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of beings; regarding God himself as unknow- | vulgar apprehensions; it cannot shake them able unless he shows himself in experience off, though it cannot adopt them. What and history; for our Savior's life upon earth would it not give to be rid of mesmerism, or is the base of theology, because it is the natu- even of magic and astrology, which it has ral history of God. Without this base of never known how to exterminate? This is divine facts, Deity might have been the God hopeless now. These griffins of knowledge of the soul, but never the God of the sciences, have bitten into its substance, and must either which are the new kingdom that will absorb become sciences, or science dies of them. the earth. And so also without experiment The positive school is precisely that which of the spiritual world, the sciences must have can least resist the invasion of supernaturalbeen closed at the top, whereas that experi- ism. Many materialists already have fallen ment carries them up through a tangible heaven | before it, and sunk, as might be expected, into to the same God who appeared in history, and a peculiar unreasoning superstition. Nothing who is the Alpha and Omega of knowledge. can save them but attention to spiritual expeIt puts us out of patience to hear the enter-riences. Add to which, that the scientific men, prising traveller to a far country, termed a with their deep breaths and fixed objects, are mystic, for giving a plain account of things taking the path to seership in their own bodies; heard and seen, while Grub Street philoso- they are running after Swedenborg, and will phers, who never stir from their tripod stools, ere long breathe in the same place as he; for and make heavens out of their own heads, science itself is the appointed Seer of the claim the whole of daylight for themselves, and Future. even talk of their spiritual experiences, meaning only their sedentary straining to find out facts without the trouble of going to them.

'Old experience doth attain

To something of prophetic strain.'

488. "Again, if we turn to the arts, electric 485. "We therefore now study the science telegraphs make spiritual presence between of God, because Jesus Christ has lived upon distant places: London and Edinburgh comthe earth, and Jesus Christ is God; we study mune in spaceless conversations. Another the spiritual world, because one of us has medium, glowing hotter with world friendships, been there, and reported it; and we study the will give mutual sight to the ends of the earth. natural world, because it is given to us, and Only sink into the air mine of community, and our senses are given to it, in short, because India and England shall be permanent natuwe did not make it, but it is a divine fact. ral apparitions to each other. The mirage is Whatever we have made ourselves, we do not a true signpost of this consummation. Disstudy, which is a sufficient demolition of sub-tance is dying, and will be only represented jective knowledge. Thus from the spheres a in the altitude of the human perceptions. blackness is departing. Mystery, the mother Magnetism itself, in its instant rounds, derides of the abominations and harlots of the earth, and despises it; the very stones appear to is unrolling from theology, philosophy and each other by its spiritual communications; science; and soon the practical, the only sub- and shall men, who are one in a nobler maglime, will be all in all. For time will not netism, be reproved by the friendships of the wait long, after marrying the mind to expe- ground? rience, before the importance of daily life will not only suggest but allow or disallow every theory, upon whatever subject put forth.

Swedenborg wanted.

489. "As for reason, and philosophy, its representative, it is an ambidextrous power, and shifts either way at the bidding of experience. Sound reason is affirmative already, being the kindest of the sciences; but metaphysical reason also turns to the rising sun, and will give supernaturalism an exaggerated truth, when it comes as current coin from the sciences. If there is little to hope from this philosophy, there is nothing to fear, for it is always the wind of a more real power, the slave of sterner faculties than its own.

486. "And to revert to the fact that the old world contains a promise of the opening Swedenborg commenced, a slight survey proves it. The lowest experience of all time is rife in spiritual intercourse already; man believes it in his fears and hopes, even where his education is against it; almost every family has its legends, and nothing but the wanting cour- 490. "Turn we again to poetry, where inage to divulge them keeps back this supernat- deed the ground is ready, and samples of the uralism from forming a library of itself. Yea, tillage are native to the soil. Nothing but the and every mourner, by a freshly-opened grave, greatest misfortune has kept the poets from shoots with untamable love towards departed friends, and bespeaks them, while the genius of grief is on him, as persons of real and presentable stuff. At such a clever time, burial services are but the background on which the heart delineates its native skies. This is the sense of universal mankind.

487. "Science, too, is infected with these

Swedenborg and the normal spiritual world. This man is the luminous pier of all the bards that have arched the ages with their rainbows. From blind Mæonides through blind Milton, the last span of double-sighted poesy reposes upon Swedenborg. Not one of the great ones but has longed to see his day; not one, but has visited the spirit world, as the theme of

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themes and the song of songs for the progeny it longs for a heart of work in Swedenborg's of Adam. This was the end of the earliest revelations; it desires to be certified that invoyages, and the last heroism of the ancient dustry is divine and immortal; that the week heroes. For this Ulysses, emancipated from days preponderate in heaven; that beyond Circe, after so many mortal wanderings, visit the grave the useless classes are vile; that the ed the shadowland of those dim times, where angels, like good artisans, eat because they yet immortal justice reigned, and gathered the labor. Luxurious ease, bodiless cherubs, sky perpetuation of human passions in the stern floatings, everlasting prayers or anthems, are gait of Ajax, and from sorrowful words from an offence to the great God of the six days' the great Achilles. For this he brought back work, and Swedenborg, a working man, has the hieroglyphics of the spirit, in the waters brought us the tidings. The horny hand of of Tantalus, the wheel of Ixion, and the sieve the day springs opening to the messenger. of Danaida. For this Æneas, Sibyl-instruct- 492.There is however a Sabbath in both ed, descended to Avernus, and through the the worlds- a day with a sacred number land beyond sleep and death, still found im- workday of the religious. And does not reperishable mankind, and present with his an-ligion coalesce with Swedenborg's informacestral spirits in their tide of prophecy, beheld tions? I marvel how any Christian man can the line of Roman glories issuing from the deride revelations in the abstract; how he closed race of Troy. O! depth and breadth can deem that the day of wonders is past, unand length unending of the life of our fore- less God be past; how he dares use phrases fathers! From Virgil to Dante the arch of against Swedenborg, which applied more widelight again sits upon the spiritual world; earth ly would shatter his Bible from his hands. has no top but the poet-seer on which the Let infidelity be consistent in tearing away all eternal curve will lean. The Christian Hades revelations, let it number and compaginate vaults back to the heathen through the stern the graveyards of nature, and assiduously bind Italian song; Dante and Virgil are fellow-up the book of death; but let Christianity be travellers, all but through heaven where Christ equally true to itself, and look for Christianity alone can reign. From Dante to Shakspeare every where, for life and revelations every and to Milton is the next gird of the baser flood. In Macbeth and Hamlet, the poet of civilization links the worlds afresh, by the introduction of an infernal band of ambition in the one case, by a reappearance of the dead in the other; if nothing more, he gives his mighty vote for the supernatural life. The Paradise Lost is all seership; imagination shows again that there is no play room for the highest efforts but the spiritual world. The personages, professedly superhuman, are human after all. Milton, who stamped the traditions of his church with the gold mark of his own genius, and who proves how much can be attempted, and how little can be done with the Protestant imagination, at all events completed a poetic cycle of affirmations of the spiritual world. Not one high tuneful voice is absent 493. "Are they final, or do we look for from our list; the morning stars of song' another? A rational revelation, we reply, is are strictly choral there. The lower world, the first step to a more rational: a religion well pleased, sees them all attempt what Swe- given up to the human mind is a progressive denborg accomplished. Yet while he mounts religion. A seer whose intellect is in his above them, it is not by a greater genius, but eyes, will be succeeded by other seers with by finer harmony of character and circum- better optics because greater intellects. Sights stance with God, leading to an appreciation more improbable ever await to be uncurtained. by the humblest of realms unascended by It is God's truth that eye hath not seen, nor song, and to a conjunction of this world's busi- car heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of ness with similar but sublimer industry in the spiritual heavens.

where. Even heathenism glitters with a starlight of immortality. But immortality and the spirit land lie in golden lakes in the Word of God: they wait to be explored by human adventure and experience. The Prophets and the Apocalypse are proof and counterproof to Swedenborg's narrations: the visions of John walk the waters with his; the nineteenth century begins in him to reap the harvest of supernatural intercourse of which Christ Himself sowed the seeds in the first. All religion in its spiritual day, in its own archives, and in its first founders, stretches out the free right hand of fellowship to this last seer. And here we conclude our examination of witnesses to the character of Swedenborg's revelations.

man to conceive those things which God hath prepared for them that love him. This truth 491. "For politics and morals are pene- is always ascending to God who gave it. The trated by the same spirit. The associative better heaven is known, the more it recedes temper of the epoch runs molten from that into that uncomprehended love. The seeing other world where the union of the race is eye disturbs not the unseen the hearing ear closer knit than on this disunited earth. The lists not the song of songs; the heart's concepspirit of work lifting the arm with strokes in- tions are beggared by simple truth; and man, cessant as the steam engine's, lives from a athwart all revelations must wait upon his faith in work as the last comfort of mankind; God.” — Wilkinson's Biography, pp. 255–270.

of his own country, sending its luminous rays high up into the atmosphere of its winter cold and darkness, so has this Seer and Philosopher of the latter ages made his appearance, with the higher light of a divinely illuminated understanding, piercing into and scattering the darkness of centuries.

496. And now, in view of all, considering the wonderful character of the day in which we live, especially in reference to the breaking up of old theologies the downfall of sectarianism-the freedom of the human mind in so many departments of knowledge which have heretofore been barred and bolted against all rational investigation, by the church's tyranny and the prevailing ignorance

494. It now remains for us to pass judg-would reveal to us clearly the meaning of his ment upon such a phenomenon as is present- Word? Now, we most broadly and distinctly ed to us in this Life of Swedenborg. What assert, that the whole of the Theological will the world say of it? To our apprehen- writings of Swedenborg have the tendency to sion, the Divine Providence is nowhere more prove that he was commissioned by the Lord conspicuous than in raising up, at such a time, to reveal the true nature of the Gospel to such a man. Let it ever be borne in mind mankind, through the unfolding of its spirituthat Swedenborg made his appearance at a al sense, and to declare the true nature of that time a little preceding that memorable event future state to which we are all hastening." designated by him as the Last Judgment, 495. The appearance of Swedenborg at which, he affirms, took place in the spiritual such a time, unfolding such truths, so calm, so world in 1757. So that he was in the vigor deep, so perfectly possessed and assured, while and full glow of his successful life, at a little dealing with such eternal and momentous before, at the time of, and several years after, realities, can be no otherwise regarded than this eventful transaction which so changed as a most distinguished providence to a needy the condition of the church and world, and by and benighted world. Like the northern light which the doctrines of the New Jerusalem could be given to mankind. How marked and fitting a time, for the existence of such a man! It was then that a host of evils and falses were cleared away from the world of spirits, which had been gathering for ages, and which had so obstructed the influx of good and truth from the heavens, that but little of the pure doctrine of Christianity could at all make its way into the world; and the same may be said of natural truth, in the various departments of science and philosophy. And if any one would perceive the cause of the wonderful advances of natural science and philosophy during the last century, let him look for it in the Last Judgment, which occurred in the spiritual world at about the time of the com- and the very evident commencement of a mencement of this increase of light. Sweden- new spiritual era for mankind; in view of all borg, among the rest, came at this time. this, we cannot fail to have the most intense Here is Providence, strongly marked, which interest in the precise meaning which Swedenadapts the men to the ages. "It is also a borg embodied in his remark to Dr. Oetinger, remarkable circumstance, and should be an before quoted, in respect to what further sign instructive one, that when the doctrines of the might be given, in proof of his divine mission New Jerusalem were to be given to men, they and truthfulness. "The sign given at this were revealed through the agency of one who day, (says Swedenborg) will be an illustration, stood by common consent in the first rank of and thence a knowledge and reception of the the learned men of his age." But let it ever truths of the New Church. Some speaking be remembered that it is not as the promulgator illustration of certain persons may likewise of a NEW revelation, or the preacher of a new take place; this works more effectually than gospel, that the claim is made for Swedenborg. miracles. Yet one token may perhaps still be "His office was to open the eyes of mankind given." It is well understood from what is to the glories of the old one. And is this an believed to be a report of some private conoffice, or are these advantages, which we are versation, that Swedenborg remarked, that in justified in denying without examination? Is about one hundred years from his day, (we the world so well acquainted with the mean- do not know precisely what year to date from) ing of divine revelation, that no further in- the principles and truths which he was instrustruction is necessary? Dr. Adam Clarke, mental in teaching, would to a good extent speaking of the revelation of John, says, prevail. Have we not already the brightest 'If it is a revelation, it is a revelation of omens of it? But what may be the "speaking enigmas, and requires another revelation to illustration of certain persons," and what that explain it'! And amidst the Babel of re- other "token" which may still be given? ligious systems around us, is there nothing Who does not regard with the deepest interest required to direct us in this confusion of the spiritual foretellings of such a man, and tongues? Without affirming that the Lord who does not wait, in humble confidence, for has given us any further light, we would ask the fulfilments of the coming years? One the most tenacious advocate for modern secta- thing is certain. The great Providential Man rianism, Would it not be a great advantage of the church has been born, and his word is to the world if such light could be given? to "GROW CLEARER AND LOUDER THROUGH Would it not be an invaluable gift, if the Lord ALL AGES.”

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APPENDIX.

The Familiar Spirit.

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on page 97.

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elucidation from us; but we soon found that these things were not strange to him, which put us, subsequently, more upon our guard, not to speak to 497. In the letter of D. Paulus âb Indagine, him of common or unimportant matters, nor to adreferred to on said page, No. 386, we have the fol- vance any thing doubtful in which he might have lowing testimony concerning the familiar spirit. shown us to be mistaken. The conversation turn"I cannot forbear," says he, "to tell you some- ing upon analytical and algebraical calculation, as thing new about Swedenborg. Last Thursday I well as upon what is called the regula falsi (rule paid him a visit, and found him, as usual, writing. of false position), he desired us to bring forward He told me, that he had been in conversation that examples, which we accordingly did, proposing same morning, for three hours, with the deceased such as made it incumbent, in order to proceed king of Sweden. He had seen him already on the agreeably to rule, to use signs or symbols, as well as Wednesday; but, as he observed that he was deep-equations. The king did not require them, and afly engaged in conversation with the queen, who is ter a few minutes' reflection, he told us, without any still living, he would not disturb him.' I allowed other aid than his own superior genius, in what way him to continue, but at length asked him, how it our examples might be solved, which we always was possible for a person who is still in the land of found to agree perfectly with our calculations. I the living, to be met with in the world of spirits? confess, that I have never been able to understand, He replied, that it was not the queen herself, but how, by mere reasoning, and without the aid of Alher spiritus familiaris, or her familiar spirit.' I gebra, he was enabled to solve problems of this asked him what that might be? for I had nei- kind. It seemed, indeed, that the king was not sorther heard from him any thing respecting appear-ry to display before M. Polheim-a competent ances of that kind, nor had I read any thing judge in these things - -a penetration and power about them. He then informed me, that every of reasoning, equalling those of the ablest matheman has either his good or bad spirit, who is not constantly with him, but sometimes a little removed from him, and appears in the world of spirits. But of this the man still living knows nothing; the spirit, however, knows every thing. This familiar spirit has every thing in accordance with his companion upon earth; he has in the world of spirits, the same figure, the same countenance, and the same tone of voice, and wears also similar garments; in a word, this familiar spirit of the queen,' says Swe-on with the others; to which we added, that men denborg, 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 Leipsic, had appeared to him in a similar manner in the world of spirits, and that he had held a long disputation with him.'”

Octonary Computus.

[The following is an account of the Octonary Computus, (or mode of calculating by eighths,) mentioned on page 9, No. 22.] Letter of M. Swedenborg, Assessor of the Board of Mines, to M. Nordberg, Author of the History of Charles XII.

maticians.

"I will now relate to 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 mode of counting, we observed, that almost all nations upon reaching 10, began again; that those figures which occupy the first place, never change their value, while those in the second place, were multiplied tenfold, and so

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 invented, 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 which is observed by putting each figure in its proper place. The king was of opinion, that had such not been the origin of our mode of counting, a much better and more ge ometrical method might have been invented, and one which would have been of great utility in calcu lations, by making choice of some other periodical 498. "Sir,- As you are now actually engaged number than 10. That the number 10 had this upon the Life of Charles XII., I avail myself of the great and necessary inconvenience, that when di opportunity to give you some information concern-vided by 2, it could not be reduced to the number ing that monarch, which is, perhaps, new to you, and worthy of being transmitted to posterity. I have already touched upon the subject, in the fourth part of my Miscellanea, treating de Calculo novo Sexagenario, &c., whence M. Wolff has derived what he has said in his Elementa Matheseos Universa, relative to this new Calculus.

"In 1716, when M. Polheim received the king's orders to repair to Lund, he engaged me to accompany him thither. Having been presented to his majesty, he often did us the honor of conversing with us upon the different branches of mathematics, and particularly upon mechanics, the mode of calculating forces, and other problems of geometry and arithmetic. He seemed to take remarkable pleasure in these conversations, and often put questions, as if he merely proposed to gain some slight

1 without entering into fractions. Besides, as it comprehends neither the square, nor the cube, nor the fourth power of any number, many difficulties arise in numerical calculations. Whereas, had the periodical number been 8 or 16, a great facility 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 numbers being divided by 2, their primitive, the number 1 would be obtained, which would be highly useful with regard to money and measures, by avoiding a quantity of fractions. The king, after speaking at great length on this subject, expressed a desire that we should make 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 an

cient ones must be given, as, otherwise, great con- | ly struck with his example in multiplication; aml fusion would arise, he desired us to prepare an example in point.

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when I consider the short time in which he accomplished this, I cannot but regard him as a prince We chose the number 8, of which the cube endowed with a genius and a penetration much root is 2, and which, being divided by 2, is reduced above those of other men; whence I have been led to the primitive number 1. We also invented new to believe that, in all his other actions, he was guidfigures, to which we gave new names, and proceed-ed by greater wisdom than apparently belonged ed according to the ordinary method; after which we to him. Certain it is, that he thought it beneath applied them to the cubic calculations, as well as to him to assume the air of a learned man, by affectmoney and to measures. The essay having been ing an imposing exterior. What he said to me, presented to the king, he was pleased with it: but it one day, regarding mathematics, expressed a senwas evident that he had wished something more timent truly worthy of a king, 6 that he who had extended, and less easy, in order that he might dis- made no progress whatever in this science, did not play the superiority of his genius and his great deserve to be considered as a rational man.' penetration. To this end he proposed to adopt "I have the honor to be, &c., some number which should contain a square as well "EM. SWEDENBORG." as a cube, and which, when divided by 2, might be First public Advertisement of Swedenborg's reduced to the primitive number I. He made Writings. choice of 64; but we observed to him that it was too high a number, and, consequently, very incon-kind, we insert the following original advertisement by the [For the curiosity of those who would see a document of this venient, and, indeed, that it was almost impossible printer of the second volume of the Arcana Calestia. It was to employ it; that, besides, if we were obliged to published in parts, each containing one chapter, and accompanied, in separate numbers, by an English translation.] reckon up to 64, before recommencing, and that upon reaching 64 times 64, or 4096, only three figures were used, calculation would be rendered immensely difficult, especially with regard to multiplication and division; 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 urged our difficulties, the more he was determined to put his idea into practice; and to show the possibility of what appeared to us to require long and profound reflection, he undertook to devise this method himself, and to lay down the plan of it, which he sent This work is intended to be such an exposition to us the next morning. He had invented new of the whole Bible as was never attempted in any figures, each with its particular name. The 64 fig-language before. The author is a learned foreignures were divided into 8 classes, each being designated by a particular symbol. Upon a closer inspection, I found that these symbols or signs were composed of the initial and final letters of his own name, in a manner at once so clear and exact, that when the first 8 numbers were known, all the rest up to 64 were attainable without the least difficulty. The names of the 8 numbers of the first class were very simple, and those of the others so well contrived, that one could easily remember them, without fear of confusion. Having arrived at the number 64, when it became necessary to 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 down.

PATERNOSTER Row, February 5, 1750. 499. ADVERTISEMENT, by John Lewis, Printer and Publisher, in Paternoster Row, near Cheapside, London. Be it 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 Scripture, or Word of the Lord, laid open; as they are found in the Sixteenth Chapter of Genesis; together with the wonderful things that have been seen in the World of Spirits, and in the Heaven of Angels.

er, 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 be published in cheap numbers, 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 commentaries and expositions on the Holy Bible; yet when we consider what an inexhaustible 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 wonder that so many ingenious pens have been employed in sounding the depths of this vast ocean; and he must be a very dull writer indeed, "It was to me that the king committed this plan, who does not find a pretty large number of readers in his own handwriting [the original of which I still of any work he may publish of this kind. I would preserve], in order to arrange from it a table show-be far from depreciating the merit of any man's ing the difference between this and the common performance, nay, I will allow, that it is owing to the mode of counting, both with regard to the names and the figures.

"The king had also added to his plan an example in multiplication and in division; two operations in which I had contemplated so much difficulty. As it was my place to undertake the perfecting of his method, I examined it thoroughly, in order to discover whether it might not be rendered yet more easy and more convenient of application than it was. My attempts, however, were in vain; and I much doubt whether the greatest mathematicians would have succeeded. What I chiefly admire, is, the ingenuity shown by the king in the invention of the figures and the names, and the ease with which the signs may be varied ad infinitum. I was also great

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 will of God in his Word, than the priests of Rome were willing 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 in 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, will undoubtedly challenge our strictest attention, and deserve encouragement in his pious labors. This then may be said of our author. He has struck

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