769, wherein he informs me, that he had often been questioned there,
respecting the New Church, and his answer to the inquiries was, that it will
increase by little and little in proportion as the doctrine of justification and im
putation gradually lose ground, which probably will take place in consequence
of the treatise entitled, A Summary Exposition of the Doctrine of the New Church.
It is known that the Christian Church did not gain an immediate ascendancy
after the Resurrection of Christ, but increased by degrees: and in this manner
the words of the Revelation are to be understood : ' The woman did fly into
the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent ' (Apoc. xii. 14). The serpent and the dragon is the
false doctrine.
"I will leave it now to the judgment of candid minds (amongst whom I
reckon and respect yourself, reverend Sir, with your son-in-law Mr. Seitz, and
the sincere Karg, to whom I beg ray respects), whether they can regard the
New Church, to which the whole Revelation of John refers, as a Swedenbor
gian invention, or not rather undoubtedly consider it as a work of the finger
of God and our Lord, and as a church which is to be looked for with the most
earnest desire.
^ What man could mvent such things of himself, asks Swedenborg in his
Continuation ofthe Last Judgment, 7 ; and .'accordingly, when I shall have heard
that what I have now written, though too long for a letter, yet, considering the
importance of the matter, too short, has not displeased you, though in all the
points I may not have given, full satisfaction, I shall count it not a very small
gain. " Since Dr. Rosen, who is at Stockholm, and myself, have not in express terms
renounced the Swedenborgian doctrines to the king, our aff'air is consequently
before the council of state, where it is to be further investigated and judged.
The illustrious author. Swedenborg, wrote to me from Stockholm as follows : — ' I
know that the Lord Himself, our Saviour', will protect his church, especially
against those who are not willing to enter by the true door into the fold, that is.
into heaven, who are called thieves and murderers, so says the Lord Himself,
" He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but elimbeth up some other

• This will be -better understood when the reader is informed, that at the end of the
work on Conjugial Love, E, S. gave a list ofthe theological works previously published
by him. and concludes with saying. "Intra bienniu/m videbitis doctrinam Novce Eccle
sice a Domino prcedictie in Apocalipsi, xxi, xxii., in plenitudine ;" that is. " In two years
you will see the doctrine of the New Church foretold by the Lord in the Apocalypse,
xxi. xxii.. in its fulness," or " at large ;" alluding to the publication ofthe work entitled
True Christian ReUgion, containing the Universal Theology., of the New Church, That a
learned man-should have construed this notice into a prediction ofthe speedy reception
ofthe New Church doctrine is not a little extraordinary.

164 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
way. the same is a thief and a robber. I am the door : by Me if any man enter
in. he shall be saved " (John x. 1 , 9). I have been told from the Lord, through
an angel from heaven, that I may securely sleep upon my pillow during the
nights, which are to be understood to mean the darkness in which the world at
present lies with respect to the church.'
" But this may be enough for the present ; farewell, my dear Sir : as a man
that loyes the truth above all things, continue your affection towards me, who
am likewise a worshiper of truth. — I am your humble servant.
" Gabriel Andrew Beter.
"Gottenburg, June 15, 1771."

XXVII.
SWEDENBORQ'S LETTER
TO
DR. MENANDER, ARCHBISHOP OF SWEDEN.*

" Most Reverend Dr., &c.
"I have the pleasure pf sending you a small work which I pubUshed in my
youth, on a new method of findmg the longitude both by sea and land, by lunar
observations.t a work which has just been re-published at Amsterdara, and
which has been subraitted to the exaraination of the learned societies and acad
emies, You will greatly oblige by forwarding a copy of it to the professor of
astronomy at Abo. in order that if he find this method suited to his genius, and
worthy of his application, he may put it in practice. In foreign countries seve
ral persons at. present employ this method of calculating the ephemerides by
pairs of stars, and a great advantage has already been experienced from those
whioh have been made for some years past.
"The Apocalypse is now explained, or rather revealed, but I have not yet
had an opportunity of sending to your reverence any copies of it, and also to
the library. Please to inform me, to whom I shall entrust it here, in order to
send it to you at Stockholm.
" Several persons are now occupied in examining whether this is actually the
Consummation of the Age. and at the same time the Coming of the Lord, and
the Commencement of the New Church, which the Lord will establish, There
are those who believe that the present faith, which is a faith-in God the Father
for the sake of the Son. is the very faith which saves man ; but it is demon-

* This letter was first published in 1785. in the French Translation of Swedenbor-^'s
work entitled. Intercourse between the Soul and the Body, (See Dr Tafel's Documents
oonoei-riing the Life of Swedenborg, p. 331.) The date is not given; but as it was
evidently written immediately after the publication of Apocalypse Rtvealed, which ap
peared at Amsterdam m 1766, the letter was most probably written in that year
t The title of this work is. Methodus nova inveniendi Longitudinis Locorum Terra
mariqiie, ope Lunce^ which during the author's lifetime passed through three editions
See above p. 28.

HIS LETTER TO DR. MENANDER. 165
strated in The Apocalypse Revealed, that this faith has destroyed the church, and
that it has abolished religion, and that consequently it has so entirely laid waste
and consumed everything that constitutes divine worship, that there is no longer
any genuine goodness and truth in the church, and that the works which are
called the fruits of this faith are nothing else but the ' eggs of the cockatrice,' men
tioned in Isa. lix. 5. They, therefore, who have confirmed in themselves this
faith with its ' spider's web,' and who believes that the good works which they
do. are the fruits of this faith, are grossly deceived, and are in a kind of deli
rium from which they cunnot be withdrawn but by renouncing the confirma
tions of this faith, and by adopting the genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the only Object of love and worship, in whom is the Father, for ' whoso
seeth Him, seeth the Father,' But concerning this faith, I jrefer you to the little work
entitled The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Faith, 34-37.
" The falsities of the faith prevailing at the present day are the following :
I. That the- Lord has taken away the damnation of the law : whereas he has not
taken away a single point, indeed, every one will be judged according to his
works, as Paul asserts in Rom. ii. 13, and in 2 Cor. v. 10. and in other passages.
But the Lord has taken away damnation in general, that is, subjugated the pow
ers of hell, by His coming into the world, without which ' no flesh could have been
saved.' II. That the Lord has fulfilled the law is, indeed, a truth, for by that
means He alone has been made justice and righteousness, but by that he does
not deliver man from the obligation of the law [of the ten commandments],
for the Lord fulfils it daily in those, who shun evils as sins, and who in worship
address Hira alone ; for those who shun certain sins, v/hich they discover in
themselves, are kept in the inteiitipn of shunning all sins as soon as they come
to their knowledge. III. That the merits of the Lord are imputed to man. which
doctrine is maintained at the present day. is an entire impossibility ; the merits
of the Lord are in general two— first, that of having subjugated the hells, and,
second, that of having glorified his humanity, or of having made it divine ;
these merits could not possibly be imputed to any man. for they are infinite
and divine ; but by them the Lord has acquired the power of saving all who
come unto Him, who address their worship and prayers to Him, and who ex
amine themselves, and shun all evils they experience in themselves- as sins
against God. IV. It is an error to address God the Father, and to stipplicate Him
to have mercy for the sake of his Son, knd to send His Holy Spirit; this mode
of worship and of supplication is directly contrary to the truth, for the truth
teaches us to address the Lord alone, in whom dwelleth the Father, and through
whom only can the Father be approached and worshiped; moreover, the com
mon mode of supplicating the Father for the sake of the Son. involves a clear
and distinct idea of .iAree gods, and gives rise to the belief that the -Father. Son.
and Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct divine beings ; if also it is asserted
that by the Son His Humanity is understood, then concerning the Lord a di
vided idea is entertained, or an idea of two distinct beings. V. The assertion
that man is justified by this faiith alone, provided he have it with assurance and
confidence, is absolutely false; a plain. proof of this, without adducing any
others, may be seen in Romans ii. 10. In such a faith there is neither truth nor
goodness, and consequently nothing of the church, nor of religion; for it is the
truth of doctrine which makes the churchy and the good of life which constitutes religion

166 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
VI. They say. moreover, that good works, or the goods of charity, are the fruits
of this faith, whilst at the same time, not a single writer on theology has ever
yet found the connexion which this faith has with good worlts ; yea. it is pos
itively asserted, that good works cannot even preserve or support this faith,
and that they are only moral and civil actions, which do not in the least con
tribute to the salvation of the soul. VII. That the saying of Paul, in Romans iii.
28. on which the theology ofthe present day. as to salvation, is fou,nded, if!
falsely understood, I have clearly demonstrated in The Apocalypse Revealed, 417.
"Besides these enormous errors, there are also an infinity of others, which I
omit to mention here, by whioh it clearly appears, that if any one produces tlie
fruits of such a faith, he really produces the ; cockatrice's eggs,' mentioned in Isa.
lix. 5. For it is taught in the doctrines of the New Church- that faith can never
produce the goods, or good works of charity, as a tree produces its fruits, hut
that the truths which are called ihe truths of faith teach us how we ought to think of God,
and how we ought to act towards our neighbor, and that charity receives these truths in
good works, as thefruif receives the sap and juices of the tree ; consequently, the fruit,
or the good works, whioh are said to accompany the present faith, of whioh we
have been speaking, have no other sap or juices than those contained m the
confirmations of what is false, and these falsities are contained in the supposed
good works which are said to accompany that faith ; of this, however, man is
ignorant, but the angels perceive and know it very well. — I have the honor to
be, &c.. ' " Emanuel S-wedenborg."

XXVIII.
SWEDENRORG'S LETTERS
<- TO
THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR
AND TO
THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

To his Excellency the [Swedish] Ambassador,
" I passed the winter at Amsterdam, and during that period published an ex
plication of St. John's Revelation, entitled Apocalypsis Revelata, contauiing secrets
hitherto unrevealed. Messrs. Howen and Zoon are acquainted with the captain
who has the care of them. Of this work I have sent two copies to the Cardinal
de Rohan, two to the Royal Society of Science^, two to our Secretary of State,
and one for the Royal Libra;ry. In the same work are inserted various memorable
relations of my intercourse with the spiritual world : they are separated from the
text of the work by asterisks, and are to be found at the end of the explication
of each chapter. As they contain several remarkable particulars, they may
probably excite the reader to their first perusal. Besides this, I have published

HIS LETTERS TO THE LANDGRAVE OF HESSE-DARMSTADT. 167
a new method of finding out the longitude; which I discovered in my youth.
Of this r send your Excellency ten copies, to communicate to those who have a
knowledge of astronomy. If your excellency pleases, should a suitable oppor
tunity present itself, T shall esteem it a favor, if you will send two copies to the
Royal Society at Berlin. I shall set out this week for London, where I purpose
staying about ten weeks ; and shalj. be informed by Baron Nolken, if the book is
arrived. — I remain, &c., " Emanuel Swedenborg."

To ihe. [Swedish] Secretary of State.
" I have at last finished the explication of St. John's Rfevelations; circulated
thera round to all the universities in Holland. Germany, France, and England;
and am going to send seventy copies to Stockholm, of which youl: honor will
please to take ten. a,nd give five to' the following senators : Senator H6pken.
Senator Scheffer, and Nordenorantz,Councellorof Commerce. Bishop Menander,
and Bishop Serenius ; the other five you will be pleased to dispose of amongst
your friends. I desire the remaining sixty to be kept safe until I return home,
rneaning to distribute them amongst the academies and libraries in Sweden, and
to clergymen qualified for a more than ordinary station. I design to present
four to the court, and the remainder to the universities and seminaries in foreign
parts. Sir. it will give me great pleasure to hear of yours, and your dear father's
welfare. — ^I remain, &c., ! "¦ Emanuki. Swedenborg.
" P.S. I shall depart this week for London."*
x:^ix.
SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS
TO THE
LANDGRAVE OF fHESS E- DARMSTADT,
AND TO
HIS MINISTER, M. VENATOR.f

LETTER I.
Tothe Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.
" On the reception of your obliging letter, I was uncertain whether it was
signed by you, most Serene Duke, or by some other person: I coramunicated
the subject of my uncertainty to M. Venator, your ministei:, on his calling on me,
* There are no dates to these two letters ; but "as they were evidenfly written imme
diately after the publication of The Apocalypse - Revealed, it is most probably that the
date would be 1766, tlje year in whioh that work appeared.
t See Dr. Tafel's " Samlung von Urkunden,4rc.," or Collection of Documents con
cerning the Life of Swedenborg, p. 339, and following.

168 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
who removed my doubt. I have deferred replying to your letter till I had re
ceived from the press the work entitled True Christian Religion If c, of which I
send your most Serene Highness two copies, by the stage whieh leaves this
city every day for Germany. As to the work called Ar<ana Calestia,'it is not to
be obtained any longer either in Holland or England, all the copies of it havmg
been sold : but a's I know that there are some in Sweden, I will write to the per
sons who have thera, to know whether they will sell thera at any price, I shall
coramunioate t;heir answer to your Highness as soon as I receive it.
" In your gracious letter, you ask. how I attained to be in society with angels
and spirits, and whether that privilege can be communicated from one person
to another. Deign, then, to receive favorablythis answer.
" The Lord our Saviour had foretold that He would come again into the world,
and that He would establish there a New Church. He has given this prediction
in the Apocalypse xxi. and xxii.. and also In several places in the Evangelists.
But as he cannot come again into the wprid in person, it was necessary that He
should do it by means of a raan, who should not only receive the doctrine of
this New Church in his understanding, but also publish it by printing ; and as
the Lord had prepared me for this office from my infancy. He has manifested
Himself in person before rae. His servant, and sent me to fill it. This took place
in the year 1743. He afterwards opened the sight of my spirit, andJhus in
troduced me into the spiritual worid, and granted me to see the heavens and
many of their -C^ronders, and also the hells, and to speak with angels and spir
its, and this continually for twenty-Seven years. I declare in all truth that
such is the fact. This favor of the Lord, in regard to me, has only taken place
for the sake of the New Church which I have mentioned above, the doctrine of
whioh is contained in my writings. The gift of conversing with spirits and
angels cannot be transmitted frora one person to anpther. unless the Lord Him
self opens the spiritual sight of that person. It is sometimes permitted to a
spirit to enter into a man. and to communicate to him sopie truth ; but it is
not granted to the man to speak mouth to mouth -with the "spirit. It is even a
very dangerous thing, because the spirit enters into the afi'ection of man's self-
love, which does not agree with the affection of heavenly love.
" With respect to the man tormented by spirits. I have learnt from heaven that
that has befallen him in consequence of the meditations to which he has devoted
himself ; but that, nevertheless, there is no danger to be apprehended from thera.
because the Lord protects him. The only method of oure for him is to convert
himself, and to supplicate the Lord our Saviour Jesus Christ to succor him. — I
remain, with respect. &c.. , "Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Amsterdam. 1771."

LETTER II,
To the Landgrave of Hesse- Darmstadt.
" I have received and read with pleasure the letter with which your Highness
has honored me. I hojpe that the work just printed, under the title of The True
Christian Religion, has now reached you. Ypu may write, if you please, to the
learned ecclesiastics iu your duchy, to give their judgment concerning it ; but I

LETTER to M. VENATOR. 169
pray you to choose among them thosewho love the truth, and who love it only
because it is the truth. If you take others, they will see in this work no light,
but only darkness. That which is repoi?ted of the daughter of the Prince Mar
grave in Sweden, is a fiction invented by some foolish novelist, and I never even
heard of it before. As to that which is related of the brother of the queen of
Sweden, it is entirely true ; but it should not be regarded as a miracle ; it is but
one of those memorabilia, of the same kind as, those inserted in the book just
mentioned, concerning Luther. Melancthon. Calvin, and others. All these memo
rabilia are but testimonies that I have been introduced by the Lord into the spir
itual world, as to my spirit, and that I converse with spirits and angels. It is true
also that I have conversed with a person mentioned in the jouriial you cite, and,
six months ago. with the deceased Stanislaus, king of Poland, in a certain society
where he was; and where it was not known who he was. He made all the
happiness of his life consist in remaining thus unknown in these assemblies,
and in conversing there familiarly with the sx^irits and angels as one of them. I
afterwards saw hira transferred to a northern region, whei'e I learnt that he had
been called by a society of Roman Catholics, over whom he presided. In tSb
same way, I have often conversed with the Roman Pontiff, who has lately died.
After his decease he remained with me a whole day ;, but it is not permitted ine
to publish anything respecting his manner of living, or his state. You raay see.
if you Will, what I have written in my last work, concerning the Pontiff who
reigned some thirty or forty years ago. Treat favorably. I pray you, whatever
has relation to the honor of God.— I am, with respect, &c..
' ' Emanuel Swedenborg ,
"Amsterdam, July 15. 1771,"

LETTER III.
To M: Venator,

" I hope that my new work, entitled True Christian Religion, is now in your
hands, and that the two copies, whioh I seat at the same time to the Landgrave,
have reached him. I desire to have your judgment upon the subject there
treated of. because 1 know, that, bemg enlightened by the Lord, you will there
see in light, more than others, the truths which are there manifested in accord
ance with the Word. I send to day my reply to the letter which his High
ness, your Prince, has recendy sent to me ; and by his orders, I speak to him of
the conversations -which I have had with two personages in the spiritual world.
But these conversations, as wiell as that between the queen of Sweden and her
brother when he was living, which was made known to me by him in the spir
itual world, ought by no means to be regarded as miracle's ; they are on^y testi
monies that I have been introduced by the Lord into the spiritual worid. and
that I have been in association with angels and spirits, in order that the church,
which until now had remained in ignorance concerning that, world, mn-y know
that heaven and hell exist in reality, and that man lives after deatli, a man, as
before j and that thus there might be no more doubt as to his immortality.
Deign, I pray you, to satisfy his Highness, that these, are not miracles, but only
testimonies that I converse with angels and spirits. I*
12

170 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" You may see in the work above-mentioned, that there are no more miracles,
;at this time; and the reason -why. It is. that they who donotbelievebeoau.se
they see no miracles, mig^ht easily, by them, be led into fanaticism. I have
.•seen two volumes, in quarto, of miracles wrought by the Abbfe Deacon Paris.*
whioh are nothing but falsehoods, being partly fantastic aud partly magical ;
and it is the same with the other miracles of the Roman Catholics. Examine, I
pray you, what I have said on the subject of miracles in that work. At this day,
faith will be established and confirmed m the New Church, only hy the Word
itself and by the truths it reveals ; truths whioh appear in light to the reader of
my last work, which is itself an indication that the Lord is present and enlight
ens him. For every truth contained in the Word shines in heaven ; and comes
down from thence into this world, to those who love truth because it is truth. — I
have the honor to be, &o.. -" Eotakuel S-widenborg.
•"Amsterdam, July 13, 1771."

XXX.
SWEDENBORG'S LETTER
TO
MR. WENNGREN, t
ONE OF'THE .MAGISTRATES OF GOTTENBURG.

"Esteemed Friend.
" I have received your letter, together with the records concemmg the boy
who can cure diseases ; with respect to him. I cannot at this tirae explam ray-
self, because the subject of religion in regard to ray intercourse with the spiritu
al worid now makes a .stir, as "well here as in other parts of the country, and
this would in some degree interfere with the subject. Some few days since,
tlxat private concern of my own was determined in the clerical assembly at the
Diet. Whether the dean will be as satisfied now as he has been hitherto is
best known at Gottenburg ; the clergy and others wQl probably give sorae cer
tain account of this next week, by letter : among his party there have been
some merciless slanderers, the expressions of whom have fallen on the "round
like fiery balls frora the clouds, and become extinguished,  I remain. &c,.
„,,,_,„,.,„„„ " Emanuel Swedenborg,
" Stockholm, Jan, 18. 1770,"

* Thiynau was born in the city of Pans, in 1690, of a good family. He became a
priest, to^ deacons orders, and attached himself to the Jansenist. or high orthodox
party. H^enounced his inheritance, and devoted himself to poverty and labor- and
at his death m 1727 -was buried in.the church-yard of St. Medard. In his life he had
acquired a sdvt of celebrity, and the Jansenists made use of it after his death, to give
them an advahuge over their enemies, the Jesuits, Astonishing miracles took pllce,
or seenjed to tafe place, at his tomb, which it was impossible to account for or explain.
The whole aflairWduced -so much excitement and disturbance, that, five years after
his death, the ohuijVyaWi where he was buried was Walled up by order of government
¦f See above p. 76. jo

REMARKS ON THE VERSIONS, OF THE BIBLE USED BY HIM, 171
XXXI.
REMiiRKS BY MR. A. NORDENSKJOLD,

DIFFERENT EDITIONS OF THE BIBLE MADE USE OF
BY SWEDENBORG,

We have seen above p, 125, that after Swedenborg's spiritual illumination liad com
menced he applied himself exclusively to the study ofthe 'Word, both as to its letter, iu
the H&b^w teit, and a's to its " spirit and its life," or as to that spiritual sense -which
he demonstrates as existing in every part ofthe Holy Scriptures, It may be interesting
to the present as well as to the future generations, to know the different editions of the
BiWe which he made use of. This information is contained in the New Jerusalem Maga
zine for 1790, p. 87, where we read as follows s —
"Swedenborg possessed four editions of the Holy Bible in Hebrew : —
"I. That by T, Pagnini Montani, containing, fol; 1657, in whioh he made no
remarks in the margin, as I was informed by the person who bought it at his
sale. " II. Biblia Hebraica punctata, ciim Novo Testamenio Graco, Svo. of the edition of
Manasse Ben Israel. 1639. Amsterdam. This was also without remarks.
" III, Reineccii Bihl. Hebr, Lipsia, 1739. 4to. This I have happily found; it is
filled with reraarks. and with the Latin translation of several Hebrew words, as
also some observations on the internal sense. The book is much used. I shall
add it to the collection of manuscripts.
" IV. Bibl, Hebr, secundum Edit, Belgii Edvardi Vander Hooght, cum versione
Latina Sehastiani Schmidii; Lipsia, 1740. 4to, This book was given to the Rev, Mr,
Ferelius of SchOfde, for interring him at Lbndon, where he then was minister to
the Swedish chapel. There is no remark iri the margin, but a great number of
lines and asterisks, at the most remarkable places of the Latin version, the origi
nal text not being in auy manner touched ; because, according to the expression
of Swedenborg, ' The VVord is perfect, such as we have it.' Of the New Testa
ment in Greek, he had none besides that mentioned. No. II.. and which is afresh
edition of that by Elzevir in 1624, made by Janson, and the edition of Leusden,
Amsterdam, 1741, with the Latin version. It Is probable he has followed this
edition in translating the Apocalypse, ,
" Of the Latin translations of the Bible, hei chiefly made use of that by Schmid-
ius, LipsisB, 1740, after the time that he began the Arcana Calestia, because he
found this to be more literal and exact than all the others. Nevertheless, m all
his quotations, and above all in the Arcana Calestia, he has more exactly ex
pressed the sense according to the original language. He has never followed
the version of Arius Montaniis. either^ of the Old or New Testament, as I have
carefully examined and found to he the ease. But he had four copies of the
Latin translation of Castillis, apparently f^r 'the purity of the language, which
he was very studiously applying hinjs,elf to, before he learnt Hebrew in 1745.
In his quotations of the New Testament, he only made use of the translation of

ms DOCWMENTS- CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Schmid'ius, fiusi edition, which, he sometimes has left, the better to express- the-
sense of the Greek, From this it appears, that be always had tbe originals at
hand. But with respect to the author's translations of Genesis, Exodus, and the
Apocalypse, they are-directly translated. feom the oMginate."*

XXXII.
SWEDENBORG'S ADDRESS
TO
THE E.STATES OF THE [S WE.piS H} RE ALM,
AT THE OPJiNING OP TJSE GENERAL DIET OF 1761.

"We have seen above p, 35,,tjiat, " ass member of the Equestrian Order of the House-
of Nobles, Swedenborg took bis seat in several of the Diets qf the Realm," and it ap
pears that after his spiritual illumination had commenced, he,,as much- as other duties
would permit; took anjaotive part in fulfilling those senatorial obligations which were-
incumbent upon him„a3 a peerof the realm, (See above p, 35, note.) It has been so-
much the custom.- in consequence of erroneous ideas in respeet to genuine Christianity,
to separate what is natural from, what is spiritual, that one might suppose, that Swe
denborg. who is regarded by verjj many as the restorer, under an especial guidance of
Divine Providence, of the genuine doctriBes of Christianity through an enlightened in
terpretation ofthe Divine "Word,, would remain a stranger to- the civil and political mat-.
teis of his owa country; and ofthe world,, from thfe period his spiritual sight was opened.
to hold converse with the spiritual world, and to discern the internal or spiritual sense-
of the Holy Weed, Swedenborg,. it is true,, ceased, from thfit period, to devote himself,
to those seientifie and philosophical studies., which had piaped him in the first rant of
the learned of Europe, and he -was occupied exclusively in the study of the Sacred,
Scriptures, and in acquiring that spiritual, information concerning man after deaths
which is so important 'for him' to, know. an<l which, when, properly seen and appliedr
tends so greatly to pronwjte him in wisdom, and happiness. Notwithstanding this new'
position inwhich Swedenborg, was placed, he did not neglect a single duty as a citizen,
and in. this he acted in perfect conformity with the doctrines he.taught.t
' The follawingis an address whieh Swedenborg presented to. tiie Estates ofthe Eealm
at the opening of the general Diet in 1761 4 —
ADD-RESS.
" The Estates of the kingdom having assembled for the first time this year, and
the honorable deputies being ^at tliis moment engaged in their deliberations. I
- -We wish to observe that Swedenborg required the absolute literal sense of Scripture
as the basis o^f his spiritual interpretation, and as the Latin version of Schmidius was [n
this respect the most complete of any in existence, being an improvement on theTkera^
version of Mon anus._he preferred it. and in his very Numerous quotations f cm the
^ord, especially in the Apocalyp^ Explained, seldom departs IVom the veZn of
Sohmidius, unless to render the Hebrew text still more faithfully and literaUv
I See the Doctrine ofLifefor tU NewJeru..lem, from begrnifing to end ^"
% bee La NouveUe Jerusalem, Revue Rehgieuse et Scientifique, Ivril, 1S40. p. 53,

HIS ADDHESS TO tHE SWEDISH ESTATES OF tHE Rfiim. VTi
lia-ve thehonorto wish tHem the most happy success, and 1 sincerely ttust tlhat
thfeir resolutions may be decided as unanimously as possible. 1 beg, at liie
¦satae time, that I may be permitted to suggest the following advice :
" The essential business -of the honorable deputies being that of examining all
the facts which Inay be found contrary to the la-tvs and statutes of the kingdom.
to Vedress every wrong which concerns the public and the state, and to entrust
all particular and private business 'to the diff'erent special deputations to which
they belong, the great object of yote honorable asserably is to prevent, with all
wisSora and prhdence, all discontent and disaffection which evil-disposed persons
may have excited and fomented against the established form of our laws, and
against the constitution of <3ilr government. For it is easy to discover faults and
imperfections as well in the administration of a state, as in the conduct of an
individual, aiid'in the manner, inwhich he superintends his of&ce, and manages
his affairs; but if we were tb 'judge of a kingdom solely according to the imper
fections and faWts we might discover either in its constitution Or its adrainistra-
tion, it would be exactly HKe judging of a bitizfen from the imperfections and
faults "tc^ might discover in. his chSraoter. leaving out of sight his virtues and
usefulness ; which mode df judgmeift would be ^exceedingly unjust and preju-
"dioial tb the individual in "question, 'and iaevitallly bring upon him great and
•unmerited evil.
" May I be permitted to expla,in '^nd illustrate more amply what I have ad
vanced. "I. Suppose, then, that it were proposed to discover and divulge all the de
fects and foibles af a man of gooS intentions, and very zealous for the good and
prosperity of his countiy, by this means his honoif would be certainly destroyed,
and he would soon be regarded as a subject unworthy of any other consideration
than that of contempt. But in Order to render thfe subject still more clear and
Obvious. I will take for «xample the Councellor of Coraraeroife (M. Nordencrants),
and myself. If all our weaknesses and fixers were scrupulotisly examined into,
and then placed under the eyes of the public in the blackest colors in which
^hey coUld be presented, it is evident that we should be regarded as hlackas
~crows,- although I dare presume to assert, that as to our good intentions, and our
sincere love for our country, we would n<st yield to '9. single individual.
" II. We know that man is naturally inclined to observe the faults of others,
'and to divulge them abroad, and td pass .a. judgment upon them which is raost
injurious to the person in question; this is "Agreeable to our hereditary evil dis
positions, so that each is inclined by nattire ' to discover the mote which is in his
brother's eye, and to neglect the b^am which is iii his own eyi. Proud and evil-disposed
¦minds delight in criticising and blaming others ; whereas a generous and well-
disposed man, wfeo thinks as a Christian, (explains 'everything favorably accord
ing to circumstances, that is, he knows how tb excuse those faults, which are
«omraitted by error, and only to resent those whicJi are done of design and de
liberation. ' '
" III. I would observe, that the same observations apply to the public admin^
istration of government. No goveramejit is exempt frora fault ; the faults, in
deed, of die best governraent are often numerous, and volumes might be written
in detailing them. If, for example, I were to describe all the faults and errors
which, I am informed, have been committed in England and in Holland, against

1 74 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
justice and the real good of the country, I could fill a large volume with lament
ations. The government^, however, of these two states are considered the best
which, at present, exist iir Europe, except our S^vedish government, under
which every citizen enjoys the most perfect security both as to his life, his per
son, and his property ; no man is a slave here ; and all ecjually enjoy, as to civil
matters, the most perfect liberty:
" I'V. If there existed in tbe world a government in a celestial fonn'. composed
of men endowed with an intelligence really angelic, even this government would
not be exempt from defects, but it would require constant watching ; and if any
ohe were to exaggerate its defects, its foundation might be sapped by calumny,
and the disaff'ection, which would gradually increase, nrightsoon cause it to be
changed or annihilated ; and this desire might arise even amongst the best dis
posed persons.,
" 'V, I would observe, that the -wisest and best conducted government is that
which we, at present, enjoy in our country. Everything here is wisely arranged ;
everything here is prudently combined, as it were, in a regular chain, for the ad
ministration of justice. From the man who occupies the most eminent position,
down to tbe person who performs the lowest function, everything is arranged in
regular order, which everybody can readily observe, if be wUl but consider
the subject.
" We here see that every provincial magistrate is subordinate to a judge, and
both to the Pariiament, which is submitted to the royal revision, and this finally
to the General Estates of the Eealm, Inlike manner, the sub-bailiff' and the
bailiff himself are under obedience to the governor of the province ; this gover
nor is responsible to the Pariiament and to- the Councils of the State, and these
again to the-Senate, Tbe Senate, conjointly with the Parliament and all the
Councils, are responsible to the four Estates of the Realm, which at every Diet
appoint and establish committees to examine their conduct. Besides, every
raan in office must render an account to the fiscal board ; aud lastly, the General
Estates themselves must render an account to God as their only Sovereign,
" This shows us, Gentleraen. that in our country everything is so wisely
ordered and arranged, according to the laws of subordination, that no person can
neglect the duties of his office with irapunity; and also that in every law-suit
every one is sure to succeed in gaining his cause, provided justice be on his
side. Nevertheless, faults cannot altogether be prevented, and abuses wUl
spring up, often under very specious pretexts, and by false and perverse inter
pretations of the laws and of justice, since human weakness always prevaUs
among the generality of men, whieh inclines them in the interpretation Emd ad
ministration ,of the laws to regard personal friendship. famUy interests, prefer
ment, emoluments, &c. This, indeed, is a very great evil, and, alas ! at the
present day. common to all the governments of the world, without a probability
of its being speedUy and radically extirpated from any of them. But under our
form of government, every one can peacefully enjoy the inestimable adva-ntage
of being in perfect security in everything concerning his life, his property, his
honor, and his office, and the functions of his station. Every station enjoys its
peculiar immunities and privUeges. and partictdariy the cultivater Of the land,
whose fields, rendered fruitful by -his labor, liberally recompense him for»all the
labor he expends in their cultivation. Thus no man is a slave amongst us ;

MEMORIAL OF THE HONORABLE EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, 175
but vfhoever lives as a gqod and loyal citizen, enjoys here every, immunity and
privilege due to his character, and he is perfectly free,
" 'VL Lastly. Gentlemen, 1^ have the honor to entreat you to consider that what
I have said' should be placed as a cofinterpoise in the opposite scale of the bal
ance, if it should happen that the other scale, in Which all the defects of our
govemraent. and all the allegations which may have been raised against its form
and constitution are placed, should 3e found too preponderant. For justice is
like a balance, of which indeed that instrument is the emblem ; in this balance
good and evU are weighed, and if we act with impa,rtiality in respect to our
government, the result wUl proye that the good which proceeds from its con
stitution is, in every respect, paramount,
" Nevertheless, since your honorable assembly commences this day its labors,
I sincerely wish, that it wUl thoroughly examine, according to justice, all the
abuses which may have arisen since the last Diet that it will redress and cor
rect those that have arisen through error, and that it will rigorously extir
pate those which haye been caused by departing from justice, and by pervert
ing the spirit of the laws. But I especially desire that the Diet wUl exercise a
particular care in preventing and obyiating those symp|toms of discontent, which
restless, and turbulent minds would excite against the established form ,of our
government, as well in the provinces as. in the Estates of the Realm, now assem-
'bled. These useful precautions, Gentleraen. -vvUl prevent, you from faUing in
Charybdis, whUst endeavoring to avoid SoyUa.
" Presented to the Diet held at Stockholm. Janiiary, 1761, by
. " Emanuel Swedenborg.
" Member of the Senatorial Order of
the Kingdora,"

In the third part of Dr, Tafel's Documents concerning the Life of Swedenborg. we
find another merhorial presented to the Diet of Sweden bearing date the same year (1761)
with the preceding. Whether there is sorae mistake in regard, to the true date of the
one or the other, or whether both were actually presented on different occasions during
the same year, -we are unable to determine. But as the ensuing dodument is of equal
intrinsic interest with the other, we have se^nfltto insert it, together with the annexed
Memorial respecting Financej in which Swedenborg strongly insists upon the superior
advantages of a metallic currency over that of paper, -^5,
MEMORIAL OF THE HONORABLE EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
Pkesented to the Diet of Sweden, in the -vear 1761. ^
(Translated fi-om the "Documents concerning the Life of Swedenborg," Published
' by Dr, Tafel, Part 3,p, 64.)

General Views respecting. the Maintenance of the Stale and the
Preservation of its Freedom.
" There are two principal points,' to which it behoves the very laudable the
States of the empire to devote their particular attention, and to watch over as
anxiously as each would guard his own life and welfare. The first is the pre
servation of our exceUent constitution, and through it of ourinvaluable freedom ;
he other is the maintenance of our alliances with foreign powers, and espe-

176 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
cially with France. With regard to the first, it must be evident to every well
constituted and enlightened mind, that any change or revolution in our excellent
government, must render us an unhappy people. We inhabit the extreme north,
whioh one may call the end of the worid ; and if an absolute monarchy -were to
be again established amongst us, it would be as impossible here as it is in Rus
sia, or among the Asiatic ^nations, for the people or the country to create any
opposition or couoteraoting power which might check and control even a single
vice or evU propensity of the sovereign; for evU is rooted and lies dormant in
the nature of the sovereign, in common with aU mankind, and accordingly
breaks forth, through Want of an opposition, upon the first opportunity that
bff'ers: that is, -when the government is absolute.
" It is indeed unlawful to deliver over one's life and property to the arbitrary
power of an individual ; for of these God alone is Lord and Master, and we are
simply their administrators on earth,
" It would be tedious to enumerate aU the misfortunes and the grievous and
dreadful consequences, which might happen here in the north, under a despo
tic government; I wUl mention therefore only one — popish darkness,— and wUl
endeavor to exhibit it in its true light,
" We know froni experience hoW the Babylonian -Whore (-vvhich signifies the
popish religion) fascinated and bev/itched the reigning princes of Saxony, Cas-
sel, and Zweiliriicken. also the king of England, shortly before the house of
Hanover was called to the British throne, and how it is stiU dallying with the pre
tender ; how m Prussia likewise, it tampered with the present king, when crown-
prince, through his own father; not to mention king Sigismund and Queen
Christina in Sweden. We are well aware, too, how this whore is still going her
rounds.throughthe courts of reformed Christendom. If, therefore. Sweden were
an absolute monarchy, and thiswhore. who understands so well how to dissem
ble, and to adorn herself like agoddess, were to intrude herself into the cabinet
of a future monarch, is there any reason why she should not as easUy delude
and infatuate him, as she did the above mentioned kings and princes of Chris
tendom ? What opposition -would there be. what means of self protection, es
pecially if the army, which is now upon a standing footing, were at the dispo
sal of the monarch ? what could bishops and priests, together with the peasant
ry , do, against force, against the determination of the sovereign, and against the
crafty cunning of the Jesuits ? Would not all heavenly light be dissipated ;
would not a night of barbarian darkness overwhelm the land ; and if they would
not be martyrs, must not the people bow down the neck to Satan, and beeome
worshipers of images, and idolaters ?
" The dread of this and every other slavery, which I need not here describe,
must hang over us for the future, should there take place any alteration in our ex
ceUent constitution, or any suspension of our invaluable liberty. The only gua
rantee and counter check against such calamities would be oath and conscience.
Certainly if there were an oath, and the majority were sufficiently conscientious
to respect it, civil and religious liberty, and aU that is valuable, might, indeed,
in every kingdom remain inviolate : but, on the other hand, we must bear in
mind that the papal chair can dissolve aU oaths, and absolve every conscience,
by the virtue of the keys of St. Peter. It is easy for a monarch to assert, and
with every appearance of truth, that he has no thought of or desire for absolute

Memorial of the honorable emanuel swedenborg. ni
rule ; but-what each fosters in his heart and keeps studiously apart from the
outw-ard man. is known only to God, to himself, and to his private friends,
through whorh, however, what is hidden occasionally manifests itself. I shud
der when f reflect what may happen, and prbbably ¦^viU happen, if private inter
ests, subverting thfe general welfare into a gross darkness, should here attain
the ascendancy. I must observe, also, that I see no diffterence between a king
in Sweden, who possesses absolute power. a.nd an idol ; fbr all turn themselves,
heart and soul, ip the same way to the one as to the other, obey his wUl, and
worship what passes from his mouth.
" With regard to the other subject of consideration, our relations with -foreign
powers, and especially wifh France, it is well known, that alrea,dy. at the com
mencement of our good government, the high States of the empire, and parti
cularly the secret committee, and subsequently the senate, declared, that an
aUiance virith France was the best calculated to forward the interests of the state
and to ensure its preservation, in case neighboring powers should cause us any
tinquiet ; and this principaUy for the reason, tha-t that kingdom, being situated
at a distance from Sweden, and our relative positions necessarily precluding the
occurrence of any differences between us respecting the partition of lands and
provinces, can look upon the increasing wealth, industry, and prosperity of
Sweden without jealousy. With England the case is diflferent; for since that
country and Hanover have been united -under one sovereign (who, as elector of
Hanover, has come intb possession of lands — how is not now the question —
wliich forraerly belonged to the kingdora of Sweden), his interests are turned
against us, and ours against him, — and it is :not possible that this can be over
looked or forgotten by either party ; yet untU this takes place, our respective
interests must remain constantly irreconcUable. It follows, therefore, that as
long as England and Hanover are, united under one sovereign, agreeably to the
natural interests which bind one -with the other, we can form no such aUi&nce
With England as may be concluded with France,
"From the aUeged grounds, the above two important subjects of consideration,
namely, our exceUent government and our aUiance with France, have, since the
coramencement of our present constitution, which has been in force now for
forty years and upwards, engaged the particular attention of the States of the
empire, who have protected and maintained both, through the secret committee
and its circumspect consideration, and through other arrangements ; and at the
same time have confided their administration to the senate and to the Diet.
" Now, as there are three senators, naraely — Barons Hbpken, Palmstjema. and
Scheffer. who have given adequate proof of the interest they take, as well in the
internal government ofthe state as in its foreign alliances, and have accordingly,
together with the other members of the senate, supported the two ground pU-
lars upon which the welfarei and the safety of the state depend ; and as they are
no longer in the senate, I think I am justified in -venturing to propose, that they
be recalled, and that Baron Hopken be especially solicited to retum. This is the
more urgent, now that justice has proved to be upon their side ; and equity de
mands it, since aU the other senators who voted for war are to be retained.
"I have not the least doubt, that the six newly added merabers ofthe senate
have the welfare of Sweden equally at heart, and, as they are gentlemen bf under-'
standing, penetration, and integrity, that they wiU, with the same zeal and

178 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
! , '
unanimity, watch over bbth the internal and the foreign administration of the
government : yet respecting the three senators aUuded to, there can be no doubt
or hesitation whatever, since we have had positive proof of their integrity and
capacity. "Em. Swedenborg."

The following Memorial respecting Finance was also presented bt
Swedenborg to the Diet of 1761.
" If the States do not, during this diet, make some arrangement for the gradual
recal ofthe notes now in circulation, and the substitution of pure coin in their
stead, it is to be feared that the present prevaUing dearness WUl constantly in
crease; untU the country becomes exhausted, when a national bankruptcy in all
paper money must be the consequence. This must be evident to every reflect
ing person, when he considers, that a note of six dollars is now worth only
three dollars ia plats (a former Swedish copper coin) in foreign trade, and two in
domestic ; and if the high prices stilli contmue. it will probably come down to
one dollar. In such case, how can the nation be preserved frora ruin ,' These
grievous and dreadful events can only be prevented by the restoration of a pure
metallic currency.
"Many plans might be devised and proposed, to cbmpel the circulation ofthe
notes at their origmal fixed value, and thus meet the high prices ; but they must
all be of little or noavail, wifh one exception, and that is, the restorarion of a
proper metallic currency, as it was formerly in Sweden, and is how in every
other country in the world. , In' money itself consists the value of notes, and
consequently of all kinds of goods,' If an empire could subsist with a repre
sentative currency, and yet ho real currency, it would be an empire without its
paraUel in the world, "Em. Swedenborg."

XXXIII.
TESTIMONY OF
THE CELEBRATED MATTHIAS CLAUDIUS,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG.

Matthias Claudius, called also Asmus, or the Messenger of "Wandsbeck, was one of the
most favorite poets of the Germans. He was born in 1740, and died at Hamburgh in
1815. His collective works, in prose and poetry, consist of eight volumes, and were
published under the title, "Asmus omnia sua secum portans." Claudius held Sweden
borg In great respect, and wrote the following document, which contains nothing new,
or important, in order to Counteract the prejudices, which were beginning to exist against
his name. This Document was also published in the Aurora, for November, 1800, p.
219, and is as follows ; —

TESTIMONY OF MATTHIAS CLAUDIUS. 179
" I am induced," says Claudius, " to say a few words concerning Swedenborg,
in consequence of a speech delivered in honor of his memory by Baron de San
del, in an assemblage of the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm.
" Many persons are only acquainted with Swedenborg in the latter part of his
life, and from his latter publications. It is perhaps arising herefrom, in a great
measure, that a number of people are so hasty in pronouncing judgment con
cerning him as a man and as an author, who would have considered him with
more attention, and not so slightly, had they been acquainted with his life and his
writings previous to his abandoning his former pursuits; at least one might
have expected that such a. character as Mr. Polyhistor,* or his editor, would
have suspended their opinion concerning him. had they known that Sweden
borg possessed aU their learning in his cradle.
" Swedenborg, or rather Swedberg (for the name of Swedenborg he obtained
in 1719, when he was ennobled), was born at Stockholm, the 29th of January,
1688. Hewas the second son, of Jasper Swedberg, bishop of Skara. and had
from his chU<lhood a favorable opportunity of making himself acquainted With
all that iscoraraonly called learning and science. He was very fond in his
youth of the Latin poets, and made several attempts himself, which were re
ceived with approbation. After having studied for several years at Upsal, and
obtained the character of a man of genius and application, he left his native
country, and travelled into- Germany, HoUand and France, to see if he could
meet with anything new worth his knowledge. He could never digest the idea
of ranging the learned world into separate classes, such as divines. phUosophers,
&c. : he maintauied that all sciences were for one map. and one man for all sci
ences. His favorite studies, however, besides those of div'inity and phUosophy,
were chemistry, physios, and the mathematical sciences ; he became acquainted,
by reason of his extensive knowledge of the latter, with the famous counsellor,
Polheim. and King Charles XII. advanced him to the rank of assessor, on condi
tion of accompanying this great mathematician in all his enterprizes, ^.nd bemg
always near him.
" How much Swedenborg knew df mechanics wUl appear from the following.
He transported in the year 1718, from Stromstadt to Iderfjol, a distance of about
ten miles, over hUls and valleys, by means of rollers, five large vessels and a
sloop, for the purpose -of carrying on the siege of FrederickshaU.
"In the year 1710 he commeheed author, and published successively his
Dadalus Hyperboreus ; An Essay to establish a proper Standard for Coins and Measures ;
A Treatise on Algebra ; another On the Motion and Position ofthe Earth and Planets;
one respecting Ebb and Tide ; and A Treatise, on Mines, He wrote the latter trea
tise in a journey to the mines pf the Hartz of Saxony and of Austria, after having
made himself acquainted with those of his own country. Having done this, he
published, in 1734, his famous Opera Philosophica et Mineralia, From aU these
works, it appears that he was a ihan of an original genius, who did not copy
from others, but thought for himself, and who was perfectly conversant with
the subjects he treated. AU his works were highly esteemed, not only in lis
own country, but also abroad.
" In 1724 he was offered a professorship ofthe higher branches ofthe mathe-

* A certain person who appears fo have passed hasty censures upoh Swedenborg
and bis writings.

180 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
matics. Which he declined. In the same yeat he was elected a member of the
Academy of Sciences at Upsal. The same honor was conferred upon him by
that of St, Petersburg in 1734.
" Now after Swedenbbrg.had made himself acquainted with aU the erudition
of his time, and after the greatest honors had bteen bestowed upon him by indi
viduals and whole sociteties. he began to see spirits. His panegyrist (Baron
Sandel) says that he had considered the visible woridv and the nature of its re-
spective parts, as a means by Vs^^hich we might, perhaps.-becorae acquainted
with the invisible' worid ; that he at first forraed an hypothesis respecting it. and
at length reduced it to a whole systfem. If this be the case, one must naturally
conclude, that this system, even if it be a true one. must appear very stjr'ang'e to
those, who oflhe visible worid know very little, and Of the invisible nothing at
all. yea. cannot but appear to them in a very ridiculous light. Nilsacri est, said
Hercules in a very angiy manner one day, when he found in a Ifemple the statue
of Adonis. In the character and life of Sviredenborg. sush an Adonis is not met
with, for whose sake he might have embraced different notions to what are
generally received, as is coraraonly the cafee. He was always a virtuous man,
and one wh6 was' interiorly aff'ected with the beauty and majesty of the visible
world. "Whether Swedenborg really sa^ spirits, or anything new, or whtether he
was out of his senses, isa question which none of his opposers have hitherto
been able to decide, Hovi?tever. we cannot help thinking that there are spirits, and
Swedenborg often affirmed m his lifetime with great earnestness, and bven on
his death-bed in London, where he died March 29, 1772, that hewas able to see
spirits, and had seen them, , -
" Now as the New World reaUy existed long before Coliimbus found it out,
though we in Europe ^i^rere ignorant of its existence, so perhaps there may be a
means to see spirits, though as yet we are unacquamted in What manner the
spectacled otight to be shaped to accomplish the design. And suppose we
were to make a pair of spectacles on purpose, and to make experiments, it does
not follow that we should succeed. In the opinion of many wise people, there
lies a great deal of truth hidden perhaps close by us ; therefore the strivings of
a good man to find pjit the truth, ought iathet to meet with applause than be
censured with acrimony."-
XXXIV.
MEMORANDA RESPECTING SWEDENBORG.
BY THE LATE MR. PECKITT.

'• London, January the 24th, 1778. I Henry Peckitt, went to Bath Street, Cold
Bath Fields, to one Mr. Shearsmith. a barber, at whose house the learned and,
honorable Emanuel Swedenborg lodged, and died the 29th of March, 1772, and
was then, as I have since found. 84 years old.
" He, by the order of one Mr. Charies Lendegren, a Swedish merchant, who
lives in Mincing Lane, Fenchurch Street, was laid in state at an undertaker's,
and deposited, in three coffins, in the vault of the Swedish Church in Prince's
Square, Radcliffe Highway ; with all the cereriionies of that Church.

MEMORANDA RESPE.CT1NG SWEDENBORG. 181
" It seems, by the account of Mr. Shearsmith, that the Baron had visited Eng
land three or four different times. He had lodged in Cold Bath Fields, and
upon his return to England came to the same place, but the people had removed,
and he was recommended to Mr. Shearsmith, where he lodged about two years;
then he left England, and went to Amsterdam in Holland, at which place he
had published many of his Latin works. He staid there some time, and then
returned to England, aud came to the same place to lodge with Mr. Shearsmith,
?nd remained at his house till his death, w'hich might be about two, years.
" The dress th?it he generally wore when he went out to visit, was a suit of
black velvet, made after an old fashion, a pair of long ruffles, a curious hUted
sword, and a gold headed cane.
" He ate little or no animal food, only sometimes a few eels. > His chief suste-
liiance was cakes, tea, and cofiee, made generaUy exceedingly swee^t. His drink
was water. He took a great deal of snuff",
" Mr, -Shearsmith was affrighted when he first lodged with him, by reason of
his talking in the night and day. He said, [he] virould sometimes be writing,
and soraetiraes stand talking in the doorstead of his room, as if he -was holduig
a conversation with sorae persons ; but as he spoke in a language Mr, S, did
pot understand, he could not make anything of it,-
" During the time he was at Mr. S,'Ss he had some learned men that came to
converse wilih hira. especially a Rev. Mr, Hartley, of East Mailing, in Kent, and
aphysieian caUed Messiter,
" He did not know the English language so as to hold a, running conversation
in it.
" He had au impediment in his speech.
" He laid some weeks in a trance without any sustenance, and came to hira-.
self again ; this was not long before his death.
" He seldom or never complained of any bodUy pain, b,ut was attacked before
Ijis death with a kind of paralytic stroke,
" He had no books, no, not so much as a Directory, He was far from being
verbose, " It was said he had conversation, in spirit, with Luther and Calvin.
" During his last visitto England, he chose to be mostly retired or private.
" It seems he had no, particular regard for tiraes or seasons, or days or nights,
only took rest when, nature reqUired-!-.did not indulge. He went not to any
place of Worship during his abode with Mr. Shearsmith.
" He did not want money.
" Dr, Messiter had some Manuscripts he had by him at the time of his dealh.
" The grand quantity were sent into Sweden, and are m one of the libraries,
" The above is -what I gathered from Mr, Shearsmith,
" December the 4th, 1783. Went again to Mr. S.'s to read over to him this
above account, to know if it was just in every observation, and he told me it
was. Mr. S, not being at home. L staid tUl he came in. and had some conver
sation with the maid that attended him, the Baron. She said, he was a good-
natured man, and that he was a blessing to the house, for tliat they had harmony
and good business.
¦' She said, that before he came to their house he was off'ered another lodging
in the neighborhood; but he told the mistress, there wanted harmony in the
house, which she acknowledged, and recommended him to Mr. Shearsmjth's.

182 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
" Upon asking the maid if he ever ate any animal food, said he once had some
pigeon pie.
" She said, that he told them a few days before his death, when it would hap
pen; and, said she. He was as pleased !— and she made a comparison, that the
pleasure was such as if she was going to have a holiday, to go to sorae merry
making. "London, March, 16. 1778. I. Henry Peckitt. called upon'Mr. Springer. No. 12,
Craven Buildings, near Wych Street, who is Counsellor of Commerce for Swe
den. He had been acquainted with the Baron Swedenborg for many years. It
seems the Baron had visited England many tiraes during his life,
" Mr, Springer told rae the Baron had a fine house and garden at Stockholm;
and he was sitting with company at Gottenburg, which is 1 88 miles frora Stock
holm, and told them that part of the town was on fire where his house and
garden were, and he hoped his house would escape the flames-. 1759. He shortly
after told them his house was safe, but the garden was destroyed ; and when
the post airrived, a few days after, it was as he had predicted.
" Mr, Springer also told me that the Queen of Sweden had writ letters to her
brother, a Prince of Prussia, and having no answer, she doubted whether he
had received them or not. The Baron at that tirae had converse with the Qneen,
and her brother died in Prussia, She was desirous to know if he had received
the letters. She consulted the Baron, who said he would inforra her in a few
days. He did. and fold her he had received them, and was going to answer
thera. and that in an escritoire of the Prince's was a letter unfinished, intended
for her. but he was taken iU and died. She sentto the King of Prussia, and it
was as the Baron had foretold : the King sent her the unfinished letter.
"It seeras the Baron was always subject to an impediment in his speech. He
writ none of his Theological works for gain.
" So much from Mr. Springer."

XXXV.
REMARKS BY
THE MARQUIS DE THOME,*
ON AN ASSERTION 01' THE COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED BT THE KING
or FRANCE FOR THE
EXAMINATION OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM.

" Gentlemen. " In the report of the commissioners appointed by the King for tlie examina
tion of animal magnetism, these gentlemen have affirmed that there does not
* The Editors (says The Intellectual Repository for 1815, p, 191.) feel hE^ppy in being
enabled to lay before their readers the above article, which ooutainsia, most able via-

DE THOME'S REMARKS ON MAGNETISM. 183
yet exist any theory of the magnet. This assertion has occasioned many
remonstrances ; and I shall here make one. and, as I think, the most just of
any, in favor of an iUustrioiis man bf learning, some years since deceased.
Three folio volumes were printed at Dresden and Leipzic, in 1734, under the
foUowing title : Emanuelis Swedenborgii Opera Philosophica et Mineralia, The first
of these voluraes is entirely devoted to a subUme theory of the forraation of the
world, founded on that of the magnetic element; the existence, form, and mecha-
nisra of which are demonstrated by the author from experience, geometry, and the
most solid reasoning founded on these two bases. The subject of the other vol
umes, being foreign to that of this letter. I shall content myself with saying, that in
the whole of the work, there is such an abundance of new truths, and of physical,
mathematical, astronomical, mechanical, chemical, and mineralogical know
ledge, as would be 'more than sufficient to establish the reputation of several
different writers. Accorcjingly, he acquired so much fame by its publication.
that the Academy of Stockholm hastened .to invite him to become one of its
members. This production of the Swedish philosopher has continued to main
tain the same degree of esteem in aU Europe, and the most celebrated raenhave
not disdained to draw materials from it tp 'assist them in their labors ; some, too,
have had the weakness to dress themselves in the feathers of the peacock with
out acknowledging where they obtained them. On reading the paragraph in
the first volume, page 387. entitled De Chao Universali Solis et Planetarum, deque
separatione ejus in Planetas et Satellites; and that at page 438. De Progressione
Telluris a sole ad Orbitam, it will be seen how much the Count de Buffbn was
mistaken in saying, in his discourse on the forraation of the planets, that noth
ing had ever been written on this subject; and it v/ill doubtless be regretted,
that the French Pliny has not profited by the discoveries of the Stockholm Aca
demician, who, whilst he equals him in point of style, is infinitely superior to
him in everything else. A cursory perusal of this first volume, will also, be suf
ficient to repress our astonishraent at the experiments of M. Lavoisier. Sweden
borg having already shown, that earth and water are not to be regarded as ele
ments, nor elements as simple substances, I should fbrbear to add that M.
Camus, who has performed such' surprising things with the magnet before our
eyes, admits that he has derived from this author almost aU the knowledge that
he has exhibited on this subject, and. in short, that without having studied him,
our acquaintance with magnetism' must be very imperfect ; — I say. I should for
bear to mention this, if the commissioners appointed by his Majesty to examine
aniraal mVgnetism, had not affirmed, that there as yet exists no theory of the
magnet. How can this assertion "be reconciled with the authentic and positive
fact I have now stated ? The farther one is from imagining that such a declara
tion on the part of the acaderaicians and physicians can be the result of haste.
of ignorance, or of partiality, the more difficult the thing becomes. Are we not
dioation of the character of the New Church Messenger. The reader will observe,
that the Marquis de Thome, writing to a journal of a merely philosophical nature, the
editors of which would have refused admission to an essay the^t appeared immediately
to relate to theological subjects, has dwelt chiefly on the highly gifted Swedenborg's
attainments as a man of science, by which he has prepared the way for a favorable re
ception of the testimony which he afterwards so elegantly and energetically gives in
favor of his character as a divinely-comtnissioned teacher. A letter from the same
writer, declaring his reception of the New Church writings, is printed in the New Jeru
salem Magazine, 1790, p. 86,

184 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
to beUeve. that, to acquit theraselves wOrthily of their coraraission. and to just
ify as they ought the confidence with which the sovereign has hcnored thera,
they would neglect nothing that could contribute to malce theni perfect raasters
of the question of animal magnetism, and enable them to decide upon it, and
that they would accordingly read and consider everything whioh has hitherto
been published on the subject : at least everything that has proceeded frora the
pen of tbe raost celebrated naturalists. The work whioh has occasioned this
reraonstranoe. being without contradiction the, most complete and profound of
all, ought principally to have fixed their attention; and this being granted, the
saying of the commissioners, that there does not yet exist any' theory of the mag
net, — that is. that nothing whioh has yet appeared is to be regarded as such, —
is saying that the. theory of Swedenborg is none at all ;-^that a theory deraon-
strated by experiraent, geometry, and reasoning, and in agreement with them
all. is not a theory. Such. I believe, is the exact amount of the assertion ofthe
commissioners, which, therefore, if remains for them to prove.
" I shaU now proceed to enable the public to determine, whether the Swedish
phUbsopher was not most intimately persuaded, that, iti natural phUosophy,
every theory which is not supported by experience and geometry ought tb be
regarded' as chimerical. In the first page of the first volume, he thus explains
his views on this subject : ' Quifinem vult, &c. He who wishes to attain an end,
must also wish to acquire the means. Now these are the means which more
especially lead to knowledge truly phUosophical ; experience, gecraetry. and the
faculty of reasoning.' In the foUowing page he insists, in these terms : ' Mag
na quidem, &o. Arduotis is the attempt to explain phUosophicaUy the hitherto
secret operations of elemental nature, far removed, and Eilmost hidden from our
view. I must endeavor to place, as it were, before the eyes, those phenomena
which she herself is careful to conceal, and of which she seems most averse to
the investigation., In such an ocean I, should not venture to spread ray saU.
without having experience and geometry continually present to direct the hand
and watch the helm. With these to assist and direct me, I may hope for a pros-
perpiis passa,ge over the trackiess deep. These shall be my two stars to guide
me in my course, and light me on ray way ; for of these do we stand most in
need in the thick darkness whichinvolves both elemeiital nature and the human
mind.' A.t page 184 of tbe same volume, lie says, again, ' Nisi principiorum, &c.
Unless our principles be geometricaUy and mechanicaUy connected with expe
rience, they are mere haUucinations and idle dreams,' ^Behold, furtlier, how he
establishes that even elemental nature is under the government of geometry
and always lUte herself in the Uttle as well as the great; a principle which
opens to the 'human mind an infinite career, and puts us in. the route which it is
necessary to take to arrive at aU possible discoveries : ' Natura enin, &o. Ele
mentary nature (says he,) is a motive power variously modified ; a motive power
variously mbdified. is a system of mechanism ; a system of mechanism is geo-
raetry in action, for it must needs be geometrical : geometry is the attribute of a
certain substance possessing figure and space: as, then, geometry is lUe attri
bute of a substance, and thus is inseparable from every substance, whether sim
ple or compound, either in motion or rest, and from motion itself, it accompa
nies nature from its flrst origin and rudiments, from its least form to its greatest,
throjgh the whole world: and as geometry is the same in the greatest sub-

« DE THOME'S REMARKS ON MAGNETISM. 185
stances as in the least, hence nature, being a motive and modified power, being
mechanical and geometrical, is exactly like'herself in each extreme, that is, to
wards each infinite of smaUness or greatness. &c.' p. 121. The question then is,
whether Swedenborg has proceeded according to these principles ? This ques
tion all naturalists and geometricians are invited tb determine : and when they
have agreed oa their determination, whioh wUl certainly be in conforniity w'th
what 1 have advanced, they wUl unanimously admit, if I am not raistaken. that
the tlieory of the Swedish author is a true theory of the raagnet and of aU raag-
netism ; that it proves inoontestibly the existence of the magnetic element ; that
it proves furthjr, that the particles of this element being spherical, the tendency
of their raotibn. in cbnsequence bf this forra. is either spiral or vortical, or cir
cular ; that each of these motions requiring a centre, whenever these particles
meet vs^ith a body, which, by the regularity Of its pores, the configuration and
the position of its parts, is adapted to their motion, they avail themselves of it.
and form around it a raagnetical yortex ; that, consequently, every body which
has such pores, and such a configuration and position of its parts, raay become
the centre of such a vortex; that if this body has an activity of its own. if its
parts are flexible, and if its motion is similar to, that of' the particles, it wUl be
so much the more disposed to admit them.'&c. &c, ; whence it follows, that
magnetical substances are sujh merely by virtue of the element whose existence
Swedenborg has demonstrated, and thus that the magnetism of bodies depends,
not on their substance, but on their form; — a truth' which is hinted at by the
learned Alstedius in his exceUgnt Encyclopse^ia, printed at Lyons in 1649, in
which, drawing a comparison between electricity and magnetism, he says,
' Motiones electrica d materia magneticte vero d, forma pendent,'
" To ascertain the influence of the magnetic element on the question of animal
magnetism, suppose we apply the result of the suraraary view that I have given
of it to the three' kingdoms of nature. It ¦will be easy to convince burselves.
that bf these, the mineral kingdbm is the least favorable tp this element, by rea
son of its inertness, of the irregularity of its pbres. of its angular forras, and of
the rigidity bf its parts : hence, were it not for iron and the loadstone, magnet
ism would be almost entirely banished frpjn this kingdom. Proceeding to the
vegetable, we may easily perceive, that its more regular pores, its rounder forras
its raore flexible parts, the sphere of activity, which results from its organisa
tion, and from the circulation which takes place within it, pffer much greater
facilities to the operations ofthe magnetical fluid. Arriving at the animal king
dora, which is the quintessence of thera all. as being more rich in volatile spi
rits, and approaching thereby more nearly to elemental nature, and which is
gifted more eminently, according to the perfection of its organs, with the same
advantages which we have just observed in the vegetable kmgdom; — we find
that this kingdom, by the exalted Ufe of some of its subjects, is clearly the most
active centre that the magnetic element can lay hold of; and as, besides, it pre
sents it, in the abundance of its fiuids, in its circular -Pessels and veins, and in
its spiral fibres, with nothing but analogous forras. of an extreme flexibUity and
capacity of motion, we cannbt but ecnclude, that this is the kingdom which
favors in the highest degreethe admission of this element. To avoid exceeding
the limits of your journal^ I omit, Gentlernen, an infinity pf thingswhich I might
here mention in support of these truths ; amongst which I should include the
13

186 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. •
respiration of animals, their hunger, theirthirst. their loves, the functions of their
absorbent and resorbent pores.— phenomena which. weU analysed, would be so
.many probfs of the existence of animal magnetism, and would evince that, in
reality, animals are nothing but living magnets.
" Let me not, however, for what I haye here said, be suspected of being a dis
ciple of the too celebrated Dr. Mesraer. Believing with hira in aniraal raagnet-
ism. the existence of whicli has long since been as evident to me as that ofthe
sun. if I intended to make use of it, it would be in a manner totally different
from his ; as I find in M. Mesraer's mode many things that are not only vicious
in point of morals, but also very dangerous in a physical respect. For want of
knowing what Swedenborg has said respecting forras, series, degrees, corres
pondences, and. above all. respecting the element bf min and human spheres.
this physician has abandoned himself to a blind practice, the eff'ects of which,
sometimes good, as often bad. and most frequently none at all, fully evince
either the incapacity of the practitioner, or the inefficacy of his remedy. But to
learn in what M. Mesmer is deficient, it will hot suffice to have read the work
¦which I have just been describing, but it wiU also be necessary tb be acquainted
with most of those which follow it: for the indefatigable Swede continued to
write upon the most difficult and abstract subjects, and, -what is peculiar to him
self, he always possessed the art of enabling all his readers to'understand them,
by the method, precision, and clearness, with which he conducted the discus
sion. ,
" Since an opportunity here offers to speak of his works, permit me, Gentle
men, to avail myself of it, to disabuse the public respecting the bad impressipns
which have been attempted to be imposed on it concerning this great man.
Prior to his Opera' Philosophica et Mineralia, he had already written on almost all
the sciences. Amongst others was his work on algebra, entitled. The Art ofthe
Rules ; a new method to find the longitude by land and sea, by the aid ofthe moon ;
another for the trial of new ships, &o. &o, &q, ; not to mention some literary pro
ductions which were the first essays of a y on th which had been employed in learn
ing the principal living languages of Europe, and aU the dead ones. He was so
weU versed 'rathe latter, particularly in Latm, and the Oriental languages, that
he was consulted by those who made the study of them their particular profes
sion. Posterior to the year 1734, we have of his. The Animal Kingdom;
Tlie Economy of this Kingdom ; Ah Essay on the Infinite, the Final Cause of Creation,
and the Mechanism ofthe Operation of the Soul and Body ; with a poem on TAe Birth
of our Globe and that of the First Man ; works whioh are above all praise. But
what shaU we say of his theosophical treatises, where the greatest secrets are
revealed without emblem oi- allegory; where the science of correspondences,
which has been lost for hear fpur thousand years, and of whioh the hierogly
phics of Egypt were but useless monuments and relics, is again restored ? I
wUl say that a perusal can alone give any idea of them ; that the raore the prin
ciples, equally new and fertUe, which are accumulated in these works, are re
flected on, the raore they are applied to nature, to ourselves, to everything that
can become an object of our thoughts and affections, the more clearly the truth
¦will shine, the more we shaU be compelled to pay homage to the superiority of
iUustration [lumiferes] which has given them birth, and to acknowledge in them
the evidences of a wisdom more than human.

CURIOUS MEMORIAL OF SWEDENBORG. 187
"' As in additioh to such profound and universal knowledge Swedenborg joined
the purest virtue and the sweetest manners, he might be expected to meet with
detractors ; lie accordingly has had them, and be has them stUl. I have often
heard him publicly decried, but always from one of the three foUowing motives,
and with the intention of preventing his works from being read. Some attribut
ing everything to chance, and believing in nothing but nature, are afraid that
the luminous works of the greatest naturalist, and the sublimest theosophist that
has yet existed, would give the last blow to *heir tott-ering system. Others hav
ing borrowed from him -xvirtiout acknowledging it, are apprehensive that if his
works should obtain more notice, their plagiaries would be detected. The third
-class, enjioying a reputation fouijded on a feilse opinion of their knowledge, but
being unable to conceal their incapacity from themselves, dread tbe appear
ance of this pblar star, because it would infallibly eclipse thepi, and sooiiTCduce
them to their just estimation. I know not from whieh of these motives it was that
an anonymous Writer inated. about two years ago, in tbe Courier de I'Europe, a
pretended notice respecting Swedenborg and his' writings, which Was nothing
but a tissue of wrong dates, false titles, and palpable catemnies and contradic
tions : it is thus that self-love, disfiguring, falsifying, and obscuring everything
is the source of every evii, and the scourge ofthe human race. The first labor,
then, to be undertaken to arrive a* the truth is, to combat, to conquer, and to
-chain down, this principle for ever. Then tbe soul of man. recovering its
liberty, and restored to the light f&t which it was born, may roam at pleasure
through the whole of nature, and pursuing its flight, may elevate itself even to
that world which ignorant mortals regard as imaginary, but whioh -wiU always
be, whatever they may siiy, the vivifying sphere, and the true home of the
huraan raind.
"This, (Sentlemen, is what I thought it my duty to make public for the benefit
¦of society, from a regard for truth, and in gratitude to him to whom I am in
debted for the major part of the little that I know;, though, before I met with his
writings, I had sought for knowledge amongstalmost all the writers, ancient and
raodern, -who 'Enjoyed any reputation for possessing it. — I have the honor to
fee, &C, ... ' . J
" MAsauis JDE Thome.
¦" Paris, Aug. 4. lygS,"
CURIOUS MEMORIAL OF SWEDENBORG,
CONCERNING
CHARLES XII. OF SWEDEN,

Letter of M. Swedenborg, Assessor of the Board cf Mines, to M. Nordberg,
Author of the " History of Charles XIL
¦"Sir, — As you are now actually engaged upon the Life of Charles XII., I
avad myself of the opportunity to give you some information concerning that
monarch, "which is, perhaps, new to you, and worthy of being transmitted to

188 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBCmG.
posterity. I haVe already touched upon the subject, in the fourth part of my
Miscellanea, treating rfe Calc^o novo Sexagenario, ifc, whence M, Wolff' ha« derived
what hp has said in his Elemenia Matheseos Universes, relative to this new Calcu
lus,* " In 1716, when M. Polheim received the king's orders to repair to Lund, he
engaged me to accompany hira thither. Having been presented to his raajesty,
he often did us tbe honor of conversing with us upon the different branches of
mathematics, and particularly upon mechanics, the raode of calculating forces,
and other probleras of georaetry and arithmetic. He seemed to take remarkable
pleasure in these conversations, and often put questions, as if he merely pro
posed to gain Sorae slight elucidation from us ; but we soon found that these
things were not strange to him, which put us, subsequently, jnore upon our
guard, not to speak to him of coinmon or unimportant matters, nor to advance
anything doubtful in which he might have shown us to be mistaken. The con
versation turning upon analytical and algebraical calculation, as well as upon
what is caUed the regula falsi (rule of false position), he desired us to bring
forward examples, whioh we accordingly did, proposing such as made it in
cumbent, in order to proceed agreeably to rule; to- use signs ot symbols, as weU
as equations. The king did not require them, and after a few minutes reflection,
he told ras, without any other aid' than his own superior genius, in what way
our examples might be soived, -which we always fbund to agree perfectly with
our calculations, I confess, that I have never been able to understand, ho-w. by
mere reasoning, and without the aid of Algebra, he was enabled to solve prob
lems of this kind. It seemed, indeed, that the king was not sorry to display be
fore M. Polheim— a competent judge in these things — a penetration and power
of reasoning, equalling those of the ablest mathematicians,
" I wiU now relate tb you. as I am peculiarly able to do. what arose from this
learned amusement, which is as follows : — Conversing one day with the king
upon arithmetic, and the raode of counting, we observed, that almost all nations
upon reaching 10. began again; that those figures which occupy the flrst place,
never change theur value, while those in the second place, were multiplied ten
fold, and so on with the others ; to which we added, that men had apparently
begun by counting their fingers, and that this method was still practised by the
people ; that arithmetic having been formed into a science, figures had been in
vented, which were of the utmost service ; and, nevertheless, that the ancient
mode of counting had been always retained, in beginning again after arriving
at 10. and whioh is observed by putting each figure in its proper place. The
king ¦syas of opinion, that had such not been the origin of our mode of counting,
a much better and more geometrical method might have been uivented, and
one which would have been of great utUity in calculations, by making choice
of sorae other periodical number than 10. That tbe number 10 had this great
and nece^ary inconvenience, that when divided by 2. it could not be reduced
to the number 1 without entering into fractions. Besides, as it comprehends
neither the square, nor the cube, nor the fourth power of any number, many

* Christ, ¦Wolif's Elementa Matheseos^ Universee, Tom, I, p. 21, GenevEB, 1743. The
passage is as follows!— "Et Carolus XII,, Rex Suecise, oalculum Sexagenariiim ex-
cogitavil, relerente Emanuele Swedenborgio, novis characteribus et numeris, novisaue
dsnominationibus adinventis." ^

CURIOUS MEMORIAL OF SWEDENBORG. 189
difficulties arise in numerical calculations. Whereas , had the peribdical number ^
been 8 or 16. a great facUity would have resulted, the first being a cube number,
of which the root is 2, and the second a square number, of which the root is 4,
and that these nurabers being divided, by 2. their primirive, the number 1 would
be obtained, whieh would be highly useful -with regard to raoney and measures,
by avoiding a quantity of fractions. The king, after speaking at great length on
this subject, expressed a desire that we sliould raake a trial with some other
number than 10, Having represented to him, that this could not be done, unless
we invented new figures, to which, also, names altogether different from the
ancient cues must be given, as, otherwise, great confusion would arise, he de
sired us to prepare an example in point.
" We chose the number 8, of which the cube root is 2, and which, being
divided by 2, is reduced to the primitive number 1,. We also invented new
, figures, to whieh we gave new names, aad proceeded according to the ordinary
method ; after which we applied thera to the cubic calculations, as well as to
money and to measures. The essay having been presented to the king, he was
pleased yvith it : but it was evident that he had wished something more ex
tended, ;and less easy, in order that he might display the superiority of his genius
and his great penetration. To this end he proposed tb adopt some number
whieh should contain a square as well as a cube, and which, when divided by
2, might be reduced to the .primitive number 1. He made choice of 64 ; but we
observed to him that it was too high a number, and. consequently, very incon
venient, and^ indeed, that it was almost impossible to employ it; that, besides,
if we Were obliged to reckon up tb 64, before recommencing, and that upcn
reaching 64\times 64, or 4096, only three figures were used,, calculation would be
rendered immensely difficult, especially with regard to multiplication and divi
sion; because it would be necessary to commit to memory a multiplication
table composed of 4096 numbers, while the common table comprised only 80
or 90 numbers. » However, the more we urgedour difficulties, the more he was
determined tb put his idea intb practice ; and to show the possibUity of what
appeared to us to require long and profound reflectibn. he imdertook to devise
this method himself, and to lay dpv^n the plan of it, which he sent to us the
next morning. He had invented new figures, each with its particular name.
The 64 figures were divided into 8 classes, each being designated by a particu
lar symbol. Upon a closer inspection, I found that these syrabols or signs were
composed ofthe initial and final letters of his own narae, in a raanner at once
so dear and exact, that when the first 8 numbers were known, all the rest up
to 64 were attainable without the feast difficulty. The names of the iS numbers
of , the first class were very simple, and those of the others so well contrived,
that one could easUy remember- them, without feaj: of confusion. Having ar
rived at the number 64. when it became necessary td proceed with three figures,
up to 64 times 64. he had invented new names, admirably arranged, and so easily
and naturally varied that there was not any number, however high, for which
there was not a name; and this might be carried on ad infinitum, following the
principles and rules laid dawn.
" It was to me that the king committed this plan, in his own hand- writing
[the original of ¦which I stiU preserve], in order to arrange from it a table show-

190 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
ing the difference between this and the common mode of counting, both witbf
regard to the names and the figures.
¦" The khig had also added to his plan asn example in multiplication and in
division ; two o-i>erations in which I had contemplated so much difficulty. As-
it was my place to undertake the perfecting of his niethod'. I examined it tho
roughly, in order to discover whether it might not be rendered yet more easy and
more convenient' bf application than it was. My attempts, however, were ire
¦vain ; and I much doubt whether the greatest raatheraatieia-ns wouJd have suc
ceeded. What I chiefly admire, is, the ingenuity shown by the king in the in
vention srf the figures and the names, and the ease with which tbe signs raay
be varied ad infinitum, I was also greatly struck whh his exaraple in multipli
cation ; and when I consider the short time in which he accomplished this. I
cannot but regard him as a prince endowed with a genius and a penetratioi*
much above those of other men ; whence I have been led to believe that, in all!
his other aotioiis, he was guided- by greater wisdom than apparently belonged,
to hira. Certain it is, that he thought it beneath him to assume the air of a
learned man. by affecting an imposing exterior, ' What he said to me. one day,
regarding mathematics, expressed a sentiment truly worthy of a king. — ' that he
who had made no progress whatever in this science, did not deserve to be con
sidered as a rational' man.' Accordingly, he especially patronized those who
have applied themselves to it; so that had it pleased Providence, to permit him
to govern his kingdom in peace, he would have raised literature and science to-
a higher state of perfection than they have hitherto attained in Sweden, or per
haps ever will attain. His example would have incited'-his subjects, who woul(i
have 'striven, with noble emulation, tb deserve the praises of an accomplished
prmce; always disposed to give merit its due reward,
" At the time of which I speak, several projiects, of great utility, had been la.i5
before him ; and I was directed to assist M. Polheim in putting them into ope
ration. Such was the basin at Cariscrona. fwr laying do-wn the keels of ships,
which, as there is no ebb and flow m that part oif the sea, is one of the raost
considerable works in Europe, Such. also, was the undertaking oi sluices be
tween Lake Wener and Gottenburg, in the midst pf the rapid currents and cata
racts near Trollhatta; an undertaking wHiich would have been the adiairation of
the whole world, if it had not been neglected; to say n€)thing of other equally
uSefnl projects, which I need not enuraerate, " I have the honor to be, &c..
"•Em, Swedenbors,"
{Translated from the Ath vol, ofthe " Histoire de Charles XII,,
Roi de Su&de, Traduite dw Su6dois ds M. I, A, Nordberg,.
A la Haye 1748.,1

TESTIMONY OF PROFESSOR GORRES, 191
XXXVII.
TESTIMONY OF
PROFESSOR GORRES OF GERMANY,
RELATIVE
TO SWEDENBORG'S SCIENTIFIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL CHARACTER,
(From the Intellectual Repository for June, 1845,)

The attention of the public, in every-part of Europe and in. America, is now power
fully attracted to Swedenborg and his important claims as a writer on theology aud
philosophy. Men of every religious denomination, and men of celebrity in science, are
beginning 'to pay some attention to the most important writer that has ever appeared in
the history of human knowledge, "We greatly rejoice that the author, whose writings
are intended to be so eminently useful to mankind, is thus emerging from the obscurity
in which prejudice and bigotry have so long endeavored to conceal hira. And we augur
well for .the gradual improvement and elevation of the human mind, in proportion as
we see the works — especially the theological works — of Swedenborg brought before the
public by the distinguished literary characters of the present time, Gorres, we believe,
is a Professor of Roman Catholic Theology at one of the German Universities, He is
a man of influence in his sphere, and is held in great esteem by a wide cirSle of ad
mirers. During the progress of the Latin and German edition of Swedenborg''3 works.
Professor Gorres was induced to look into his writings, and to lay the results of his
examination before the public. We have not met with the pamphlet in which the
Professor has expressed his sentiments concerning Swedenborg and his writings ; but
we possess copious extracts from it in the " German Magazine for the True Christian
Religion," &c,' edited by Dr, Tafel. of Tiibingen. Qf course, Professor Gorres does not
admit the theology of Swedenborg — since that would be to deny the Romish Church
nnd its' dogmas; nor does he attempt to confute the doctrines of the New Jerusalem.
But it will be Seen that he has gone as far as a Roman Catholic divine could go. con
sistently with the position v/hich he occupies, in awakening pubhc attention to the
writings of Swedenborg. ¦ •
" Amongst the signs of the present time," says the Professor, " must, without
doubt, be numbered the new edition of Swedenborg's works, and the movement
which, in certain places, is cajised by the doctrines he unfolds. Most persons who
have only read that portion of his writings to w;hich they have had access, might
feel disposed to consider, them as the results of a mind involved in an inextrica
ble maze, or bordering even on infatuation; some also may be disposed to con^
sider them as the product of, ¦wUful deception. Others, raUder in their judgment.
explain, as Herder did, the enigmatical appearance on the ground of a powerfully
creative imagination, which, actuafed by strong impulses become at length
habitual, generates in science as in poetry, ¦wonderful images of a spiritualizing
enchantment which sports in the weakened meraory bf age with the lively vis
ions of youth, and which the incautious senses assurae for the actual and real

192 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
perceptions of intellect; and in this manner oi/ec/rae truth is unconsciously falsi
fied by the subjective^' self-derived productions of the raind. The case of Swe
denborg. however, is npt so easily settled as this two-fold mode of explanation
supposes. Swedenborg was not a Than to be carried away by an unbridled imagina
tion, still less did he ever manifest, during his whole life, the slightest symptom ofmerital
aberration. His natural disposition was tranquil, equal, thoughtful, meditative ; as
is, the case with raost of his Swedish countrymen, the powers of his understand
ing were preponderating, and he had carefuUy nourished and cultivated them.
devoted, during the greatest part of his life, to unremitted studies. It is there
fore not to be supposed, that he in this gross manner, with wakeful eyes, de
ceived himself, and that what in one moment he himself thought; in another re
garded as chimerical. On the other hand, he was in life and disposition so blameless,
that no man dare ever intimate any suspicion, of concerted deception ; and posterity
have no right to call into question the unsuspected testiraony of thoSe who lived
in the sarae age as Swedenborg. and who knew hira well; if this mode of
judgment be permitted. aU historical evidence, even the holiest and most venera
ble, might be reduced to nothing. * * * If it be permitted to say-of a man. to
whose veracity, intelligence, science, irreproachable conduct, presence of mind, and fidel
ity to truth, his contemporaries bear tedimoriy — if it be permitted for posterity to say
that such a man had either imprudently deceived himself "and the world, or had
knovifihgly dealt in mere falshood and lies, there is an end to the verification ot
historical events. * * * The appearance of Swedenborg as a seer bf spirits, who,
like the northern light of his own country, darting its luminous rays high up
into the atmosphere cleared by the -winter's cold, has mysteriously shone forth
from the clearness ofthe mofet sober understanding, with a higher light — this ap
pearance must be more profoundly considered, and explained on principles more
general than have hitherto been adopted." &c.
In relation to Swedenborg's Principia, &c, the Professor says.:—
" Swedenborg in this work lays down the results of his scientific researches
during the course of his previous life— results whioh he afterwards, "in his Essay
concerning the Infinite, only extended, and whioh he carried over from the pro
vince of the natural into the province of the spiritual."
"We must here observe, that Professor Giw-res^ commits the same mistake which has
been sometimes committed by ethers, who have written too rashly concerning Sweden
borg, before they had properly understood his position as a writer on spiritual subjects,
and before they had properly studied his writings, "What Swedenborg wrote on theolo
gical and spiritual subjects was not the outgrowth of his science and philosophy; he did
not carry the latter over into the former. But what he wrote from 17J5 to 1771. was the
result of an especial spiritual illumination, and not the deductions of natural philoso
phy. The Professor continues : —
" Indefatigable ih meditating over the wonderful phenomena in the created
worid ; constantly occupied in exploring those laws, in whioh the manifold
variety of these phenomena is comprised, Swedenborg endeavored to penetrate
the deepest depths of natural phUosophy, He was guided in his researches by
a mind clear, acutely analytic, endowed with skill, aud well disciplined by mathematics and
logic! He endeavored tb raise the mind to that height from which the first created
germ, acted upon by the creative spirit and powen might be contemplated, and

TESTIMONY OF PROFESSOR GORRES, 19^
from which the first- buds [or principles] of things might be seen growing frbm
the impulsive fbrce which Gcd has implanted ih their nature."
After this the Professor endea-vbrs to give an analysis of the work, which, however, is
not quite correct ; he then proceeds.: —
" It may hence be seen that this is a well ccnstructed system cf dynamics, lo
gically derived from the laws of magnetism; and that the raanner in which he
proceeds in the developraent of his principles is the algebraical. * * * The
work, whatever may be BtUl wanting to render it complete. wUl always be con
sidered as a beautiful and bold production of the human m'lnd — a production
indicative of profound thought in all its parts, and not unworthy of being placed pn
the side of Newton's mathematical Principia of Ndtural Philosophy,
" Swedenborg had. indeed, not the brilliant genius of the Englishraaij. who,
with a lucky cast [ofthe die], always hit upon the right and the true; instead of
which, however, he had a deeply penetrating sagacity, and a great and clear under
standing, endowed with an indefatigahle'powerof thought, which never ceased until.
he had sounded ahd explored his subject iu all its depths. Swedenborg had
not the skUl in managing geometrical forra-nte, whioh the founder of the doctrine
of gravition possessed in so high, a degree; but he kept himself entirely free
frora the ludicrous fear of deviating frora old paths in philosophy, and he rather
endeavored to direct the whole, of -his efforts to place raetaphysics in the pro
vince of mathematics, and to raake the former a -visible object of contemplation
(anschauung). In conducting experiments, Swedenborg wa* diligent, precise,
attentive, and trustworthy ; although he may. be wanting in that elegance which
makes Newton's work on optics a finished work of art [or of scientific skUl].
And whUst a greater depth of speculation characterizes the work of the Swede,
that of the Briton is marked by a more widely-extended surface, and is more
richly furnished. Hence it is that the work of the former has been hitherto
passed over in silence ih the history of science, without raaking any great im
pression; whereas that of Newton, owing to the manifpld practical results
which have attended it, has forraed an epoch in the history of human knowledge.
The work of Swedenborg, however, contains, no doubt, a rich treasure of enlarged
and profound observations on nature. Many of the ideas unfolded in that work,
are, on the one hand, connected with the oldest philosophy, and have, on the
other, since Swedenborg's time, been most wonderfully co«j(?rmed through the inves
tigations which Herschel has made into the structure of the heavens, and by the
discovery ofthe polarization of light, and of the magnetic operations performed
by the galvanic battery. His spiral motion, -which extends to every province in
nature, into organic structures and their operations, and even into history, is an
extremely appropriate expression by which numerous phenomena can be easUy
comprehended ; and it might, in the hand of a person skilled in analysis, be
made as fruitful in physics as the doctrine of gravitation has been for astronoray."
"What the Professor here'states respecting.-E. S, as a natural philosopher— placing him
in the same class with Newton, as an exteiisive and accurate observer of nature, and
as a profound thinker on all her -phenomena — is certainly honorable to his scientific
cha.racter. and, should induce the world of seienoe to investigate his works. That New
ton's great province was mathematics is w^l known ; and it should also be known that
Swedenborg had the honor of introducing the differential calculus into his country—that

194 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
he published a treatise on algebra — that he discovered, a new method of finding the lon
gitude ; and that, in consequence of his mathematical attainments, he was in-vited to
take the chair as Professor of Mathematics at the University of Upsal, Had the Profes
sor also studied Swedenborg's works on the Animal Kingdom and its Economy,
in which his philosophical principles are carried out fn a most striking manner, we are
certain that the author would have risen still higher in his estimation as a profound and
original thirjker, 'We will adduce one more extract from the Professor's pamphlet :
" It now remains that we give an impartial judgment on his character and his
raental disposition, and on his moral physiogiioray, in so far as it shines forth
frora the series in which his labors as an author were produced ; and here we can
not but, award to him the most favorable testiraony. Throughout the entire
career of his learnedresearches and activity. We everywhere discover the pious
and religious man, who, in all his sayings and doings, was intent upon good.
In his inraost soul, he was entirely opposed to all those systeras of materialism
and naturalism Avhioh so wantonly prevailed in his time; and he buUt his own
system on the foundation of an eternal Esse, and on its creating activities [from
which, as from the only Origin and Cause all things are created and preserved].
And, throughout the entire Course of his labors, he seizes every opportunity of
pointing to this first great rational Cause of all things, and. at the same time, he
endeavors to show the absurdity of all opposite opinions. Nor did the sensual
ism of those of his contemporaries which confines itself to the mere surface of
things. -nor did, the more refined pantheistic abstraction of others, although pen
etrating more deeply below the surface, find any place in his system and works.
On the contrary, his phUosophy, as to aU its principal g.nd leading points, is
founded on the eternal principles revealed in Holy Writ. Throughout his works
everything appears simple and uniform, especially as to the tone in which he
¦writes, in whioh there is no effort at display in the imaginative powers.nothing
overwrought, nothiiig fantastic, nothmg that can, in the remotest degree, be con
strued into a morbid bias of a prevailing mental activity, nothing indicating a
fixed idea.* or manifesting any pecuUarity of a opmraencing raental derange
ment. Everything he undertakes is developed in a calra and measured manner,
like the resolution and demonstration of a matheraatical problem, and every
where the operations of a mind composed and wpU ordered shine forth, with
conviction as to the certainty of the results of its activity. In the cultivation of
science, sincerity and simplicity of heart are necessary requireraents to the at-
tainraent of durable success. We never observe that Swedenborg was subject
to that pride by the influence of which so raany grcEit spirits have fallen? he al
ways reraained the sarae subdued and modest mind ; and never, either by suc
cess, or by any consideration, lost his mental equilibrium."
'We might adduce' several other extracts of similar import, but what has been stated
is sufficient to show the writer's regard for Swedenborg as a man of the purest and no
blest intentions," of most unimpeachable conduct, and as a profound and original think
er in natural philosphy. No testimony can be-more important, both as to impartiality,
and as to the pbsition the Professor occupies as a judge of mental productions. The
sentences in the above extracts marked with italics, are so marked in the German from
which we have translated. i

=* This "fixed idea" denotes an all-absorbing idea whioh so possesses the mind as to
cause monomania. — Ed,

LETTER OF THE REV. ARVID FERELIUS. 195
XXXVIII.
LETTER
OF THE SWEDISH.CLERGYMAN, REV. ARVID FERELIUS,*
" TO PROF., TRATGARD, IN GRIEFSWALDE,

In respect to the ensuing letter it should be stated that Ferelius, shortly after his re
turn to Sweden, in 1772, was requested by the clerical order to give an account of Swe
denborg. and to state what particulars he knew concerning their illustrious countryman,
then recently deceased. Ferelius, accordingly, sent in a document of three sheets con
cerning, E. 'Swedehb6rg. In bis reply to Prof. Tratgard's request, eight -years after-
¦wards, he states this fact, and regrets that he had not preserved a copy of it. as many
particulars contained therein, had propably elapsed froni bis memory. Tbe translator
of Fereliiis's letter having perused the document in German (the original having been
writteii in Swedish), considered that a, few supplementary remarks were required, in
oi:der to render the letter, in certain points, u-nifbrni with Swedenborg's c^wn testihioriy
odnceruing the subjects of inquiry, a:nd to remove any obscurity which might exist. In
so doing, the translator certainly took upon himself a high degree of responsibility,
which, however, would have been warrantable, had i>e enclosed the supplementary
remarks in brackets ; but this he omitted to do. In order, however, to satisfy our read
ers upon this question, we subjoin a striptly literal translation of the said letter.
" Honorable and widely Celebrated PkcteEssoR,
" According to your request, I will communicate what I can remember re
specting the last days of our celebrated countryman, tbe late Assessor. E, Swe
denborg, who died in London in the month of Mardb. 1772, I performed the
funeral service at his interment, in the Swedish church m that city, on the Sth
of AprU, Which -was the last'clerical duty I had to perform in that country. At
the conclusion of 'the former year, he had a paralytic stroke, which lamed one
side and affected his speech : this was particularly the case if the air was thick
and heavy. I visited him several times, and asked him eadh time Whether he
thought he should then die. He answered in the affirmative, Uppn which I
observed to him, that as many persons thought that he had endeavored only to
make himself a narae. or to acquire celebrity in the world by the publication of
his new theological system (which indeed he had already attained), he should
now be ready, in order to show justice to the worid, to recant either the whole
or a part of what he bad written, since he had now nothing more to expect from
the world; which he was so soon about to leave for ever. Upon hearing these
words from me. Swedenborg raised himself half upright in his bed. and p lacing
his sound hand upon his breast, said, with great zeal and emphasis, ' As true
• This -was the clergyman who is said to have administered the- sacrament to
S-wedenborg just before his death. In several passages in the early part of this volume
his name is erroneously spelt Fernelius. The error, however, is copied from the Eng
lish edition of the Documents. — B.

196 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
as you see me before you. sb true is everything which I have written and I
could have said more, had I been permitted. When you come into eternity you
will see aU things as I have stated and described them; and we shaU have much
to discourse about them with each other.' I then asked him -whether he would
take the Lord's holy supper .' He replied, with thankfulness, that I raeant weU ;
but that being a raeraber ofthe other worid. he did not need it : he would how
ever gladly take it in order toshow the connection and union between the church
in heaven and tlie church on earth. He then asked me if I had read his views
on the sacrament. Before administering the sacrament I inquired of him. whe
ther he confessed himself to be a sinner ? Certainly, said he. so long as I carry
about with me this sinful body. With deep and affecting devotion, with folded
hands, and with his head uncovered, he confessed his own unworthiness. and
received the holy supper. After which he presented me in gratitude, with a
copy of his great work, the Arcana Calestia, Of ¦which only nine copies J:emained
unsold, which were to be sent into HoUand,
" On another occasion when I visited him. I heardhim. as I was ascending the
stairs, speaking with great energy, as though he were addiressing a considerable
company ; but as I came into the ante-chamber where his female attendant was
sitting. I asked her who was with the Assessor; she replied that nobody was
with hira, and that he had been speaking in that raanner for three days and
nights. As I entered his chamber, he greeted me very tranquiUyj and asked me
to take a seat; he then tcld rae that he had been tempted and plagued durmg
ten days by evil -spirits which the Lbrd had sent to him, and that he had never
before been tempted by spirits so evU as these; but that he was now again fa
vored with the company of good spirits.
" When he was in 'health I once paid hira a visit in corapany -with a Danish
clergyraan ; we found hira sitting in the middle of the room, at a round table^
writing. The Hebrew Bible, which appeared tb cbnstitute his whole library.
was lying before, hirn. After he had greeted us, he pointed to the opposite side
of the' table, and said. 'Just now the apostle Peter was here and stood there ;
and it is not long since all the apbstles were with rae ; indeed, they bften visit
nie.' In, this , manner he speke without reserve; but he never sought, to make
proselytes. He told us, that he contemplated writing a book in which he would
prove, from the -writings of the apostles that the Lbrd is the true and only God,
and that there is none besides him. To the question, how it was that nobody
besides himself enjoyed such revelations and intercourse with spirits, he replied,
that every man- could, at the present time, have this intercourse, as well as in
the times of the Old Testament; but that the true hindrance why it is not
so no\y, is the sensual state into whioh mankind haye fallen. With other news,
which on one occasion I received from Sweden through Jhe post, was the an
nouncement of the death of Swedenborg's sister, the widow Lundstedt, I com-
raunicated this information tp a Swedish gentleman, whose name was Meier,
who was traveUing in England at that time, and who happened to be at ray house
when the newscame. This person went immediately to Swedenborg. and con
veyed the inteUigence of thedeath of his sister. Whenhereturned he said, that
he thought Swedenborg's declaration respecting his intercourse with the dead
could npt be true, since he knew nothing of the death of his sister. The next
time I saw the old man I mentioned this to him, when he said, ' that of such

LETTER OF THE REV. ARVID FERELIUS, 197
cases he had no knowledge, since he did not desire to know them.' The
celebrated Springer, Who stUl lives m London, told Swedenborg on one occa
sion that a distinguished Swedish gentleman, who. I believe, was a brother of
the present Count Hapken, one ofthe counseUors of- state, was dead. Some
days afterwards, when they met again, the Assessor said to him—' It is true,
HOpken is dead 1 I have spok6n with him, and he told me that you and he
were companions together at Upsala, and that you afterwards entertained views
partly simUar ahd partly dissimilar 6oncerning political subjects.' He also told
hira several anecdotes, which Springer^ckno-wledged to be true, and declared, at
the sarae time, that it was his firm conviction that Swedenborg could not have
acquired the information from any other source than from above; on this ac
count he became a Swedehborgiah=
"When Assessor Swedenborg, On one occasion, was aboutto depart from Lon
don to Sife'eden, and had already agreed with a captain for the voyage, he came
down to the water side to take a bed at tbe inn of a Swedish landlord of the
name of Bergstrom, who is stUI living, and who undertook to supply provisions
for Swedenborg during the passage. 'Amongst other things, Bergstrom asked how
much ground coffee he should pack up for him. as he took a pertain portion of it
daUy ; when Swedenborg replied, for six days, Mr. B.-observed that that quantity
Would be too little, since (he thought)' it was impassible to make the voyage in
six days to Stockholm. Swedenborg then said. ' Provide for seven days.' What
happened ? In six days the ship arrived off Dalaron, and on the - seventh in
Stockholnj. The Captain, who was an Englishman, after his return to London,
said, that he had never in all his Ufe had so prosperous a voyage, for the wind
was favorable to-^every turn of the vessel
" Although Swedenborg went soraetiraes, to the S-wedish church, and after
wards dined with rae, pr with sorae Other Swede, he told us that he had no
peace in the church On account of spirits, who contradicted -what the preacher
said, especially when he spoke of three persons in the Godhead, whioh amount
ed, in reality, to three Gods. After my return from England, in 1772, 1 was re
quested by the clerical order, through their president, to gfye an account of Swe
denborg, in a manner similar to your present request, which I did in three sheets ;
but I have since regretted that I did not keep a copy of what I then communi
cated. ¦ ,
" P. S. Many may suppose that Assessor Swedenborg >was a very singular and
eccentric person ; this was by no means the case. On the contrary, he was very
agreeable and complaisant in company'; he entered mto conversation" on every
subject ; and accommodated himself to the ideas Of the company ; and he never
spoke on his own virritings and doctrines but when he was asked some-questions
concerning them, when he always spoke as freely as he had writtejl. If, how
ever, he observed that any person desired to ask impertinent questions, or to
ridicule him, he imrhediately gave such an answer, that the impertinent ques
tioner must be sUent, without becoming any the wiser. "Arvid Fjjkbwus.
" Skofde, March 31, 1780."

198 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Xxxix.
TESTIMONY OF COLERIDGE,
TO THE
LITERARY, SCIENTIFIC, AND THEOLOGICAL
CHARACTER OF SWEDENBORG.
(Extracted from Vol, IV, p, i2i. of his "Literary Remains.")

" So much, even frora a very partial acquaintance with the works" of Sweden
borg. I can venture to assert, that, as a moralist. Swedenborg is above all praise,
and that, as a naturalist, psychologist, and theologian, he has strong and varied
clairas to the gratitiide and adrairation of the professional and phUosophical
student." To the -above may be added, from the Intellectiial Repository of -April, 1842, some
farther notices by Coleridge of Svfedenborg's writings, together with his opinion of the
calumpy, so often repeated, of his madness,
" It is -well known, that CPleridge read the philosophical works of Sweden
borg with ranch pleasure and admiration. His notes on many passages in the
(EconOmia Regni Animalis, and in the De Cullu et Amore Dei, evidently indicate
and prove this to have been the fact. We will here adduce a few of his notes
which he appears to have penned as he was reading through the (Economia Regni
Animalis, On the nn. 208 to 214 inclusive, he Observes. ' I remember nothing in
Lord Bacon superibr, few passages equal, either in depth bf thought or in rich
ness, dignity; and felicity of diction, or mthe weightiness of the truths con
tained in these articles' (S, T. Coleridge. May 27. 1827).
" On, '251, he observes, that it is * ExceUent; so indeed are all the preceding in
the matter meant to be conveyed ; but this paragraph is not only conceived with
the mind of a master, but it is expressed adequately, and With scientific precision.'
" There are several other notes to the same effect ; but the one to which we al
lude, as containing an expression of amazeraent at the calumny that Sweden
borg should by some be called mad. is the following on the De Cultu et Amort
Dei, on pages 4 to 6, in whicli Swedenborg briefly states his doctruie of Forms.
' This.' says Coleridge. ' would, of itself, serve to mark Swedenborg as a man of
philosophic genius, radicative and evolvent. Much of what is most valuable
in the physi osophic works of ScheUing, Schnbart, and Eschermeyer, is to be
found anticipated In this supposed Dementato, or madtoan; O thrice happy
should we be, if the learned and the teachers of the present age, were gifted
with a siraUar madness.— a madness,' indeed, celestial and flowing from a di
vine mind!!' (S. T. Coleridge, Sept. 22. 1821. Highgate.) Such was the opi
nion of Coleridge of the charge so often calurahiously alleged against Sweden-
bbi;g, that he was mad I"

HIS LETTER TO THE ROYAL .ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 199
XL.
LETTER FROM SWEDENBORG
TO THE
ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES *
AT STOCKHOLM,
ON THE HIEROGLYPHICS OF EGYPT.
(Fremfthe Intellectual Repository for December, 1842.)

The following is aa extract frorn a letter addressed by Swedenborg to the Rev. Mr.
Hartley, and called " an Appendix to 'the Treatipe on the ''W'hite Horse,"' which has
been published by the London Printing Society, as an appendix to that small treatise,
"It is commonly known, th$t in Egypt, there were hieroglyphics, and that
they were msoribed on the columns and waUs of the teraples and other build
ings ; it is acknowledged, however, that at this day, no one is able to determine
their signification. Those hieroglyphics were no other than the correspond
ences between the spiritual and the natural,. to which science, the JEgyptjans
more than any people of Asia, applied themselves, and according to which, the
very early nations of Greece formed their fables ; for this, and this only, was the
most ancient style of composition ; to which I can- add the new infoimatipn,
that every pbject seen foy spirits atid angels in tbe spiritual world, is a raere eor-
¦resppndence ; and the Holy Scripture, is on this account, written by correspond
ences, that so it might be the medium of conjunction between the men of the
¦church and the angels of heaven-. But as the Egyptians, and along with them
the people ofthe kingdoms of Asia, began to Convert these correspondences
into idolatry, to which the chUdren of Israel were prone, these latter were for
bidden to make any use of them. This is evident, from the first oomraandraent
of the decalogue, which says, ' Thou shalt not raake unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness (of anything) that is in the heavens above, or that is in
the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth. Thou shsill not bow
down thyself to them, nor serve them, for I. Jehovah thy God. am a jealous
•God' (Deut, chap", v. verses 8, 9), Besideg this, there are in other parts, raany
passages to the same purport. From that time, the science of correspondences
became extinct, and successively to such an extent, that at this day, it is scarcely
known that the science ever existed, and that it; is an object of importance.
But the Lord being now about to establish a New Chnrch. which wUl have its
foundation in the Word, and which church is meant by the New Jerusalem in the
Apocalypse, it, has pleased Him to reveal this science, and thus to disclose whatthe
Word is iu its bosom or spiritual sense. This I have done in the works entitled
Arcana Ccelestia, published in London, and Apocalypse Revealed, published at Am
sterdam. As the science of correspondences was esteemed by the ancients.

200 DOCUMENI^'S CONpERNING SWEDENBORG.
the science of sciences, and constituted their wisdora, it would surely be of ira-
portanoe for sorae one, of your society to devote his attention to it. and for this
purpose, he may begin, if it be agreeable, with the correspondences disclosed in
the Apocalypse Revealed, Should it he desired, I am wiUing- to unfold the mean
ing of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics, which are nothing else but correspondences ;
these being discovered find proved froip the Word, in the Apocalypse Revealed, and
to j)ublish their explications, is a work which no other person could accomplish."
Swedenborg also refers to the hieroglyphics of Egypt in .4. C, n„6692, 7097, and in
other parts of his writings.

XLI.
DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE,
MADE OR ANTICIPATED BY SWEDENBORG,
{From the London "Monthly Revieiufor 1844.)

¦\Ve have determined to insert the following article from the London " Monthly Re
view" for 1844, notwithstanding we feel the force of the general view of Mr, 'Wilkinson's re-
iflarks on thissubjeotin hisintrbduclion tothe" AriiraalKingdom." " It is said that Swe
denborg has made various. discoveries in anatomy, and the canal named the" foramen
of Monro" is instanced among these. Supposing that it were so, it -would be dishon
oring Swedenborg to lay any stress upon a circumstance so trivial. 'Whoever discov
ered this foramen was most probably led tp it by the Ijicky slip of a probe. But other
claims are m'dde forour author by his injudicious friends. It is said that he anticipated
some ofthe most valu-able novelties of more recent date, such as the phrenological doc
trine of the great Gall, and the newly practised art of animal magnetism. This is not
quite fajr : let every benefactor to mankind have -his own honorable wreath, nor let
one leaf be stolen froin it for the already laureled brow of Swedenborg. True it is that
all these things, and many more, lie in ovq in the universal principles made known
through hirn. but they were not developed by him in that order which constitutes all
their novelty, and in fact their distinct existence. For in the first place it is impossible
for the human mind to anticipate facts; these inust always be learnt by the senses : and
secondly. Swedenborg was too much a man of business to turn aside from the direct
means to his end. or to attempt to develope anythihg beyond those means. His philoso
phy is the high ro^d from the natural world to the spiritual, and of course has innumer
able lateral branches leading to the several fair regions of human knowledge : but
through none of these by-ways had Swedenborg time to travel : nay. could he have
donese. there is nothing to show- that he would there have discovered , what his suc
cessors have done. He had his mission, and they had theirs. His -views are at harmo
ny with all that is new and true, simply because they are universal, but in no fair sense
do they anticipate, much less supersede.' the scientific pecuUum of the present century.
Swedenborg, therefore, is not to be regarded as ari Aristotle governing the human mind,
and indisposing it to the instruction designed to be gained from nature ; but as ii pro-
pounder of principles the result of analysis, and of a method that is to excite ns to a
perpetual study in the field of eifects, as a condition of the progress of science,"
It is undqubtedly true that Swedenborg's great merit is to be recognized in the an
nunciation of principles whioh underlie all science and philosophy and that we can

HIS DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE- 201
well afford to waive for him the claim to specific discoveries, yet if it be the jitct that he
has announced even, in the most casual way, results in science whioh have been
subsequently reached and fully confirmed, it cannot be amiss to make it known to the
world. Of this character are doubtless the following. That they were the mere by
play or incidental offshoots of hi^ reasonings — side -views, as it.were, to the grand leads
of his iiKjUiries — does not diminish their claims to an admiring notice.
" Of the discoveries which Stvedenborg made in chemistry, astronomy, and
anatomy, it is impossible to speak m language tbo panegyrical. According to
the Marquis de Thom6, who addressed some remarks to the comraissioners ap
pointed to inquire into the raerits of animal magnetism by the king of France,
SWedenborg was the first who off'ered a theory on the raagnet.
"It would appear, from the Marquis' showing, that the first volume alone of
Swedenborg's great work (Opera Philosophica et Mineralia) is one of the most
complete and profound ever published. S-wJ-edenborg did not deal in generali
ties. Reargued on geometrical principles, remarking (as de Thomfe informs
us) at p . 1 84 of his first voL — ' Unless our principles be geometrically and mechani
cally connected with experience, they are raere hallucinations and idle dreams.'
De Thom6, a little after, says, that the theory of Swedenborg incontestably proves
the existence of the magnetic element; that it establishes, that the particles of
this element being spherical, the tendency of their motion, in consequence of this
form, is either spiral, or vertical, or cirdnlar : that as each of these motions'' re
quire a centre, whenever the particles meet with a body, which by the regulMi-
ty of the pores, and the configuration and position of its parts, is adapted to
their motion, they avaU themselves of it and form around it a magnetical vor
tex; that, consequently, every body that has such pores and such a configura
tion and position of its parts may become the centre of such a vortex ; that if
this body possesses an acti'v'ity of its own, if its parts are flexible, and if its
motion is similar to that- of the pariicles, it wUl be so much the more disposed
to admit them, &c., &c. Whence, says Thorafe, it follows, that raagnetical sub
stances are such merely by virtue of the element whose existence Swedenborg
has demonstrated, and thus that the magnetism of bodies depends, not on their
substance, but on their form ; a truth whioh is hinted at by the learned Alstedius
in his exceUent Ehcyclopiaedia, printed at Lyons, in 1649 ; to which, drawing a
comparison between electricity , and magnetisrh, he says, Motiones eledritx a
materia, magnetica vero a forma pendent,'*
" We imust now take leave pf the marquis; to whom we have been much
indebted for this resum6 of Swedenborg's theory of magnetism, and refer to some
other discoveries, which were undoubtedly Swedenborg's. And', first, of the
Foramen of Monro. The first person who publicly claimed the discovery of this
passage or communication between the right and left, or two lateral ventricles
ofthe cerebrum, was Dr. Monro, the second of Edinburgh. For a long time
many anatomists denied its existence, and a story is told, we thmk of one of the
¦* Mr. Faraday, in the iirst Frldsuy evening Lecture of this season at the Koyal Insti
tution, touched very closely upon the opinion of Alstedius. See the Lecture referred
to. The magnetic theory of Swedenborg receives additional assistance, if not confirm
ation, in father BosooVich's ' Theory of Matter — if that learned Jesuit bad not seen
Swedenborg's Opera Philosophica et Mineralia, which was published in 1734. It is
liKMy he had. for his TheSria Philosophice Naturalii reducta ad unicam legem virium in
Natwrh existentium, was not published till twenty-four years after, namely, in 1758.
14

202 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Bells, who, when demonstrating the cerebrum to his pupils, used to push the blow
pipe through the parietes of the ventricles, and exclaim, ' This is the foramen of
Monro!' However, it was at last Conceded that there was a foramen, but that
it was known before Monro?s time ! yet we do not remember to whom the
honor of the discovery was generaUy attributed, but certainly not to Sweden
borg. This great raan, however, was not always to be denied the credit which
was due to him, for a writer in the Intellectual Repository for 1824. page 170, took
up the cudgels, and proved . Swedenborg's title to the discovery, though up to
this date we do not remember any treatise on the brain, in -which the author
even aUudes to Swedenborg. Monro's first intimation in.pubUc of his discovery,
was en the 13th of December, 1764, when he read a paper to the„PM. Soc, of
Edinburgh on the subject: but in his work, entitled 'Observations on the
Structure and Functions of the. Nervous System,' ^e says,. that he demonstrated the
foramen to his pupUs as early as the yiear 1753., Monro allows that a commu
nication was known to exist betiyeen these two ventricjes and the third, long
prior to his time ; but he shows that it was never demonstr.ated or delmeated in
the manner he had done, nor in any way that could convey any precise idea
concerning it — ' much less was implied tlje existence of the foramen.' The
channel of comraunication, which was adinitted by the anatomists, seemed to
be referred to the posteripr, or back part of the lateral ventricles ; whUst the
foramen Monro described, is situated at, thp anterior or front part ofthe ventricle.
Now, says the writer in the Repository, in the ' Eegnum Animale of Sweden
borg.' p. 207, the foUowing striking obseryation occurs :— • Foraraina communi-
cantia in cerebro vooantur anus et vulva prater raeatum, seu eraissarium lym-
phae. quibus, ventriculi laterales inter se. et cum tertio. commumcant.' — ^which
may be thus translated : ' The communicating foramma in the cerebrum are
called anus and vulva, beside the passage or emissary canal ofthe lymph ; by these
the lateral ventricles cpraraunicate virith each other, and with the third ventricle.'
This work was prmted m 1744, or nine years prior to the earUest notice by Dr.
Monro, of theforaraen in question! The motion ,of the bram also, the first
description of which is attributed to John Daniel Schlichting. by Blumenbach in
his Inst, Physiol, 1 757, section 201 , was first noticed by Swedenborg. Blumenbacli
refers to Sohlichting's Comment, Litter., Nov., 1744. p. 409. But the discovery
seems due to Sw^edenborg. as he fuUy described it in the ' (Jiconomia Regni.
Animalis.' 1740. Nos. 349 and 458. which was published before Schlichting
wrote. This was noticed in the ' Monthly Magazine' for JMay, 1841, pp. 448,
460. Thediscpvery amounted, to this, that when the lungs shrink -or empty
themselves in expiration, the brain rises ; but when they sweU or expand them
selves in inspiration, the brain sinks. The writer iu the • Monthly Magazine'
says : —
•" Another discovery of Dr. WUson,* concerning the vacuum which takes
place when the blood is expeUed from the contracted cavities, mto which
vacuum, accordmg to the common laws of Derivation, the neighbormg blood
must rush, bemg prevented, by means ofthe valves, from regurgitatang— is due
to Swedenborg.'
" In the ' (Economia Regni Anunalis,' Swedenborg also gives a mechanical
'An Inquiry into the Moving Powers employed in the Circulation of the Blood. See also
Dr. yeung's Crooman Lecture in the Phil. Trans; for 1809.

HIS DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE. «>3
and geometrical analysis of the ^obnlesof the blood, from which he derives all
thetissues ofthe body — r
" Here [says the same author] he also commences to treat of the motions of the
human body ; a subject of which indeed he may be considered the discoverer.
He demonstrates that the brain has a respiratory motion, a rising and falling
synchronous with the inspirations and expirations of the lungs, by means of
which felling the nervous fluid (fluidum spiritmsum) is propeUed all over the
syst#m, whUe the expansion of the brain dra-ws the same fluid from the blood
(of which it is the lifeythrough the capillaries of the carotids, into the cortical
substance (eorcula cerebri) and so back into the nervous circulation. Set the brain
tn motion (says Swedenborg Significantly) and you will see the use of all its parts.
This motion generates the motions ofthe lungs, -which react upon those of the
brain and serve as a subsidiary and external attractive cause of the circulation
ofthenervous fluid, of whfo6 the 'motions of the' brain- serve as the internal
cause. Nor is respiration confined to the Itmgs, but by their means as well as
by the brain, is introduced into aU the viscera ; the whole being in a state of al
ternate sweU and subsidence ; which constitutes their life and activity, and ex
cites them perpetually into the performance of their functions. Thus, with
Swedenborg, definite structure has definite function ; and definite function is
nothing more than definite motion ; Qualis determinatio subslarUiarum, talis acci-
dentium et motuum, quas substantias, sicut straios ponticulos percurrunt. Every fibre
has its own fluiion.
" The same writer subsequently claims for him the ' whole doctrme ' of die
atomic theory with much show of truth, and next aUudes to the composition of
¦water, which Swedenborg laid down geometrically, stating the chemical equiva
lents of its components to be of the values of 8 and 1, always calling water,
which is the formula of the present day, 9. These are very striking proofs of
the wonderful genius and expansive mind of Swedenborg. But if it was said
of Goldsmith, by Johnson in his epitaph, that he left no subject of human leam
ing untouched, and never touched any subject that he did not adorn, how much
more applicable is the sentiment to the illustrious Swede ! We have seen that
in phUosophy, mineralogy, magnetism, anatomy, physiology, algebra, ethics,
theology, and geometry, be exeeUed .all other authors of his age, we have now to
view him in the hght of an astronomer. j
" Herschel discovered first in the year 1781, a seventh planet ; but Sweden
borg so early as 1745, in his work on the Worship and Love of God, § 11, speaks
of seven primary planets; he even mentions seven planets in his Prine^da
Rerum Naturalium, published in 1734.
" We have at length, we think, placed such acts of Swedenborg's wonderful
powers of mind before the reader that we can hardly suppose that he, now
entertains the same opinion of that great man as when he commenced the pe
rusal of this article. He can surely no longer subscribe to the foolish and
wicked story of his madness — invented by one Mathesius, a Lutheran minister,
who afterwards went mad hiniself (see ' Documents,' p. 145, et ante et postal) ot
credit the report of his being a visionary. "V^isionaries do not deal in geometry,
and algebra, and mathematics, nor do they make great discoveries in the brain.
" In conclusion, we record, our opinion positively, and not relatively ; wholly,
and without reservation, that if the mode of reasoning aud explanation adopted

204 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
by Swedenborg be once understood, the anatomist and physiolo^st wiU acquire
more mformation. and obtain a more comprehensive view of the human body,
and its relation to a higher sphere, than from any suigle book ever published ;
nay. we may add. than from aU the books which have been written (especially
in modem tim6s) on physiology, or. as it has been lately named, transcendental
anatomy. " Swedenbor'g reasons nbt on any hypothesis, not on any theory, not on any
favorite doctrine of a fashionable school, but on the sohd principles of geome
try, based on the immutable rock of truth : and he must and wiU be considered
at no distant period the Zoroaster of Europe, and the Promethetis of a new era
of reason, however at present the clouds bf prejudice may intervene, or the
storms (rfpsission obscure the coruscations of his inteUect,"
In this connection we extract from the London ". Foij^ps" for Nov. .1844, the fol
lowing summary view of " Animal Kingdom."
" This, is the most remarkable theory of the human body that has ever fal
len intp Our hands ; and by Emanuel Swed'enborg, too ! a man whom we had
always befen taught to regard as either a fool, a madman, or an impostor, or
perhaps an undefinable compound of aU the three. Wonders, it' seems, never
will cease, and therefore'it Were better henceforth to look out for them, and ac
cept thera ¦whenever they present themselves, and make them into ordinary
thihgs in that way. For" thereby we may be saved frbm making wonderful
as^es of ourselves and our craft, for enlightened posterity to l^gh at.
" To return to our book, we can honestly assure our readers (which is more
than it .would be safe to do in aU cases), that we have carefully read through
both volumes of it. bulky though they be. and have gamed much phUosophical
insight from it into the chains of ends and causes that govern in the human or
ganism-- What has the world been domg for the past century, to let this great
system slumber on the shelf, and to run after a host of Uttle bluebottles of hypo
theses Which were never framed to live for niore than a short part of a single
season? It is clear that it yet ' knows nothing of its greatest men.' The fact is,
it has been ntaking money, or trymg to make it, and . grubbing after worthless
reputation', until it has lost its eyesight for the stars of heaven and the sun that
is shining above it.
" Emanuel Swedenborg's doctrine is altogether the widest thing of the kind
which medical literature affords, and cast into an artistical shapeof consummate
beauty. Under'the rich drapery of ornament which diversifies bis pages, there
mns a framework ofthe truest reasoning. The book is a perfect mine of prin
ciples, far exceeding in intellectual wealth, and surpassing in elevation, the
finest eff'orts of Lord Bacon's genius. It treats of the loftiest subjects without
abstruseness, being aU ultimately referable to the common sense of mankind.
Uflhke the German transcendentalists, this gifted Swede fulfils both the requi
sites ofthe true phUosopher ; he is one 'to whom the lowest things ascend,
and the highest descend, who is the equal and kindly brother of aU.' There is
no trifling about him, but he sets forth his opinions, irrespective of controversy,
with a plainness of affirmation which cannot be mistaken ,¦ and in such close
aud'direet terms, that to give a fuU ideaof bis system in other words would, re
quire that we lesser men should write larger volumes than his own.

HIS DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE. 205
" The plan of the work is this : Swedenborg first gives extracts from the
greatest anatomists of his own and former times, such as Malpighi, Leuwenhoek.
Morgagni, Swammerdam, Heister, Winslow, &c. &c.„ so that these volumes
contain a body of old anatomy (translated now into close English) such as can
not be met with in this shape elsewhere. He then ^ves his own unencumbeir
ed deductions from this ' experience,' under the heading ' analysis.' Each organ
of the thorax and abdomen in this way has a two-fold chapter aUotted to ita
consideration, which chapter is a complete. Uttle essay, or we may say, epic,
upon t^e subject. The, phUosophical unity of the work is- astonishing, and
serves to unlock the most abstruse organs, such as the spleen, thymus gland,
supra-renal capsules, afid other parts upon which Swedenborg has dUatedwith
an analytic efficacy which the moderns have not even approached ; and of
which the ancients afforded scarcely an indication. Upon these more mysteri
ous organs, we think his views most suggestive and valuable, and worthy of
the whole attention of the better minds of the medical profession. Ofthe dofc-
trine of series, since called by the less appropriate term, ' homology,' be has
aff'orded the most singular.Ulustrations, not confining himself to the law of se
ries in the solids, but boldly pushmg it into the domain of the fluids, and this
with an energy of purpose, and a strength of conception and execution, such as
is rarely shownby ' any nine men in these degenerate days.' We opened this
book with surprise, a surprise grounded upon the name and fame of the author,
and upon the daring affirmative, stand which he takes inlimine ; we close it with
a deep-laid wonder, and with an anxious wish that it may not appeal in vain to
ajirofession which may gain so much, both moraUy, inteUeotually, aud scien-
tificaUy, from the priceless truths contained in- its pages."

In additioa to the discoveries above mentioned as fairly due to the genius of Sweden
borg, we have gleaned, from differerit sources, the following items which doubtless be
long to the same category. The first - is from the Boston " New Jerusalem Magazine "
for February 1847.
" The Vitality of the Blood. —It is said ih tlje Bible, ¦ But flesh with the life thereof,
which i*the blood thereof, shall ye not eat" (Gen. ix. 4). And the opinion that
the blood was a li-ving substance has existed from the remotest antiquity. Har
vey, the celebrated discoirererof the chculation of the blood, held this opinion
very strongly, and it has been adopted by some other learned men at diff'erent
times, as may be seen in the works of Good, Carpenter, EUiotson, and others on
Medicine or'Physiolpgy. But it was, never, — at least in modem times,^-gener-
aUy received, and was held by aU who maintained it, only hypoihetically', and
as a supposition of greater or less probabUity. From this we must, however,
except Swedenborg. Ip bis phUosophicaJ -Works, written raore than one< hun
dred years ago, he distinctly asserts the vitality of the blood, not only as a tmth^
but as a fundamental trath Of all sound physiology. The Swedenborg Society
of London have just published a thin -violume of his ' Opuscula,' or little works,
in the original Latin, from his manuscripts in the library of the Royal Academy
of Stockholm. One of these littie wSrts is 'De ; Sanguine Rubro'-^'Of the
Red Blood.' We do not propose'to give an account of his views on this subject-;
for they are so exceedingly condensed in this small treatise, that a further

SOS DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
abridgement would be unintelhgible. It is enough to say, that he declares the
blood to be more than merely living matter ; it stands,. as it were, half-way be
tween spirit and matter, partaking of the qualities of both ; it is as if the point
of contact between the soul and the body ; and from it, or rather through, it, the
body derives its life. Thus the heading of the eleventh chapter of this treatise
is, ' That the globule of the red blood contains in itsei purer blood and the
animal spirit, and that the purest essence and soul of the body is here ; so that
the red blood is a spirituous and animated humor' (humor spirituosus et ' ani-
matus). The heading of the next chapter is, -' That the red blood partakes
alraostequallyof soul and body, and thatit may be called as weU spiritual as
material.' "Now it is an interesting circumstance, that whUe this lobg-neglected work
was passing through the press, science has at last, and by accident, discovered
the vitality of the blood, and placed this fact upon a firm basis. The number
of Silliman's Journal, just published, contains, on page 108, under the head /of
' Researches on blood,' Some experiments of the celebrated chemist, M. Dumas.,
published by him in June last. After some account -of his experiments and
their results, the statement goes on thus : in attempting to overcome this diffi
culty, ' M. Dumas discovered the remarkable property of the blood globules,
that as long as they were in contact with the air or aerated water, in short, as
long as they were in the arterial condition, ihe .saline solution .containing them
passed colorless through the filter, and left them upon it : on the contrary, as
soon as the globules have assumed the violet tint of venous blood, the liquid
passes colored.' After detailing, certain experiments then tried by Dumas in
consequence of this discovery, the following staterapnt is made : — ' Thus the
globules of the blood seem to possess vitklity, as they can resist the solvent action of sulphate
of soda as long as their life continues, but yield io this action readily when they have
fallen into asphyxia from privation of air,' "

The same Magazine for Nq-v. 1830, contains the following :
Science of Crystallography, — ¦" It is generally known that Swedenborg had much
celebrity as a scientific man, before he began to publish his theological, works.
He was the author of several volumes on various departments of natural science,
which are now little knovsm. Some of the members of the New Church have
partially examined a few of thera, and it is said, that there are indications which
make it- probable that the gerras of many later discoveries might be found in
them. We have no means Of judging how this may be ; but we hope that it
wUlnotbelongbefore those who have the'leisure and abUity to pursue these
inquiries, wiU do so. We make these remarks, because we have lately met
•with an acknowledgment of his scientific merit, of some interest. The science
of Crystallography is of recent origin, and has lately attracted the notice of some
very able men. NearlyaU simple substances Emd many of the compounds found
in nature have regular forms.. These are of¦^almost every variety of shape, but
each substance has its own; and this original figure, as it may be caUed, often
serves to distinguish substances which it would be difficult otherwise to discrim
inate. The basis of the science is an analysis of the various .figures, so that
they may be reduced to a very few simple forms, which by addition one to the

HIS DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE. 207
other may make aU the existing varieties. , This subject is mentioned in a work
on ' Chemical PhUosbphy,' recentiy published in Paris, ccnsisting of a course
of lectures delivered in the coUege of France by M., Dumas; a gentieman of
much and deserved celebrity. There is a notice of this work in the forty-fifth
number of the Foreign Quarteriy Revieiy, published in London, M. Dumas dis
tinctiy ascr'ibes to Swedenborg the origin of the modem science of crystaUogra-
phy. He says, ' It, is then to him we are mdebted, for the first jdea. of making
cubes, tetraedes, pyramids, and the different crystalline forras. by grouping the
spheres • and it is an idea which has since been renewed by several distinguished
men, Wollaston in particular.' The reviewer afterwards says, that the systeras
of Swedenborg and Wollastod diff"er essentially, but he does not state wherein
the difi'erence consists."

From the same. work for December 1842, we extract the following !
" Siuedenbor'^ the Inventor ofthe Air- Tight Stoves, — The air-tight stove, which has
corhe into very extensive use in this country within three or four years, was
patented, if we recoUect right, by Dr. Orr Of Washington City. The validity of
the patent has been recently trie4 in one of our courts of justice in this
city, and the case was dismissed on the grourid that the specifibations Of the
patent was not sufficiently explicit. It appears by an article in the February
number of the Intellectual JRepbsitory, that the principle of this stoVe was dis
covered and, made known by Swedenborg raore than a century ago. His
scientific treatise, describing the liew invention'Of a stove, and other things, is
said to have gone through these editions, (The depository goes at large into
the proof of Swedenborg's claim and a detaUed description of the stove, which
our limits compel us to pmit,)"

The London New Chiirch Quarterly Eeview, No. 1, (January, 1847) contains an
elaborate article on Swedenborg's Principia, from which it would appear that, in the
writer's estimation, the work falls little, short of Newton's Principia. The following is
mentioned as one of Swedenborg's reinarkable anticipations.
Swedenborg the Discoverer of the Identity of Electricity and Lightning, — "One
striking and remarkable fact we are bound to- notice — the identity of elec
tricity and lightning. It was in June 1752, we believe, that .Franklin's cele
brated experiment waS performed, by which this identity was established. Yet
no less than 19 years previoiisly, naraely in 1733, Swedenborg's "Principia was
published, in which this sarae truth is reasoned out as a minor consequent to his
philosophy. Such are the coincidences which have never yet failed iu us in any
attempted application of Swedenborg's PhUosophy, and which might surprise
even the skeptic into a belief of the brUUancy and originality of his genius.

208 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
XLII.
TESTIMONY OF THE
CELEBRATED SWEDISH CHEMIST BERZELIUS,
TO THE GENERAL MEHITS
OF SWEDENBORG'S " ANIMAL KINGDOM."

This distinguished philosopher has given the following testimony to the scientific
merits of the " Animal Kingdom" written by his illustrious countryman. It is from
a letter published in the- Intellectual Repository- fbV May, 1845, acknowledging the
receipt of an EngUsh copy, of several of the works published by the" Swedenborg
Association." ''
"The Academy of Sciences desires me to communicate the,expres^on of their
grateful thanks botli to the Society for' Printmg, the Worksof Swedenborg, and
to yourself, for this very haiidsome present. Permit rae also tp add my cordial
thanks for the second volume of the Anirnal Kingdom, fbr, a copy of which I am
indebted to your obliging kindness. During my recovery I have gone through
some parts of this work, which have interested me specially; and I have been
surprised to find how the mind of SWedenborg has preceded the present state of
knowledge, -wfriting his work^at the tirae when he did. I hope the anatomists
and physiologists Of our day will profit by this woii, both for the sake of extend
ing their ideas, and of rendering justice to the genius of Swedenborg."

XLIII.
TESTIMONY OF
J.J. G.WILKINSON,
TO swedenborg's GENERAL MERIT
AS A MAN OF SCIENCE A.ND A PHILOSOPHER,
(From the Introduction tothe" Animal Kingdom.")

We cannot forbear presenting in this connection the following eloquent view of Swe
denborg's scientific character from the pen of this accomplished translator Mr. J. J. G.
Wilkinson. It occurs iti his Introduction to the " Animal Kingdom," p. xiv.
" He was a naturalized subject in aU the kmgdoms of human thought, and yet
was born at the same time to another order and a better country. To the vari-

EXTRACTS FROM THE MONTHLY REVIEW. 209
ops classes of schoolmen he appears never to have attached himself, excepting
for diflferent purposes from tbehs. He pursued mathematics for a distinctly ex
traneous end. As a student of phjrsiology he belonged to no clique or school,
and had no class of prejudices to ehcouKfler. In theology he was almost as ftee
mentally, as though pot a single commentator had -written or system beea
formed, but as though his hands were th^ first in which the Word of God was
placed in its vir^n purity. Add to this that he by no means disregarded the
works of others, but was learned' in ^ all useful leaming. He had a sound prac
tical education, and was employed daUy in the actual busmess of life for a se
ries of years. He was^tborpughly acquainted with mechanics, chemistry, math
ematics, astronomy, and' the other sciences as known in his time, and had eli
cited universal truths in the sphere of each. From the beginning he perceived
.that there ;was an order in nature. This enabled him to pursue bis own, studies
.with a view~to order. He ascended from the theory of earthy substances to the
theory of the atmospheres, and from; both to the theory of cosmogony, and came
gradually to man as the crowning object of nature. He brought the order of the
macrocosm to illustrate the order of the microcosm. His dominant end, Tyhich
he never lost sight- of for a moment, was spiritual and, moral, which preserved
bis mind aUve in a long (jonrse pf physical studies, and empowered him to see
life and.Bubstapce iathe otherwise dead machinery of the creation. ' He was a
man of uncommon humbleness, and never once looked back, to gratify self-
- complacency, upon past achievements, but traveUed onwards and still onwards,
' ¦vsritbout fatigue and witho'ut repose,* to a home in the fruition of the infinite
and eternal. Such was the competitor who now entered the arena of what had,
until this time, been exclusively medical science ; truly a man of whom it is not
too much to say, that he possessed the kindliest, broadest, highest, most theo-
r'etical and most practical genius that it has yet pleased God to bestow on the
weary ages of civUization."

XLIV.
EXTRACTS
FROM THE EARLIER VOLUMES
OF THE LONDON MONTHLY REVIEW,
*.'¦''-;'-'' ¦ ¦''- ^RESPECTING . - ';.
SWEDENBORG'S THEOLOGICAL WORKS.

The ensuing articles are presented to the reader simply as a literary curiosity. They
consist of perhaps the earliest notices of several, of Swedenborg's theological works oft
their first appearance in English. To one who can now look abroad over the hundreds
of churches and thousands of believers that, from the profoundest con-viotion, regard
Swedenborg as the selected and illuminated hprald pf the Ifew Jeruaalenj.it caniiQj but

210 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
be a matter of interest, to lear» with what reception those marvelfous developments
met when first announced, iii out vernacular speech, to the -Christian World. As might
be supposed, the writers regard them as the outbirth of a crazed. enthusiasni, and the
index reference to onejDf them is thus wofded ;¦ " Swedenborg, a remarkable fanatic of
the present age, acoountof." But the reader will still perceive a certain under-tone of
surprise indicating a misgiyingin their judgment, a latent suspicion that after all there
is too much method in this madness to allow of its being considered as pure dementia.
How little did they dream that the time would come when not the adoption, but the
rejection, of these doctrines and disclosures would be an impeachment of mental sanity !
— The first is a notice of , ' ' ,
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION,*
" In our Review for June,, 1770i we gave an account of a small quarto volume,
containing sorae pf Baron - Swedettborg's lucubrations ; and which was proba
bly intended as an intrpduction to farther publications of the same kind. In
that work, we had- some infprraation concemmg the famUy, rank, and office, as
also of the peculiar turn and disposition of this" extraordinary person. The pre
sent much larger performance, containing upwards of 500 pages, presents us
with the same enthusiastic reveries,' and unaccountable salUes of , imagination,
of whioh a specimen was given in the book above-mentioned. We observe in
it the raarks of natural good sense and ingenuity, as well as of application and
learning; but intermiKed with so much mysticism, and farther accompanied
with such astonishing accounts of whatthe Author has seen and heard when
he was ladmitted to converse with angels, and spirits in the invisible world, that,
though his relations are delivered in , a plausible ahd coherent manner, it is im
possible not to conclude that they, are the productions of a -disordered brain.
We meet continually with these memorabilia, as they are caUed, which, it might
have been supposed, were only -intended as a kind of aUegories to diversify, his
work, and by this means to amuse and more strOngly to impress bis readers :
but he asserts with the greatest coolness and confidence that be has frequentiy
been admitted, duiring the last twenty-seven years of his life, into tiie unseen
worlds, and that the accounts he gives are not' chiraeras or inventions, but
founded oh what he has truly seen and heard ; and this not in a kind of dream
or vision, but when he was fuUy a-wake.
" The baron has conceived sorae notion of a great alteration which took place
in the spiritual worid in the year 1757, when, if we understand him right, the
New Church, or Nova Hierosolyma, as he elsewhere caUs it, began to be erected
and the last.judgment (ultimum judicium) was held in the world of spirits, which,
says he, I' do attest, because, when I was broad awake, I beheld it with
mine own eyes. He tells us that aU that is said in the scriptures concerning a
new heaven and a new earth, and the second advent of Christ, is to be explained
and understood^ not literally, but in a spiritual raanner.
" The doctrine and practice of this new church, of which our Author seems to
consider himself as a special' messenger, are laid before us m this volume. We
observe, that he strenuously asserts the unity of the Deity, although he acknowl-
¦edges a Trinity ; but, at the sarae tirae, declares, that tiiis Trmity was not till tiie
* " Vera Christiana Religio : continens universam. Theologiam nqvce Ecclesiee a Domino
apud Danidem, cap, vii. 13, 14, et in Apocalypsi, cap. xxii 1, 2, pradictee The True
Christian Religion : containing the whole Theology of the New Church, &o. By Eman
uel Swedenborg, a servant of the Lord Jesiis Christ, 4to. Amsterdam, 1771."

EXTRACTS 'FROM THE MONTHLY REVIEW. 211
appearance of Christ, when the Supreme God united himself tb the man Christ
Jesus. He'contends that a tnaity of pei-sons was not the primitive faith of the
church, and that, by tiie Nicene and Ajjianasian trinity, the whole Christian
, church has been perverted. . He is a.warm advocate for charity and good works,
be abhors the notion that ifaith alone is requisite to salvation, and speaks of the
doctrine of predestination as detestable.
" His account of tbe decalogue", of which he gives what he caUs'the natural,,
spiritual ahd celestial meaning, is very imperfect, as the second commandment
is omitted, and the tenth divided into two, to form the ninth and tenth : This -we
have heard has been dohe in the church of Rome, but_ we apprehend ha^ not
bee~n the practice in Protestant churches.
" Concerning the spiritual world which Baron Swedeinborg has so frequently
visited, he teUs us that there are in it lands, plains and valleys, mountains- and
hills, as in our earth ; that ifiere are also fountains and ri-vers, gardens, groves
and. woods, bousies, ' paliaces, and, cities, writings, books, offices, and em
ployments, gold, sijver, precious stohes, &c., as there are also in ours; but
that all these things are cresifed in an instant aocording to the ideas and affections
which'arise among the angels aiid spirits, wlio inhabit those regions.^ In the dif
ferent -visits this w-riter has paid to them, he has - conversed, weare told, with
many perspris of every rank and b^ all nations and countries. In tiie close of
the present -work, he gives a short a,CcOunt of the situation allotted to the inhabi
tants of difi"erent countries or reUgious professions, and tO some ofthe mpre re
markable individuals among thera. Possibl^ the curiosity of sorae of our read
ers may be excited io hear what is the state of our own countrymen according
to ^he relation of this noble visionary ; but we dpubt whether the view of it wiU
contribute much either to their edification or amusement."
(The ¦writer then proceeds to givp the substance of Sw^edenbftrg'S relation respecting
the English in the spiritual world, whioh, as' it is accessible, in his works, we omit.
He then concludes by saying :) t
" Although this remarkable -production abounds with such aniazing conceits
and extravagancies, it must be regarded af a curiosity of enthusiasm, and may
qiFord some entertainment to those who understand Latin, and havd leisure for
the perusal of so large a volume,"— M, R. Vol. XLV. 1772, p! 580.

The next is a nptice of HEAVEN AND HELL."
" Count (Baron) Swedenborgis certainly to be ranked among tjie wonders ofthe
age ; fpr though enthusiasts and visionaries have, arisen at all times, it is very rare
to. meet with one who so calmly, yet confidently, and vifith so much simplicity and
cool reasoning, relates the frequent interviews he has had with- the wprid of
spirits. He informs us pf many ppnversatipns- , which, he held,- on a variety of
subjects, with angels; he talks distinctly of their appearapce, their garments,
their habitations, their language, governments, &c. &c. and at the same time be
seeras to speak against the , imaginary reveries of visionaries and enthusiasts,
not having the smallest apprehension- that he himself may be reckoned in the
j^umher. Let the reader only attend to the foUowihg short passage, taken from
* " A Treatise concerning Heaven'and Hell s containing a Relatio.i of many wonder
ful things therein, as heard and seen by the Anthor; the Hbnorable Emanuel Sweden
borg, of the Senatorial Order of Nobles in the Kingdom o^ Sweden. Now first trans
lated from the original Latin. 4to. 10s. 6d. boards. Phillips, 1778,"

212 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
the section on the habitations of angels : 'As often as I have converged with the
angels, face to face, it was in their ha,bitations which are like to our houses on
earth, but far more beautiful and magnificent ; having rooms, chambers, and
apartments, in great variety, as also spacious courts belonging to them ; toge
ther with gardens, parterres of fiowers, fields, &c. Where the angels are formed
into societies, they dweU in contiguous habitations, disposed after the manner
of our cities, in streets, walks^, and squares : I have had the privilege to walk
through them, to examine aU round about me, and to enter, their houses; and
this when I was fully awake, having my inward eyes opened. I have seen also
the palaces in heayen, the magnificence of which exceeds description, the roofs
glittering as -with pure gold, and the- floors as with precious stones : but some
more splendid, than others ; the inner apartments likewise were ornamented
beyond all huraan conception, On the south side were gardens, where aU thmgs
appeared with radiant lustre, dertain trees bearing leaves of a sUver hue, and
fruit that glittered like burnished gold, whUst flowers in the borders, by a beau
tiful arrangement of their colors, presented, as it were, rainbows to the eyes of
the spectator: at the end of the walks fresh palaces rose to view, and termin
ated the prospecti Such is the architecture and beautiful scenery in heaven ;
insomuch that it raay weU bfisaid, that the very principle of- art appears there
in its efl'ect^, and nO -wonder, When we consider such art is heavenly • and yet
the angels said, that not only like things, but ptiiers beyond number, of stiU
higher degrees of perfection, were attimes exhibited to their view, by the good
ness of the Lord, for their recreation and entertainment ; and yet that the intel
lectual pleasure they received therefrom was greater than the sensible, and that,
because in aU and singular of those objects they discerned oorriespondency, and
through their correspondents, the divine thuigs which they represented.'
" In whatever light ti^e regard this Author, there is something truly astonish
ing in him and his writings. He was a man of erainence and distinction in bis
country ; of respected estimation, we Eire told, in the royal famUy during the
late reigns ; he had held an honorable employnie'nt under the crown ; bad a con
siderable share of learning ; and inprivateiife was irreproachable ; beside which
it is said, that during more than the last thirty years of his life, at the expense
of bis fortune, and the sacrifice of -worldly enjoyments, he -was indefatigable in
bis labors fo instruct the world in important truths relatmg to salvation.
" In a preface', which shows the sincerity and piety of its writer, our Transla
tor urges all that can- be said to procure credit and respept to his Author and his
narrations, and farther observes, ' we have to add, 'on the credit of two worthy
persons (one of them a Jearned physician who attended him in his last sick
ness), that he confirmed the truth of all that he had published relating to bis
communications with the world of spirits,/by his solemn testimony, a very short
timte before he depiarted this Kfe, in London, Anno Dom. 1772.'
" on such, and other considerations; the works of Count (?) Swedenbdrg are
here reconimended to the serious attention of the reader : ' If, after all,* says the
translator, • thou canst not read him as the enlightened seer, and the extraordi
nary messenger of important news from the other world, read him as the Chris
tian divine and the sage interpreter of scripture; read him as the judicious
moralist, and abute metaphysician ; or read him as tl^e profound phUosopher ;
or if he cannot please in any of these characters, read him at least as the inge
nious author of a divine romance : but if neither as such he can give content,

EXTRACTS FROM THE MONTHLY REVIEW. 213
I have only to add, go thy way, and leave the book to those that know how to
make a better use of it; and such I trust are not a few among the serious, being
wiUing to hope, fpr tiie honor of our country, that if such a ludicrous represent
ation of heU, as passes under the titie of The Visions of- Don Quevedo, could make
its way among us through no less than ten editions, there wiU not be wanting
in the land, a sufficient number of persons of- sober reflection and contempla
tive minds, to give ;aU dn,e encouragement, to a work so weU calculated, as this
isi to promote true wisdom and godliness, by credible testimonies to the worid
of spirits, and to the respective states and conditions of departed souls.'
" For a farther account of this extraordinary person, and of his works, see
Review, Vol. xiii. p. 445. Art. ' Theosophic Lucubrations on the Nature of Influx,
Ifc. By the honorable and learned Emanuel Swedenborg.* "-^M. R, Vol, LIX.
1778,;p. 363.
;The remaining notice Is of~
¦{- '-, THE JIEAVENLY DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.*
'"Ti' a 'translator informs us; that this work/ is called the Doc/n'we of tlie New
/erttsoZem, because by the New Jerusalera,, according to our author, is signified
the New Chureh upon earth, which is now about to be established by the Lord;
a.nd which -was foretold, and is particularly des'cribed, as to its glory, and ex-
ceUenoe, in the 21st chapter of the Revelation, and in many other parts ofthe
sabred Word. The account )vhiph Ourauthpr gives of this important matter is
as foUows : — The old Christian Church, which was formeriy founded by the
Lord, is now 'at its period, o'r consummation, in consequence of its successive
corruptions- in life and doctrine ; for -where genuine charity and genuine .faith
are extinguished, there the church is at an end ; inasmuch as charity and faith,
operating in the hearts and aptions of meij[, aloije constitute the Ufe and exis
tence of the church. It hath therefore pleased the Lord of bis mercy, to the end
that his kingdom may still remain upon earth, and that he may thence be sup
plied with merabers fbr his glorious yngdom in Heaven, to begin at this time
the establishment of the new chnrch which he had foretold, and to reveEd the
doctrine of that chufo^ in our author's ¦writings. This doctrine is caUed Heavenly,
because it is founded on the spiritual sense of the Word of God, and was re
vealed to our author, as he expressly declaret&ammediately from the Lord out
of Heayen, whUst he was readmg the 'Word. , '
" Ppssibly when the doctrine here taught is stripped of its peculiar garb, it will
be found to mean nothing more than that real. piety, integrity, and goodness of
¦ hpart, which aU good men must plead fbr, and earnesfly ¦wish to see universally
prevail. The translator' ahd editor of this ^tract, has, we suppose, difierent
¦views of the subject, and firmly believes in its author as an inspired pro
phet, raised up to reform the Church. As we shall not dispute with him oh this
head, we will only hold, that" whUe we cannpt but- consider the late Couirt (.')
S'wedenborg as an enthusia,st of the first order, we must also regard him as a
most extraordinary, and, indeed, a most wonderpul man !" — M. R. Vol. LXIII.
1785,^.554.  -_. __
* " A Treatise concerning the Neih Jerusalem and its Biavenly Doctrine, as revealed from
Heaven, to which are prefixed some observations coneerning the New Heaven and the Neit
Earth. Translated from the I^atin ofthe Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg, of the Senatorial
Order of Nobles in the kingdom of Sweden." 8vo. London. 1785.

214 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
XLV.
AN ESTIMATE OF SWEDENBORG
AS THE EXPOUNDER
OF'THE GOOD, THE TRUE, AND THE BEAUTIFUL.
(jFrom a Swedish periodical entitled Mimer.)

The following ably drawn sketch of Swedenborg as standing in relation to the higher
departments of literature and as having struck to previously unknown depths in the
development Of the Beautifui. in Nature and Art, though., it appeared originaUy in a
Swedish periodical, as indicated above, yet it 'was transferred from thence into the
German and inserted by Dr. Tafel in his Magazine for the True Christian Religion, and
from that translated into English and brought out in the Intellectual Repository of
June, 1841. ¦ _ ' . ' ,
'_' Three celebrated nien in Sweden have distinguished themselves by ¦writing
sublimely and beautifully on the beautiful ;. Swedenborg, to whom Love was
everything, as ¦well as the relation established by'love, between the True and the
Good ; T^rildAo whom Nature was everything, as well as the relation 'established
by nature between Power and Harmont ; Ehrensv&rd, to whom Art was everything
as well as the relation established by art,between Genius and the Ideal. In the
paper before us, the theosopher Swedenborg is considered chiefly as a thinker
and writer on the 6eauh/«Z. The cs^Aefic* views of Ehrensv&rd and ThorUd are
easUy accessible,' partly from their ©¦wn writings, and partiy from extracts and
expositions. Which have lately appeared. But Swedenborg's views are not so
easily accessible : the cause is to be found in a two-fold difficulty ; first, because
his sesthetic view ofthe world cannot be properly seen, before we have become
acquainted with his views in general ; and, secondly, because he has not devoted
a particular work or sectipn to the subject. From a multitude of extensive
works, ¦written in Latin, vire must bjing together what he has said on this sub
ject. His ideas on this topic are'lcattered in his treatises on his principal doc
trines, especia,Uy concerning Life as being Lovcn; on God and his unity, as being
the original, prototypal, one only divine Man, from whom aU finite preated men
derive that which constitutes them men ; on the creation of aU beings and sub
stances, as receptacles of Life and Love, and on the destination of man, who,
created ¦with a will for the reception of the Divine love, and with an understanding
for the reception ofthe Divine wisdom, has a finite esse and existere, corresponding,
when constituted in order, to the infinit§' esse and eaiisfere in God"; on the Good
and the True; on tiie Spheres, Degrees, and Correspondences of creation: on
the relation between tbe different circles of life, descending by degrees from the
highest to the lowest of created existences, and connected together in one tmi-

"Msthetic is a term which signifies the sensation and perception of the Beautiful in
Mind, in Nature, and,in Art 5 it was originated,- as a science by ,the celebrated Baum-
garten, and is a branch of philosophy mueh eultivated in Germany ; it is derived from
aitthesis.

THE GOOD, THE TRUE, AND THE BEAUTIFUL. 215
versal harmonic -whole by the laws of analogy and correspondence : but espe
ciaUy in that part of his writings in whiph he represents marriage as the emblem
of the eternal union in God of Love and Wisdom, and likewise of the conjunc
tion between hunself and^his church as grounded. in that union established in
fhe minds of.men. In describing this delightful union, which is the ground and
source of aU virtue and happiness to. t}ie inteUigent universe, Swedenborg says
much respecting the angels, and the :state pf harmony and bliss in which they
live. In treating on theise subjects, he -was led to exhibit loveliness and beauty
in its objective form, in the persons Of angels, who were once men upon earth, ,
but who, becoming regenerate, that is, fiUedas to their wiUs with the divine
love, and as to their unjierstandings, ¦with the divine wisdom, are in the enjoy
ment of that state in which. aU is harmony, perfection, and hliss, and which is
properly called heaven; for aU'the affections and, dispositions of the soul, are
imaged and reflected in their personal forras of loveliness and beauty. ' It is here
wheie'the beautiful in raind, in nature, and in art, has its, origin, whence de
scending into the ultimate spheres and regions of creation, called the natural
world, il gives ri^e to everything beautiful and .lovely we behold. Swedenborg
thus, traces the origin of science and , art to heaven, where they dwell, in their
fullest manifestation, as offsprings of Divine Wisdom itself. There is something
truly sublime in thus tracing everything good and true in science and art to the
great first Cause, and td see the relation which thfey bear to the Divine Wisdora as
the. parent of all knowledge, science, and genuine philosophy.
" Swedenborgoften describes the dark shades of igndrance and earthly gross-
ness, inwhich the minds of men,— even pf those who enjoy great reputation for
learning and science, — ^were enveloped. He endeavors to show that the learning
of his .age was extremely superficial, a,nd entangled in the faUacies of gross sen-
sual-mirideidness, and consequently, in doubt, levity, mutual misunderstanding,
senseless and unmeaning terrainologies, and above.all, iua disposition to de
spise depth and solidity in human knowledge, and to cling only to what is
material, superficial, and obvious to the senses, as the only thing certain, and
the only thing worthy of investigation and possession^ Swedenborg boldly
placed himself in opposition to this spirit of hisage. As he moved extensively
in the thinking world, he saw men in general satisfied with the sea- weed and
rubbish that float on the surface of the ocean of truth ; whereas he dived into
tbe depths, and brought up pearls and gems of pecuUar beauty and lustie.
" As a powerful and extraordinary opposition against tliis'superficial spirit of
his age, Emanuel Swedenborg, about the middle ofthe last century, placed him
self in bold array. He was universally Icno^wn amongst the learned of Europe,
and enjoyed great celebrity as a profound thinker in every branch of science and
learning. At this period he suddenly stood up a.s a theosopher and seer of
spirits. Nobody cou,ld comprehend what had happened to the sagacious, pene
trating, scientifiic, philosophical, niuchiknowmg Swedenborg,— a man who had
taken aUthe sciences under his protection and culture, and guarded them, by
bis profound mathematical knowledge', against the intrusion of vain speculative
theories. He ¦vvas aheady declining from the meridian of life, and had been en
nobled by his country, and stiU more by his talents and virtues. Some consid
ered him as-a herptic, some as an enthusiast and deluder, and others considered
him as mad : this last opinion was thought the most probable and generaUy be-

216 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG. -
Ueved. Yet how could the man be mad who stUl continued to develope the
mpst subUme views on the Good, the True, the Useful;' and the Beautiful ? How
could the man be mad, who opened new fields of thought, and gave to the hu
raan mind wings, by which it could soar into-regions of intelligence, harmony,
and love hitherto unexplored and unknown.' But this, aUegation of madness
appeared the easiest way to explain the possibility how a distinguished mathe
matician, mechanic, mmeralogist, &c., could in a moment, metamorphose him
self into a seer of spirits. The celebrity which he had hitherto acquired, was
not the only result of his researches in mathematics, mechanics, mineralogy,
and mevery branch of physical knowledge ; for by his speculations, founded
onsolidprinciples, he proved himself to be a philosopher, and as such be de
veloped, in extensive works, a system ofthe world foUnded on principia which
have solidity itself for their base, and which are supported by the deepest rea
soning and research. This system appears to be the ground-work on wliich he
afterwards developed his theosophical views. , In this -view the world is con
sidered as an out-birth of a spiritual world, 'by which the system of nature is ar
ranged ahd governed by mechanical and chemical lawsfwhich corre^ond to
spiritual powers and influences operative in the spiritual world ; thus nature, or
creation, in its most extended sense, has arisen frora an infinite central power,
which, as to its essence, is intelligence, -wisdom and love. This system is ar
ranged according to the- most perfect mechanical, dynamical, and organic laws,
bound together from first to last, — from inmost to outmost pi-inciples, by the
doctrines Pf series, degrees, analogies, and correspondences. Pursuing his car
reer even to the loftiest speculations, until, at length, his ¦writmgs assume the
form of a revelation, which is, considered as a continuation* of the bibieal
revelatioU; he has built a spiritual systera, which seeras grounded upon
the principia Of his natural system, as the superstructure of -- a house rests
upon its foundation. If a coirrect view be formed of bis earlier -writings, it will
be found that there is no hiatus in the transit to his later, or his spiritual writ
ings ; for he seems to prOoeed upOn the samel principles; only elevated to a
higher fephere, and becoming conversant with more lOfty and spiritual subjects.
The principal diffference is, that in his earlier writings he builds upon a mathe
matical, logical, phUosophical base : whereas, in bis subsequent writings, he
buUds upon a bibieal, mystical ground.f The principal fault in Swedenborg's
¦writings, is his great diffusiveneSs.J If the number of quarto volumes, which
contain his theological and theosophical writing, Were condensed into a few.

* From this it is evident, that the -writer had not studied Swedenborg's theological
writings ; for the supposition, that these writings are a continuation of the revealed
¦Word of (j-od, is most incorrect and profane. Swedenborg published his theological
works, and they are regarded by those who properly" understand them, as humble
handmaids, to, assist the devout mind to an, enlightened and spiritual discernment of
Grod's Holy 'W'ord, and to instruct mankind respecting heaven and hell, or their states
after death.
t Mysticisrai which implies sentimentsand feehngs not traceable to any flxed princi
ples of Eiffectioii and thought, nor to any logical mode of discerning the nature of things,
is by no nieans applicable to Swedeliborg, who reduces everything to principles, and
considers every subject in, a most logical ahd systematic manner. Swedenborg himself
repudiates nlystici^m.
i This diffusiveness is justified by the end whioh he had in view, that of making every
thing ) as plain as possible to the simple and uneducated ; he avoids redundancy as
much as possible by ftequent reference to the articles and paragraphs of his works.

THE GOOD, THE TRUE, AND THE BEAUTIFUL. 217
they would be far more easily and more generaUy read.* His works entitied,
" Angelic Wisdom, concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom," and " the Delights of
Wisdom, concerning Conjugial Love," possess considerable merit. But the raost
beautiful, as to style, which he ever wrote, is the " Worship and Love of God,"
which is a kind of middle thmg between a phUosophic treatise and a romance,
on the origin ofthe earth, on the golden age of nature, and of man, on paradise,
on the birth, youth, education, and love of Adam and Eve. This of all Sweden-
denborg's works, is that in which the Beautiful is most conspicuous. It is not
only written in a brUliant and harmonious latinity, but with so much poetic life
and inspiration, that if divided amongst a dozen poets, it would be sufficient to
fix every one of them on the heaven of poesy as stars of the first magnitude.t
This, at least, is certain, that the more we consider his writings in relation to
PhUosophy and .^Esthetics, the more we must admit, that amongst much dross,
there is a considerable quantity of pure solid gold.t The holy and exalted state
of mind in whichhe comprehended and contemplated the structure and order of
the universe, and the pure and lofty, yet simple and intelligible manner in which
he has treated bis subjects and presented his views, are perfectly worthy of a
divinely inspired seer. His visions, or rather, his Memorabilia, as he called thera,
are often very beautiful ; but how they are to be explained is difficult to say ;§
this, however, is-known, that he himself was perfectly convinced of their ob
jective reality, and that they were facts and phenomena seen by his spiritual
eyes in the spiritual world. His foUowers consider them from the same point
of view, and believe what Swedenborg says, that they are spiritual realities
written to instruct us concerning the state of men after death. In proportion as
we learn properly to understand the writings of Swedenborg, we shall find them
full of scientific worth, rich in materials of the beautiful for poetry, and highly
honorable to his native country.
* Those who are deUghted with spiritual and heavenly things, and with the eternal in
terests of their souls, are sorry that he has not written more.
t Mr.'Wilkinson, speaking of this work in his recent " Popular Sketch of Swedenborg's
Philosophical works" observes ; — " Whatever of admiration we have felt for Swedenborg's
former efforts, only increases as we enter the interior of this august natural temple. A
new wealth of principles, a radiant, even power such as peace alone can communicate, a
discourse of order persuasively convincing, an affecting and substantial beauty more deep
than poetry, a luxuriance of ornament instinct with the life ofthe subject; inteUect, ima
gination, fancy, unitedly awake in a lovely vision of primeval times ; wisdom, too, making
all things human : — such is an imperfect enumeration of the qualities which enter into
this ripe fruit of the native genius of Swedenborg. , Whether in fulness or loftiness, I
know of nothing similar to it — of nothing second to it — in mere human literature." — S.
i From this it plainly appears that the author of this paper is no receiver of the Theologi
cal writings of E. S., otherwise he would not speak of dross ; we must consequently con
sider his judgment of E. S, as a writer on natural things, as so much the more impartial.
& We have here another instance of the extreme difficulty with which the natural mind
can admit the possibility of spiritual existences, separate from what is material; so great is
the appearance to the merely natural mind, that nothing exists, as an absolute reality, bnt
that which can be seen, heard, and felt, that any belief in anything nol obvious to the
senses is treated as chimerical. The onl^ way properly to understand the Memorabilia is
to read them as " things heard and seen" in the spintual world ; every memorable relation
contains an important lesson of wisdom concerning man's state in tbe spiritual world, which
could not possibly be commnnicated so effectually in any other manner.
15

218 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
XLVI.
TESTIMONY OF
J. D. MORELL, OF ENGLAND,
TO THE RANK DUE TO SWEDENBORG AS A PHILOSOPHER.
(From " An Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe
in the Nineteenth Century," Vol, I, p. 315-323.)

This is a work of high character of which the second revised and enlarged edition has
just appeared from the English Press. In this edition the author aims to make amends
for the defective and erroneous estimate of Swedenborg contained in the first, and though
the concessions which we here read are far in advance of anything hitherto accorded to
Swedenborg by writers of this class, yet the notice is still marred by certain items of
statement and conclusion which seem to require correction. For this purpose we have
appended the remarks of the reviewer of the woric in the Intellectual Repository for Au
gust, 1847.
" But the most wide-spread school of religious mysticism, which arose during
the eighteenth century, was that of Emanuel Swedenborg. To give anything
approaching to an adequate view of the Swedenborgian philosophy, we feel to
be a matter of great difficulty, and, indeed, in a brief corapass, almost impossi
ble. The difficulty of the case arises partly frora the amazing fertUity of his
writings, partly from the frequent obscurity with which his thoughts are express
ed, and partly frora the differences of opinion upon many importantpoints, which
exist araongst his followers. Although, according to his own testimony, he was
accustomed from a chUd to think much upon spiritual things, yet his earlier
manhood seemed to be altogether engrossed in scientific pursuits. The results
of these studies exist to the present day in the form of volumes and tiacts,
which travel over almost the whole surface of natural history and science, and
in which, it is only justice to say are found, more or less obscurely, many of
the germs of recent and briUiant discoveries.
" It was in the ' Prodromus,' a brief treatise upon ' The Infinite and the Soul,'
that the phUosophical and theological thinking of Swedenborg began. I say
philosophical and theological, because it was his firm conviction from the first,
that revelation and philosophy were fundamentally identical, that all religion
was to be made scientific, and all science to be made religious.
" The first question which suggests itself wUh reference to the Sweden
borgian phUpsophy, is this. What is the method it proposes, by which truth is to
be attained .' Some phUosophers had attempted to deduce all truth from a privn
principles ; others had attempted to ascend by an inductive process frora the
particular to the general. What is the methodology that S^wwienborg adopted .'
To answer this question accurately, we should premise, that he set out upon
no fixed metaphysical principles whatever; he went to work as a solitary and

TESTIMONY OF J. D. MORELL, OF ENGLAND, 219
independent observer, to find truth ; and the method to be pursued forraed
itself as he proceeded. As any unphilosophical thinker naturally would do, he
began his career by a wide observation of facts ; his system, therefore, was
cradled in simple inductive processes ; it was analytic, or if we may use a
word implying authority, it was Baconian. Few perhaps who have only
listened to vague rumors respecting this philosophy, would imagine that it
commenced in a collection of facts far greater than those of whioh the father of
experimental science himself had any conception.
" After passing successively through the regions of mechanics, with the cor
responding properties of matter ; after traversing the province of chemistry,
throwing light upon the action of imponderable agents, and suggesting the
germ of the atomic theory, by pointing out the geometrical relations existing
between the ultimate atoms, Swedenborg comes at length to the animal king
dom. Here the course of his research begins to gain point and pregnancy.
Tl^e human body may be regarded as that in which all the operations of nature
are concentrated and perfected. Here, therefore, is a microcosm — a perfect
representation ofall being — an image ofthe Whole creation ; here consequent
ly a theatre, upon which phUosophy raay achieve its noblest conquests. In
this department, then, we begin to see more clearly some ofthe scientific formu
las or methods which, evolved, as he tells, us, by intense thought and patient
observation, are potent to cast light upon the nature and uses of all things around
us. First of all there is the doctrine of forms. Nature, he considered, is purely
mechanical in all her movements ; hence every higher region in which she ap
pears, from the mineral to the man, is represented by movement in a particular
form. All the movements ofthe mineral kingdom are angular, as seen in the
crystal ; the next form is the circular, as seen in, the bodily organization, in
the circulation of the blood, &c. ; the highest form is the spiral, the type of spirit
itself.* " In developing the physiology of the human body, another philosophical
principle comes clearly into view, naraely, the doctrine of series. Anxious to
know the real structure of the various organs of the huraan frarae, Swedenborg
conceived that the doctrine of monads, and of ultimate atoms, would only
brmg him to a dark, unintelligible point, in whioh all form or organization
ceased ; and that the notion of the infinite divisibUity of matter would lead to a
nonentity, from which nothing could be drawn. Every organ, then, he con
ceived, raust be made up of perfect atomistic organs, each one of which ex
presses the thing itself far more completely than the whole ; just as society is
made up pf individual men, and each mau is the most perfect pattern of hu
manity. Everything in nature, therefore, consists of a series of perfectiy organ
ized atoms — the lungs, e. g. of innumerable microscopic lungs, the heart of nu
merous sinaUest hearts, and so forth with all the other organs.
" Having gone through the regions of phUosophy, Swedenborg eame to the
confines of the province of Spirit itself. Often, he tells us, had he searched for
some light upon the nature of the soul, but as often had been disappointed, until

* ¦< N. B,  There are other and higher forms enumerated, which refer to the spiritaal
worid only."

220 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
at-Iength he got upon the right track, and entered the sacred chamber.* To
gaze upon the soul by the senses was manifestly impossible ; but was it not
possible to reason up from the material to the immaterial, and from the facts of
the one to see into the nature of the other ? The validity of such a process was
grounded upon the doctrine of degrees ; a doctrine, he says, which is necessary
' to enable us to follow in the steps of nature; since to attempt without it to
approach and visit her in her sublime abode, would be to attempt to climb
heaven by the Tower of Babel ; for the highest step raust be approached by the
intermediate.'t The doctrine of degrees, accordingly, is that which teaches us,
that there is a relation or paraUelisra between aU things in nature, from the low
est sphere in which it exists, to the highest. Thus the brain contains potentially
the whole body, and what is essentially true of the body, is ^true of it. Again,
the animal spirits which flow through the nerves, in a higher and more ethereal
sphere, perfectly represent the more gross and obdurate human organization ;
so also the soul itself, in a stiU higher region, raust be a perfect type, or rather
co-ordinate archetype, of the body. Accordingly, all nature by these degrees
ascends from the lowest to the highest, and descends from [the highest to the
lowest ; so that by the aid of this philosophical formula, we can study the
spiritual world by means of the knowledge we possess of the material.t
" Even in the spirit itself there are degrees. The lowest is that which is only
cognizant of sensations ; the next above this is the animus, whose office is to
imagine and desire ; thirdly, there is the mind, which understands and wills ; and
lastly, there is the soul, whose office is to represent the universe, and have intu
ition of ends.§ Such is man, so far as the form of his being is concerned ; but
where is the life, which is to animate him ? The body is dead matter, but it is
vivified by the soM? — but whence , the life ofthe soul? It is the love of God.\\
God, according to Swedenborg, is perfect man. The essence and form of God
are respectively perfect love and perfect wisdom ; the former is represented in
the human wUl, the latter in the huraan understanding.
"Having thus traced the phUosophy of Swedenborg to its highest point, we
may look back for a moment upon his whole method of procedure. Evidenfly
it is the inductive and synthetic method combined. Commencing by observa
tion, his mind seized upon certain high phUosophical axioms, and from them
reasoned downwards to the nature and uses of particular objects. Perhaps it
is the only attempt the worid has seen (with the exception of the unsuccessful
efforts of Comte) at rising upwards to purely phUosophical ideas from positive
and concrete facts.
" Having attained thus to the highest region of philosophy, Swedenborg
enters the worid of theological truth. For gazing upon the spiritual world, he
conceives we have purely spiritual senses, and a spiritual understanding. To
most men the spiritual world is closed, because, absorbed in the lower or sensual

• "See his 'Economy of the Animal Kingdom,' chap, iii., on the Soul; at the com
mencement of which we have his own account of the method he had pursued "
t " Ibid., chap. iii. section 210." *^
+ " This is an application of the doctrine of Correspondences."
' 6 " Economy of Animal Kingdom, chap, iii. sec, 6."
11 " Angelic Wisdom, part I,"

TESTIMONY OF J. D. MORELL, OF ENGLAND. 221
life, they have no intuition of it. To many, moreover, who (7o obtain spiritual
intuitions, there exists not an enlightened spiritual understanding to interpret
what the inward eye beholds. Spiritual or theological truth only becomes clear
where both these requisites unite ; where the purely raoralized or unsensual-
ized soul gazes upon the higher worid, and where the spiritual understanding
can comprehend what is seen.
" Wrapt in his own deep reveries, Swedenborg could not resist the idea that
God, by a special act of his providence, had brought the scenery of the spirit
ual world and the relations of spiritual truth, before his own mental vision, and
within the sphere of his intellection. With a mind fraughtwith long study upon
nature and her works — with a soul habituated to deep meditation upon spi
ritual things — with a vivid imagination that could trace the analogies of higher
truth in the dark windings of material forms — with a moral nature purified to
virtue, and an exquisite sensibUity of the whole system, he lost himself in the
visions of his own inmost soul. Sometimes he seemed transported out of the
body — then anon he would wake up to the world around him ; sometimes he
pursued his high imaginings, unconscious of the lapse of tirae ; and then he
wrote down that he had seen a vision of angels ; and thus the high truth, that
man, when his nature is elevated, can converse with the spiritual world through
the medium of religious faith, became transformed into a special revelation*
that was to usher in the purified church and the latter-day glory. Swedenborg
was assuredly a great intellectual phenomenon. Seldom, perhaps never, have so
many systems concentrated in a single mind. He began a simple observer —
a Baconian analyst ; from that he raised himself to the region of rational and
ideal truth; and ended a mystic— the favored channel of a new dispensation to
mankind. In him, sensationalism, idealism, mysticism, were united — the only
phase through which he never passed was that of scepticism. Had he been for
tunate enough to complete the cycle.had atinge of wholesome scepticism curbed
his credulity, we might have had a great philosopher, and an active Christian re
former, unraarred by the enthusiasm that dared to claim the titie and the honors
of a divine and apostolic messenger."*
" Such is Mr. Morell's account and estimate of Emanuel Swedenborg, and we cannot
but feel reason to be satisfied with it as au advance upon what we have before seen in
this country upon the same subject. That Swedenborg should figure in the History of
Philosophy at all, is something new ; and although we have a strong feeling that he has
no business there, yet we would not correct this at present, because his position in these
volumes will introduce him, to a certain extent, favorably to a new audience.
" Our comments upon Mr. Morell's view of Swedenborg shall be as brief as possible.
First, it does not appear that his classing of Swedenborg among religious mystics, is found
ed upon any knowledge of his theology. If Swedenborg had held that there were occult
qualities, or mysteries in theological doctrine, such a designation would be admissible, and
it does apply most certainly to those who hold the doctrine of a faith given by invisible
grace, and of conversing with the spiritual world through the medium of religious faith,'
and other the like unintelligible and unwitnessed matters ; but Swedenborg is the very only
* " One of the best expositions of the Swedenborgian philosophy is given in the ' For
eign Aids to Self-reflection,' by J. A. Heraud, Esq. CMonthly Mag, No. 29). The Swe
denborgian Society is now in course of translating and publishing his works complete.
The ' Principia,' the ' Economy of the Animal Kingdom,' with an admirable introduction
by J. J. G. WUkinson, Esq., and the ' Animal Kingdom,' have already, appeared ; others
arejforthcoming."

222 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
man in these ages who theologically has no mysticism, hut who, where others have a
grace point or a mathematical point, sees a world where the Soul is freely at home ; where
others have a puff of wind, sees a human spirit, &c. &c. Therefore we cannot sound the
reason of that strange perversity which calls Swedenborg mystical. Is it that he has
been where for a few centuries no one else has tieen, and given a clear account of that of
which the most of us professedly know nothing 1
2. " 'We object to Mr. Morell speaking of 'the frequent obscurity with which Sweden
borg's thoughts are expressed.' In the first place, Mr. Morell has probably read them
only iu translation. Then, as a vei diet, this allegation is quite incorrect. Mr. Morell is
himself one of the clearest headed writers we know, but for clearness, where exposition
of doctrine is required, he is no more to be compared to Swedenborg than crystal to diamond.
Swedenborg's clearness is actually so great, as to have that living property of giving the
object seen not only distinctness but added brilliancy. It is indeed the quality of a pre
cious stone — of natural truth translucent with spiritual.
3. " We object to the phrase — ' the difierences of opinion upon many important points,
which exist amongst his followers.' Upon those points which his own works denote to
be most important, we do not believe there is difference of opinion among his followers.
On those points which the metaphysicians consider important, there may indeed be the
greatest difference, on account of their essential triviality. Thus, whether a man be a
Berkleian or a Reidist, a Fiatonist or an Aristotelian, in his mental temperament and ten
dencies, is a thing doubtless very vital for metaphysics, but not so for citizenship in the
New Jerusalem, which embraces all temperaments, and only demands the development
of every man's better part in the rejoicing pathway of the Good and the True.
4. " We object to the phrase — 'suggesting the germ of the atomic theory by pointing
out the geometrical relations existing between the ultimate atoms.' If there be any germ
in the case, the atomic theory (as it is called) is itself but the germ of that noble fruit of
doctrine of which Swedenborg held up an outlined representation in his Chemical Speci
mens, r
5. "' With a mind fraught (says Mr. Morell) with long study upon nature and her works
— with a soul habituated to deep meditation upon spiritual things — with a vivid imagina
tion that could trace the analogies of higher truth in the dark windings of material forms —
with a moral nature purified to virtue, and an exquisite sensibility of the whole system, he
lost himself in the visions of his own inmost soul.'
" This fine sentence constitutes one of the best specimens of anti-climax we have ever
seen; and if logic dealt with the probable, we should say the last clause of it was to the
greatest degiee illogical. For ourselves, we humbly think that all the allegations in the
first nine-tenths ofthe sentence, are reasons why Mr. Morell should reconsider his opinion,
and ask himself whether, after all, Swedenborg did lose himself, or not; at least, whether,
such a loss of self was not tho way to the veritable heaven and the true God.
6. " ' In him sensationalism, idealism, mysticism, were united — the only phase through
which he never passed was that of scepticism.' We object here, because we do not be
lieve that Swedenborg had any sensationalism, idealism, or mysticism, in him, any more
than scepticism : he never passed through one of them as a phasis. He never proposed
to himself that any metaphysical account of things was a centre from which to think, or
that all together (eclecticism) were the way of truth. We doubt whether he could have
understood any system of the kind, however popular, or rather, whether his strong resol
vent genius would not have detected at once the intrinsic unintelligibility of such sys
tems. For instance, we doubt whether he could possibly have comprehended Berkeley's
doctrine ; that is to say, we imagine that at the first glance he would have become certi
fied of its mere mystification of plain things, and therefore all explanation would be im
possible. For where is the use of arguing about what is seen to be downright wrong, and
to have none but an imaginary existence ?

TESTIMONY OF J. D. MORELL, OF ENGLAND 223
" Assuredly Swedenborg never passed through scepticism, if by that word be desig.
nated the absurdities of Pyrrho, or Hume ; but if by 'wholesome scepticism' be meant the
habit of requiring reasons for every thing, the habit of examining aU beliefs under the
searching light of truth, then Swedenborg had raore scepticism than aU the philosophers
and metaphysicians put together. Furthermore, if doubting the wisdom and competenc*
ofthe aforesaid philosophers and metaphysicians be scepticism, then had he a most whole
some — not tinge — but saturation of it. But there were three things which he never
doubted, of which the metaphysicians must always doubt, viz., Revelation, Nature, and
Humanity, or God, Man, and the Universe. Such was his amazing ' credulity.'
7. " With respect to Mr, Morell's closing verdict on Swedenborg, we have no right to
quarrel with it, especially as it is not given as a deduction of reason, but as a matter of
feeling. It is simply the manifestation of that metaphysical spirit whose very essence
consists in judging ofall things at a distance, through the colored medium of old precon
ceptions. Mr. Morell implies that it is for ever necessarily a ' marring enthusiasm'
whensoever any man ' dares to claim the title and the honors of a divine and apostolic
messenger ;' in other words, there have been no divine and apostolic messengers in the
world ! We might feel tempted to ask. What, then, becomes of Revelation ? Mr. Morell
seems also well satisfied, that it is impossible there should be ' a special revelation, to
usher in the purified church, and the latter day glory.' Is he, then, a prophet, or has an
a priori Revelation of a new kind been vouchsafed to himself?
8. " Our greatest fault with Mr. Morell is, that he has derived his account of Sweden
borg's philosophy from his early, and not from his theological works. There could not be
a heavier mistake than this. To judge of a palace from its scafiblding, of a tree by its
leaves, or of a man by his professions and not his actions, is not more misleading than to
judge of Swedenborg by his preparatory labors, and to take no pains to procure acquaint
ance with his realized ends. In the sincerest respect for Mr. Morell's head and heart, in
afiectionate admiration of these masterly labors of his own, we conjure him to dismiss the
chimera that he co» judge of the theology of tbe New Church without previously studying
it, or that his view of Swedenborg's claims can be worth consideration, until he comes
charged with a knowledge of the detailed support of these claims gathered from a humble
perusal of the theological writings of Swedenborg.
"This account, then, of Swedenborg which he has given, exceUent though it be in
many parts, is still susceptible of great correction, aud as it now stands, is one of the
poorest things in the book. We say this, to warn the reader that what we have quoted
is no specimen of the rich and manifold excellence of this ' Historical and Critical Review
bf Philosophy.'
" In the foregoing remarks we have, it is true, confined ourselves almost entirely to
finding fault, in order that our strictures, wherever Mr. Morell can conscientiously, after
reconsideration, admit their justice, may furnish him with the means of inserting, in his
third edition, a stiU more accurate aud worthy account of the iUustrious and Ul-used Swe
denborg. And we freely confess that we have felt extremely anxious that one so gifted as
the author of these volumes— one so honest and well-intentioned, and clear sighted — should
not, with the common herd of vulgar and unprincipled writers —
»*»-»* 'like
The base Judean, throw a pearl away
Richer than all his tribe.'
We have also felt a great motive to insinuate to him the fruitlessness of all the old methods
of fudging to the prejudice of one who comes before every sUfiiciently instructed mind
with new claims to study and regard ; and above all, the fruitlessness, in this unusual in
quiry, of those metaphysical methods, with their sensationalism, idealism, mysticism.

224 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
scepticism, and eclecticism, which, through so long a course of human history, have been
the obvious intellectual means of counteracting the plainness of tho blessed Gospel, and,
in a word, of ' bringing life and immortality to' — darkness."

XLVII.
TESTIMONY OP
ULRIKA, QUEEN OF SWEDEN, '
AND OF
THE CELEBRATED GERMAN SAVAN, WIELAND,
RESPECTING SWEDENBORG'S INTERCOURSE WITH THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
(From the Intellectual Repository for May, 1845.)

As Swedenborg's vmtings are addressed to the unsophisticated rational mind, and not
to the sensual, stiU less to " the carnal mind, which is enmity against God," he, more than
any other writer, has showed the total inefficacy of miracles to afi'ect the rational mind,
and has demonstrated that nothing but the calm contemplatiou of truth, from the love of
truth, can lay tbe foundations of a genuine faith ; and consequently from first to last he re
pudiated the merely external testimony of miracles as a means of moving, and of inducing
the mind to embrace and love genuine truth. Now although this is the testimony of Swe
denborg as to the total inefficacy of miracles as a means of moving the rational mind to the
love and reception of truth, yet there are several authentic and well-established fects re
corded of him (as incontestably proving that he had his spiritual senses opened to a com
munication with the spiritual world, according to his own constant assertion from 1745 to
1772, a period of 27 years, during which he wrote and pubUshed his Exposition of tho
Spiritual Sense of Scripture, his Doctrines of genuine Christianity, or of the New Jerusa
lem) and of his information concerning Heaven and Hell, or the state of mau after death.
These writings he addressed to the principal Universities of Europe, and to the bishops
and heads of the diff'erent Churches both in Britain and on the Continent, and requested that
they would read them and institute an examination into the ideas and doctrines they unfold
from the Scriptures. Swedenborg, therefore, appealed to the Word of God as the only
standard according to which his writings on all subjects of Christian doctrine should be
judged ;— " if they speak not according to that Word it is because there is no light in them''
—(Isaiah xiii. 20)— and no writer has ever placed the Word on so exalted a pinnacle of
holiness, and no author has ever shown, to the defeat and dismay of the deist and infidel,
in what its divinity consists so clearly and powerfuUy as Swedenborg.
There are very many minds (whose number, however, is decreasing) who wiU not see
truth with their own eyes, in its own light, but who stiU adhere to creeds, doctrines, and
opinions, which are supposed to rest upon the Word as their authority and foundation, but
which, in reality, are only based upon human tradition, and the dubious results of mere
leaming and ingenuity, and not upon the Scriptures of Truth. AU such " having drunk
old wine, do not straightway desire new, for they say the old is better"  (Luke v. 39) 
that is, having been educated in the perverse principles of a faUen and consummated

TESTIMONY OF ULRICA. QUEEN OF SWEDEN. 225
Church, and having imbibed its doctrines, they will not straightway attend to what is new,
although one of the divine.predictions is, that the " Lord wUl make all things new." The
very name of anything new gives rise to suspicion and aversion, aud the outcry is, with
out manifesting any desire calmly to examine what is ofiered as new,— the outcry is,
"Perform miracles and we will attend to your claims, and believe what you state."
Truth, however, as we have seen, disclaims aud repudiates such believers, who no sooner
experience some slight temptation than they turn their backs and flee, like the Israelites
in the wilderness, to sorae idol of selfish and worldly love, either to Mammon, Bacchus or
'Venus, before whose polluted shrines they ofi'er the homage of their hearts. There may,
however, among this " mixed multitude" — (Num. xi. 4) — be some, who may be so afiect-
ed by miraculous evidence, as to be induced to inquire further after the truth, and at
length to come into the proper way of considering its claims, and its important discoveries
to the human race. For all such, therefore, we adduce ihe following authentic and well-
established facts, as proofs of Swedenborg's communication with the spiritual world : —
" The first fact we shall adduce is that concerning the Queen of Sweden,
Louisa Ulrika, who was a sister of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, and
who was married to Adolphus Frederick, King of Sweden. This princess, in
order to test the truth of Swedenborg's assertion, that he had open and con
tinual communication with the worid of spirits, coraraissioned him to procure
certain information from her deceased brother, the Prince of Prussia, who died in
1758, in the 36th year of his age. Swedenborg soon after waited upon her Ma
jesty, at the palace, and brought her the information she required. She was
greatly astonished, and declared to those present, that nobody but her brother
and herself could possibly know the inforraation in question. Now this fact
was repeatedly confirraed by the Queen herself, who probably knew nothing of
Swedenborg at that tirae as a theological writer, and who, therefore, could not
be said to be partial to his views ; especially as it is well known that she was a
free-thinker of the school of 'Voltaire, and, therefore, by no means disposed to be
lieve even in the existence of spirits, still less in the possibility of any man's con
versing with them. This occurrence the Queen declared in a great company of
Academicians at Berlin, and it was recorded by one of the company, M. Dieu-
donnl Thiebault, a raeraber of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin, and
also of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences at Paris, and the author of a
work entitled ' Souvenirs de Vignt ans de Sejour a Berlin' ('Reminiscences of Twenty
Years' Residence at Berlin'). Of this author the celebrated Wieland, who enjoyed
a reputation on account of his extensive learning, and the powerful manner in
which he contributed to the progress of literature in Germany, equal to that
which Johnson enjoyed in this countiy, says, ' that Thiebault outweighs an en
tire cloud of ordinary witnesses.'
" A prelate in Germany, named Oetinger, distinguished for his learning and
piety, wrote to the Queen herself, inquiring whether the report in question were
true. The Queen replied, testifying and confirming the truth of it.*
"A writer in the 'Berlin Monthly Journal,' for 1788, endeavored to explain
this extraordinary occurrence, by stating that underhand intrigue and collusion
might have been employed in the transaction ; and thus in a most discreditable

• See Documents, &c. &c.; and also StiUing's Theory of Pneumatology, &c., translated
by Samuel Jackson, 1834, page 88.

226 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
manner he endeavored to involve the Queen herself, and several raost respecta
ble and trustworthy witnesses of her declaration, in deception and falsehood.
Nevertheless, this same writer says in the same Journal, p. 306 : —
" ' In the meantime, I found an opportunity of speaking with the Queen herself, who is
now dead,* concerning Swedenborg, and she told me herself, the anecdote respecting her
self and brother, with a conviction which appeared extraordinary to me. Every one who
knew this truly enlightened sister of the great Frederick, will give me credit when I say,
that she was by no means enthusiastic or fanatical (schwarmerisck), and that her entire
mental character was wholly free from such conceits. Nevertheless, she appeared to me
to be so convinced of Swedenborg's supernatural intercourse with spirits, that I scarcely
durst venture to intimate some doubts, and to express my suspicion of secret intrigues ; and
when she perceived my suspicion she said, with a royal air — ' ' Je ne suis pas facilement
dupe," — (" I am not easily duped ;") and thus she put an end to all my attempts at refuta
tion.'! " It is not a little remarkable that this -writer, after his personal interview
with the Queen, and after he had witnessed, from her own mouth, her unsha
ken conviction as to the truth of the assertion she had made, and also after he
had perceived the indignation arising in her mind when he barely intimated his
suspicion that underhand intrigue or collusion might have been practised ; — it is
remarkable that, after all this, he should have endeavored, in 1788, to exj)lain
it on the ground of secret intrigue ! If the Queen had stUl been living, he
would not have dared to have thus caluminated her assertion, and therefore he
waited tUl she was dead. This attempt, however, whioh was made in the
Berlin Journal, to explain the occurrence on the ground of intrigue and collu
sion, was imraediately met by a Swedish gentleman. Captain de Stahlharamer,
who said in a letter to the said Journal —
" ' I have read with astonishment the letter (in the Berlin Journal) giving an account of
the conversation which the famous Swedenborg had with the Queen Louisa Ulrika ; the
circumstances related in that letter are altogether false, and I hope the author will ex
cuse me, if by a faithful account, which can be attested by many persons of distinction
who were present, and are still alive, I convince him, how much he has been deceived.'t
" As another confirraation of the Queen's assertion, Count Hopken may be ad
duced, who was many years Prime Minister of Sweden, and who wrote down
the account which was afterwards printed from his MSS. in the JVeia Jerusalem
Magazine, 1790, p. 153.
" It would appear that Count Hopken was the person whom the Queen em
ployed to procure an interview between herself and Swedenborg, in order that
she might test the wonderful gift of conversing with departed spirits whioh he
was said to possess.
" The particulars concerning this occurrence were also ascertained, believed,
and confirmed by no less a personage dian the celebrated German phUosopher,
Eraanuel Kant, who in a letter to a lady of quality, Madame de Knobloch, dated
Konigsberg, August 10th, 1758, declared, that after the strictest examination, no

* She died in 1782.
t The italics in this extract are the same as in the German.
i See this communication entire in the Documeuts concerning Swedenborg d 122.
(Eng. Ed.) ^' *^'

TESTIMONY OF ULRICA, QUEEN OF SWEDEN. 227
doubt could be entertained as to the truth of the three wonderful occurrences
she had heard concerning Swedenborg and his coramunication with the spirits
ofthe departed. The first of these occurrences was that relating to the Queen ;
the second was that respecting the mislaid receipt, whioh the Dutch Ambassador
at the Court of Sweden, the husband of Madame de Marteville, had received in
payment of a certain sum, which after his death the creditor again demanded.
This mislaid receipt was recovered through the inforraation which Swedenborg
obtained from the departed husband. It was from having heard this report, and
from the sensation it created in Stockholm, that the Queen was chiefly induced
to examine Swedenborg's case herself, and to ascertain by her own experience
whether he had the power of conversing with departed spirits or not. The
third remarkable occurrence was that respecting the fire at Stockholm, which
Swedenborg, who had recentiy arrived at Gottenburg from London, announced
at the time it broke out to the company where he was ; and consequently along
time before the news of its ravages could arrive in Gottenburg, there being about
300 English mUes distance between the two places. In two or three days
letters arrived in Gottenburg from Stockholm, informing the inhabitants of the
fire, stating when it began and when it was extinguished ; thus confirming, to
the great astonishment of all, the truth of Swedenborg's announcement. Kant,
in this letter, gives a circu mstantial account of this latter occurrence, and says,
' that it is beyond the possibility of doubt.'*
* See Documents concerning Swedenborg, &c., pages 124-133. It is important that
tbe reader should know, that the dates in Kant's letter, have lately been proved by Dr.
Tafel, of Tubingen, to be quite erroneous. The real date of the letter could not be 1758,
because Dr. Tafel has proved from documents that cannot be disputed, that all these three
remarkable occurrences happened after the year 1758. For, 1. The husband of Madame
de Marteville died April 25th, 1760, consequently after the date of Kant's letter. 2. It is
well known that the Queen put Swedenborg to the test after the occurrence about the
lost receipt, being moved chiefly by the report of that extraordinary event to have a per
sonal interview with Swedenborg respecting his alledged wonderful gift. And 3, the fire
at Stockholm took place the 19th of July, 1759, and not in 1756, as stated in Kant's letter.
All these facts Dr. Tafel has proved in his recent " Supplement to the Documents con
cerning Swedenborg," from Newspapers, Gazettes, and other documents which record the
events of that time, and consequently the fire in question, and also the death of the Count
de Marteville. The question now is, whether these dates were written or printed by
mistake, or whether, in the editing of Kant's entire works, many years after that letter
was written, these dates were falsified of design. The fact is, that in 1766 Kant published
a small work entitled th© *' Dreams of a Ghost-seer illustrated by Dreams. of Metapyhsics,"
in which Swedenborg and the reports concerning him are the principal objects of his at
tack, fn that work he constantly spells E. S.'s name -wrong (Schwedenberg), and proves
that he knew nothing concerning him but from hearsay reports. Moreover, in this work
he alludes to the anecdote respecting the Qneen of Sweden, and states that it could not
be disputed ; he also says that it occurred in 1761, which is a proof from Kant himself, that
the date of the letter to Madame de Knobloch (1758) is incorrect. And in this work,
page 88, the right date of the fire (1759 instead of 1756) is put. Now this letter was
written subsequently to 1766, or after Kant's work above alluded to had appeared, and
the proper date of it is shown to be 1768 instead of 1758. It is probable that by mistake
the 5 might have been printed instead of 6, and that in the date of the fire, 1756, the 6
might have crept in instead of the 9. If so, nobody is involved in the falsification of the
said dates. This letter, however, together with the works of Kant, is said by the editor,
Borowski, in 1804, very soon after Kant's death, " to have been strictly revised and cor
rected by Kant himself," and if so the suspicion cannot b'at arise that Kant was privy to
the alteration in these dates. It is probable that, as his work, " The Dreams of a Ghost-
seer illustrated by Dreams of Metaphysics" had excited some attention in the literary
world, and had added somewhat to the fame of Kant, he saw, that should this letter, in
which he expresses himself as so firmly convinced ofthe truth of the three remarkable oc
currences recorded of tbe Queen, the mislaid receipt, and the fire at Stockholm, appear

228 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG,
" Swedenborg himself never wrote down any of these occurrences, because
they would have been construed as miracles, and thus Swedenborg, who con
stantly protested against miracles as a means of implanting faith, would have
been placed by his opponents in contradiction and collision with himself But
when he was appealed to respecting them, as by the Landgrave of Hesse-Darm
stadt, and by his minister, M, Venator, by Gen. Tuxen, in Denmark, by C.
Springer, Esq., Swedish Consul in London, and by M. Ab Indagine, in Amster
dam, he always affirmed that the occurrences were true ; but at the sarae time
warned the inquirer against considering them as miracles, but only as testimonies
or proofs that the Lord had opened his spiritual senses to have intercourse with
the spiritual world.
" Inrespect to the Countess de Marteville and the recovery ofthe mislaid re
ceipt, this occurrence is attested by several independent witnesses; 1. By the
Queen of Sweden, who having conferred with the Countess about it, constantly
affirmed the truth of it. 2. By Count Osterman,* at that time Russian Ambassa
dor at Stockholm, and who had, no doubt, been intiraately acquainted with the
Count de Marteville. 3. The second husband of the Countess de MartvUle,
the Danish General von E  , who in a letter to a clergyraan requesting to be
particularly inforraed as to this extraordinary occurrence, related the account as
his wife instiucted hira. 4. The brother of the Countess, the Baron de Hamon.
5. M. Robsahm, Director of the Bank of Stockholm.f These were direct and
independent witnesses, one of whom, M. Robsahm, was a personal friend of
Swedenborg's. The Queen highly respected him for his learning and exemplary
conduct, and as one of the senators of the kingdom, but she could not be said to
be so personaUy acquainted with him and his writings as to be biassed by par
tiality in his favor ; on the contrary, she was negatively disposed as to everything
spiritual, and more so, as to the possibility of conversing with the inhabitants of
the spiritual world, as is evident frora her declaration to the learned savans at
Berlin . ' The Queen,' says Thiebault, ' although she laid great stress on the
truth of her recital, professed herself, at the sarae time, incredulous to Sweden
borg's supposed conferences with the dead.'
" The celebrated Wieland, to whom we have alluded above, after havrag ex
amined the authority and the proofs on whioh the truth of these occurrences
was established, without having yet seen the very important letter of the phi
losopher Kant, said, in addressing a friend in his work entitied Euthanasia, after
relating the occurrence respecting the Queen of Sweden : —

as a subsequent production, it would be construed into a gross inconsistency in the author.
But if this was the motive which led either Kant or his editors to change the dates, why
did they not suppress the latter altogether, since as critics, they ought certainly to have
borne in mind, thatsooner or later a critic would arise, who would detect the falsification,
and put the matter in its true light. But however this may be, it is of great importance
that these dates should be corrected, because when it is seen that Kant's letter appeared
after his work on the " Dreams of a Ghost-seer," cj-c, iu which he holds Swedenborg up
to ridicule and contempt, it shows that whatever, after further examination, might have
been the state of his will as to Swedenborg's writings, and claims upon the attention of
mankind, his understanding was certainly convinced as to the truth of Swedenborg's as
sertion, that he had open communication with spirits, and could converse with them. '
• Documents, p. 75, See also Stilling's " Theory of Pneumatology,'' p. 425,
t Documents, p, 70-90.

TESTIMONY OF ULRIKA, QUEEN OF SWEDEN. 229
'"Here you have my anecdote from, the world of spirits, and I hope you will have noth
ing to object against the credibility of a lady, such as the late Queen Ulrica was, who tes
tifies that she herself was the person who experienced the occurrence ; and also that you
wUl have no objection to an authority like that of M. Thiebault, who having heard it from
the mouth of the Queen herself, has related it to the whole world. By heaven! this is a
wonderful occurrence, — indeed, it would be something quite incredible if it were not con
firmed by witnesses so trustworthy. The beautiful feature of the matter is, that suppose
a'l the tales about the apparition of spirits in the whole world were set aside as not tme
this single narrative by the Queen Ulrica of a fact which she herself experienced, ought to
give us the greatest certainty as to the continuation of our life, and of our personality after
death ; — a fact which renders all the experiments which Dr. W. requires philosophy to
make, superfluous. Swedenborg, an esteemed Swedish nobleman, in independent circum
stances, a mathematician, a natural philosopher, and a mineralogist by profession, who in
these depaitments of science had acquired celebrity, and during the first fifty years of his
life, was always estoi^med as a very rational man, assures us, that through the favor of God,
the invisible world was opened unto him,and that thus he could coaverse face to face with the
spirits of the departed. This man was commissioned by his Queen (in order to put him to
the test, and in a manner in which she considered deception to be impossible) to inquire of
her deceased brother about something, which except herself and her brother nobody could
know. After some days Swedenborg returned to the Queen and told her, word for word,
what she desired to know, stating at the same time, all the particulars as to the place and
the time [where and when the event occurred between herself and her brother]. Swe
denborg, therefore, must, of necessity, have received his inf ormation from ihe spirit ofthe
departed ; he had consequently seen him and spoken with him ; the departed, therefore, still
continued to live in a world invisible to us; he remembered exactly the most particular cir
cumstances of his former life, and he had consequently retained his entire personality.*
All this is certain and undeniable, in so far as the Queen and her delaration is concerned.
Now what can we reasonably desire to know more concerning the continuation of our life
after death 1 Could so respectable a guarantee be for a moment doubted ? It appears,
however, that this wonderful proof [of fhe continuation of our life after death] did net
suffice to heal the Queen of her unbelief, for notwithstanding all this, she at length declared
that she did not believe that Swedenborg had had any conference with her deceased
brother. And (says Wieland) to speak sincerely, I believe it as little as the Queen did.'
" Thus Wieland, notwithstanding his entire conviction that ' Swedenborg must
have seen and spoken with the departed Prince,' declares his unbelief after aU ! And
so it is, for the most part with aU miraculous evidence. As, however, there are
some who by these undeniable facts, as both Kant and Wieland caU thera, may
be led to inquire and to read the writings of Swedenborg, and thus to see, not
from any a posteriori or miraculous evidence, but frora the truths themselves
which abound in his works, the genuine doctrines of a renovated Christianity,
denoted by the ' New Jerusalem.' "

• The Italics in this extract are the same as in the German.

230 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
XliVIII.
EXTRACT
FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF B.I SHOP SWEDBERG, SWEDENBORG'S FATHER.
RESPECTING THE NAMES OF HIS SONS.
(From Dr. Tafel's Magazine.)

The following is an extract from an unpublished biography of Jesper Swedberg, writ
ten by himself, dated April, 1729.
" 24. Moreover, I kept myself humble, and entreated no sponsors of rank, as
is commonly the case [to stand for my children] ; and I shall give the reasons
why I called my sons Emanuel, Eliezer, and Jesper, and none, according to
custom, after their grandfathers, or any person of the family ; (Albrecht the
eldest, of whom I have just spoken, was born during my travels in foreign parts,
and his mother named hira after her father). I do not find in the whole Bible
a single example, in which children have received the names of their parents
or forefathers. I will only mention the patriarch Jacob, and king David ; the
former had holy, celebrated, glorious ancestors, extensively known, and he had
twelve sons, of whom not one was called Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. King
David had also many sons, not one of whom he caUed Jesse, or David. Solo
mon had also many sons, none of whom he called David, Jesse, or Solomon ;
and amongst his numerous descendants there were many kings and princes,
and not one vvas called Solomon or David. This good custom, however, had,
before the time of Christ, given way, as is evident from the history of John the
Baptist, whom at first they wished to name after his father Zacharias (Luke i.
59), which is a noble and significant name, —memoria Domini, that is, remem
brance of the Lord, in order that he might be constantly mindful of the Lord.
" 25. Hereby however, I by no means presume to blarae or to disapprove of
those who call their children after their own names ; yet I hope and expect,
that nobody will blame my manner (of naming children), since I have the Bible
and the examples of many saints on my side ; and I have the full conviction
that only such names should be given to children as awaken the fear of God in
them, and keep them mindful of propriety and virtue ; and not, as many incon
siderate parents do who give improper names to their chUdren, such as Bjore,
Ulf, Thoi-heol, after the heathen god Thor, and do not think of the answer which
the reasonable Abigail gave to king David concerning her husband Nabal,
' Let not my Lord, I pray thee, set his heart against this man of Belial, even
Nabal : for as his name is, so is he ; Nabal* is his name, and folly is with him'
(1 Sam XXV. 25). Emanuel, my son's name, signifies ' God with us,'— a name
¦which should constantly remind him of the nearness of God, and of that interior,
holy, and mysterious connection, in which, through faith, we stand with our
good and gracious God. And blessed be the Lord's name ! God has to this
hour indeed been with him ; and may God be farther with him, nntU he is

" Nabal," in Hebrew, signifies felly

TESTIMONY OF THE LATE EEV. JOHN CLOWES, A.M. 231
eternally united with Him in His Kingdom !* Eliezer signifies ' God is my
help ;' and he has been graciously and friendly helped by God. Hewas a pious
chUd, made good progress, and was called home by a happy death in the 25th
year of his age. The youngest son was called Jesper merely on this account,
because he was born on the sarae day, and in the same hour, as myself who
first saw the light of the worid on the 28th August, 1653. If the narae Jesper
be written igoi yisper (he will write), it has corresponded to the deed ; for I can
scarcely believe that any body in Sweden has written so much as I have done ;
since, I think, ten carts could scarcely carry away what I have written and printed
at my own expense, and yet there is m.uch, yea, nearly as much not printed.
And my son Jesper had the same inclJ.iation,for he wrote much, and with
pleasure. " 26. I am a Sunday-child (that is, born on a Sunday), and the mother, ray
late wife, was also a Sunday^child, and all my children are Sunday-children,
except Katharine, who was born at Upsal on the 3d day of Easter. I have
kept my sons to that (profession) to which God has given them inclination
and liking ; and I have not brought up one to the clerical office, although many
parents do this inconsiderately, and in a manner not justifiable, by which the
Christian Church, and also the (clerical) order suffer not a little, and is brought
into contempt. I have never had my daughters in Stockholm, where many
reside in order to learn fine manners, but where also they learn much that is
worldly and injurious to the soul."
XLIX.
TESTIMONY OF
THE LATE REV. JOHN CLOWES, A.M.,
FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND RECTOR OF ST. JOHN'S, MANCHESTER ,
IN FAVOR OF SWEDENBORG'S THEOLOGICAL WRITINGS.

We shall conclude this volume of " Documents, &c. concerning Swedenborg" by adduc
ing the testimony of this highly venerated clergyman. In a Memoirf written by himself,
he gi ves an account of the manner in which he became acquainted with Swedenborg's
theological writings. After stating his views respecting the great superiority of these
writings, he concludes thus : —
" The author (of this Memoir) cannot conclude his naiTative, without ofTering
up to the Father of Mercies his most devout and grateful acknowledgments for
* Emanuel Swedenborg was forty years of age when this was written by his father, and
it is plain, we think, that the cause of the old bishop's gratitude and praise to God on ac
count of his son, was, that he had led a pious and useful life, thus confirming what is else
where said of Emanuel Swedenborg, that his life was a life of extraordinary diligence aud
usefulness, and of unfeigned piety.— £d. /»<. iJep. ,..!.»
-f See Memoir ofthe late Rev, J, Clowes, A,M,, Rector of St. John's, Manchester, See. ;
teritten by himself.

232 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG
the extraordinary privUege, and inestimable blessing vouchsafed him, in having
been admitted to the knowledge and acknowledgment of the truth and import
ance of the doctrines unfolded by Swedenborg from the Word of God as the
genuine doctrines of Christianity. For what worldly glory, gain, or happiness,
can stand in competition with this— to know Jesus Christ to be the only true God,
and to be aUowed to approach and worship Hira in His Divine Humanity ; to be
delivered thus from all perplexity as to the proper object of worship ; to see, at
the sarae time, the divine volume of Revelation opened ; its interior treasures
displayed ; its evidence and authority thus confirmed by its divine contents ; its
apparent contradictions reconcUed ; whUst aU that is divine and holy, all that is
good and true, all that is calculated to excite the veneration of inteUigent beings,
and the affection of penitent ones; all, in short, that has a tendency either to en
lighten the huraan understanding, or to purify the huraan wiU ; either to edify,
by the bright and proud lessons of divine truth, or to soften and console by the
sweet and tender influences of the divine love, is perceived to proceed from this
Divme Fountain, as its only source ! Yet such is the transcendent glory, gain,
and happiness imparted to every penitent and devout receiver of the above
Heavenly Doctrines. Add to this, the nearness and connexion between this
world and another, demonstrated by such a weight of irresistible evidence ; the
great evangelical doctrines of Faith, of Charity, of Repentance and Remission
of Sins, of Temptation, Reformation, Regeneration, and the Freedora of the WiU,
opened, explained, and enforced, according to their edifying and important
meaning ; the nature, also, and effect of the Last Judgment, the Lord's Second
Advent, and the descent of the New Jerusalem, presented to view in all the
brightness and fuUness of truth, and confirmed by the testiraony of the sure
Word of prophecy ; and sorae faint idea may then be forraed of the immense
debt of gratitude, owing at this day from all the famUies of the earth to their
Heavenly Father. For who, except that Father, whose tender mercies are over all
His works, could thus cause His light to shine in darkness for the dehverance of
His people from evU, from error, and from destruction, and, at the same time, for
the guidance of their feet into the ways of righteousness, truth, and salvation ?
To his praises, and most unfeigned thankfulness on this occasion, the author is
lastiy urgent to add his ardent prayers, that the above glorious light may shine
in every corner of the habitable globe, untU the whole earth becomes that bless
ed tabernacle of God, which was announced to be with men, in which ' God will
dwell and be with them their God, and wipe away all tears from] their eyes' (Rev. xxi.
3, 4)."

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