seraphita-第11节

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husband　in　a　dream；　wrapped　in　a　dressing…gown　which　he　wore　just

before　his　death；　and　he　showed　her　the　paper　in　the　place　indicated

by　Swedenborg；　where　it　had　been　securely　put　away。　At　another　time；

embarking　from　London　in　a　vessel　commanded　by　Captain　Dixon；　he

overheard　a　lady　asking　if　there　were　plenty　of　provisions　on　board。

'We　do　not　want　a　great　quantity；'　he　said；　'in　eight　days　and　two

hours　we　shall　reach　Stockholm；'which　actually　happened。　This

peculiar　state　of　vision　as　to　the　things　of　the　earthinto　which

Swedenborg　could　put　himself　at　will；　and　which　astonished　those　about

himwas；　nevertheless；　but　a　feeble　representative　of　his　faculty　of

looking　into　heaven。



〃Not　the　least　remarkable　of　his　published　visions　is　that　in　which　he

relates　his　journeys　through　the　Astral　Regions；　his　descriptions

cannot　fail　to　astonish　the　reader；　partly　through　the　crudity　of

their　details。　A　man　whose　scientific　eminence　is　incontestable；　and

who　united　in　his　own　person　powers　of　conception；　will；　and

imagination；　would　surely　have　invented　better　if　he　had　invented　at

all。　The　fantastic　literature　of　the　East　offers　nothing　that　can　give

an　idea　of　this　astounding　work；　full　of　the　essence　of　poetry；　if　it

is　permissible　to　compare　a　work　of　faith　with　one　of　oriental　fancy。

The　transportation　of　Swedenborg　by　the　Angel　who　served　as　guide　to

this　first　journey　is　told　with　a　sublimity　which　exceeds；　by　the

distance　which　God　has　placed　betwixt　the　earth　and　the　sun；　the　great

epics　of　Klopstock；　Milton；　Tasso；　and　Dante。　This　description；　which

serves　in　fact　as　an　introduction　to　his　work　on　the　Astral　Regions；

has　never　been　published；　it　is　among　the　oral　traditions　left　by

Swedenborg　to　the　three　disciples　who　were　nearest　to　his　heart。

Monsieur　Silverichm　has　written　them　down。　Monsieur　Seraphitus

endeavored　more　than　once　to　talk　to　me　about　them；　but　the

recollection　of　his　cousin's　words　was　so　burning　a　memory　that　he

always　stopped　short　at　the　first　sentence　and　became　lost　in　a　revery

from　which　I　could　not　rouse　him。〃



The　old　pastor　sighed　as　he　continued：　〃The　baron　told　me　that　the

argument　by　which　the　Angel　proved　to　Swedenborg　that　these　bodies　are

not　made　to　wander　through　space　puts　all　human　science　out　of　sight

beneath　the　grandeur　of　a　divine　logic。　According　to　the　Seer；　the

inhabitants　of　Jupiter　will　not　cultivate　the　sciences；　which　they

call　darkness；　those　of　Mercury　abhor　the　expression　of　ideas　by

speech；　which　seems　to　them　too　material；their　language　is　ocular；

those　of　Saturn　are　continually　tempted　by　evil　spirits；　those　of　the

Moon　are　as　small　as　six…year…old　children；　their　voices　issue　from

the　abdomen；　on　which　they　crawl；　those　of　Venus　are　gigantic　in

height；　but　stupid；　and　live　by　robbery；although　a　part　of　this

latter　planet　is　inhabited　by　beings　of　great　sweetness；　who　live　in

the　love　of　Good。　In　short；　he　describes　the　customs　and　morals　of　all

the　peoples　attached　to　the　different　globes；　and　explains　the　general

meaning　of　their　existence　as　related　to　the　universe　in　terms　so

precise；　giving　explanations　which　agree　so　well　with　their　visible

evolutions　in　the　system　of　the　world；　that　some　day；　perhaps；

scientific　men　will　come　to　drink　of　these　living　waters。



〃Here；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　taking　down　a　book　and　opening　it　at　a

mark；　〃here　are　the　words　with　which　he　ended　this　work：



〃'If　any　man　doubts　that　I　was　transported　through　a　vast　number　of

Astral　Regions；　let　him　recall　my　observation　of　the　distances　in　that

other　life；　namely；　that　they　exist　only　in　relation　to　the　external

state　of　man；　now；　being　transformed　within　like　unto　the　Angelic

Spirits　of　those　Astral　Spheres；　I　was　able　to　understand　them。'



〃The　circumstances　to　which　we　of　this　canton　owe　the　presence　among

us　of　Baron　Seraphitus；　the　beloved　cousin　of　Swedenborg；　enabled　me

to　know　all　the　events　of　the　extraordinary　life　of　that　prophet。　He

has　lately　been　accused　of　imposture　in　certain　quarters　of　Europe；

and　the　public　prints　reported　the　following　fact　based　on　a　letter

written　by　the　Chevalier　Baylon。　Swedenborg；　they　said；　informed　by

certain　senators　of　a　secret　correspondence　of　the　late　Queen　of

Sweden　with　her　brother；　the　Prince　of　Prussia；　revealed　his　knowledge

of　the　secrets　contained　in　that　correspondence　to　the　Queen；　making

her　believe　he　had　obtained　this　knowledge　by　supernatural　means。　A

man　worthy　of　all　confidence；　Monsieur　Charles…Leonhard　de

Stahlhammer；　captain　in　the　Royal　guard　and　knight　of　the　Sword；

answered　the　calumny　with　a　convincing　letter。〃



The　pastor　opened　a　drawer　of　his　table　and　looked　through　a　number　of

papers　until　he　found　a　gazette　which　he　held　out　to　Wilfrid；　asking

him　to　read　aloud　the　following　letter：



Stockholm；　May　18；　1788。



　　I　have　read　with　amazement　a　letter　which　purports　to　relate　the

　　interview　of　the　famous　Swedenborg　with　Queen　Louisa…Ulrika。　The

　　circumstances　therein　stated　are　wholly　false；　and　I　hope　the

　　writer　will　excuse　me　for　showing　him　by　the　following　faithful

　　narration；　which　can　be　proved　by　the　testimony　of　many

　　distinguished　persons　then　present　and　still　living；　how

　　completely　he　has　been　deceived。



　　In　1758；　shortly　after　the　death　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia

　　Swedenborg　came　to　court；　where　he　was　in　the　habit　of　attending

　　regularly。　He　had　scarcely　entered　the　queen's　presence　before　she

　　said　to　him：　〃Well；　Mr。　Assessor；　have　you　seen　my　brother？〃

　　Swedenborg　answered　no；　and　the　queen　rejoined：　〃If　you　do　see

　　him；　greet　him　for　me。〃　In　saying　this　she　meant　no　more　than　a

　　pleasant　jest；　and　had　no　thought　whatever　of　asking　him　for

　　information　about　her　brother。　Eight　days　later　（not　twenty…four

　　as　stated；　nor　was　the　audience　a　private　one）；　Swedenborg　again

　　came　to　court；　but　so　early　that　the　queen　had　not　left　her

　　apartment　called　the　White　Room；　where　she　was　conversing　with　her

　　maids…of…honor　and　other　ladies　attached　to　the　court。　Swedenborg

　　did　not　wait　until　she　came　forth；　but　entered　the　said　room　and

　　whispered　something　in　her　ear。　The　queen；　overcome　with

　　amazement；　was　taken　ill；　and　it　was　some　time　before　she

　　recovered　herself。　When　she　did　so　she　said　to　those　about　her：

　　〃Only　God　and　my　brother　knew　the　thing　that　he　has　just　spoken

　　of。〃　She　admitted　that　it　related　to　her　last　correspondence　with

　　the　prince　on　a　subject　which　was　known　to　them　alone。　I　cannot

　　explain　how　Swedenborg　came　to　know　the　contents　of　that　letter；

　　but　I　can　affirm　on　my　honor；　that　neither　Count　H　（as　the

　　writer　of　the　article　states）　nor　any　other　person　intercepted；　or

　　read；　the　queen's　letters。　The　senate　allowed　her　to　write　to　her

　　brother　in　perfect　security；　considering　the　correspondence　as　of

　　no　interest　to　the　State。　It　is　evident　that　the　author　of　the

　　said　article　is　ignorant　of　the　character　of　Count　H。　This

　　honored　gentleman；　who　has　done　many　important　services　to　his

　　country；　unites　the　qualities　of　a　noble　heart　to　gifts　of　mind；

　　and　his　great　age　has　not　yet　weakened　these　precious　possessions。

　　During　his　whole　administration　he　added　the　weight　of　scrupulous

　　integrity　to　his　enlightened　policy　and　openly　declared　himself

　　the　enemy　of　all　secret　intrigues　and　underhand　dealings；　which　he

　　regarded　as　unworthy　means　to　attain　an　end。　Neither　did　the

　　writer　of　that　article　understand　the　Assessor　Swedenborg。　The

　　only　weakness　of　that　essentially　honest　man　was　a　belief　in　the

　　apparition　of　spirits；　but　I　knew　him　for　many　years；　and　I　can

　　affirm　that　he　was　as　fully　convinced　that　he　met　and　talked　with

　　spirits　as　I　am　that　I　am　writing　at　this　moment。　As　a　citizen　and

　　as　a　friend　his　integrity　was　absolute；　he　abhorred　deception　and

　　led　the　most　exemplary　of　lives。　The　version　which　the　Chevalier

　　Baylon　gave　of　these　facts　is；　therefore；　entirely　without

　　justification；　the　visit　stated　to　have　been　made　to　Swedenborg　in

　　the　night…time　by　Count　H　and　Count　T　is　hereby

　　contradicted。　In　conclusion；　the　writer　of　the　letter　may　rest

　　assured　that　I　am　not　a　follower　of　Swedenborg。　The　love　of　truth

　　alone　impels　me　to　give　this　faithful　account　of　a　fact　which　has

　　been　so　often　stated　with　details　that　are　entirely　false。　I

　　certify　to　the　truth　of　what　I　have　written　by　adding　my

　　signature。





Charles…Leonhard　de　Stahlhammer。

〃The　proofs　which　Swedenborg　gave　of　his　mission　to　the　royal　families

of　Sweden　and　Prussia　were　no　doubt　the　foundation　of　the　belief　in

his　doctrines　which　is　prevalent　at　the　two　courts；〃　said　Monsieur

Becker；　putting　the　gazette　into　the　drawer。　〃However；〃　he　continued；

〃I　shall　not　tell　you　all　the　facts　of　his　visible　and　material　life；

indeed　his　habits　prevented　them　from　being　fully　known。　He　lived　a

hidden　life；　not　seeking　either　riche