The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-06

on alReDTu tune lTbt IN tno oWtuibh ihi-
guage) no questioned a ~brother-in q
On 10 whether there was any In Uisala
who knew enough OF the subject to road
his proofs for him. .
We have referred to the appearance OF
his philosophical and mineral works.
which were published In three folio
volumes in 1888. 1t was tho appearance
OF this book which Won for Swedenborg
a European reputation and brought him
into correspondence with some OF the
leading philosophers and scientists Of the
day. In the following year the st. Peters
burg Academy Of Sciences invited him to
become q corresponding member. and he
was one Of the first elected members Of
the Royal Academy OF his own country.
In 1885 we come to a turning point in
his life in the publication of a treatise
on the Infinite and Final Cause Of Crea-
tion, which discusses the relation OF the
finite to the infinite and Of the soul to the
body, and seeks to establish a bond OF
connection in each case as a means OF
overcoming the difficulties involved in
their relations. Thenceforward, through
out tho middle period Of his career, Swe-
denborg applied himself to the problem
OF discovering the nature OF soul and
spirit by rleans o! anatomical studies.
He again travelled in Germany. France
and Italy in quest OF the most eminent
teachers and the best hooks dealing with
the human frame. The outcome OF his
new inquiries included among other works
his Economy of the Animal Kingdom
Goadon. l7to-1I) and AThe Animal King
dom the hrst two parts at The Hague.
i7t4-4s and q third part at London in
i:As). Ne observe hero that q pro-
found change was coming over Sweden
borg which vas to make Of the scientific
inquire. tie supernaturalist prophet.
Neither By geometrica!. nor physical. nor
metaphysical principles, had he succeeded
IN reaching and grasping the infinite and
che spiritual, or IN calculating their rela-
ton 10 man and mans organism. though
ne had caught glimpses OF facts And proc
esses Thion, in his opinion, required only
confirmation and development. Later in
life ne wrote to a correspondent that
-he was Introduced ny the Lord, first into
the natural aciences and thus, from the
year l7lO to l74i, prepared when. at he
iuSJ UPiT1eu Odtc, ECd NCh wac opoh0o w
him." The latter great event is de-
scribed hy him Is the opening Of his
spiritual sight! the manifestation OF
the Lord TO him in person. and shis in
PRODUCTION into the spiritual world
It ras in .?45 that Swedenborg pub
lishetl the remarkable book entitled "The
Worship and Love Of Cod Written at
the transitional period Of the authors
life, this essay gathers up many OF The
ideas found in his earlier works and
reaches forward to the higher truths
which re was thenceforward to expound.
Four years later, namely, in 174e, ap-
peored the first volume OF "Arcane
Celestial The poetic diction Of the pro-
ceding book has here been discarded
for aarhetorical prose, philosophical
speculation has given place to confident
assertion in regard to spiritual matters,
though che assertion IL unaccompanied
BY a traoe of egotism; theological ortho-
doxy Is superseded ny the widely different
system Of doctrine usually associated
with the authors anne In the pre-
ccding work the story Of the creation
was accepted as literal history, though
interpreted somewhat freely in accord
ance with tho writer's speculative ideas;
in the new book II is regarded S a divine
allegory, the only consistent interpreta-
ton OF which no declared to be spirit ual.
An explanation Of the change is given
by Swedenborg himself in the conolud-
ing paragraph Of the introduction to the
@Arcana C9lestia.' He says that out Of
the Lords divine mercy it had been
granted to him for several years to be
constantly in company with spirits and
angels, hearing them convers with each
other and conversing with them. Hence
it had been permitted him to hear and
see things in another life that were as
tonishing and that never befonc had
come to the knowledge or imagination
of any man. By many persons this ex-
traordinary claim was naturally regarded
as a proof OF mental alteration, but
S~wedenborg's followers have not hest
tated TO accept it fully on the ground
that in no other way can they account
for the spiritual insight which his later
writings display. He subsequently told
a friend that he was elevated into heaven
by degrees only and that for a number
of years he had dreams the real sig
MITIGATION Of which he did not at nee
understand. He kept a record Of his
dream experiences during 1744 in a private
diary first published in 1850, the au-
thenticity of which is now fairly estab-
lished.
Those visions wore often accompanied
by violent tremors and frances, and dur
ing their continuance his sloep often
lasted from ten TO thirteen hours. What
is unique in Sw~edenborg's case, far from
being a victim Of religious excitement. he
Watched and studied himself with the ere
Of q scientific observer. He was we'll
aware that people are sometimes led away
by emotion to imagine oil kinds Of things,
and was careful to guard himself against
such extravagancies. For a man living
an active life in the world. a mathemati-
clan and logician and a devotee of natural
science, to succumb to mental illusions
is q most unlikely phenomenon. Neither
do we hear Of any sudden conversion
TO account for the change that came over
~Swodenborg after 17i4 and 17i5. He con-
tinuoi to write and publish for nearly
thirty years other works which are thor
ougAly sane and consistent, and which to
those who have examined Thorn most care
fully bear evidence Of great wisdom.
Ill.
In 17l7 Swcdenborg resigned his posi-