grand conception, as appears from a reference | his immortal Principia, published in 1733,to the facts in the case.

"The ingenious Mr. Michell, more than fifty years ago, started the idea of the stars being formed into groups or systems, which are entirely detached from one another, and have no immediate connection." Dick's Sidereal Heavens, p. 210.

"The next object alluded to was the systematic arrangement of the stars. It was an Englishman, named Michell, who first observed this systematic arrangement." Prof. Nichol's Lecture

on Astron., see Manchester Guardian, May 15th,

1847.

being twenty-two years before Kant, twentyfour years before Lambert, twenty-six years before Boscovich, thirty-four years before Michell, and forty-seven years before Herschel. This work, which preceded all others in the suggestion of true views regarding the clustering of stars, and their arrangement and distribution in space, was published under royal auspices, and at the expense of the then idea was as a drop is to the expansive ocean, reigning Duke of Brunswick. Yet, even this compared with the lofty grandeur and mighty ubiquity of the ideas and conceptions which opened to his view, when the starry clusters of the inner universe were subsequently discoverable to the inner vision of his spirit. The following contains a brief summary of his statement of the fact, that stars cluster or associate themselves into societies or systems. As to the formative process, our former article will suggest an exposition:

"Mr. Herschel improved on Michell's idea of the fixed stars being collected into groups." - Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2, part ii. p. 472, Astronomy. "Another doctrine published at Venice in the year 1763, by M. Boscovich, said to have been first thought of by Mr. Michell," &c. Young's Essay on the Power and Mechanism of Nature, p. 64. 68. It would appear from the above quotations, that Michell was the first, in the history of hypothesis, to propose a true conception of the cosmical structure of the starry heavens. He suggested, that gravitation might cause the stars to cluster together into distinct systems that as planets are parts of solar systems, so are solar systems parts of what may be called star systems. Michell's proposition, given in 1767 (Phil. Trans. 1767 and 1783), contains, according to the unanimous opinion of the large sphere, and that its suns or stars, together with their vortices, are parts of a sphere connectscientific world, as shown above, the first sug-ed one with the other, in the manner we have gestion on record of the grouping of stars into mentioned." - Page 234. separate and distinct systems.

"That one vortex, with its active centre, constitutes one heaven of itself, or one mundane system; that several vortices, with their centres, form together a certain sphere; that a sphere, consisting of many vortices of the same kind, has its own proper figure."— Principia, vol. i., p. 233.

"That the whole visible sidereal heaven is one

"That there may be innumerable spheres or sidereal heavens in the finite universe; that the whole visible sidereal heaven is perhaps but a point in respect to the universe. The sidereal heaven, stupendous as it is, forms perhaps but a single sphere, of which one solar vortex constitutes only a part. Possibly there may be innumerable other spheres, and innumerable other heavens similar to those we behold; so many indeed and so mighty, that our own may be respectively only a point." - Page 238.

69. But the true history of the matter stands thus:- Kant, the celebrated German transcendentalist, was the first who published a true conception of the distribution of matter in space. The work was called, On the Theory and Structure of the Heavens, and published at Konigsberg in 1755. About this time Michell was revolving the matter in his mind, but had not published any thing thereon. Lambert, in 1757, followed Kant in his Let- 71. By the joint labors of the two Herschels ters on Cosmogony. Two years subsequently and the Earl of Rosse, the heavens have been (1759), Boscovich published his celebrated gauged above, below, and on all sides, with theory of the Constitution of the Universe. their gigantic telescopes: and the result has All advocating similar views of the arrange- been, these theoretical suggestions, so lofty ment and distribution of matter in space. In and sublimely elevating, have now to be re1767 Michell presented his views, but, differ- garded as matters of fact. This happy obserently from all previous theorists, gave certain vation, by the elder Herschel, of a conception illustrations which brought the theory at once first published by Swedenborg, about fifty before the attention of observers, so as to be years previously, enriched astronomy with a capable of demonstration. On this account, gem far exceeding in value any thing precedI suppose, he is regarded as being the first ing it. Hitherto, ereation was considered a who presented a true theory of the starry globular universe, bounded by the visible heavens, the former being entirely overlooked heavens. Beyond this there was no creation, or unknown. In 1780, Herschel gauges the but the spiritual heavens the theological heavens, and literally beholds what had hith- universe. Within this the material universe erto been only theoretical, and to some, absolutely impossible.

was enclosed, in the centre of which our solar system was placed; whilst its interior surface 70. Yet preceding all these, and when Kant was our visible heaven, over whose ethereal was only ten years of age, Swedenborg had vault were strewed, in unnumbered myriads, formally given the same ideas and views of the glimmering lights of other worlds. creation, expressly calling his Essay- 72. Swedenborg was the first intellectually "The Theory of the Sidereal Heavens' -in to break through this enclosure of the heavens,

and with powerful arm to burst asunder its versal principles and universal mechanism, confines, to draw aside the dark curtain of could be revealed to or made known by him, ages, to overthrow the barriers raised by an- to be useful to mankind now. To progress cient prejudices, and advance to some distance, further, the opening of the inner universe to though with cautious steps, over the uncertain mental vision must needs follow. For, as to ground beyond. With unwearied labor he universal principles and mechanism, he had had essayed every probable path, and hav- seen all that man could now see where man ing found the right one, proceeded along it doth dwell. He stood betwixt the darkness to the very gate of truth. Wonderful, in- of the past and the light of the present, a deed, were the results. At once, by a single humble instrument, holding in his hands the effort of his genius, worlds innumerable, in germs of those extraordinary discoveries and congregated spheres, were beheld in harmoni- revelations which even now astonish the world. ous operation, without end or limit - the To enumerate them here, or even to hint their boundaries of the universe, so to speak, be- nature, would be to exceed our present limits. came to man at once illimitable; and the 74. One thing is clear to all who may have scattering goodness of the Divine Hand, read attentively these papers, and carefully strewing mercies and blessings amongst un- studied his voluminous writings, as a child numbered worlds, hitherto unseen, unknown, writing down his thoughts and experience, so and unconjectured, was a scene worthy of the has he been with regard to his opinions, his Almighty-a prospective into a field so en- discoveries, and his almost universal experitirely new and unprecedented, that admiring ence. But it is equally clear "the world millions are struck with awe at the Mighty knows him not."- New Church Repository, vol. Power and Infinite Love and Wisdom of that iii., pp. 198, 199, 202–205, 249, 250, 293–297, Being who moves, provides for, and supports the whole. It was a Revelation of the attributes of his Being and the Resources of his Power, infinitely beyond any thing which the wildest imagination of the Atheist could ever have conceived, in demand for evidence of his existence. Literally, the heavens were opened that most glorious and magnificent region in the material universe, the Heaven of Heavens, formed, as Swedenborg expresses it, of innumerable heavens, in congregated spheres, beyond or outside our own was displayed first to the intellectual, and subsequently to the ocular vision, when one universal blaze of glory burst forth on an astonished world. "Behold!" says Swedenborg, on drawing aside the dark curtain of ages, which had intercepted creation from the view of mortals, "behold these new walks of the Almighty! Lift up your heads on high, and behold Him traversing the innumerable spheres with the same flowing richness, beauty, and care, as is so conspicuous on this atom of a world on which we dwell."

Magnetic Spheres.

75. We cannot take leave of our extracts from this work, without noticing another feature of it, the coincidence of which, with a work that has recently appeared by Baron Von Reichenbach, marks another peculiarity of our author's genius. We refer to what has already been alluded to, viz., the doctrine of spheres around every material object, particularly around magnets. Many have been struck, recently, with the facts and illustrations contained in a work entitled "PhysicoPhysiological Researches on the Dynamics of Magnetism, Electricity, etc., etc., by Baron Charles Von Reichenbach." Here we are presented with many engravings, showing the actual, substantial flame which goes forth from the ends of magnets, and from all sides of them, also from the human hand, body, and other materials. Reichenbach discovered these flames, at first, by what he calls "sick-sensitives," or cataleptic patients, (partially clairvoyant subjects,) when shut up in a dark 73. This humble and devout philosopher room. The flames sent forth from the poles was the first happy mortal on whom the high of a large horseshoe magnet, capable of supduty devolved of developing these mighty porting ninety pounds, were described as about truths for the benefit of mankind. He was a eight inches in length, mingled with irridessuitable instrument for so glorious a Revela- cent colors, flickering and waving, yielding tion. When the immensity of God's work, when blown upon, and when the hand or other beyond or outside the visible starry heavens, solid body was passed through them. Varihad thus been opened to him, and, for the first ous experiments with other bodies are also here time in human history, he had gazed mentally detailed, and the force which developed these on the peculiar mechanism of our own imme- flames is called the "odic," or "odylic," force. diate universe; had watched and measured 76. But it is interesting to observe, that, the play of its mighty forces; had proclaimed, in Swedenborg's Principia, we find precisely after geometrical measurement, the precise similar drawings, and in great variety, illussystem or cluster of stars to which our sun's trating the same sphere around magnets and system belongs; yea, had placed his finger around iron. Reichenbach's discoveries are, on the very spot in that cluster five years indeed, of a somewhat different nature; for he before Herschel was born; when these had demonstrated the existence of these spheres, been accomplished, nothing more, as to uni- not as spheres merely, but as magnetic flame

78. In the work which we are now consid

and light, by means of his "sick-sensitives" and from so many phenomena arising from the in the dark, in a way that we do not find in conjunction of the magnet with magnetic needles, any other author. But Swedenborg has the as to be placed beyond a doubt.” — Vol. ii. p. 64. same, or similar drawings, going to illustrate precisely the same thing, all but the flame; ering, our author has much to say of the magof which any one may be convinced by look-netic needle, and the causes of its variations, ing into the first and second volumes of the the matter of which is so abstruse and extendPrincipia. And as the spheres, of course, in- ed, that we cannot here go into it. clude the flames, though not seen, we can but 79. 'On the whole, this is so magnificent a regard this coincidence as decidedly interest- work, that one feels little able to guide anothing. We should have thought, if we had not er through the chambers of that vast edifice. known the contrary, that we were looking at It is easy to see and admire the unrivalled some of Reichenbach's engravings. But the dif- ingenuity of the conceptions, the consistency ference appears to be, that in Reichenbach's case, of the details with the whole, and the self-suphe was led to his fact by the eyes of his partial-porting proportions of the theory; its conly clairvoyant subjects, while Swedenborg rea- geniality with thought, and felicity with which soned his out, as he did the identity of elec- its principles apply themselves and other tricity and lightning. And yet we know not things, and marshal around them new details; but we misjudge the keenness of his vision, the practicability of that genius, which studfor we shall find that he was no stranger even ied the elementary world, as a fourth kingdom to flames, and those, too, of a more spiritual character, even before the full opening of his spiritual sight, as will appear when we come to notice his advances into the spiritual region.

77. We cannot here present any of his drawings, but we will quote a few of his remarks, and then take leave of the subject:

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:

of nature; above all, the noble undertone of theology, which breathes throughout, like a tacit psalm, and gives life to our notions of the Divine Majesty and Wisdom, making atoms instinct with the same order as solar systems; concentrating, to intensity, what we have hitherto felt of admiration and wonder, over 'By reason of the connection between the vor- that nature, which is greatest in the least ticles which extend from one pole to another, and things, and least in the greatest. As a walk of the formation of the sphere, there exist poles, of science, the embryology of worlds has had one on each side of the magnet: there exist, in few cultivators; and probably no one has like manner, polar axes extending in the sphere to broached such precise ideas upon it, as Swea distance from the magnet; and these axes do not denborg. The work, to be rightly apprecireceive their determination from the magnet, but ated, must not only be read, but profoundly from the sphere and its figure. That not the magnet, but the sphere forms the polar axis on each studied. The due meed of praise will yet be side, is evident from this circumstance; that the given to it, and it will at least take its place, polar plane passes through the whole nignet from in the public estimation, side by side with one side to the other; as in Fig. 10, where the the immortal principles of Newton. whole side, f, o, g, is polar, as also the opposite side, 80. But Swedenborg does not stop here. a, c, b, and the elements of the effluvia travel within The essential reasons of chemistry, some the mass rectilinearly from f, o, g, to a, c, b, accord-branches in most departments of physics, and ing to the interior texture. Hence the polar axis cannot have any fixed place in the magnet, but the place and situation of the poles are owing entirely to the sphere, which is compelled to encircle the magnet according to the figure of the latter; thus sometimes in one way, sometimes in another. Principia, vol. i. p. 230.

"By the application of two or more magnetic spheres, the figure of each is immediately changed:

from two or more spheres arises one that is larger; and the whole of the distance between the spheres becomes an axis."- p. 234. This is a declared fact, precisely similar to Reichenbach, who instances and illustrates, by engravings, how the flame of one magnet will displace that of another. Swedenborg has also a drawing to illustrate the same displacement of one sphere or flame by another.

"The sphere of the effluvia around iron extends itself to a considerable distance; so that the vorticles or gyrations of effluvia emit themselves like radii on every side, and dispose the magnetic element itself into the same situation, whence the magnetic element regards the iron as its pole or centre from which the vorticles issue in a long series. Not only does a tide of effluvia perpetually emanate from the iron, but it also constipates and surrounds its surface; a circunstance so evident,

many arts tending to improve the natural life, have employed the mind and pen of our author; yet still the watchword is on-onwards, to witness other displays of his genius and industry. Did we all toil like him, and improve our talents to the utmost, how would the world bless our tillage with a new, supernatural productiveness. Verily, heaven would tell out unknown riches into the hand of humanity.

81. The PEOPLE have a perfect right to claim Swedenborg as one of their best champions and benefactors; because, for them he labored, wrote and published. He says,

"There are persons, who love to hold their knowledge for themselves alone, and to be the reputed possessors and guardians of secrets: such persons grudge the Public any thing; and if any discovery comes to light, by which art and science will be benefited, they regard it askance with scowling looks, and probably denounce the discov erer as a babbler, who lets out mysteries. I know it is impossible for me to gain the good will of this class; for they think themselves impoverished whenever the knowledge they have, becomes the knowledge of the MANY. For surely no man has

right to hold his knowledge for himself alone, accounts, not only of the methods and newest but rather for others, and for, the whole world. improvements, in metalic works, in all places Why should such things be grudged to the Pub- beyond the seas, but also those in England lic? Whatever is worthy to be known, should by and our colonies in America, with draughts of all means be brought to the great and general the furnaces, and of the instruments to be Market of the World. The rights of civilized man convince us of this; the natural functions of the individual, equally with the laws of the Republic of Letters, attest and enforce it. Unless we all contribute to make the arts and sciences flourish more and more, we can neither grow wiser nor happier, with time.”

employed."

85. "In forming our estimate of Swedenborg's calibre at this time," as we have observed elsewhere, "we cannot omit taking notice of his large Treatises on Iron and Copper, each occupying a folio volume, and busied 82. Notwitstanding the signal learning and with the practical details of mining in various sincere piety displayed throughout the PRIN- parts of the world. That a mind of such poCIPIA, the work was prohibited by the Pope, tent theoretical tendency should have had in 1739; probably because the Church of strength to undergo the dry labor of these Rome professed to believe that God made all compilations - that one who breathed his nathings out of nothing, and could not reconcile tive air in a profound region of causes, should such a process of creation as Swedenborg pre- come for so long an abiding into the lower sents, with their literal interpretations of the places of the earth, to record facts, processes, first chapter of Genesis. Did not the Papists and machineries, as a self-imposed task in fulimprison GALILEO for proving that our earth filment of his station as Assessor of Mines turns on its axis every day, and goes round this is one remarkable feature of a case where the sun once a year? Now, no definition is so much is remarkable, and shows how manly more common, than that TRUTH is that which was his will in whatever sphere he exerted Is; hence, in a corresponding sense, UNTRUTH, himself. The books of such a man are properror, or falsehood, is that which IS NOT; and, erly WORKS, not to be confounded for a moof course, that which is the genuine nonentity, ment with the many-colored idleness of a is nothing. Upon this ground, to say that God created all things out of nothing, is to attribute the origin of all things to error, and hence, to evil or the devil! Behold the result of denying the truth and believing a lie!

large class who are denominated thinkers.'' 86. During the journey, which our author undertook, to facilitate the publication of the above-mentioned works, he improved every opportunity of making himself acquainted with distinguished mathematicians, astronomers, mechanists, &c.; and of examining public libraries and museums, galleries of arts and trades, churches and governments, as well

83. The second volume of this great work treats of the various methods employed, in different parts of Europe, for smelting iron, and converting it into steel; of iron ore, and the examination of it; and also of several as mines, mineralogy, forests, gardens, climate, experiments and mechanical preparations, and every thing else that was worthy of memmade with iron and its vitriol: but neither ory and attention. this, nor the third volume, is rendered into our 87. In the memorial of his travels, we find language; though the authors of the magnifi- traces of the books he read, of the notes he cent French works, called Descriptions of made, and abundant evidence of a growing Arts and Manufactures, published at Paris, taste for anatomical and physiological rein 1772, have thought so highly of the second searches: whence it is quite obvious, that he volume, that they have translated a large por- was now reflecting a passage, with laborition of it into French, and inserted it in their ous and cautious steps, from the Elementacollection. ry World, which he had previously examined,

84. The third volume treats of the various towards the well-spring of Life and Motion. methods adopted for smelting copper, of sepa- He was, indeed, looking through Nature, up rating it from silver, and converting it into to Nature's God. He applied the whole brass, and other metals; of lapis calaminaris force of his mind, to penetrate into the most of zine; of copper ore, and the examination hidden things, to connect together the scattered of it; and lastly, of several chemical prep- links of the great chain of universal Being, arations and experiments made with copper. and to trace up every thing, in an order agreea· In England, this work is esteemed very high-ble to its nature, to the First Great Cause. ly; and in the translation of Cramers, “ Ele

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between Soul and Body.

ments of the Art of Essaying Metals," given Philosophy of the Infinite, and the Intercourse by Dr. Cromwell Mortimer, Secretary of the Royal Society, in 1764, it is mentioned by the translator in the following terms: "For the 88. We now contemplate Swedenborg in sake of such as understand Latin, we must another capacity: he has dived so profoundly not pass by the magnificent and laborious into nature, always commencing from the surwork of Emanuel Swedenborg, entitled Prin- face of common sense, that he has entered a ciples of Natural Things;' in the second and sphere, where identical principles take new third volumes of which he has given the best forms, where physics become philosophy, and

where all things lie outspread in one great The title indicates the scope of its contents. amity and cooperation within the mighty hori- Is the soul finite, or infinite? As certainly as it zon of natural truth. Matter, nature, geome- is not God, so certainly it is finite. Is it try, animation, thought, all suppose each other, amenable to laws? Surely; for apart from and subsist in the region of principles and laws, the finite is not finite-is not at all. ends in inseparable union. Humanity cannot But the laws of the finite sphere are ultimatedispense with one of them, but resumes them ly presented by geometry and mechanics, and all. Thus, in 1734, in his forty-sixth year, presuppose extension, or some analogue of exhe published his "Philosophy of the Infinite, tension: hence, the soul is, in an eminent or Outlines of a Philosophical Argument on sense, a real body, and amenable to finite, i. e., the Infinite, and the Final Cause of Creation; geometrical and mechanical laws, which latter and on the Intercourse between the Soul and come from the Infinite, and admit of superlative the Body." This work, published in 1734, in perfection, as well as any other laws. He then his forty-sixth year, is an attempt to prove, deduces the immortality of the soul in a manifold not the existence of God and the soul, but argument: from the connection of man with equitably to take the suffrage of reason and God by acknowledgment and love; from the experience respecting it, and to abide, once for fact, that those who truly believe in the existall, by its decision; for the author was too real-ence of God, ever believe in immortality; ly industrious, to waste his efforts on impenitent also because the soul's sphere is so inward, scepticism; indeed, no man parleys long with that, who is not more than half a sceptic himself, or else troubled with a sad irresolution of understanding. After duly certifying himself of those great realities, he proceeds at once to inquire how much of their nature may be known, and what is the means to know it.

to acknowledge the Infinite by effects and the senses, than by the reasons of the soul:" and again, "the end of the senses is, to lead us sensually to an acknowledgment of God."

that there is nothing in creation, which can touch or harm it; but it can conform to all the impressions of its own sphere, without ceding its essence; also, from love of offspring, in which the soul declares its own immortality, by imparting a yearning for perpetual life to the mortal body itself; whence parental love 89. The course of the work is somewhat as increases in order as it descends to our chilfollows: First, the existence of an Infinite is dren's children; also from the love of fame, extorted from reason, as a necessity of thought; or natural immortality; and from the desire as presupposed in the whole finite, and es- of good men for the deathless condition of the pecially in the inmost and primordial finites; soul; and again, from the connection of the next, the same is gained from the contempla- Infinite with the soul, as of the soul with the tion of nature, and the final causes extant body. And here the author declares his aim, throughout the human body; and it is al-to "demonstrate immortality to the very leged, that there is a tacit consent of mankind senses;" for he remarks, "we are better led to the existence of an infinite God; a consent which, like reason, comes both from within and from without, from the nature of the soul, and the senses, and circumstances of the body. Having established, for all sane reason, the existence of the Infinite, the question occurs, What is the connection between the Infinite and the finite? Is creation for the Infinite or finite, as a primary end? To which the author replies, that the connection, or nexus must itself be infinite, and the creation, for the Infinite. He then asks, whether, besides reason, there be any other source of information respecting this connection; and here Revelation at once occurs, and asserts the same thing, viz., the existence of a nexus in the person of the Only-Begotten Son, and the infinity of the nexus. He concludes the First Part, by showing that the divine and infinite end of creation is attained in finite and fallen man, in the person of a Mediator; and thus obviates the objection, that if the realization of the divine end depends on the sustained cism, he rests his case on the fundamental goodness and wisdom of man, that end has failed; an objection which would otherwise raze to the foundation the doctrine of ends, and, like a central darkness, scatter obscuration through all the sciences.

90. The Second Part is, On the Mechanism of the Intercourse between the Soul and Body.

91. But the connection between the soul and the body is next to be considered; a connection which is rendered intelligible, the moment we apprehend with clearness, that there is no absolute, but only a relative distinction betweeen the two terms that both are finite, both real forms, that difference of form, in finite things, is real difference of essence: therefore, that the soul may, and must be, contiguous to the body, and conterminous to the bodily series; that the soul itself has its passive side, or surface. Our author here joins issue with Materialism on its own ground, by admitting all that it urges, on the score of organization, agreeing to call the means of incourse between the Soul and Body a Mechanism; and having established a certain consent between the principles of Faith and Scepti

tenets of the Principia, which are admitted in evidence of what Mechanism and Matter itself really consist. We can but admire the sagacity here manifested, and its approach, even at this early stage of his development, to that true spiritual seeing which afterwards demonstrated the human soul a substantial form