ever effected by and through the natural truths of the Word, represented by iron and it is from these, as a basis, that all spiritual advancement in the New Church must spring, and in which it must be grounded. Hence we find the use of this metal daily increasing in our arts, manufactures, and buildings, and gradually superseding the employment of wood, which, however, may have been more applicable in the structures of the middle ages, when carving was, in like manner, carried to a state of rude beauty and bold excellence, because it corresponds to the lowest degree of natural good and the merit of works-the chief glory and support of religion in that dark time of the church.

Once more:-Of all the manufactures in which our country so peculiarly excels, and which have risen to such a pitch of perfection within the last century, perhaps the most delicate machinery, and that which enters into the minutest details of construction, whilst it shews the greatest adaptation of means to an end, may be found in the beautiful cotton, silk, and cloth mills of England, in which the greater part of the clothing of its inhabitants is fabricated, and from which there are few countries in the known world that have not derived some benefit. And can we look on these intricate and extraordinary operations moving in every direction around us, and not feel that there is some spiritual cause within which guides them to their natural object and uses? No! for we learn that the clothing of the human body represents, as it corresponds to, the most external natural truths of the Word, which are a covering to the glories of its spiritual contents, and without which man cannot see or learn any of the higher truths of heaven, since in this sense only are they adapted to his sensual perceptions. And it has therefore been providentially ordered by the Lord, that the literal sense of his Word shall be more especially cultivated and searched into, in these latter times of the Old Church, when its internal meaning is lost, in order that it may again become the basis on which to rest the spiritual truths of the new dispensation; and hence as a natural effect in the world around us, we see the application of every ingenuity in construction, and every improvement in mechanical power to the production of man's outward garments.

It is indeed from British looms and British industry, that most nations of the known world are supplied with the fabrics which form at least a part of their clothing. The cotton dress of the Hindù, though grown on his native plains, is manufactured here; so it is with the Negroes of Africa and the American Indians, and to a yet greater N. S. No. 30.-VOL. 3.

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extent amongst the more civilized parts of the earth. For it is also chiefly from British benevolence and British exertions, through the medium of the Bible society, that the spread of the Scriptures in their own language and thus of divine truth in its natural clothing-has been extended to the natives of all lands. But shall we therefore pride ourselves on our superiority over other countries or other people? No! but rather rejoice with trembling at this our high and holy mission. Rejoice that from the liberty, both civil and religious, with which we are blessed in this favoured land, we have been appointed by the hand of Providence for diffusing the light of natural, and through it of spiritual truth-the cultivation of mind as well as the comforts of life—throughout the world; and yet tremble—lest in the exercise of this high calling we should be found seeking rather our own aims and ends, and the selfish benefits of the creature, than the glory and divine uses of the Creator.

Many other beautiful illustrations of spiritual truths might be gathered from the powers of machinery over the material forms of nature, or drawn from the adaptation of mechanics to the uses of our natural being but enough has been advanced, it is believed, to shew the application of correspondence to the practical arts of life, with all their details of construction and method; and at the same time to prove what a rich fund of inward wisdom lies ever open before us in the labour of our own hands, when we read aright the evidence offered by our external senses of the workings of the universal human mind. And oh! with what pure delight must every citizen of the New Jerusalem regard the advancement of all the arts and sciences, as well as the inventions and discoveries of the age, when they become to him the mirror in which he may see reflected the progress and the prospects of the Lord's New Church on earth.

These arts and inventions of modern times, may have, indeed, been dwelt on with somewhat of that feeling of pride and enthusiasm, with which the natural man must ever regard the work of his head and his hands, the temple he has raised for himself amidst the moral darkness around. And shall then man-vain man exult in the achievements of his own weak mind, or pride himself on the petty advances he can make in the pursuit of that science, which deals but with the things of earth, and cannot be carried beyond the grave? He may-so long as this is regarded only as a means to a higher end-so long as his boasting is not of himself but of the wisdom and goodness of God, from whom alone we receive all knowledge and intelligence. For we may truly rejoice to witness the awakening of the human mind to the

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consciousness of the great natural truths which surround us in the field of nature, because it is the evidence, as it must be the effect of a brighter consciousness within the soul, to the glorious realities of the spiritual being as well as the Word of eternal life. "To be proud indeed of the truth is to cease to possess it." But this is not a selfish or vain-glorious feeling, since it is in unison with the exultation of the heavenly host, who heralded the first advent with the triumphant song:-"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace; good will towards men."

Yarmouth, 9th Dec., 1841.

VIATOR.

"DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF EMANUEL SWEDENBORG," &c.

To the Editors of the Intellectual Repository.

GENTLEMEN,

In the work lately published by the Manchester Printing Society, entitled "Documents concerning the Life and Character of E. Swedenborg," I have inserted almost every thing that could be found respecting that extraordinary and enlightened man. In the last number of this periodical, I perceive, p. 193, an announcement to the effect, that a "New Series of Documents concerning Swedenborg has lately been published by Dr. Tafel, which have not before appeared in print.” I beg to observe, that these documents have been sent to me by the learned Editor, and that I have carefully examined them. They consist, for the most part, of the anecdotes which Mr. Robsahm*, Director of the Bank of Stockholm, collected a few years after Swedenborg's death, at the particular request of some admirers of his writings. This collection was in the hands of the Editors of the New Jerusalem Magazine in 1790, one of whom was a Swede. It is satisfactory to see that the anecdotes inserted in that magazine are quite in agreement with the original document now lying before me, and that the editors have omitted nothing of importance. There are two or three matters, however, which the editors have omitted, and which can here be supplied. On one occasion Swedenborg was asked by a bishop why he did not attend church so regularly as he was formerly accustomed to do? He replied, "that the reason was, because so soon as he began to hear from the preachers the falses concerning faith alone, * See Documents, &c. p. 70.

and other erroneous doctrines, the angelic spirits in association with him, began to be troubled and to leave him, upon which his mind became also troubled and anxious, and consequently that was the reason why he did not attend." On another occasion, he inquired what preacher would officiate at a certain church, and on being informed that it was Mr. he objected to hear him, saying, "that he was a shouting, zealous preacher, whom he could not hear with pleasure and edification, although he was a great favourite with the public." Another preacher was then named, against whom he said he had no objection," because he had heard concerning him, that he spoke as he thought, and that on this account he had lost the confidence of his hearers, and had displeased many, as is commonly the case with the ingenuous and sincere in this world." On being asked why he did not regularly give alms to the beggars whom he met, he replied, "that such characters, were, for the most part, idle and vicious, and that charity should always be exercised with discrimination, otherwise we may do much more mischief than good." He supported all benevolent institutions, because in these charity is supposed to be exercised with prudence and discrimination. At one time he was much annoyed by visits from widows and other females, who came to inquire respecting the state of their husbands and friends after death, and also respecting things which had been secretly stolen, since it was thought that he was a kind of soothsayer or diviner who could discover the thief. He, however, remonstrated with the parties concerning such visits as these, and declined to attend to them. He never allowed of any visits, especially from females, without being attended by one of his domestics. The reason which he assigned was, that erroneous reports, either from a desire to misrepresent him, or from misunderstanding what he said, might easily arise; and he desired to have witnesses to his conversation and conduct: hence he always required that his visitors should speak, if possible, in the language of the country, that every thing might be understood.

I observe that you have inserted in your last number, Swedenborg's letter to Dr. Nordberg respecting Charles the 12th and his mathematical genius. The substance of this communication was inserted in the Intellectual Repository for 1815, p. 259. The original letter of Swedenborg is much longer than the one you have inserted, which I may probably give entire on another occasion from the original document. I only wish to state for the present, that the substance of this letter is inserted in the Documents concerning Swedenborg, p. 257, although omitted in Dr. Tafel's collection.

I shall subjoin the report of the Rev. Mr. Ferelius's visit to Swedenborg when on his death bed; and on another occasion I shall send for insertion the remaining letters to Dr. Beyer, which have not yet appeared in English. I am, yours, &c.,

Manchester.

J. H. SMITHSON.

Letter of the Swedish Clergyman, the Rev. Arwed Ferelius, to Professor Tratgard, in Greifswalde, concerning Swedenborg's End. In the Documents concerning Swedenborg, we read at page 105, on the authority of the late Rev. Robert Hindmarsh, that a Swedish clergyman of the name of Ferelius* visited Swedenborg in his last sickness, from whom he received the sacrament. This gentleman, after his return to Sweden, soon after Swedenborg's death, was requested by the clerical order, who were desirous to know something concerning the last days of Swedenborg, to give an account of their esteemed and venerable countryman. Mr. Ferelius accordingly drew up a document, which, as he states, consisted of three sheets, and which he presented to the parties in question, but of which he neglected to take a copy. This he regrets; since when asked some years afterwards by Professor Tratgard, to give an account of his visit to Swedenborg shortly before his death, and also to communicate what information he knew concerning him, he states, that this document was a full report, and intimates that there were several particulars in it which had then elapsed from his memory. The letter to Professor Tratgard is as follows :—

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My dear Sir,-According to your request, I will communicate what I can remember respecting the last days of our celebrated countryman, the late Assessor E. Swedenborg, who died in London, in the month of March, 1772. I performed the funeral service at his interment in the Swedish church in that city, on the 5th of April, which was the last clerical duty I had to perform in that country. At the conclusion of the former year, he had a paralytic stroke which lamed one side and affected his speech: this was particularly the case if the air was thick and heavy. I visited him several times, and asked him each time, whether he thought he should die. He answered in the affirmative. Upon which, I observed to him, that as many persons thought that he had endeavoured to make himself a name, or to acquire celebrity in the world by the publication of his new theological system, which indeed he had already attained, he would do well to consider, whether he firmly believed, that every thing he * It is there spelt "Fernelius ;" but this is a misprint.