SWEDENBORG IN THE NEW DAWN.

I.--1743-5.

"To a man who cherishes a sense of God, the great difficulty is, not to account for miracles, but to account for their rare occurrence. There is something like coldness and repulsiveness in instructing us only by fixed, inflexible laws of nature. The intercourse of God with Adam and the Patriarchs suits our best conceptions of the relation which He bears to the human race, and ought not to surprise us more than the expression of a human parent's tenderness and concern towards his offspring."-CHANNING.

SHOULD the authenticity of the Book of Dreams be still open to question, it is well to know that Swedenborg himself, in a letter written in 1769 to his friend the Rev. Thomas Hartley, rector of Winwick, assigns to the year 1743 the beginning of his illumination. "I have," he says, "been called to a holy office by the Lord Himself, who most graciously manifested Himself in person to me His servant in the year 1743, when He opened my sight to the view of the spiritual world, and granted me the privilege of conversing with spirits and angels."

This is in fullest agreement with two other statements, each of which is the necessary complement of the other; the evidence of the "Animal Kingdom" (part iv.) and the testimony of Swedenborg's friend Dr. Beyer.

up afterpart. Our present business we see it is with the very The brief memoranda of ex

We have seen that on completing the third part of the "Animal Kingdom" our author went to London to print it, and that he there wrote the fourth part in the first half of 1744, following it wards with a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh then is with this part iv., connected as beginnings of Swedenborg's new career. traordinary mental phenomena mentioned in it are the following; (1) an admonition to refer to his philosophical principles and to trust them more generally, p. 82; (2) other counsels and internal phenomena, stated too briefly for our comprehension, p. 164; (3) a representation of something1 he was to obtain and by which he should gain an access to spiritual things, p. 194; (4) extraordinary appearances during the night of July 1-2, p. 202; (5) similar reference, p. 215, and also in two lines accidentally omitted by Dr. Tafel in his transcript of the copy: here Swedenborg says, "What I have just written was foretold me in a wonderful manner (prænuntiata mihi mirabiliter), see the end (vide finem). July 1 and 2. Written July 2."

Dr. Beyer's testimony is that Swedenborg, in his old age, told the 1 The word "Key" inserted here by Mr. White does not appear in the original.

former that the Lord appeared personally to him at the beginning of his new career; that the phenomena lasted a quarter of an hour; and that from this time, in a wonderful manner, the internal and spiritual sight of Swedenborg was opened so as to enable him to see into the other world he added that this latter faculty of perception did not occur at once, but by degrees.1

We will now follow up these two pieces of corroborative evidence by shewing (1) that what Swedenborg speaks of as having been supernaturally told him beforehand is really of a character such as to justify the assertion; then (2) we will continue the history of that gradual illumination spoken of by Dr. Beyer. In both cases we will take as our chief authority in the investigation Swedenborg's own memoranda, which, singularly enough, remain in abundance, consisting principally of a copious untranslated Biblical Commentary; a voluminous Diary, of which only the first portion has been put into English, and finally certain philosophical papers, most of which still await a translator.

The first consideration is an interesting one and may be briefly disposed of. It was shewn in the papers on "Swedenborg and the Book of Dreams" that our philosopher, at the very period wherein his latest biographer sets him down as insane, was in reality working away earnestly at two important tasks,—superintending the printing of a couple of works, and writing a continuation of one of these, the fourth part of the "Animal Kingdom :" we will turn to the date "July 1-2" in the latter, and see if the lines immediately preceding it be susceptible of such an explanation as the mysterious memoranda referred to would seem to imply.

Swedenborg is discoursing of the laws of harmony, and in the two pages immediately preceding the closing words alluded to, he endeavours to shew that everything proceeds according to order with respect either to the good or to the evil in which the rational mind is, the fundamentals of the latter themselves entering either by the posterior way of Intellect or by the prior way of Faith. Through the one or the other of these, the quality of our certitude is determined in regard to truths, all of which are disposed in the mind according to their inter-relationship, the perfection of order belonging to the essentials of

1 There is a third account-a reminiscence of certain conversations with Swedenborg-told by an earnest follower, Robsahm, in his old age; but events widely distinct are so intermixed, that the story is altogether destitute of historical accuracy. It is as if a Chelsea veteran speaking of his hero Nelson, and looking down the long vista of years, should confound the Bay of Naples with that of Aboukir, the Copenhagen engagement with the battle of the Nile.

truth, while these themselves are perfect in the degree in which their qualifying affections are superior.

This introduces the doctrine of Influx and the means of reaching towards excellence by deepening our good affections and rejecting whatever is contrary to true order. All changes of state are shewn to be according to the affections, and are produced in the inmost sensories by harmonies; our outermost states being determined by these inmost ones," yet I confess," says Swedenborg, "that these matters are still obscure to me, but I expect a clearer light (clariorem lucem expecto)." Man's free choice of good or evil on the plane of the Intellect, and how this choice affects the soul and moulds the corresponding state, is next touched upon. The affections are contrasted with the atmospheres, and Swedenborg shews how, with the latter, each least receives the form of every modification of the greater, and yet, in the reception, differentiates, in virtue of its affection, that very influx itself. Similar laws are applied to humanity, and, after speaking of discordant modes and their relative effects, refers to fallen man's delight in dissonance and his malefic influence upon the moral world.

Then follow illustrations of man's affections in their ultimates, the senses, the harmony of whose operations, whether simultaneous or successive, is effected by love.

Swedenborg next shews that there is a true pre-established harmony of these affections on the natural plane, a solidarity beneath the soul, but that there is no pure correspondence and consequent harmony of the one apart from its nexus with another pre-established one: "thus a continuous influx exists, to be explained by natural laws, hence falling within the limits of demonstration, yea, God willing, shall so fall (cadit, imo Deo volente, cadet)." Then follows the mysterious allusion to some occurrence on the night of July 1-2.

What was foretold? Not the general argument of the two pages in question, for that was no new thing to Swedenborg, as may be seen in the treatise "On the Infinite" (pp. 141-2) published years before. Neither was it the doctrine of influx, that flow of life binding successive planes into harmonious co-operation, for this is also to be found in works previously published, the "Economy of the Animal Kingdom” (ii. 229, 227) and "Wisdom and Love of God" (in note 64).

But it was something new and startling for the philosopher to be assured that with God willing, thus integrity of life pre-supposed, it should be his to bring within the circuit of demonstration the relation of influx to correspondence in the workings of the former upon the

plane of nature. Four years were still to elapse ere the secret of the assurance (that "vide finem") should be fully disclosed, and a wonderful course of spiritual training was still to be undergone before that could be properly received from within which only then is divine. The "Arcana Coelestia," the "Apocalypse Revealed," and the "Apocalypse Explained," were the fulfilment of this promise, this prophecy; while Canaan with its mountains, rivers, valleys and borders were to be the natural subject of demonstration; the Jews the human medium through whom these divine teachings should be ultimated.

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"In Thy light we shall see light" is an assurance of the Word. Swedenborg was in London when he wrote this portion of the Animal Kingdom," and that majestic serenity of spirit which is the pervading characteristic of his writings at this period shews plainly that he felt himself under divine tutelage. "GOD WILL PROVIDE" could well be his motto, and we can easily believe that at this time, when on one occasion walking in one of the public squares of the city (Londini in platea) the presence of the Lord Jesus beamed upon his spirit in the sweetest manner; 66 a light and flame, that is, truth and love" (cum luce et flamma, hoc est, cum veritate et amore), illuming and stirring the depths of his soul with unwonted feelings, "an inmost affection transcending language, and which if pictured in many words would describe only its least part" (Adv. i. 5, No. 1262). On reading such a passage one cannot but think of that baptism "with the Holy Spirit and with fire" which was announced as the special gift of the Redeemer (Matt. iii. 11), "that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Pet. ii. 9).

In a lesser degree this peculiarity of internal perception was very frequent now; for in a memorandum written between four and five years afterwards (Aug. 27, 1748) Swedenborg tells us, in reference to this earlier period: "Before (my mind was opened to the extent of being able to converse with spirits, and thus be persuaded by living experience, I received such instructions during several years that I now feel quite astonished, I did not sooner reach a conviction of the Lord's method of government through spirits. Not only were there dreams for some years informing me of what I should write, but there were also changes of state while I was writing, and a certain extraordinary light in what was penned. Afterwards came several visions while my eyes were closed,-light also was miraculously given" (Sp. Diary, 2951).1

1 A curious circumstance is connected with the above passage: Mr. White, in his biography of Swedenborg, gives a larger extract, but in the third person sin

These same internal phenomena are alluded to in the "Adversaria," and are there also said to have occurred before Swedenborg had reached the stage of personal intercourse with spirits. "Many a time did I see flames," says he, "and they were various in colour and brilliancy; indeed for several months once, while I was engaged in writing a certain small work, a flame was visible, bright as that of an ordinary fire. It was a sign of approbation," he continues, "and took place previous to the time when spirits began to speak with me in actual converse" (Adv. iii. no. 7012). Simple, heavenly commencement of the Church of Restored Nature!

A strange occupation it must have been for Swedenborg now, to sit in his lodgings at Fetter-Lane and peruse the sheets the printer would send him from time to time. Here and there he would see lines connected with the first fitful glimmerings of that light which was now widening into undreamt of brightness. Already would he be able to carry forward the reasoning to finer, higher issues. Not long before he had written in reference to the innocent wisdom of unfallen man; "nothing can be truly called ours but the Intellectual Mind and its Will; hence we are named men and are distinguished from brutes: therefore should this Intellectual Mind (mens) draw its knowledges and forms of reasons from Heaven and its light, and according to true order rule the lower mind (animus): it should call forth ideas from the world thereby, and when called forth innoculate them with the shoots of the seeds of our Love" (W. L. G. 72). Scarcely could Swedenborg have passed over such passages as this, without pausing to think of the difference between now and then; the interval's temptations, victories and teachings; the new pledges of peace which "mildeyed Faith and white-handed Hope" had dowered him with in still increasing measures. Often, we feel assured, would his correcting pen be laid down and his tearful eyelids be closed that a thankful prayer might be breathed forth to the ONE so present, so beloved. Knowing as we do, from Swedenborg's subsequent writings, how deap-seated was his conviction of the blessedness of the service of heart-felt prayer, we gular, as if Swedenborg were speaking of somebody else; then, at the foot of the page, the reader is carefully notified that Swedenborg frequently writes thus impersonally" (page 195, vol. i.). You turn to the original Latin, and, lo! all is told frankly in the first person just as given above; the "impersonal" being really restricted to the translation and its unnamed manufacturer,

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1 Mr. White represents Swedenborg as also writing this passage "impersonally ' (i. 195); Swedenborg does not : it is further said to be found in the "Adversaria on Genesis and Exodus ;" it is not to be found there, the inference is clear.