If) ^;- * 1 - :^i::; o' ¦'¦>+- •*.' \^ ut ;¦' -^ ] 1 4 '. »J's' .;*>•¦:*»¦ ftd i.v*:!-i*ii-4 ,v-{- •?.*'* V''. ^'i -^ i- I' 1,,^ + '*"- - ; -X- ¦ © FROM THE LIBRARY OF JOHN WHITEHEAD 1850-1930 PRESENTED TO /ail e Uv\\vey&\ W \j\\, v avv BY HIS HEIRS LIFE EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS WRITINGS, TOGETHER WITH A BRIEF NOTICE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE NEW CHURCH. BOSTON, ALLEN AND GODDARD, SCHOOL STREET. MDCCCXXXI. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1831, by Allen & Goddard, in the Clerk's Office in the District Court of Massachusetts. TREEMAIV AND BOLLES, PRINT. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introductory Remarks — Account of the Swedenborg family — Swedenborg's education — His early writings 5 CHAPTER II. Remarks on the Philosophical and Mineral Works — Econ omy of the Animal Kingdom — Worship and Love of God. — Hieroglyphic Key 15 CHAPTER III. ^Swedenborg called to unfold the ti-uths of the new dispensa tion — An account given of him by a Swedish clergyman now living 33 CHAPTER IV. The thedlogical writings of Swedenborg, divided into four classes, with general remarks in reference to most of the works. First Class 47 Second Class 52 Third Class 57 Fourth Class 64 CHAPTER V. Various testimonies to the reality of Swedenborg's inter course with the spiritual world, and of his foretelling events 7') CHAPTER VI. Swedenborg's friends — Miscellaneous accounts concerning him — Close of his natural life — Eulogy by Sandel 88 IV CONTENTS. APPENDIX. JVo. I. A Memorial drawn up by Swedenborg concerning Charles XII., of Sweden 113 JVo. II. Letter to Dr. Thomas Hartley, giving an account of his family connexions, &c. ; together with the original in Latin 116 JVo. III. Catalogue of Swedenborg's manuscripts deposited in the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm 122 JVo. IV. Letter to the King of Sweden relative to the per secution which he received from the clergy 128 JVo. V. Notice of Count Hopken, by one of his cotempo- raries 132 JVo. VI. Ten Letters addressed to Dr. Gabriel Andrew Beyer 133 JVo. VII. Sundry Letters 147 JVo. VIII. Original advertisement of the Arcana Coelestia 154 JVo. IX. Refutation of an unfounded tale relative to the skull of Swedenborg 160 SUPPLEMENT, Containing a general historical account of the rise and pro gress of the New Church in America and Europe. Jlmerica. First introduction of the writings of Swedenborg into New England — Rev. William Hill — Rev. Holland Weeks — Societies in New England — Society in Baltimore — Letter to General Washington and his reply — the Rev. Mr. Hargrove — Introduction of Swedenborg's writings into Philadelphia — Societies in Philadelphia, NewYork and other places — List of New Church periodical pubU- cations — Republication of Swedenborg's works — General Conventions 164 Europe. England — First separation of the New Church from the Old, in that kingdom — Societies in London, and other places — The General Conferences — List of New Church periodical publications — New Church in France, Sweden, and Germany 176 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ACCOUNT OP THE SWEDEN BORG FAMILY swedenborg's EDUCATION HIS EARLY WRITINGS. It is but a few years since the writings of Swedenborg have received any general attention in this country, and little is now known of them except by those who embrace the sentiments which the'y contain. But an increased interest is daily manifesting itself, and many are anxious to kijow something of the life as well as the writings of him who is regarded as the herald of the New Church. There are many, too, who are desirous of knowing something of Swedenborg's writings, but are deterred, by the number of his works, from the undertaking. To such, a brief account of his writings may be useful, and produce a desire to investigate the subject of the New Church doctrines, by a more full examination of his works. It may, however, be proper to observe that the same effort is not made by members of the New Jerusalem Church, to disseminate the doctrines which they embrace, fis is made by the several denominations in the Christian Church to disseminate theirs. A true disciple of the New Church will be as anxious that genuine truth should 1 6 LIFE or SWEDENBOEG. not be profaned, as that it should be universally received. In the present dispensation, the Church is an internal and not an external Church. Its growth depends not so much on the accession of numbers as on the state and inward quality of those who embrace its doctrine. Much external effect might doubtless be produced by resorting to energetic means to disseminate the doctrines. For truth has power in itself, and is felt by all, whether acknowledged or denied. But the greatest danger, per haps, to which a member of the New Church is exposed, is that of abusing the power which the truths of his doc trine afford him. The truths of the New Church are unfaithfully dispensed when they are used indiscriminately to attract the multitude, or induce men to relinquish their present faith before they are in a state to receive a better. A man can hardly be said to have received gen uine spiritual truth, until he has become the willing serv ant of that truth, ready to dispense it, not to increase his own power and influence, but for the sole benefit of others. That the writings of Swedenborg may be read, and the truths contained in them be in some measure acknow ledged, without necessarily producing any good effect, may appear from the following remarks : ' There are,' says our author, ' five classes of those who read my writ ings. The first reject them entirely, because they are in another persuasion, or because they are in no faith. The second receive them as scientifics, and as objects of mere curiosity. The third receive them intellectually, and are in some measure pleased with them, but when ever they require an application to regulate their lives, they remain where they were before. The fourth receive them in a persuasive manner, and are thereby led, in a certain degree, to amend their lives and perform uses. The fifth receive them with delight, and confirm them in their lives.' LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. From the above it may appear that nothing is really gained to the New Church simply by inducing men to examine the writings of Swedenborg, without regard to the motives by which they are influenced in the investi gation. It is nevertheless our duty to put it within the power of others, So far as we are able, to become acquaint ed with the truth ; and the object of the remarks already made, is simply to correct an erroneous impression con cerning the efforts made by members of the New Church to disseminate its doctrines. A sketch of Swedenborg's life is not here given in con tinuity, but is interspersed with some accounts of his writings ; some knowledge of his works being thought necessary to explain many incidents of his life connected with his intercourse with the spiritual world. We shall commence with a short account of the Swedenborg family. Jesper Swedberg, the father of Emanuel Swedenborg, was born on the estate of his father, near Fahlun, in Sweden, in 1653. He was for several years attached to the army as a chaplain of a regiment of cavalry, but finally made bishop of Skara, in West Gothland. For many years he superintended the Swedish mission estab lished in England and America. He was a man of learn ing and abilities, and of an amiable private character. In 1719 he was ennobled by the name of Swedenborg. This name, however, was adopted only by his descendants; he always retained the name of Swedberg. He died in 1735. From a book published by him in 1709, entitled ' Divine Exercises, and Comfortable Conversations with a Sorrow ful Soul,' and dedicated to his children and grand-children, it appears that he then had three sons and four daughters. The following is the order in which they are named, which is doubtless according to their respective ages : Anna, Emanuel, Eliezer, Hedwig, Catharina, Jesper, b LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. Margareta. The grand-children named are, Ericus Benzelius and Margareta Benzelius. It has been stated that one of the family came to America at the time Jesper Swedberg superintended the Swedish mission established in Philadelphia; and that he finally settled in Canada. Emanuel Swedberg was born in Stockholm, January 29, 1688. This name he retained until 1719, when, being ennobled, he took the name of Swedenborg. After this period he took his seat with the Nobles of the Equestrian Order in the Triennial Assemblies of the States of the Realm. There are, in Sweden, three ranks of nobility exclusive of the royal family. To the first, or highest, belongs the title of Count ; to the second, that of Baron ; and to the third, to which Swedenborg belonged, no title is attached, but only certain privileges. He was afl;erwards offered a higher degree of rank, which he declined. He was educated principally at the university of Upaala. Great care is said to have been bestowed by his father on his early education. His youth was marked by an uncom mon assiduity and application in the study of philosophy, mathematics, natural history, chemistry, and anatomy, together with the Eastern and European languages. He had an excellent memory, quick conceptions, and a most clear judgment. There were some remarkable indications of spirituality in his youth. To a friend who, in a letter, inquired of him what had passed in the earlier part of his life, he wrote as follows : ' From my youth to my tenth year, my thoughts were constantly engrossed by reflecting upon God, on salvation, and on the spiritual passions of man. I often revealed things in my discourse which filled my parents with astonishment, and made them declare at times, that certainly the angels spoke through my mouth. LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. 9 From my sixth to my twelfth year, it was my greatest delight to converse with the clergy concerning faith, to whom Loften 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 vouch safes this faith to every one; but that it is adopted by those only who practise that charity.' We make another extract in order to show that he was guarded by Providence in his youth from imbibing false principles of religion. ' I was prohibited reading dogmatic and systematic theology, before heaven was opened to me, by reason that unfounded opinions and inventions might thereby easily have insinuated themselves, which with difiiculty 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 correspondences of which the whole Bible is composed, which led rae 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, I was thereby enabled to receive instruction from the Lord, who is the Word.' Those who are acquainted with Swedenborg's explanation of the Bible may readily conceive the difiiculties which would have prevented his having arrived at the state to which he was elevated, had his mind been previously shackled by the commentaries and biblical criticisms in common use. He had certain rules which he prescribed for the pur pose of regulating his conduct. These are found inter spersed in various parts of his manuscripts. They are as follows : 1. Often to read and meditate on the Word of the Lord : 2. To submit every thing to the will of Divine Providence s 3. To observe in every thing a propriety of behavior, and always to keep the conscience clear: 4, 1* 10 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. To discharge with fidelity the functions of his employ ments and the duties of his office, and to render himself in all things Useful to society. In 1716, at the age of twenty-eight years, he was ap pointed by Charles XII. Assessor Extraordinary of his Board of Mines. He did not, however, enter upon the duties of his office till 1722, being unwilling to exercise its functions before he had acquired a perfect knowledge of metallurgy. The diploma appointing him to this office, states, ' that the king had a particular regard to the knowledge possessed by Swedenborg in the science of mechanics, and that his pleasure was, that he should accompany and assist Polhammar (after wards, called Pol- heim) in constructing his mechanical works.' Charles XII. is said to have been fond of devoting his leisure hours to the subject of mathematics and mechanism; and in Dr. Norberg's history of that king are detailed many interesting conversations between Charles, Sweden borg, and Polheim. There is also a curious memorial drawn up by Swedenborg, concerning Charles Xll. in which it is stated that the king invented a new arithmetic, and had several conversations with Swedenborg on the subject, which are related by him with minuteness. This memorial will be found in the Appendix, No. I. From 1716 to 1720, Swedenborg spent much of his time in the universities in England, Holland, France, and Germany. In 1721, he made various journies in different parts of Europe to examine the principal mines and smelt- ing-works. He was particularly noticed, at this time, by the Duke of Brunswick, who did much to facilitate his travels, and afterwards published, at his own expense, Swedenborg's Opera Philosophica, which we shall have occasion to notice hereafter. He journied much ; in 1738 he travelled through Italy, and spent much time in Venice LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. H and Rome. On his return he published an account of his travels. In 1724, he was offered a professorship of mathematics in the university of Upsala, which he declined. He was admitted a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm in 1729; and was appointed a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburgh in 1734. Both his philosophical and theological works were written in Latin, with the exception of a few small works written in the early part of his life. Little is known in this country of his works published previous to the year 1734 ; and judging from the little notice taken of thera by the New Church in England, we presume that there are not many copies of them extant. We have however seen extracts from some of them, which lead us to sup pose that they are very valuable. The first work published by Swedenborg was an Ac ademical Dissertation,, entitled, Annaei Senecee et Pub. Syri Mimi forsan, et aliorum selectse Sententiae, cum Annotationibus Erasmi, et Graeca Versione Scaligiri, Notis illustratae. Upsalee, 1709. In 1710, he published at Skara a collection of Latin verses, under the title of ' Ludus Heliconius, sive carmina Miscellanea, quae variis in locis cecinit Em. Swedberg.' In 1716-7—8, he published at Stockholm, a work in six parts, under the title of Daedalus Hyperboreus, con sisting of Essays and Remarks on various branches of Mathematics and Philosophy. This work was published in the Swedish language ; the fifth part has been translated and published in Latin. In 1717, he published an introduction to Algebra, un der the title of the Ar,t of the Rules, (Regel Konsten.) This was published in the Swedish language. 12 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. In 1719, he published the three following works :' 1st. A Proposal for fixing the value of Coins, and determining the Measures, of Sweden, so as to suppress Fractions and facilitate Calculations. 2d. A Treatise on the Position of the Earth and the Planets. 3d. A Treatise on the Height of the Tides, and the greater Flux and Reflux of the Sea in former ages ; with Proofs furnished by various appearances in Sweden. In 1721, he published, at Amsterdam, the six following works : 1st. Prodromus Principiorum Rerum Naturalium, sive Novorum Tentaminum, Chemiam et Physicam Ex- perimentalem Geometrice Explicandi ; or, a Sketch of a Work on the Principles of Natural Things, or New At tempts at Explaining the Phenomena of Chemistry and Physics on Geometrical Principles. 2d. Nova Observata et Inventa circa ^Ferrum et Ignum, prsecipue circa Na- turam Ignis Elementarem ; una cum Nova Camini In- ventione ; or, New Observations and Discoveries respect ing Iron and Fire, especially respecting the Elementary Nature of Fire ; with a new mode of constructing Chim neys. 3d. Methodus Nova Inveniendi Longitudinem Lo- corum. Terra Marique, Ope Lunae ; or, A New Method of finding the Longitude of Places, either on Land or at Sea, by Lunar Observations. 4th. Modus Construendi Receptacula Navalia ; or, A Mode of Constructing Dry Docks for Shipping. 5th. Nova Constructio Aggeris Aquatici ; or, a New Mode of Constructing Dykes to exclude Inundations of the Sea or of Rivers. 6th. Mo dus Mechanice Explorandi Virtutes Navigiorum ; or, A Mode of ascertaining, by Mechanical Means, the Qualities of Vessels. These are all small works. Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, form but a small pamphlet together. In 1722, he published, at Leipsic and Hamburgh, the following work, in four parts : Miscellanea Observata LIFE OP SWEDENBORG. 13 circa Res Naturales; praesertim Mineralia, Ignem, et Montium Strata ; or. Miscellaneous Observations on Na tural Things, particularly on Minerals, Fire, and the Strata of Mountains. It does not appear that he pub lished any thing more till 1734, when his great work, the Opera Philosophica, &c. was printed. This work probably occupied most of his time from 1722 to 1734. His society was sought by learned men of his own and of foreign countries. Christian Wolff, among others, was eager to establish with him a literary correspondence, and consulted him on many intricate subjects. Count Hopken, prime minister of Sweden, was also on intimate terms with him, as well after as before, his illumination. He has left his testimony of the character of Sweden borg, which is valuable ; for if Swedenborg had exhibited any of those frailties, after his illumination, which his enemies, at the present day, attribute to him, they must have been noticed by Count Hopken, who was acquainted with his whole life. We here make an extract from a letter written by Hopken to a friend, during the latter part of Swedenborg's life, but which throws much light on the character of Swedenborg at this period. After some preliminary remarks, he says : ' I have not only known him (Swedenborg) these two and forty years, but have also for some time, daily frequent ed his company. A man, who like me has long lived in the world, and even in an extensive career of life, may have numerous opportunities of knowing men as to their virtues or vices, their weakness or strength ; and in con sequence thereof, I do not recollect to have ever known any man of more uniformly virtuous character, than Swedenborg ; always contented, never fretful or morose, although throughout his life his soul was occupied with sublime thoughts and speculations. He was a true 14 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. philosopher and lived like one; he labored diligently, lived frugally without sordidness ; he travelled frequently, 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 he embraced. He was without contradiction proba bly the most learned man in my country ; in his youth 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 an easy, elegant, and ornamental style ; in his latter years it was equally clear, but less elegant after he turned his thoughts to spiritual subjects ; he was well acquainted with the Hebrew^ and Greek; an able and profound mathemati cian ; a happy mechanic, of which he gave proof in Nor way, where by an easy and simple method, he transported the largest gallies over the high mountains and rocks to a gulf where the Danish fleet was stationed : he was like wise a natural philosopher, yet on the Carthesian princi ples. He detested metaphysics, as founded on fallacious 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 con versant with mineralogy, having a long time been asses sor in the mineral college, on which science he also pub lished a valuable and classical 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 singular discoveries, which are preserved somewhere in Acta Liter aria. I imagine this science and his medita tions on the effects of the soul upon our curiously con- LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. 15 structed body, did by degrees lead him from the material to the spiritual. He possessed a sound judgment upon all occasions ; he saw every thing clearly, and expressed himself well on every subject. The most solid memorials, and best penned, at the diet of 1751, 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.' It was stated that Count Hopken was prime minister of Sweden. He was also one of the institutors of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, and served, for several years, as secretary to that institution. In public life he was distinguished for his integrity and assiduity in the discharge of the duties of his ofiice ; while as a private man, he was no less distinguished for his social virtues. He died in 1790, at the age of 77 years. There is a letter written by Swedenborg to the Rev. Dr. Hartley, of England, giving, in answer to Dr. Hart ley's questions, a general account of his life. This letter together with the original one in Latin, will be found in the Appendix, No. II. — We now proceed to notice the principal philosophical works of our author. CHAPTER II. PHILOSOPHICAL AND MINERAL WORKS ECONOMY OP THE ANIMAL KINGDOM ANIMAL KINGDOM WORSHIP AND LOVE OP GOD HIEROGLYPHIC KEY. Tre Philosophical and Mineral works (Opera Philo sophica et Mineralia) were published at Dresden and Leipsic, in 1734, in 3 volumes folio, about 400 pages each. 16 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. These are three distinct works, each treating upon differ ent subjects, and dedicated to different men ; but they were published together, and were always alluded to by Swedenborg as one work. It was published in very ele gant style at the expense of the Duke of Brunswick, at whose court Swedenborg tarried for some time, receiving from him many marks of favor. The first volume is entitled. The Principles of Natural Things, or, New Attempts a't a Philosophical Explanation of the Pheno mena of the Elementary World, (Principia Rerum Na turalium, sive, Novorum Tentaminum Phaenomena Mundi Elementaris Philosophice Explicandi.) This is generally called the Principia. It is dedicated to Ludovicus Ro- dolphus, Duke of Brunswick, has an engraved likeness of Swedenborg, and is adorned with numerous fine engrav ings and copperplates, illustrative of the subjects treated of The Principia may be regarded as a treatise on cos mology, The author attempts to arrive at the cause and origin of the phenomena of the universe by a mode of inquiry peculiar to himself He asserts that nature, in all its operations, is governed by one and the same gen eral law, and is always consistent with itself; hence, he says, there is no necessity, in exploring her hidden re cesses, to multiply experiments and observations. The means leading to true philosophy are represented as three fold. Firstly, knowledge of facts, or experimental obser vations, which he calls experience. Secondly, an orderly arrangement of these facts or phenomena, which is called geometry, or, rational philosophy. Thirdly, the faculty of reasoning, by which is meant the ability to analyze, compare and combine, these phenomena, after they have been reduced to order, and to present them distinctly to the mind. We here make an extract for the purpose of giving a specimen of his style at this period. Speaking LIFE or SWEDENBORG. 17 of the futility of' multiplying experiments and observa tions to the neglect of attending to their causes, he says : 'Nature may be styled a labyrinth, whose intricacies you are anxious to explore. Fruitless would be the at tempt to wander through its meandering turns, and note the dimensions of all its ways ; the difficulty would but grow the more inextricable, you would pursue your foot steps in a circle; and recognise the self-same spot, when most elated by the prospect of success. , But would you gain with ease, and possibly by the shortest road, the exit of the labyrinth, reject then the senseless wish of exploring all its turns : rather plant yourself at any inter section of its paths, strive to ascertain somewhat of its general form from the ways which you have trodden, and thus in some degree retrace your steps. When once you have gained the exit, a mere thread can serve to guide you through all its circuitous tracks, and to retrace your errors; but even this, after a time, you may cast aside, and wander fearlessly without it. Then, as if seated on an eminence, and at a glance surveying the scene which lies before you, how would you smile in tracing out its various breaks and contortions, which have baffled the judgment by multiplied and illusive intersections. But let us now return to the phenomena, and leave similitudes for the subject itself By too great an accumulation of phenomena, and especially of those which are at a distance from their cause, you not only defeat the desire of scrutinizing the occult operations of nature, but plunge yourself more and more as into a labyrinth, where you are perpetually drawn aside from the end in view, and misled into a distant and contrary region. For it is possible that many things of opposite natures may exist from the same first c'ausg ; as fire and water, and air which absorbs them both.' 2 18 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. It is maintained by our author that no one can become a true philosopher who is not a good man. Previous to the fall, he says, when man was in a state of integrity, he had all the essentials of wisdom and true philosophy inscribed on his heart : he had then only to open his eyes in order to see the causes of all the phenomena of the universe around him : but in his present state of sin and non-conformity with Divine Order, he is obliged to inves tigate truths by a laborious external application of the mind. On this subject he says : ' No man seems capable of arriving at true philosophy, since that first of mortals who is said to have been in a state of the most perfect integrity, that is, who was formed and made according to all the art, image, and con nexion of the world, before the existence of vice. . . One reason why man in a state of integrity was made a complete philosopher, was, that he might better know how to venerate the Deity, the origin of all things, or that Being who is all in all. For no man can be a com plete and truly learned philosopher, without the utmost devotion for the Supreme Being. True philosophy and contempt of the Deity are two opposites. Veneration for the Infinite Being can never be separated from philosophy ; for he who fancies himself wise whilst his wisdom does not teach him to acknowledge a Divine and Infinite Be ing, that is, who thinks he can possess any wisdom without a knowledge and veneration of the Deity, is in the pro- foundest ignorance.' In this work he treats of the magnetic needle and its variations. He describes the sun and its vortex, and ex plains the subject of the creation of the planets of our solar system from the sun. He alleges that there were seven planets created from t'he sun at the same time ; he has eight or ten drawings illustrative of the subject, in all of LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. 19 which seven planets are laid down. This work was published more than forty years before the discovery of the seventh planet by Dr. Herschel. In the latter part of the work he treats of the paradise of the earth and the first man. It is believed that in this work he made many discov eries in philosophy, which, owing to the little attention paid to his writings, have not been accredited to him. We have testimony to this effect from a philosopher of reputa tion in our own, country. R. M. Patterson, late professor in the university of Pennsylvania, in a letter written to Dr. Atlee, respecting the Principia, says, 'The work of Swedenborg which you were so kind as to put into my hands, is an extraordinary production of" one 'of the most extraordinary men, certainly, that has ever lived.' After stating, among other things, that he should like to peruse it farther before he could form an opinion of it, 'a thing not to be done in few words,' he continues, ' This much, however, I can truly say ; that the air of mysticism which is generally thought to pervade Baron Sweden borg's ethical and theological writings, has prevented philosophers from paying that attention to his physical productions, of which I now see that they are worthy. Many of the experiments and observations on magnet ism, presented in this work, are believed to be of much more modern date, and are unjustly ascribed to much more recent writers' What these ' experiments and obser vations ' are, which Professor Patterson says, ' are un justly ascribed to much more recent writers,' we know not : but we shall be able to show, presently, that some other important discoveries, claimed by different writers, were anticipated by Swedenborg. The second and third volumes of the work now under notice, are together called the Regnum Minerale; (the 20 LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. Mineral Kingdom;) but they are distinct works. The second volume is entitled, The Subterranean or Mineral Kingdom, or a Treatise on Iron. (Regnum SubterraneurU, sive Minerale de Ferro.) It treats of the various methods employed in different parts of Europe, for the liquefaction, of iron, and converting it into steel; of iron ore and the examination of it ; and also of several experiments and chemical pre parations made with iron and its vitriol. It-is illustrated by a great number of fine copper engravings. A part of this volume has been translated into French, and inserted in the Description of Arts and Manufactures. The third volume is entitled, The Subterranean or Mineral Kingdom, or a Treatise on Copper and Brass. (Regnum Subterraneum, sive Minerale De Cupro et Orichalco. ) It treats of the various methods adopted in different parts of Europe, for the liquefaction of copper ; the method of separating it from silver, converting it into brass, and other metals; of Lapis Calaminaris ; of Zinc ; of Copper Ore, and the examina tion of it; and lastly, of several chemical preparations and experiments made with copper. Like the other volumes, it is illustrated with many , copper engravings. Each volume is subdivided into three parts. This work, in England, is esteemed very valuable. In the translation of Cramer's Elements of the Art of Assay ing Metals, by Dr. Cromwell Mortimer, Secretary to the Royal Society, it is mentioned by the translator in the following terms ; ' For the sake of such as understand Latin, we must not pass by that magnificent and labori ous work of Emanuel Swedenborgius, entitled, Principia Rerum Naturalium, &c. Dresdas et Lipsiae, 1734, in three tomes, in folio : in the second and third tomes of which he has given the best accounts, not only of the LIFE OF SWEDENBORG. 21 methods and newest improvements in metallic works in all places beyond the seas, but also of those in England and our colonies in America, with draughts of the fur naces and instruments employed. It is to be wished we had extracts of this work in English.' p. 13, 2d ed. Lon don, 1764. The Economy of the Animal Kingdom, (OEconomia RegniAnimalis,) was published at Amsterdam, in 1740-1, in 4to. The first part treats of the Blood, the Arteries, the Veins, and the Heart ; with an Introduction to Ra tional Psychology. The second part treats of the Motion of the Brain, of the Cortical Substance, and of the Hu man Soul. The object of Swedenborg, in investigating the organ ization of the human body, was to obtain a knowledge of the soul, which he was already convinced had some cor respondence with the body. His knowledge of anatomy he professes to have obtained principally from the writings and experiments of others, although, as he states, he added some experijnents of his own, but, he continues, ' I thought it better to use the facts supplied by others ; for there are some persons who seem born for experi mental observations ; who see more acutely than others, as if they derived a greater sh^re of acumen from nature. Such were Eustachius, Leeuwenhock, Ruysch, Lancis- ius, &c. There are others who enjoy a natural faculty for eliciting, by the contemplation of established facts, their hidden causes. Both are peculiar gifts, and are seldom united in the same person.' This is doubtless true as it relates to establishing experimental observations in the first place ; but when he who is capable of eliciting, by. established facts, their hidden causes, shall have ac complished his' end, he will be better enabled than the simply experimental or scientific man, by retracing hi.s 2* 22 L1I