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SWEDENBORG'S LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW, BISHOP ERIC BENZELIUS.

It will be remembered by many who read these pages, that the Swedenborg Association, one of whose express objects consists in collecting materials for a biography of Swedenborg, and finally in issuing a biography, some time since purchased, at considerable cost, the copies of a number of original letters of Swedenborg deposited in the Gymnasium Library, at Lincoping, in Sweden. These letters are in Swedish, but a translation of most of them has been prepared by Mr. Charles Edward Strutt, and the whole will very shortly be in English. There is, however, no prospect that at present the Association can publish these highly interesting documents, at least unless its funds are very differently supported from what they are at present. In the hope, then, of stimu lating some desire to possess the documents, and some active subscriptions for effecting that object, we proceed to lay before the New Church public a few extracts from these letters. The whole of them are addressed by Swedenborg to Bishop Eric Benzelius, who married his sister Anna. They were written between his 28th aud 34th years, and will give details of a part of his life at present but little known. But without further preface we shall now introduce the writer to speak for himself. The following is letter 4 in the series:

"HONOURED AND DEAR BROTHER,

"I wrote you from Lund, and should have done so more frequently had I not been prevented by many occupations, mechanical as well as others. Indeed, I have had enough to do in bringing my affair here to a N. S. NO. 96.-VOL. VIII.

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conclusion. After his Majesty had graciously examined my Dadalus, and noted the plan of the work, he advanced me to the office of Assessor Extraordinary in the College of Mines, with a view that in time I should succeed Polheim, the Councillor of Commerce. And what pleased me most, he passed an entirely mild and gracious opinion res pecting me, and himself defended me from those who thought ill of me; and also promised me further favour and protection, of which I have been assured both directly and indirectly. To recount the whole business circumstantially: When his Majesty had obtained information respecting my views, studies, &c., (for I was fortunate in having good patrons) he gave me the choice of one of three offices, and I had the warrant for the rank and duties of Extraordinary Assessor. My enemies, however, had so intrigued about this warrant, and had couched it in such ambiguous terms, that it was sent back to his Majesty, with some remarks, for I well knew what I had to rely on; whereupon the King at once granted me a new warrant, and wrote likewise a gracious letter for me to the College of Mines. The other party (or candidate) had to sit at his Majesty's own table, and write out the warrant in duplicate, in two ways, of which his Majesty selected the best. Thus those who had sought my injury, were glad to escape with honour and reputation, for they had very nearly burnt their fingers in the affair. My Dadalus has enjoyed the privilege of lying for these three weeks upon his Majesty's table, and has afforded matter for much conversation and enquiry, being shewn to many persons by his Majesty himself. * Towards February we

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may be in the vicinity of Upsal, when you shall be apprised of all the circumstances, and we will talk them over. A thousand salutations to my sister Anna. The kid gloves are purchased.

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Your most humble servant and faithful Brother.

"P.S.-My journey has involved but little expense; in fact not a stiver beyond the travelling expenses, and the usual fee for the warrant."

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Copy of the Letter to the Mining College.

CHARLES, &c. Our especial pleasure, &c. &c. As we have thought fit to appoint Emanuel Swedenborg Extraordinary Assessor in the College of Mines, that he may coöperate with the Councillor of Commerce, Polheim, and assist him in his affairs, and in the working of his inventions, so we have hereby willed to let you know the same, with our gracious order that you allow him to enjoy a seat and voice in the

College, whenever he can be present, and especially whenever any business of a mechanical nature is to be considered. God be with you.

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"By the last post I sent enclosed in my father's letter a sketch of an air pump worked by water. I hope it arrived safely. I should have written to you at the same time, but my leisure was short. In the last letter to my father I promised to send by every opportunity, and in each of his letters, the plan of some machine, or other of my speculations; and if I find that they please you and Professor Elfvius, I will continue to do so regularly. The machine to which I now invite your attention is an air pump, which has a similar effect to the one before mentioned, but differs from it considerably in construction, and is easier to make; and perhaps more rapid in working. It is also my intention, and I think you will approve of it, to send over my mechanical inventions, for the examination of the Upsala people, and when I have done that, I shall then do the same with those which Polheim has, and get them ready for publication when occasion serves. This may perhaps be a little foundation for a Physical and Mathematical Society among us, and in other places, when it is found how great is the utility of such things in the separation of metals from ores, and also in the various manufactures which may be established in Sweden. *

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'Be so good as to take care of these machines, lest I lose the copies which are in my own possession.

"I am alternating my mathematical studies with poetry. One or two poems of mine are published, and I have in the press some fables like those of Ovid, under which the deeds of certain kings and great people are shadowed forth.

"As to Literary History, nothing worthy of much note is to be found in Griefswalde, which is, if I may be pardoned for saying so, a very paltry academy. Papke is Professor of Mathematics, and is better calculated for any thing else than for that post. I should like to have met Leibnitz, who is at present at Vienna. Wolff's Cursus Mathematicus, translated into Latin, ought to be in Sweden. It is a very useful and clearly written book.

"What have you in hand at present?

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I am rejoiced to hear that Professor Upmark and sister Eva Svede are united in thalamo et lecto. I wish them every kind of happiness,

and had intended to write a carmen nuptiale over them, but it is now too late, and therefore it must be a carmen geniale.

"Salute sister Anna a thousand times, and if you can write me, I shall expect a short account of how little brother Eric is.

"Professor Elfvius will use his best endeavours in the great eclipse of the 3rd of May.

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I remain,

"Your most humble servant and Brother.

"Griefswalde, April 4, 1715."

Letter 8 commences as follows:

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HONOURED AND DEAR BROTHER,

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As I presume that you have now returned from the Springs to Upsal, I hope this letter will find you in a satisfactory condition, with renovated health, at which no one would rejoice so much as myself. I have received a beautiful little Latin letter from my brother Ericulus, which has pleased me exceedingly. I answered it with some extemporaneous Latin verses of my own. I wish him all sorts of good fortune and prosperity, both in his studies, and in whatever pursuits he undertakes that are agreeable to his parents and himself. *

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Let me know whether Professor Upmark has yet obtained his appointment, or not. If there be any thing in which I can be useful to you, I wish to be informed of it. * By the next opportunity I will send you what I allowed to go to press before I returned home. It is an Oration on the King's Return, and also some fables like those of Ovid, and which I have called Camena Borea, and dedicated to Cronhjelm. *

"Brunsbo, Aug. 9, 1715."

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The following on Mathematicians from letter 13, is amusing:

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I wonder at Messrs. the Mathematicians having lost all the heart and spirit to realize that fine design of yours for an Astronomical Observatory. It is the fate of Mathematicians to remain chiefly in theory. I have often thought it would be a capital thing if each ten Mathematicians had among them one good practical man, to lead the rest to market; such a man would be of greater use and distinction than all the ten. * * With the small camera obscura which you had the goodness to send me, I have already learnt perspective drawing for my own satisfaction. I practised on churches, houses, &c. If I were

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among artists in Fhalun, or elsewhere, I would engrave these drawings, and some others taken with this instrument.

"Sister Caisa has increased the world and the race; she has had a little daughter, at whose baptism I was a witness yesterday. A thousand salutations to sister Anna, and to little brother Eric.

"Brunsbo, 1716, Promotion Day, (12 June)."

Letter 23 contains, besides much else that is interesting, the following hints for the lovers and the haters of new things:

"With respect to your thinking it advisable to delay the publication of the new method of reckoning, for the reasons you have named, I did not at first comprehend you, and it certainly was a little discouraging to be advised to relinquish what I had in hand, because my mathematical

are among the novelties which the country cannot bear. For myself, I desire all possible novelties, aye, a novelty for every day in the year, provided the world will be pleased with them. In every age there are abundance of persons who follow the beaten track, and remain in the old way; but perhaps there are only from six to ten in a century who bring forward new things founded in argument and reason.'

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This appears to have been in allusion to Swedenborg's plan for a decimal system of coinage in Sweden; and he adds, that he "knows he has not proposed a single thing that can cause the slightest inconvenience to the country."

Letter 27:

"HONOURED AND DEAR BROTHER,

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"I received your welcome letter in Strömstad, after it had sought me both in Wennersborg and in Strömstad, and this is the cause of my not answering it sooner. * * I found his Majesty very gracious to me, more so than I could expect; which is a good omen for the future. Count Mornir also shewed me all the favour I could possibly desire. Every day I laid mathematical subjects before his Majesty, who allowed every thing to please him. When the eclipse took place, I had his Majesty out to see it, and we reasoned much about it. * * * He again spoke of my Dadalus, and remarked upon my not continuing the work, to which I pleaded want of means; this he does not like to hear of, so I hope to have some assistance shortly. With respect to brother Esberg, I shall endeavour to find him employment on the sluice works; but should nothing present itself before the spring, if he reads mathematics diligently, and works away at modelling, something will, in all

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