morning the royal courier arrived at the governor's with the melancholy intelligence of the fire, of the loss which it had occasioned, and of the houses it had damaged and ruined, not in the least differing from that which Swedenborg had given immediately after it had ceased, for the fire was extinguished at eight o'clock.

'What can be brought forward against the authenticity of this occurrence? My friend, who wrote this to me, has not only examined the circumstances of this extraordinary case at Stockholm, but also, about two months ago, at Gothenburg, where he is acquainted with the most respectable houses, and where he could obtain the most authentic and complete information; as the greatest part of the inhabitants, who are still alive, were witnesses to the memorable occurrence. I am, with profound reverence, &c. EMANUEL KANT.

'Koenigsberg, Aug. 10, 1758.'

The editors of the Intellectual Repository, who have copied the above letter in that work, make the following remarks:

'Swedenborg's omitting to answer, by letter, Professor Kant's inquiries of him relating to the above affair, may appear extraordinary. But it is to be observed, that he never, himself, laid any stress upon these miraculous proofs of the truth of his pretensions. If asked respecting them by those who had heard them from others, he would say that the reports were true; but he abstained from writing any accounts of them; and never does he appeal to them, or so much as mention them, in his works. How strong an evidence is this of his elevation of mind; and of his perfect conviction of the truth of the views he was made the instrument of unfolding, with his own divine appointment to that purpose, as standing in need of no such evidence for their support! Could it be possible for

any of the merely fanatical pretenders to divine communications to appeal to such testimonies of supernatural endowment, how continually would they do so, how eagerly would they seek to silence objectors by referring to the queens, counts, ambassadors, governors, and university professors, that had been witnesses of their power! But it is precisely on account of the silencing nature of such evidence, that Swedenborg declines to make use of it. It is a principle in his theology, that nothing which externally compels assent can impart an internal reception of genuine truth, which is the only kind of reception that can do the subject of it any real good: it is to the praise, then, of his consistency, that he never adverts to the external demonstrations, which, under peculiar circumstances, he had occasionally been induced to give, of the reality of his communications with the spiritual world. Yet, this once established, the reality of his divine commission is established also. To be able to have intercourse at pleasure with the inhabitants of the eternal world, and with any who have hence departed thither, is obviously an endowment unattainable by any natural means. It can, then, only be enjoyed by the special gift of the Lord. But the Lord, we may be certain, would not remove the barrier, which, for various important reasons, is established between the other world and this, for any merely trivial and natural purpose. He can only, then, have done it in the case of Swedenborg, because, without it, he could not have been qualified to explain the correspondence between spiritual things and natural, which was necessary to the developement of the spiritual sense of the Word; nor to restore the lost knowledge respecting the nature of the life after death, of heaven and hell; both which discoveries were indispensable to the opening of the New Jerusalem dispensation. When,

therefore, Swedenborg gave proof that he enjoyed the power of free communication with the spiritual world, he gave proof, at the same time, that he had truly received as he affirmed, a divine commission to promulgate the truths of this dispensation. Yet he forbore to appeal to this overwhelming testimony; because he knew that they whose minds were so closed as to be incapable of believing the truth through its own inherent light, could not be made to believe it interiorly, and thus permanently, by merely external demonstrations. Doubtless, however, it was of Divine Providence that occasions arose which constrained him to give such demonstrations, and that they were recorded by others: because such things serve for confirmation of the truth, though they are not the proper grounds of its original reception. When presented also upon testimony, and at a distance of time, they lose that compulsive character which they possess when they take place immediately, or nearly so, before our eyes and thus they may then become useful to draw attention to the truth, which, when known, may convince by its own evidence.'

THERE were many distinguished men who became the intimate friends of Swedenborg, after his spiritual sight was opened, in 1743-4. Among these was Dr. Gabriel Andrew Beyer, Professor of Greek Literature, and member

of the Consistory at Gottenburg. He is the author of an Index to Swedenborg's works.

Dr. Beyer first became acquainted with Swedenborg in 1766. In the course of that year Swedenborg went to Gottenburg to take passage in a vessel that was to sail in a few days for London. During his stay at Gottenburg, Dr. Beyer accidentally fell into his company. Being interested by Swedenborg's conversation he invited him to dine with him on the following day, in company with Dr. Rosen (a learned clergyman who afterwards embraced the doctrines of the New Church). After dinner Dr. Beyer requested Swedenborg to give a full account of his doctrines. To this request he readily complied, and gave a clear and luminous account of the heavenly doctrines of the New Church. He was listened to very attentively, and suffered to proceed without interruption to the conclusion of his discourse; when he had finished, Dr. Beyer requested him to meet him on the following day, and to bring with him a paper containing the substance of his discourse, in order that he might consider it more attentively. On the following day, Swedenborg came according to his promise, when, taking the paper from his pocket, he trembled and appeared much agitated; and, handing the paper to Dr. Beyer, in the presence of Dr. Rosen, he said, 'Sir, from this day the Lord has introduced you into the society of angels, and you are now surrounded by them.' They were, as might be expected, much affected by an occasion so extraordinary. Swedenborg then took his leave, and on the following day embarked for England.

Dr. Beyer immediately procured the writings of Swedenborg, and became a full receiver of the doctrines. He suffered some persecution from the clergy on account of his sentiments. On this subject we find a letter addressed

to him from Swedenborg, saying, 'I wonder that your suit and controversy still continue at Gottenburg, against which I will urge a complaint at the next Diet, when I shall transmit the Universal Theology of the New Heaven and the New Church, which will appear in print at the end of June. I will send two copies to each member of the Diet, and request that they may appoint from all the respective orders, an assembly of deputies to give their final decision.' This letter was written from Amsterdam, April 20th, 1771. In 1770, Dr. Beyer drew up a public confession of his belief in the doctrine of the New Church, and sent it to the king, agreeably to the command of his royal highness. It is an able vindication of the doctrines. We will introduce the concluding part, not as containing any thing very remarkable, but merely to show the style in which he wrote:

In obedience to your majesty's most gracious command, that I should deliver a full and positive declaration respecting the writings of Swedenborg, I do acknowledge it to be my duty to declare, in all humble confidence, that as far as I have proceeded in their study, and agreeably to the gift granted to me for investigation and judgment, I have found in them nothing but what closely coincides with the words of the Lord himself, and that they shine with a light truly divine. A man as naturally timorous and diffident as I am, could scarcely have ventured to avow these sentiments, had not the Lord, for the honor of his cause, granted me that freedom, and in his mercy drawn forth from me this avowal, by holding out to me protection against heavy persecutions, under a singularly gracious and righteous government. The consolation I feel, under these circumstances, is grounded on the sure confidence, that as many of your majesty's faithful subjects as are duly conversant with these writ