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Emanuel Swedenborg, the Spiritual Colombus, by U.S.E. 2Nd., Revised

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Emanuel Swedenborg, the Spiritual Colombus, by U.S.E. 2Nd., Revised EMANUEL SWEDENBORG 'f~e Scpititual ColUfll eu~ A SKETCH IIY U.S. E. SECOND EDITION (REVISED) JAMES SPEIRS 36 BLOOMSBURY STREET, LONDON 1877 2/~. 'h-7. "9' "•' ,, Coogle PREFACE. GREAT changes are taking place in the very .structures of society. Old notions, like dilapidated houses, are passing away. New ones, possessing greater breadth and light and beauty are rising upon the ruins. The revolu­ tion is a silent one, accomplished over the heads of men nolms volms, by forces noiseless as the sunshine. The opposition is strong, for the positions disturbed are ancient; but many opponents, rather than be "behind the age," have accepted the situation, at first with distru.'lt, then with tolerance, then with ample wonder that such excellent things had not earlier arrived. One of the symptoms of these changes (itself almost a revolution) is the attention now given by pulpit, platform, press, and in the social circle, to the remarkable theories which EMANUEL SWEDENBORG promulgated more than a hundred years ago. Somehow or other SWEDENBORG is becoming a factor in many of the problems of to-day. His influence per­ vades modem literature and dogma to a surprising extent. His writings exist in many languages, and circulate by thousands every year. Many of the leaders of public opinion, and most of the public libraries, theo­ logical seminaries, and literary institutions possess them. Books, representing his views reduced to common parlance, multiply very fast, find a market, and are reviewed by the press, sometimes with favour, generally with respect. Further, a band of intelligent followers, whose strength is not to be measured by the foot-rule of the statistician, by means of lectures and " Silent Missionaries" make SWEDENJIORG's doctrines widely known, and defend them-when they get an opportunity. Even the Scientists, who, Dr. GARTH WILKINSON tells "9' "•' ,, Coogle lV PREFACE. us, "take off their grave hats to a new beetle or a fresh vegetable alkaloid," and steer clear of the great facts that are dear to the hearts of men and women, are sending out spies to explore the Unseen Universe which SWEDEN BORG has described. They have begun with Spiritism; they will come to SWEDENBORG. EMERSON wittily observes ( Ldtn-s and Social Aims)-" The savatts are chatty and vain, but hold them hard to principle, and definition, and they become mute and near-sighted. What is motion? what is beauty? what is life? what is force ?-push them hard, and they will not be loquacious; they will come to PLATO to PROCLUS and to SWEDENBORG." Some are already there. The Want of the age is a Theosophy which is at once Scriptural, Scientific, Rational, and Practical. In every previous age man's necessity has been God's opportunity. Is ours an exception? How then is SWEDENBORG and his works to be accounted for? They cannot be squeezed to death nor explained away; already they have survived several generations, and are still "new." And if this much-needed Christian psychology dou lie hid in the works of SWEDENBORG ?-loyalty to the truth, liberty of conscience, freedom of voice and pen, all those noblest elements of English character demand its resurrection though the skies fall. In the following pages I have not tried to praise or blame, defend or denounce, vindicate or asperse SWEDEN· BORG; that has been sufficiently done by his friends and enemies. I have aimed rather to present a pen-and-ink sketch, leaving the reader to place it in such " frame " as suits his fancy, and being myself more concerned that my description be accurate and impartial, than whether it favours SWEDEN BORG or the reverse. U. S. E. - LoNDON, N., D«. 1876. "9' "•' ,, Coogle C 0 NT EN T S. PAGB PREFACE •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Swedenborg's Personal Appearance: Habits, Diet :a Emerson Quoted .. •. .•••.. .. .•• .• . •.•••• .. .. • 4 "Judge a man as you find him" .•••••.......•......• 6 Swedenborg's English Biographers .. ...... ... ...... 7 Daniel Isaksson: Jesper Svedberg..................... 9 Emanuel's Early Years and Education u The Swedish Seer Born-not Made .. .... .. ... ... IS His Father appointed Bishop of Skara...... ... ...... I6 The Bishop's Characteristics .. ...•............ ........• I6 Emanuel's First Travels: Some Narrow Escapes I7 London in I7IO .••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•• .•••••••••• •••• IS His Social Position ......•..........•..•.....•............ 21 Science, Correspondence, Discovery and Invention 2r. A Volume of Poems. Edits "Dredalus Hyper- boreas" ................................... ........•..•.•. 22 Polheim introduces him to King Charles XII....... 22 Appointed Assessor of Mines: Royal Friendship 23 He falls in Love; but it is not returned .••..•...... 23 Designs Military Transports: Death of the King 24 The Svedberg Family Ennobled........................ 25 Works on "Chemistry •• and the " Nature of Fire" 25 Anticipates Atomic Theory: Invents an Air-tight Stove ••••...•..•••.•••.•.•.••.••....•.....•.••••...••••.•.• 26 " Physical Sciences: " Crystallography .•.•••.••••• 26 " Opera Philosophica et Mineralia : "The "Prin• ., cipia "............. •••......•..•..........•.........•.•.... 27 Anticipates Discoveries in Astronomy, Magnetism, Chemistry, &c. •...•.•...•...•••.•.•.••....••.........••. 28 "9' "•' ,, Coogle vi CONTE~TS. PAOS " The Infinite and Final Cause of Creation : " Metaphysics .••••••.• ••• .. .••. .••••• .• ••••••••.• .... .. .•• 30 Scientific Reputation and Honours ...•• ... .••... ..•• 30 Bishop Svedberg dies. Emanuf'l travels again ••• 31 " Economy of the Animal Kingdom : " Anatomy and Physiology ......... .......................... ..•.•.. 32 Emerson and S. T. Coleridge Quoted . • •. • •• . 33 " The Animal Kingdom : " Psychology . .. ... •• 34 "The Worship and Love of God:" a Prose Poem 35 End of Science Studies: Retrospection ..•....•.... 36 A New World opened up to view .............•. ...... 38 Preparation for Seership: Dr. Wilkinson quoted 39 States of Transition and Trial ... ..... ..•. ..•...... .. 41 A Vision of Jesus Christ .......•....•........... ... .. .. 42 The Transition completed . .. .. .. .. 45 Sweden borg studies Hebrew Scriptures ......... .. 46 " The Adversaria :" "The Spiritual Diary " ... .. 46 Claims to be Herald of the New Jerusalem......... 47 Paxton Hood Quoted: Sweden borg not a Mystic but an Apostle ... ..•.••...... ..•....•...•..•...... ...... 48 Sweden borg's Physical and Mental condition : Testimony of Coleridge, Emerson, Prof. Grerres, Tenneman, and M. Sandel ........ ...•••. •• . ..••...•• 49 His Rules of Life •....•..•........•............... · .. ··.... 52 Mathesius starts and John Wesley publishes "a sad slander" about him .......................... · ... 53 Its Refutation by Hindmarsh and Brockmer ...••• 55 Anecdotes and Gossip; M. Robsahm; Mr. Lindsey 56 Hypothesis and Conditions of Spiritual Sight...... 58 Swedenborgianism and Spiritism natural an- tagonists .• . .. .• . ••. .•• . •. •• . .. .•.•... •• . .• . .. 6r Was Swedenborg "called by the Lord?" ..•...... 63 " The Arcana Crelestia ; " an Exposition of the Scriptures .••.•.•.•.•...••.•.. ...•.......•. .••... .. ....... 64 Sweden borg's Opinion of the English •..... ...•..... 6g Anecdotes and Proofs of Seership •. .. .• • . .. •.• .. 6g Kant and Swedenborg •..•••..•........••...•• .• · ·• ·. · • ·· · 73 " Heaven and Hell" 76 The Laat Judgment"··J··· ••••••••.••••••.••··········.. ·····•.•·•··...······•••.·••..··· 96 "9' "•' ,, Coogle CO~"TENTS. vii PAGB "The Earths in the Universe:" "The Unseen Universe" .................. ................ ............... IOI "Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem" ... 105 Clerical Interference....................................... 105 Swedenborg as a Politician : Hats and Caps ...... 107 Fin~nci~ R~forms: The Drink Question............ xo8 Vat1camsm m 1761 ....................................... 109 The Swedish Pnme Minister's Opinion of Sweden- borg......................................................... JIO Further Anecdote& ....................................... II2 "The Doctrine ofthe Lord :" The Divine Humanity II3 "The Sacred Scriptures; " The Bible is Divine Truth ...................................................... 117 " Faith:" No Charity, no Faith ..................... 121 "Life" ...................................................... 122 " The Divine Providence :" The Government of Infinite Love and Wisdom ..................... ...... 123 " Th~ _Divine ~~e. and Wisdom : " Sweden borg's Spmtual Pnnc1p1a..................... ...... ....... ..... 128 Meets with Dr. Beyer and Converts him............ 141 Studies the Apocalypse: " The Apocalypse Ex. plained" ...... ............................................. 142 " The Apocalypse Revealed ".. .... .... .. .. .... .. .. .. .. 143 Sweden borg Competes for a Premium for a Method of Determining Longitude ... ........................ 147 Further Anecdotes of Seership .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 148 At Home in Stockholm; Sweden borg's House, Garden, &c. ............................................. 151 His Health, Habits, Library, Visitors ............... 153 Attempt to Assassinate him ...... ..................... 156 A Bad Bishop Converted................................. 157 " Conjugial Love" and its Opposites: The Philo- sophy of Marriage....................................... 158 " How can there be a love which divides and separates ? " .. .... ...... ...... ... ...... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. 178 John Christian Cuno: Anecdotes about Sweden borg 179 " Brief Exposition " of the New Church Doctrines 182 A Visit to Paris
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