6 49. "Its pervading idea is the recognition | discoveries of Farraday, and it is probably of external objects as the product of internal destined to take its place, along with Swedenpowers, and this not as to form only, but as borg's general doctrine of spheres, or exhalato their matter and subsistence. In other tions, as the only hypothesis capable of exwords, it occupies high ground in explaining the plaining the phenomena and correlation of generation of the elements, and ultimately of forces. solid matter, from the occult forces playing with- 50. "Various hypotheses intended to explain in nature, as well as in its attempted explana- the phenomena of planetary motion had been tion of those forces themselves, their origin, constructed, from time to time, on the general and their procedure till they become material- principle that the planets were carried round ized; the great end which its Author already the sun by its supposed ambient ether, or had in view carrying him beyond mere ap- vortex. The most remarkable of these thepearances in one of the most material branches ories were those of Kepler, Descartes, and of physiology. Two things are virtually as- Leibnitz, who not only preceded Swedenborg, sumed in all its deductions, namely, the but were already thrown into the shade absolute reality of the Infinite and the exist-by the successes of Newton, who made his ence of finite entities; it has a good founda- calculations on the presumption that the tion, therefore, in common sense, and has ne- planets moved in a vacuum, - before our phicessarily a religious tendency. Descending losopher published his Principia.' Principia.' Far from The First Natural Point,'- a term from dismayed by these circumstances, Sweby which pure motion is designated, Sweden- denborg boldly attempted to reconcile the borg defines the phenomena of heat, light, laws of gravity with the existence of a vortex, magnetism, and the elementary substances and, though it still remains for the highest themselves, as so many graduated manifesta- authorities to pass judgment on this attempt, tions of Infinite Activity. In the course of it is sufficient evidence of his great genius that his demonstrations he anticipated many discov- the circumstances affecting the periodicity of eries which are considered of more recent date, the comets of Encke and Beila, have left and amongst others the identity of electricity Astronomers no alternative but an accommodaand lightning, and the stellar constitution of tion of this nature. Every one may perceive the Milky Way, together with a complete how irrational it would be to suppose an imtheory of tellurian magnetism." It was in mense void between the soul and the body. June 1752, we believe, that Franklin's cele- On the same principle, it is equally contrary to brated experiment was performed with the reason to imagine its interposition between the lightning, by which its identity with electricity sun as the moving power, and the earth. One was established. Yet no less than nineteen of its first consequences is inconsistent with years previously, in 1733, Swedenborg's Prin- all analogy; plants and animals invariably cipia was published, in which this same truth grow from a central point, and tracks of senis reasoned out as a minor consequent to his sation or vital energy are always laid between philosophy. "Such are the coincidences," that centre and its remotest appurtenances; remarks a London reviewer, "which have this is the one unvarying plan on which all never yet failed in us in any attempted appli-unities are constructed. To look at the Unication of Swedenborg's philosophy, and which verse as a whole, it is perfectly consistent might surprise even the sceptic into a belief with this analogy to regard a planet as one of the brilliancy and originality of his genius." mighty limb; or, more humbly, as a single In respect to tellurian magnetism, "the theory leaf on the tree of universal life; and then of Swedenborg incontestably proves the exist- how unreasonable it becomes to suppose that ence of the magnetic element; it establishes, it was ever endowed with the separate and that the particles of this element being spher-independent forces ascribed to it by the Newical, the tendency of their motion is either spi-tonian hypothesis! It would be as easy to ral, or vortical, or circular; that as each of imagine that the leaf was created by itself, and these motions requires a centre, whenever the hung upon the tree, or that all the parts of particles meet with a body, which, by the reg- the body were separately produced, and their ularity of the pores, and the configuration and independent functions subsequently formed position of its parts, is adapted to their motion, into a system. Swedenborg, therefore, has they avail themselves of it, and form around wisely endeavored to reconcile the demonstrait a magnetical vortex; that if this body pos- tions of Newton with the ancient hypothesis sesses an activity [that is, an active sphere] of a solar vortex, and to show how the planets, of its own, if its parts are flexible, and if its and planetary motion, are derived from the motions are similar to that of the particles, it Sun." Rich's Sketch, pp. 17-20. will be so much the more disposed to admit 51. In short, Swedenborg makes the magnetic them.. Whence it follows that the element the agency which controls the planmagnetism of bodies depends not on their sub-etary movements. In other words, he resolves stance but their form. Some of the results the power of gravitation into magnetism, and of this theory are confirmed by the brilliant shows, moreover, that precisely the same laws is not in this axis but a little out of it, and hence the original cause of the ellipticity of the planetary orbits, which he supposes to be attracted in the direction of the axis of the common sphere. Theories of Gravitation. which govern a single particle of matter in its properties of motion, govern also all the heavenly bodies in their orbitual revolutions. "Inasmuch," he says, "as nature maintains the highest similarity to herself, both in her greatest and in her least entities, we may, from what we see and feel, arrive at a knowledge of what we neither see nor feel. Thus has nature designed that we should be instructed through the medium 53. We cannot fail here to bestow a passing of the senses in addition to which is imparted to notice upon some recent attempts, as indeed us a soul, and to the soul a faculty of reasoning upon suspicions which have always more or and analyzing, a faculty which may extend its less existed, to account for the motion of the operations even to the senses; so that, by help of planets by some better theory than mere gravireasoning and analysis, or of the ratios of the things we sensate, we may arrive at some knowl-ty, or such separate and independent forces edge of those we do not. as the universe is supposed to be endowed "The magnet with the play of its forces we both with, by the Newtonian hypothesis. A work, see and we do not see; hence our wonder at the for instance, entitled "Outlines of a System phenomena it presents. In the magnet and its of Mechanical Philosophy, being a research sphere there is however a type and effigy of the into the Laws of Force, by Samuel Elliott heaven; a mundane system in miniature presented Coues." In this work, the author has taken to our senses and brought within the limits of our comprehension. In the sphere of the magnet are strong grounds against the Newtonian theory spiral gyrations or vorticles; in like manner in the of gravitation, conceiving of a more spiritual sidereal heavens there are spiral gyrations and theory, and recognizing the Divine Author of vortices. In every vorticle round the magnet creation altogether more present and immathere is an active centre; in every vortex in the nent than mere gravitation, or simple attracheaven there is also an active centre. In every tion of one body by another, can possibly enavorticle round the magnet the motion is quicker ble us to do. It is to be observed that the near the centre than it is at a distance from it; author here alluded to does not deny the fact the same is the case in every vortex in the heaven. In every vorticle round the magnet the spiral gyraof gravitation, or rather, similar consequences, tion is of greater curvature in proportion to its but not precisely nor all, which gravitation nearness to the centre; the same is the case with would produce, but simply asserts, and by numevery vortex in the heaven. In every vorticle erous facts shows, that such power is not inround the magnet there are, in all probability, cor- nate in the bodies themselves, and therefore, puscles fluent round the centre and revolving that the theory of mere attraction of one round an axis; such also is the case with every body by another is false, and also insufficient to account for the movements of the Universe. vortex in the heaven. The vorticles round the magnet mutually colligate themselves by means of their spiral motions, and, thus colligated, form For this attempt at opposing great names, a larger sphere; the same is the case in the si- for calling Newton to account, the amiable dereal heaven; not to mention other points of author has encountered the usual sneers of agreement of which we shall speak in the sequel. certain pert tyros in science, who follow hard All things are similar one to the other; because upon authority, and his book remains quite in small things as well as in large, nature preserves harmless, though not without the recognition the greatest similarity to herself; especially as the vorticles round the magnet possess particles and elements of the same nature as the vortices of the great heaven; and inasmuch as these vortices are similar, as well as their causes, therefore the effects produced are similar. "Now inasmuch as man is not created prone to the earth like beasts, but is endowed both with an upright mien in order to enable him to look up of its truths, by a few discriminating and appreciating minds. Thus we go, and thus the spiritual and the divine are ever sure to get the ascendency, and as sure to be scouted at first by the sensual and material. It is sufficient to say that our modern author has been impressed with a great truth here, and has not failed triumphantly to show it. But ward to the heavens, and with a soul derived from the aura of a purer and better world, in virtue of we are only led into this notice, to set forth which he is allied to heaven; let us avail ourselves all the more prominently the grand and simof this privilege to exalt our thoughts to the re-ple theory of Swedenborg. The existence of gions above; and from a vile stone of the earth a vortex, or of planetary spheres, analogous and its magnetic powers, contemplate what is simi- to the sphere of the magnet, and of every lar on the largest scale, and learn the nature and particle of matter, so that each planet and laws of the material heavens both visible and invisible." — Principia, vol. ii. pp. 230, 231. sun is but the nucleus, as it were, or centre of an immense body of finer and invisible matter, 52. What can be more philosophically beau- graduated by different degrees of attenuation, tiful than the above analogy? Swedenborg and these all interpenetrating one another, moreover observes that the axis of our own constituting one mighty whole, without a universe is in the galaxy; that here conse- vacuum, and united with and interpenetrated quently the magnetic power is the strongest, by the spiritual universe, the spiritual centre and hence that here we find the greatest con- of which is the Deity Himself, who also indensation of solar systems; that our own sun terpenetrates the whole, this is the true The Planetary System. 55. "We now proceed (says the same writer) to a more direct comparison of Swedenborg's cosmogonical theory with that of La Place. theory, and here gravitation is simplified, and is a corresponding natural sun; that natural the spiritual and material meet and touch suns are aggregated or grouped according to each other. Of course there must be gravity their correspondences to the spiritual; thus where all things touch and move together. that the natural is the outbirth of the spiritual, And there cannot be a gravity which does the visible of the invisible, the temporal of not, by fine intermediates, involve touch! the eternal, the finite of the infinite; and that Swedenborg regards both gravity and mag- the concentrations and dispersions of universes netism as having the same original, and it has is but the outward manifestation of the changes since been discovered that the magnetic at- going on in the inward and spiritual heavens, tractions and repulsions observe the same law which refer to ever new varieties of state in as gravitation, according to which the intensi- consequence of ever new progressions from ty of the force is inversely as the square of glory to glory." — Introduction to Principia, the distance. The real cause and nature of p. 79. gravitation, so far as we can conceive of it, is undoubtedly to be found in the similarity of the primary forms of the particles of matter, and more deeply, in the similarity of essences which produce those forms, thus in simple affinity which like has for like. But it is to be found most deeply, in the spiritual, thence in the invisible material, and thence in the visible material. Hence the profound remark of Swedenborg, that nothing can be truly known of the visible world without a knowledge of the invisible, for the visible world is a world only of effects, while the invisible or spiritual is the world of causes. Repulsion is not a positive principle, like attraction, or gravitation, and is only caused by dissimilarity of essences. There is some similarity and some dissimilarity, in all material bodies; hence, either perceptible or imperceptible, both attraction and repulsion. He who will pursue this course of thought, making due allowance for relative distances, or the nearness or re- his own moteness of other bodies, will arrive, as far as pounded his theory in the Principia, in the possible, in the present state of our faculties, year 1734; and again in his treatise on the Worat the true theory of gravitation, or of attrac-ship and Love of God, in the year 1745, or about tion and repulsion. In other words, he will find a kind of chemical affinity on a large scale! * "After the suggestions of Newton upon this subject, with the existence of which I know not whether La Place was acquainted, it was asserted by the latter that Buffon was the first writer whom he knew, who, since the discovery of the true system of the world, had attempted to investigate the origin of the planets and their satellites. Now Swedenborg published his Principia in the year 1734; that is to say, ten years before Buffon published his theory, and Buffon himself had read from the circumstance that a copy of Swedenborg's Swedenborg's Principia, as may be concluded Principia was not very long since sold by an eminent bookseller in London, containing Buffon's own autograph; therefore if La Place himself was not acquainted with Swedenborg's treatise, it is reasonable to presume that Buffon was. years, then, before Buffon published his theory, and about thirty years before La Place offered to the public, Swedenborg had pro * Ten twenty years before La Place's theory. In these two works it had been observed by Swedenborg, that the sun is the centre of a vortex; that it 54. But our remarks would not be com- centrated itself into a belt, zone, or ring at the rotates upon its axis; that the solar matter conplete here, without a further reference to equator, or rather ecliptic; that by attenuation of Swedenborg's theological system, although we the ring it became disrupted; that upon the dismay subject ourselves to the charge of mix-ruption, part of the matter collected into globes, ing up theological ideas with possibly physical and part subsided into the sun forming solar spots; errors. But the reader must judge, while we that the globes of solar matter were projected into only wish to say that "Swedenborg maintains, orbit; that in proportion as the igneous matter space; that consequently they described a spirai that the constitution of the visible heavens never can be understood without first understanding the constitution of the invisible. That the invisible are far more immense than the visible, of which the Lord is the one only and central sun; that they consist of distinct ordinations of angelic hosts or societies into the human form, according to the apostolic idea of the constitution of a church; that every distinct society has its distinct place in the universal body; that united into one it exhibits the splendor of a spiritual star, to which there "Beyond certain limits of distance, the interblending actions of any two bodies, however dissimilar in constitution, is always har monious and hence attractive; within those limits of distance, the action is crowding and conflicting, and hence repellent." — Fishbough's "Macrocosm and Microcosm," Part ii. p. 124. thus projected receded from the sun, it gradually experienced refrigeration and consequent condensation; that hence followed the formation of the elements of ether, air, aqueous vapor, &c., until the planets finally reached their present orbit; that during this period the earth experienced & all the varieties in the mineral kingdom, and laid as succession of geological changes which originated it were the basis of the vegetable and afterwarde of the animal kingdoms. This is the general view of Swedenborg's cosmogonical theory, with which Buffon was acquainted, but of which La Place, according to his own account, was ignorant. "Now the points of difference and agreement between the theory of La Place and that of Swedenborg are the following. Swedenborg begins at *The late Mr. Bohn, of Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. the centre, La Place at the circumference. Swe-fifty years subsequently, the eye of Herschel der.porg traces the process of creation from the sought and found it? Or, shall it be awarded centre to the circumference, La Place traces it to the man who first made the literal but less from the circumference to the centre. According meritorious discovery? to Swedenborg, the centre created the circum60. How like the recent case of Leverrier, ference; according to La Place, the circumference created the centre. On the other hand, both agree and his discovery of the planet Neptune! that the planets were formed by a condensation of Was Leverrier, who saw it mentally, or Dr. zones, and hence that planetary matter was origi- Galle, who saw it telescopically, the real disnally solar. The latest experiments are unfavor-coverer of the boundary planet? The whole able to the order observed by La Place, and favorable to the order observed by Swedenborg." Introduction to Principia, vol. ii. pp. 79–81. civilized world have, without the slightest demur, decided in favor of the person who revealed its situation (for the planet's existence 56. What is most remarkable is, that Swe- was long suspected), who saw it by intellectual denborg alleges in his "Worship and Love of vision, before bodily eyes could even suspect God," that there were seven planets created where to look for it. There is the same esfrom the sun at the same time. And he has, sential difference between Leverrier's discovin his Principia, several drawings illustrative ery of Neptune and Herschel's discovery of of the subject, in all of which, seven planets Uranus, as there is between Swedenborg's disare laid down. And this was more than forty covery of the situation of our sun among years before the discovery of the seventh the stars of the milky way, and Herschel's planet by Dr. Herschel. discovery of the same. In both Swedenborg's and Leverrier's case, the discovery is intellectual, and shows forth the triumphs and superiority of reason over mere sensation.New Church Repository, vol. iii. p. 199. 57. We must also observe here, that, contrary to the testimony of the scientific world, Swedenborg was the first to designate the precise spot the actual locality and situation of our solar system amongst the stars of the universe. So truly is this the real state of the case, that, without the slightest exaggeration, he may be represented as affirming, "I have formed a comparison of the magnetic sphere with the sidereal heavens, chap. i. Part 3, and have gauged geometrically the stratum of the milky path; I have examined its parts and discovered its construction, and have found, by a geometrical calculus, the exact spot in that galaxy where the sun's system is placed." As if, placing his finger on that spot, he had exclaimed, "It is there! At the point where the main trunk of the milky stream has a considerable incurvation or divergence into branches, there the sun's system is placed. Seek, and you will find it." 61. Again, concerning the Stability of the Solar System, Swedenborg's theory declares, that, as the solar system is carried along the milky path, and afterwards compelled to diverge therefrom, the planetary orbits will change their form and eccentricity to a certain amount, and then return to their original condition, when they will again change, and again return, and so on to eternity. - Principia, vol. ii. pp. 233-38. 62. The beautiful demonstration by La Grange, of the stability of the solar system, is a direct proof of Swedenborg's theorem. The changes in the character of the planetary orbits, were already known and seen to be at work undermining the present form of the system, and fears were entertained that they 58. Five years subsequently, Herschel is might become exorbitantly great, so as to subborn (1738). In the year 1789, he directs vert those relations which render it habitable his monster telescope to the sides and surfaces to man. This was a difficulty which appeared of the galaxy, and without knowing of Swe- insurmountable to the astronomers of Swedenborg's announcement of the sun's position denborg's day, and for some time afterwards. therein, conjectures the identical spot, sceks Theologians every where accepted it as an obfor evidence of its truth by a species of star vious demonstration of their doctrine of the gauging, and a few efforts reward his labors final destruction of all things. Newton and with the most abundant confirmation of the Leibnitz had both bowed with submission to reality of his conjecture. Certainly, never the order of things, which was winding up did a more bold assertion receive a more striking confirmation! the operations of the great whole, and bring ing on an inevitable doom. Geometers, phi59. To whom should the honorable wreath losophers, and theologians, accepted the fact as be awarded to the man who, by a series of evidence of the common declaration, "that the careful observations on the elliptical and ec- end of all things," if not at hand, was at least centric form of the planetary orbits, and by a certain. Every where the profoundest mathcareful deduction, arrived at by geometrical ematical resources were employed to their utreasoning, from the facts thereby established, most limits, but the equation on one side alindicated the exact situation in the heavens where our solar system is placed; consequently, before human eye had looked upon it, or mind conjectured it, and confidently predicted the exact location amongst the stars, where, ways equalled nothing, and the quantities only seemed to converge without the slightest possibility of their opening out, and again returning to a new development of being. Only one bright refreshing spot existed like an oasis, where weary man, had he known it, opening of the Corfu University Session, might have refreshed himself; and that was 1839, by O. F. Mossotti, Professor of pure the Principia of Swedenborg. There alone, and applied Mathematics in the University of amongst all the works of this period, is shown the Ionian Islands. The following striking conthe now accepted doctrine of a cyclar return. trast between the theory of Swedenborg, when At length, La Grange appears with a demon- the scientific world, without exception, had stration, grounded on the discovery of a cer- not even conjectured the general fluxion of tain relation which prevails in the system, be- the starry heavens, and the theory of Mossottween the masses, orbital axes, and eccentrici- ti, as expressive of that fact when completely ties; by which the doctrine is completely es- and satisfactorily established, solicits the readtablished, that though the solar system is er's examination : liable to certain mutations in the form and eccentricity of its orbits, of very long periods, yet its orbits return again exactly to what they originally were, oscillating between very narrow limits. The same matter has been recently investigated by Leverrier with the same successful results. So that the doctrine of a cyclar return in the form of the solar system, first propounded by Swedenborg, is now received as one of the most beautiful conceptions of man, under the name of La Grange's Theory of the Stability of the Solar System. Swedenborg in 1733, before even Professor Mossotti in 1839, after conjectured. "The common axis of the sphere or sidereal heaven seems stars to be the galaxy where we per- the largest congeries is in the empirically determined. stitute an unchangeable system, volve. "To give, in a few words, a clear image of what has been said, consider a cluster of countless stars in the immensity of space, all placed along a ring of enormous dimensions, and all moving in it în periods which only myriads of centuries can measure: following them in their long and slow courses, imagine them to approach promiscuously but alternately the outer and inner edge of the ring, and you will have an idea of the sidereal system in which we are placed."- Phil. Mag. vol. xxii., No. 143, Feb., 1843 pp. 88-9. 63. Swedenborg, also, not only explains the doctrine of a cyclar return, but also most satisfactorily exhibits the reasons why it is so. The intelligent reader would well be rewarded by a perusal of his grand theory. La Grange is the acknowledged first suggester of the cyclar theory, and Bessel the first suggester of the theory of its cause. Yet the whole doctrine is repeatedly given, by Swe- 66. This contrast presents the two extremities denborg, in the compass of half a dozen sen- of an age. At its commencement all is negatences; yea, a score of times in the course of tion. It exhibits the Swedish philosopher in the chapter on "The Heavens," vol. ii. This bold and striking relief. Behold him! he doctrine was published forty-four years before stands alone in an age of darkness. In the La Grange put his forth, seventy-one years background the past is black as night. It before Mayer, and ninety-one years before Bessel. 66 - brings him out like the sudden apparition of a new star bursting with glory, and whose 64. Again, concerning the Translatory Mo- brilliancy outshines the whole heavens, as if in tion of the Stars along the Milky Way. This advance thereof. It enables us to perceive, motion of the whole starry heavens had not that the genius of Swedenborg had traversed been even conjectured when the theory of an unknown path, and explored an unknowr Swedenborg, affirming this fact, was given to region, had watched intellectually the stars the world; but that, as we have shown, in- in their magnetic courses, and followed them strumental measurements have now qualified in their revolutions, and had grasped, with it with an empirical certainty. As stated almost superhuman intelligence, the whole above by Humboldt, every portion of the sum of this vast starry universe, to make it vault of heaven," comprising "the countless subservient to his thoughts, long before other host of fixed stars," are "moving in thronged men even suspected the existence of such groups," so that the fact of universal motion in space, of the whole stary heavens, is an established truth, of which conjecture forms no part, and which, though considerably less obvious, is nevertheless not less certain than the motion of those wandering stars called planets. But in what direction do the stars move in 67. Swedenborg also goes into other conspace do they move along the milky way? siderations, concerning the immensity of creaEcho answers They do. The theory of tion, beyond or outside the boundaries of the Swedenborg, and the theory of observation, visible firmament of the starry heaven, and both echo They do. the groups or systems of stars, which have no 65. Here is the proof. Recently this theory immediate connection with each other, and yet of sidereal observation has had its exposition which are connected in one mighty system of in an introductory lecture delivered at the systems. Thus, again, was he first in thi translatory phenomena. With the striking theoretical discoveries present before the mind, given in this and the preceding article, who can doubt the transcendency of his genius, or object to his claims for the highest order of anticipative originality? |