, 1863-06-29

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s{MBoL1C CHARACTER OF TIE SCRIP.
TURES-Dy Rev. ABEL SILVER, OF the New Je.
rusaletn Church in New York; New York. D.
Appleton & Co.; Chicago, S. c. GrIggs, & CO.
Thisis Swcdonborgian book, and like all
books Of the Ministers of this sect, 1t CON
tains good deal Of curious reading. VIC
have great respect for syedenborg himself,
who vas in many respects very extraordI-
nary man, combining great practical talents
with remarkably speculative intellect. His
spiritual thesis, which, at first sight looks
Iko the crazy revelation Of moon-struclz
monomantac, wears quito different aspect
upon m Inward acquaintance with it, and is
as logical and we'll sustained in Its conclusion
Us proposition Of Euclid. This founder ofa
new rcllgion--for such It really ia-was ono
Of the first mathematicians Of Europe in his
time-a scholar, aud q most capable engineer.
His mind, however, was nothealthy, but NOR
bid, fold Of the cypress and the yew, and the
obscene imagery Of the grave.
He claims to be especially commissioned By
the Almighty, 10 open tho seals Of new
Apocalypse to tho World-a fatal claim for
any man to make, and the beginning of all
sorts Of insanit1es, moral and intellectual.
What he announces Of Heaven and Hell, of
Earth and the things Of Earth, and Of the
Phenominal Of the Universe, be clalma also
that be has Eeen with his own cyes-and tAat
the spiritual world was open to his inward
vision at all times. Emerson advises all young
students to read Swedcnborg once, and No
more. We indorsc the admonition, and think
that most renders will haye had enough of It
before they get through the !New Jerusa-
lem." No one, however, who desires to
be up to the culture Of his time, can afford to
put swedenborg aside without hearing. He
has spiritual language for all the appear
anccs Of nature, and for tho text Of the Scrip
tures, the words Of which he regards as a spet
cial and beautiful symbolism, whereof he
alone keeps the key. The yeracity Of the
Bible, as the literature Of Divine inspiration,
isfmpugncd and stultlled, according 10 him,
If interpreted according to the received mean
Ing Of words; and it must be confessed that
his translation Of them into the New ~Jerusa-
lem language, Is not only ingenious,
but goes far to prove the truth
of his position. Thus the first. and
Second Chapter Of Genesis contain two essen
TALLY different and distinct accounts Of the
Creation, and cannot be Ieconciled By reason,
nor By the ordinary canons Of critical inter-
probation. Their divine antboritv faia thars
fore. to the erouud. tor the two occonnts
contradict each other, which divine scr1ntnres
could never d.: Paine, and rarious inflde1
writer's, have made mIncemcat of these chan
tcrz, and many others Of similar incon-
sistcncy Us to fact and narrative which the
orthodox stomach has fonni to In 1ort,cu-
1arly indjgcstiblc. But swedenborc SAYS there
is no reason for pfous people to be alarmed
a,s,uI, anvuI 1no sooa ola pook' OF lib tfanpons'
histories, narratives, pastorals, poems, dates,
facts, or truths, because tbev arf, NIL r}rht IN
thcrao,vos ~ - s,cze,a.,e 80. "1s ~ A's4s ~
49, a,r,.,I1 49, nsca3 eons,ste"'' IL Is
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nror +ho a,,,,,o ,o.a., .~ S441' ~''AA"s1'H
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consists ~ n~1,1a. ~ ~ 1s.o ,,1ss. us' "a.en
tba vorr r.r,,rt.h1o s,,an.a ., - :, ,ras.sa~".5
ences >; tates m tbesa o,.sntarx ~ ~ nopoe,a
md nnts.o1, thoir ;,;e,oo.t;ons ;nt, ~ t1,,.~.s-
md .notrr,1 nl,coa -ecoro,7as +ta;. 5;tr
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s,aa4a-sa..,s ] soas. as. as.e' ".tn not ee:1n Oh
~ '"sso poes.5 ano A1.''sloauon IN any
:, ~ -. Aent.neee fiose "no aont kno"
s sn1 1.1suse VI cotlesponoenee means'
.1sa M no e ~ Hnom' ~. 10y 4satn " teaulns
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4 HISTORY or THE INCEL1EcTu:H DE-
M of iii NE w; ~ yGnN nspa. M1f1AA R-aa
Chicago, 8, c. dtiggs.
This Is a book Of learning, and more than
ordinary literary merit. It Ii; intended as the
completion Of the authors work on Human
physiology, in which man was treated as IN
ndiyldual-this present volume treating Of
i'm in his social relation. It isn history also
# tic progress Of ideas and opinions, regard
ID from the platform Of science. The propo-
itions sought to be proved are, first, that So
'ia1 advancement is as completely under the
ontrol OF natural law, as bodily health:
'ecozd. That the life Of IN Individual IL