posed, received him in the house, and request-have not a very good voice, though fond of ed his excuse if in any respect she should fall singing, and would sing if my mother would short of her wishes to entertain him; adding accompany me." He requested my wife to that for thirty years she had been afflicted join, to which she assented, and they sang a with a painful disease. He politely kissed few Italian duettos, and some French airs, her hand, and answered, 'O, dear, of this we each in their respective taste, to which he will not speak; only acquiesce in the will of beat time, and afterwards paid many compliGod, it will pass away and you will return to ments to my wife, on account of her taste and the same health and beauty as when you were fine voice, which she had preserved notwithfifteen years old.' The lady made some reply, standing so long an illness. I took the liberty to which he rejoined, 'Yes, in a few weeks.' of saying to him, that since in his writings he From which they concluded him to mean, that always declared, that at all times there were diseases which have their foundation in the mind, good and evil spirits of the other world presand are supported by the infirmities of the ent with every man; might I then make bold body, do not disappear immediately after death. to ask, whether now, while my wife and 381. "We have hitherto had little opportu- daughter were singing, there had been any nity of being introduced to Swedenborg in pri- from the other world present with us? To vate life; we have seen him at the mines, at his this he answered, "Yes, certainly;" and on office, at his desk, and in the Diet; let us now my inquiring who they were, and whether I spend a portion of an evening with him at Gen- had known them, he said that it was the Daneral Tuxen's. Even if it illustrates no doc-ish royal family, and he mentioned Christian trine, yet it is always coveted to enjoy the fa- VI., Šophia Magdalena, and Frederic V., miliar presence of extraordinary persons, and who through his eyes and ears had seen and to find that their habiliments and corporeal heard it. I do not positively recollect whethmould are like our own. The brotherliness of er he also mentioned the late beloved Queen mankind is gratified by these near occasions, Louisa among them. After this he retired.' even as more sublime but not dearer emotions, 383. During this visit to General Tuxen, by the aspect of genius on its public days. in the course of other conversation, Tuxen 382. " Being then together,' says General produced the autobiographical letter that SweTuxen, in company with my wife, my now denborg had written to Hartley, and which deceased daughter, and three or four young begins, I was born .. in the year 1689' ladies, my relations, he entertained them Swedenborg told him that he was not born in very politely and with much attention on in- that year, as mentioned, but in the preceding. different subjects, on favorite dogs and cats Tuxen asked him whether this was an error that were in the room, which caressed him of the press, but he said, No; and added, and jumped on his knee, showing their little tricks. During these trifling discourses, mixed with singular questions, to all of which he obligingly answered, whether they concerned this or the other world, I took occasion to say, that I was sorry I had no better company to amuse him than a sickly wife and her young girls; he replied, "And is not this very good company? I was always very partial to the ladies' society." After some little pause he cast his eyes on a harpsichord, and 384. "We have here a reason for that asked whether we were lovers of music, and modification of events according to a context, who played upon it. I told him we were all of which the Gospel histories, so often dislovers of it, and that my wife in her youth crepant from each other, furnish numerous had practised, as she had a fine voice, perhaps instances. Thus five baskets full in the one better than any in Denmark, as several per- evangelist are twelve in another; not to mensons of distinction, who had heard the best tion other cases about which unsuccessful singers in France, England and Italy, had harmonists of the letter have written at large. assured her; and that my daughter also played Manifestly it is the plan of the context which with pretty good taste. On this Swedenborg regards the events from its own point of view, desired her to play. She then performed a and paints the narrative in its own colors. It difficult and celebrated sonata, to which he beat is what all historians do in a lesser way, bendthe measure with his foot, on the sofa on ing the history to ideas, or shaping it with an which he sat; and when finished, he said, artistic force. Taking a certain larger block "bravo! very fine." She then played anoth- of time as a period of birth, it is hieroglypher by Ruttini; and when she had played a ically truthful to play down upon any date few minutes, he said, "this is by an Italian, contained in the block, according to the subbut the first was not." This finished, he said, ject and the signification. There are many "bravo! you play very well. Do you not kinds of truth besides black and white; and also sing?" She answered, "I sing, but generally, figurative truths require latitude

You may remember in reading my writings to have seen it stated in many parts, that every cipher or number has in the spiritual sense a certain correspondence or signification. Now,' said he, when I put the true year in that letter, an angel present told me to write the year 1688, as much more suitable to myself than the other; and you observe," answered the angel, "that with us time and space are nothing.'

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of phrase. At the same time it must be con- nations and opinions; and it is very difficult to fessed, that one would like to know when the be divested of them. We ought, therefore, to writing is pure history, and when it is a base lay them aside here." My friend took his leave of history, made use of for symbolical pur- of this remarkable man, perfectly convinced, poses, and touched in part by spirit. Literal and returned back to Elberfeld.' people are apt to be offended otherwise, and we sympathize with them.

Our Opinions follow us into the next Life.

Testimonies to spiritual Intercourse.

386. "In June, 1771, Swedenborg pub385. "Swedenborg arrived at Amsterdam lished at Amsterdam the True Christian Reprobably about the beginning of September, ligion; containing the Universal Theology of carrying with him the manuscript of his last the New Church. He had been employed work, the True Christian Religion. Jung upon this large work for at least two years, Stilling supplies us with an anecdote of him and when he arrived at Amsterdam, he comat this period. An intimate friend of Stil- menced the printing of it, always exhibiting ling's, a merchant of Elberfeld, had occasion an assiduity which surprised those with whom to take a journey to Amsterdam, and having he came into contact. It will be remembered heard much of this strange individual that he was now in his 84th year. We have (Swedenborg), desired to become acquainted a few particulars of his life during this resiwith him. He called upon him, and found a dence in Holland, from David Paulus ab Invenerable friendly old man, who desired him to dagine, 'a respectable and learned individube seated. The Elberfeld merchant, Stilling al,' who cultivated his acquaintance, first by says, was a strict mystic in the purest sense. letter, and afterwards personally. Ab IndaHe spoke little, but what he said was like gold-gine, in his open manner, could not conceal en fruit on a salver of silver. He would not his astonishment that Swedenborg had put have dared for all the world to tell an un- himself upon the title page as "Servant of truth.' He explained to Swedenborg that he the Lord Jesus Christ." But Swedenborg was acquainted with his writings, and had replied, 'I have asked, and have not only reheard the relations of the fire of Stockholm, ceived permission, but have been ordered to and the affair of the Queen of Sweden's do so.' (It appears that it was owing to Dr. brother, but that he wished for a proof of a Hartley's remonstrance with him that he was similar kind for himself. Swedenborg was in the first instance induced to depart from willing to gratify him. The merchant then his course of publishing anonymously, and to said, "I had formerly a friend who studied prefix his name to any of his works.) Ab divinity at Duisburg, where he fell into a con- Indagine continues, in a letter to a correspondsumption, of which he died. I visited this ent (Jan. 26, 1771): It is wonderful with friend a short time before his decease; we what confidence the old gentleman speaks of conversed together on an important topic; the spiritual world, of the angels, and of God could you learn from him what was the sub- himself.' . If I were only to give you ject of our discourse?" "We will see. What the substance of our last conversation, I should was the name of your friend?" The mer- fill many pages. He spoke of naturalists chant told him his name. "How long do you (those who ascribe all things to nature), whom remain here?" "About eight or ten days." he had seen shortly after their death, and "Call upon me again in a few days. I will amongst whom were even many theologians, see if I can find your friend." The merchant or such, at least, as had made theology their took his leave and despatched his business. profession in this life. He told me things Some days after, he went again to Sweden- which made me shudder, but which, however, borg, in anxious expectation. The old gen- I pass by, in order not to be over hasty tleman met him with a smile, and said, "I in my judgment respecting him. I will willhave spoken with your friend; the subject ingly admit, that I know not what to make of your discourse was, the restitution of all of him; he is a problem that I cannot solve. things." He then related to the merchant, I sincerely wish, that upright men, whom with the greatest precision, what he, and what GOD has placed as watchmen upon the walls his deceased friend, had maintained. My of Zion, had some time since occupied themfriend turned pale; for this proof was pow-selves with this man.

erful and invincible. He inquired further, 387. "I have often wondered at myself, "How fares it with my friend? Is he in a how I could refrain from laughing, when I state of blessedness?" Swedenborg answered, was hearing such extraordinary things from "No, he is not yet in heaven; he is still in him. And what is more, I have often heard Hades, and torments himself continually with him relate the same things in a numerous the idea of the restitution of all things." This answer caused my friend the greatest astonishment. He ejaculated, "My God! what, in the other world?" Swedenborg replied, "Certainly; a man takes with him his favorite incli

company of ladies and gentlemen, when I well knew that there were mockers amongst them; but, to my great astonishment, not a single person even thought of laughing. Whilst he is speaking, it is as though every person

389. The Landgrave again wrote to Swedenborg, inquiring about the "miracle" of his intercourse with the Queen of Sweden's brother; to which he replied:

:

who hears him were charmed, and compelled to believe him. He is by no means reserved and recluse, but open-hearted, and accessible to all. Whoever invites him as his guest, may expect to see him. A certain young gentle- "As to that which is related of the brother of man invited him last week to be his guest, the Queen of Sweden, it is entirely true; but it and although he was not acquainted with him, should not be regarded as a miracle; it is but one he appeared at his table, where he met Jew-of those memorabilia, of the same kind as those ish and Portuguese gentlemen, with whom he inserted in the book just mentioned, concerning Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, and others. All these freely conversed, without distinction. Who- memorabilia are but testimonies that I have been ever is curious to see him has no difficulty; it introduced by the Lord into the spiritual world, as is only necessary to go to his house, and he to my spirit, and that I converse with spirits and allows any body to approach him. It can easi- angels. It is true also that I have conversed with ly be conceived, however, that the numerous a person mentioned in the journa. you cite, and, visits, to which he is liable, deprive him of much six months ago, with the deceased Stanislaus, time.-I am, &c., D. P. AB INDAGINE." king of Poland, in a certain society where he was, and where it was not known who he was. He 388. In the same year, we find the fol- made all the happiness of his life consist in relowing letter to the Landgrave of Hesse maining thus unknown in these assemblies, and in Darmstadt. Swedenborg did not answer it at conversing there familiarly with the spirits and first, being doubtful of its genuineness; but angels as one of them. I afterwards saw him his misgivings were set aside by a visit from transferred to a northern region, where I learned M. Venator, the minister of that prince. that he had been called by a society of Roman your gracious letter, you ask, how I attained Catholics, over whom he presided. In the same to be in society with angels and spirits, and whether that privilege can be communicated from one person to another. Deign, then, to receive favorably this answer.

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"In

"The Lord our Savior had foretold that he

would come again into the world, and that He

way, I have often conversed with the Roman Pontiff, who has lately died. After his decease he remained with me a whole day; but it is not permitted me to publish any thing respecting his manner of living, or his state. You may see, if you will, what I have written in my last work, concerning the Pontiff who reigned some thirty or whatever has relation to the honor of God. forty years ago. Treat favorably, I pray you, am, with respect, &c.,

"EMANUEL SWEDENBORG. "Amsterdain, July 15, 1771."

I

390. In another letter to M. Venator, Swedenborg states that such matters are not to be regarded as miracles, but only testimonies as above.

"In order that the church, which until now had remained in ignorance of that world, may know that heaven and hell exist in reality, and that man lives after death, a man, as before; and that thus there might be no more doubt as to his immortality. You may see, in the True Christian Religion, that there are no more miracles, at this time; and the reason why. It is that they, who do not believe because they see no miracles, might easily, by them, be led into fanaticism."

would establish there a New Church. He has given this prediction in the Apocalypse xxi. and xxii., and also in several places in the Evangelists. But as he cannot come again into the world in person, it was necessary that He should do it by means of a man, who should not only receive the doctrine of this New Church in his understanding, but also publish it by printing; and as the Lord had prepared me for this office from my infancy, He has manifested Himself in person before me, His servant, and sent me to fill it. This took place in the year 1743. He afterwards opened the sight of my spirit, and thus introduced me into the spiritual world, and granted me to see the heavens and many of their wonders, and also the hells, and to speak with angels and spirits, and this continually for twenty-seven years. I declare in all truth that such is the fact. This favor of the Lord in regard to me, has only taken place for the sake of the New Church which I have mentioned above, the doctrine of which is contained in my writings. The gift of conversing with spirits and angels cannot be transmitted from one person to another, unless the Lord Himself opens the spiritual sight of that person. It is sometimes permitted to a 391. "The True Christian Religion, (making spirit to enter into a man, and to communicate to 815 close pages in the eighth English edition,) him some truth; but it is not granted to the man contains the author's body of divinity.' The to speak mouth to mouth with the spirit. It is whole of his theological works, hermeneutical, even a very dangerous thing, because the spirit visional, philosophical, dogmatic, and moral, enters into the affection of man's self-love, which does not agree with the affection of heavenly love. are summed up and represented in this delibWith respect to the man tormented by spirits, erate system. There is none of his treatises I have learned from heaven that that has befallen him so plain, or so well brought home to apprein consequence of the meditations to which he has hension; none in which the yield of doctrine devoted himself; but that, nevertheless, there is no is so turned into daily bread, the food of pracdanger to be apprehended from them, because the Lord protects him. The only method of cure for him is to convert himself, and to supplicate the

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Lord our Savior Jesus Christ to succor him. remain, with respect, &c.,

Amsterdam, 1771.

"EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

I

True Christian Religion.

tical religion. Viewed as a digest, it shows a presence of mind, an administration of materials, and a faculty of handling, of an extraordinary kind. There is old age in it, in the sense of ripeness. If the intellectualist misses there somewhat of the range of discourse, it

is compensated by a certain triteness of wis- ground. The words mine and thine have not dom. As a polemic, not only against the laid their paws upon these estates. Still the errrors of the churches, but against the evil genius reverts the mightier for its unselfishlives and self-excusings of Christians, the ness. The method of thought is the same in work is unrivalled. The criticisms of doctrine his theology as in his philosophy; his theolowith which it abounds, are masterly in the gy is his latest philosophy explaining his extreme; and, were it compared with any walks and experiences in the spiritual world. similar body of theology, we feel no doubt The active mental power is greater in his latthat the palm of coherency, vigor, and compre- ter than in his former life; and would be hensiveness, would easily fall to Swedenborg, more manifestly so, had he not always practiupon the verdict of judges of whatever church. cally disclaimed his own gifts in favor of the 392. "It will not be necessary to enter at Giver; a course that offends the pride of large upon its contents, as we have dwelt upon self-derived intelligence,' which misses the them already in reviewing the author's pre- brilliancy of its earthly fire in his low speech vious writings. The following summary, how- and self-absent periods. But assuredly his ever, of the chapters, will show the scope of knowledge of man is more exceeding than his the work. I. God the Creator. II. The knowledge of nature; his plainness is more Lord the Redeemer. III. The Holy Spirit picturesque than his imagination; and his and the divine operation. IV. The Holy spiritual cosmogony and humanity will surScripture, or the Word of the Lord. V. The vive the ingenuity of his Principia, and the Ten Commandments, in their external and in- natural beauty of his Physiology. ternal senses. VI. Faith. VII. Charity, or 395. “In Part I. of his biography, we have love towards our neighbor and good works. devoted a few words to the author's philosoVIII. Free determination. IX. Repentance. phical style; we shall now say somewhat on X. Reformation and Regeneration. XI. Im- his theological. In the former case, we noted putation. XII. Baptism. XIII. The Holy with surprise that the dress of his books beSupper. XIV. The Consummation of the came more and more imaginative, as his mind Age, the Coming of the Lord, and the New matured. The ornament, it is true, was a Heaven and the New Church. Besides these part of the subject, as a flower is a part of a subjects, the work contains no less than 76 plant. In his theological works, he discarded Memorable Relations from the spiritual world, interspersed between and among the chapters; for Swedenborg always addresses the reader as already a member of two worlds.

this vesture, and began not from the flower, but from the seeds of his philosophy. The difference between The Worship and Love of God and the Arcana Calestia, is immense in 393. "Some time before his last publication, point of style; the rhetoric of the former is Dr. Ernesti attacked him in his Bibliotheca shorn into level speech in the latter. But it is Theologica (p. 784), and before he left Hol- a second time to be observed, that his mind land, Swedenborg issued a single leaf in reply took the course from plainness to luxuriance, to his opponent. It is a short deprecation of and that in his later theology, copious illuscontroversy characteristic of the peaceful and tration gave fruitiness to his style. Ornabusy old man. 'I have read,' says he, what mental it cannot be called, but full and aboundDr. Ernesti has written about me. It consists ing. Instead of the beauties of color, he profof mere personalities. I do not observe in it fers gratifications for many senses, in solid a grain of reason against any thing in my paragraphs of analogies. If his old age is writings. As it is against the laws of honesty specially discernible in his True Christian Reto assail any one with such poisoned weapons, ligion, it is in the wealth of the comparisons, I think it beneath me to bandy words with which succeed each other with childlike voluthat illustrious man. I will not cast back bility, though it must be confessed also with calumnies by calumnies. To do this, I should felicity. The child learns by comparison; the be even with the dogs, which bark and bite, adult, more alive to intellectual beauty, deckor with the lowest drabs, which throw street his mind in colored garments, and sets forth mud in each other's faces in their brawls. his theory as a captivation; the elder teaches. Read if you will . . . what I have writ- as the child learns, by comparisons again ten in my books, and afterwards conclude, but There is nothing like them for power; they from reason, respecting my revelation.' Severe words, these, if not controversial!

1:

cleave to the mind in its youngest and still joyous parts; and are to abstractions what gold coin is to doubtful promises in air Mental Peculiarities. Last Sickness. or upon paper. By them the good old men 394. "Our enumeration of Swedenborg's prattle to the young, who are the seed of the theological publications is now ended. Un- state, and the inheritors of the future. apparent as his person is throughout them, we was Swedenborg's last and most loving mode feel that it is almost profane to dwell upon his of speech, to familiarize difficult things by tellgenius. In reading them we rather think of ing us what their case is most like in the a gifted pen than of a great man. Originality world about us: a method which he followed and competitive questions are far in the back-particularly in the True Christian Religion.

396. "There are five kinds of reception,' | by shunning evils of all kinds as sins against says Swedenborg, (Diary, n. 2955,) speaking him, and diligently searching his Word, of the reception of his own writings by the which from beginning to end bears incontesworld. First, there are those who reject table witness to the truth of the doctrines them utterly, either because they are in a dif- I have delivered to the world.' Dr. H. after ferent persuasion, or are enemies of the faith: this returned home, about a day's journey they cannot be received by these, whose minds from London, (to East Malling, in Kent,) and are impenetrable. The second genus receives heard soon after that Swedenborg was near them as scientifics, and in this point of view, his departure, and expressed a desire to see and as curiosities, they are delighted with him; but some hinderances to the visit,' says them. The third genus receives them intel- he, 'happening at the time, I did not embrace lectually, and with readiness, but their lives the opportunity as I should have done; for remain unaltered by them. The fourth re- those hinderances might have been surmountceives them persuasively, allowing them to ed. My neglect on this occasion appears to penetrate to amendment of life; to this class me without excuse, and lies very heavy on they occur in certain states, and do good ser- my mind to this day,' vice. The fifth genus consists of those who receive them with joy, and are built up in them. 397. "In August, 1771, Swedenborg came 400. "From the time of his seizure till his from Amsterdam to London, and took up his death he was visited but by few friends, and abode for the second time with one Shear- always appeared unwilling to see company. smith, peruke maker, at 26, Great Bath Nevertheless we meet with him once again in Street, Coldbath Fields. Notwithstanding his a semi-public character. Towards the end advanced age, he still continued indefatigable of February, 1772, the Rev. John Wesley is with his pen, and, after finishing his True in conclave with some of his preachers, who Christian Religion, he proceeded to the execu- are taking instructions, and assisting him in tion of another work, a supplement to the for- preparations for a circuit he is shortly to mer, treating in detail of the various churches make, when a Latin note is put into his hand, which have existed upon the earth. This trea- which causes him evident astonishment. The tise he either did not complete, or the end of it substance is as follows: is missing. He now renewed his intercourse with his friends in London, who have handed down some interesting accounts of the closing scenes of his life.

398. "Towards the end of the year, Dr. Hartley and Mr. Cookworthy visited him at his lodgings in Clerkenwell. The details of the interview are not given, only that it was impossible to avoid noticing his innocence and simplicity, and how, on inviting him to dine with them, he politely excused himself, adding that his dinner was already prepared, which proved to be a meal of bread and milk.

His Connection with Rev. John Wesley.

'Great Bath Street, Coldbath Fields, February, 1772.

'Sir, I have been informed in the world of spirits that you have a strong desire to converse with me. I shall be happy to see you if you will favor me with a visit.

'I

am, Sir, your humble servant,

'EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.'

Wesley frankly acknowledged to the company that he had been strongly impressed with a desire to see and converse with Swedenborg, and said that he had not mentioned the desire to any one. He wrote for answer that he 399. "On Christmas eve a stroke of apo- was then occupied in preparing for a six ,plexy deprived him of his speech, and he lay months' journey, but would wait upon Swedenafterwards in a lethargic state for more than borg on his return to London. Swedenborg three weeks, taking no sustenance beyond a wrote in reply that the proposed visit would little tea without milk, and cold water occa- be too late, as he, Swedenborg, should go into sionally, and once a little currant jelly. At the world of spirits on the 29th day of the the end of that time he recovered his speech next month, nevermore to return. The reand health somewhat, and ate and drank as sult was, that these two celebrated persons usual. It does not appear that he had any did not meet." Wilkinson's Biography, medical advice in his sickness. Dr. Hartley pp. 206-212. now again visited him, in company with Dr. Messiter, and asked him if he was comforted with the society of angels as before, and he answered that he was. Furthermore, they besought him to declare whether all that he had written was strictly true, or whether any part, or parts, were to be excepted. I have written,' answered Swedenborg, with a degree of warmth, nothing but the truth, as you will have more and more confirmed to you all the days of your life, provided you keep close to the Lord, and faithfully serve him alone,

*It is certain that Wesley was at this time attracted to Swe

denborg. Besides other proofs, we have one in a letter written to Wesley by the Rev. Francis Okely, a Moravian minister. This gentleman visited Swedenborg, probably between August and December, 1771, and wrote to Wesley upon the interview is letter, (Arminian Magazine, vol. viii., p. 553, 1785,) dated Upton, Dec. 10, 1771, is somewhat interesting.

"Swedenborg is to me a riddle, certainly, as you [Wesley] say, he speaks many great and important truths; and as certainly seems to me to contradict Scripture in other places. But, as without divine illumination; and I am obliged to confess, that I he told me, I could not understand his True Christian Religion have not yet a sufficiency of it for that purpose. I am thankful my present course does not seem absolutely to require it. We conversed in the high Dutch, and notwithstanding the impediment in his speech, I understood him well. He spoke with all the coolness and deliberation you might expect from any, the most sober and rational man. Yet what he said was out of my