seraphita-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



of　infinitude　forms　their　life。　They　become　infinite　by　participating

of　the　essence　of　God；　who　generates　Himself　by　Himself。



〃The　immensity　of　the　Heavens　where　the　Angels　dwell　is　such　that　if

man　were　endowed　with　sight　as　rapid　as　the　darting　of　light　from　the

sun　to　the　earth；　and　if　he　gazed　throughout　eternity；　his　eyes　could

not　reach　the　horizon；　nor　find　an　end。　Light　alone　can　give　an　idea

of　the　joys　of　heaven。　'It　is；'　says　Swedenborg　（'Angelic　Wisdom；'　7；

25；　26；　27）；　'a　vapor　of　the　virtue　of　God；　a　pure　emanation　of　His

splendor；　beside　which　our　greatest　brilliance　is　obscurity。　It　can

compass　all；　it　can　renew　all；　and　is　never　absorbed：　it　environs　the

Angel　and　unites　him　to　God　by　infinite　joys　which　multiply　infinitely

of　themselves。　This　Light　destroys　whosoever　is　not　prepared　to

receive　it。　No　one　here　below；　nor　yet　in　Heaven　can　see　God　and　live。

This　is　the　meaning　of　the　saying　（Exodus　xix。　12；　13；　21…23）　〃Take

heed　to　yourselves　that　ye　go　not　up　into　the　mountlest　ye　break

through　unto　the　Lord　to　gaze；　and　many　perish。〃　And　again　（Exodus

xxxiv。　29…35）；　〃When　Moses　came　down　from　Mount　Sinai　with　the　two

Tables　of　testimony　in　his　hand；　his　face　shone；　so　that　he　put　a　veil

upon　it　when　he　spake　with　the　people；　lest　any　of　them　die。〃　The

Transfiguration　of　Jesus　Christ　likewise　revealed　the　light

surrounding　the　Messengers　from　on　high　and　the　ineffable　joys　of　the

Angels　who　are　forever　imbued　with　it。　〃His　face；〃　says　Saint　Matthew

（xvii。　1…5）；　〃did　shine　as　the　sun　and　his　raiment　was　white　as　the

lightand　a　bright　cloud　overshadowed　them。〃'



〃When　a　planet　contains　only　those　beings　who　reject　the　Lord；　when

his　word　is　ignored；　then　the　Angelic　Spirits　are　gathered　together　by

the　four　winds；　and　God　sends　forth　an　Exterminating　Angel　to　change

the　face　of　the　refractory　earth；　which　in　the　immensity　of　this

universe　is　to　Him　what　an　unfruitful　seed　is　to　Nature。　Approaching

the　globe；　this　Exterminating　Angel；　borne　by　a　comet；　causes　the

planet　to　turn　upon　its　axis；　and　the　lands　lately　covered　by　the　seas

reappear；　adorned　in　freshness　and　obedient　to　the　laws　proclaimed　in

Genesis；　the　Word　of　God　is　once　more　powerful　on　this　new　earth；

which　everywhere　exhibits　the　effects　of　terrestrial　waters　and

celestial　flames。　The　light　brought　by　the　Angel　from　On　High；　causes

the　sun　to　pale。　'Then；'　says　Isaiah；　（xix。　20）　'men　will　hide　in　the

clefts　of　the　rock　and　roll　themselves　in　the　dust　of　the　earth。'

'They　will　cry　to　the　mountains'　（Revelation）；　'Fall　on　us！　and　to　the

seas；　Swallow　us　up！　Hide　us　from　the　face　of　Him　that　sitteth　on　the

throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb！'　The　Lamb　is　the　great　figure

and　hope　of　the　Angels　misjudged　and　persecuted　here　below。　Christ

himself　has　said；　'Blessed　are　those　who　mourn！　Blessed　are　the

simple…hearted！　Blessed　are　they　that　love！'All　Swedenborg　is　there！

Suffer；　Believe；　Love。　To　love　truly　must　we　not　suffer？　must　we　not

believe？　Love　begets　Strength；　Strength　bestows　Wisdom；　thence

Intelligence；　for　Strength　and　Wisdom　demand　Will。　To　be　intelligent；

is　not　that　to　Know；　to　Wish；　and　to　Will；the　three　attributes　of

the　Angelic　Spirit？　'If　the　universe　has　a　meaning；'　Monsieur　Saint…

Martin　said　to　me　when　I　met　him　during　a　journey　which　he　made　in

Sweden；　'surely　this　is　the　one　most　worthy　of　God。'



〃But；　Monsieur；〃　continued　the　pastor　after　a　thoughtful　pause；　〃of

what　avail　to　you　are　these　shreds　of　thoughts　taken　here　and　there

from　the　vast　extent　of　a　work　of　which　no　true　idea　can　be　given

except　by　comparing　it　to　a　river　of　light；　to　billows　of　flame？　When

a　man　plunges　into　it　he　is　carried　away　as　by　an　awful　current。

Dante's　poem　seems　but　a　speck　to　the　reader　submerged　in　the　almost

Biblical　verses　with　which　Swedenborg　renders　palpable　the　Celestial

Worlds；　as　Beethoven　built　his　palaces　of　harmony　with　thousands　of

notes；　as　architects　have　reared　cathedrals　with　millions　of　stones。

We　roll　in　soundless　depths；　where　our　minds　will　not　always　sustain

us。　Ah；　surely　a　great　and　powerful　intellect　is　needed　to　bring　us

back；　safe　and　sound；　to　our　own　social　beliefs。



〃Swedenborg；〃　resumed　the　pastor；　〃was　particularly　attached　to　the

Baron　de　Seraphitz；　whose　name；　according　to　an　old　Swedish　custom；

had　taken　from　time　immemorial　the　Latin　termination　of　'us。'　The

baron　was　an　ardent　disciple　of　the　Swedish　prophet；　who　had　opened

the　eyes　of　his　Inner…Man　and　brought　him　to　a　life　in　conformity　with

the　decrees　from　On…High。　He　sought　for　an　Angelic　Spirit　among　women；

Swedenborg　found　her　for　him　in　a　vision。　His　bride　was　the　daughter

of　a　London　shoemaker；　in　whom；　said　Swedenborg；　the　life　of　Heaven

shone；　she　having　passed　through　all　anterior　trials。　After　the　death；

that　is；　the　transformation　of　the　prophet；　the　baron　came　to　Jarvis

to　accomplish　his　celestial　nuptials　with　the　observances　of　Prayer。

As　for　me；　who　am　not　a　Seer；　I　have　only　known　the　terrestrial　works

of　this　couple。　Their　lives　were　those　of　saints　whose　virtues　are　the

glory　of　the　Roman　Church。　They　ameliorated　the　condition　of　our

people；　they　supplied　them　all　with　means　in　return　for　work；little；

perhaps；　but　enough　for　all　their　wants。　Those　who　lived　with　them　in

constant　intercourse　never　saw　them　show　a　sign　of　anger　or

impatience；　they　were　constantly　beneficent　and　gentle；　full　of

courtesy　and　loving…kindness；　their　marriage　was　the　harmony　of　two

souls　indissolubly　united。　Two　eiders　winging　the　same　flight；　the

sound　in　the　echo；　the　thought　in　the　word；these；　perhaps；　are　true

images　of　their　union。　Every　one　here　in　Jarvis　loved　them　with　an

affection　which　I　can　compare　only　to　the　love　of　a　plant　for　the　sun。

The　wife　was　simple　in　her　manners；　beautiful　in　form；　lovely　in　face；

with　a　dignity　of　bearing　like　that　of　august　personages。　In　1783；

being　then　twenty…six　years　old；　she　conceived　a　child；　her　pregnancy

was　to　the　pair　a　solemn　joy。　They　prepared　to　bid　the　earth　farewell；

for　they　told　me　they　should　be　transformed　when　their　child　had

passed　the　state　of　infancy　which　needed　their　fostering　care　until

the　strength　to　exist　alone　should　be　given　to　her。



〃Their　child　was　born；the　Seraphita　we　are　now　concerned　with。　From

the　moment　of　her　conception　father　and　mother　lived　a　still　more

solitary　life　than　in　the　past；　lifting　themselves　up　to　heaven　by

Prayer。　They　hoped　to　see　Swedenborg；　and　faith　realized　their　hope。

The　day　on　which　Seraphita　came　into　the　world　Swedenborg　appeared　in

Jarvis；　and　filled　the　room　of　the　new…born　child　with　light。　I　was

told　that　he　said；　'The　work　is　accomplished；　the　Heavens　rejoice！'

Sounds　of　unknown　melodies　were　heard　throughout　the　house；　seeming　to

come　from　the　four　points　of　heaven　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。　The

spirit　of　Swedenborg　led　the　father　forth　to　the　shores　of　the　fiord

and　there　quitted　him。　Certain　inhabitants　of　Jarvis；　having

approached　Monsieur　Seraphitus　as　he　stood　on　the　shore；　heard　him

repeat　those　blissful　words　of　Scripture：　'How　beautiful　on　the

mountains　are　the　feet　of　Him　who　is　sent　of　God！'



〃I　had　left　the　parsonage　on　my　way　to　baptize　the　infant　and　name　it；

and　perform　the　other　duties　required　by　law；　when　I　met　the　baron

returning　to　the　house。　'Your　ministrations　are　superfluous；'　he　said；

'our　child　is　to　be　without　name　on　this　earth。　You　must　not　baptize

in　the　waters　of　an　earthly　Church　one　who　has　just　been　immersed　in

the　fires　of　Heaven。　This　child　will　remain　a　blossom；　it　will　not

grow　old；　you　will　see　it　pass　away。　You　exist；　but　our　child　has

life；　you　have　outward　senses；　the　child　has　none；　its　being　is　always

inward。'　These　words　were　uttered　in　so　strange　and　supernatural　a

voice　that　I　was　more　affected　by　them　than　by　the　shining　of　his

face；　from　which　light　appeared　to　exude。　His　appearance　realized　the

phantasmal　ideas　which　we　form　of　inspired　beings　as　we　read　the

prophesies　of　the　Bible。　But　such　effects　are　not　rare　among　our

mountains；　where　the　nitre　of　perpetual　snows　produces　extraordinary

phenomena　in　the　human　organization。



〃I　asked　him　the　cause　of　his　emotion。　'Swedenborg　came　to　us；　he　has

just　left　me；　I　have　breathed　the　air　of　heaven；'　he　replied。　'Under

what　form　did　he　appear？'　I　said。　'Under　his　earthly　form；　dressed　as

he　was　the　last　time　I　saw　him　in　London；　at　the　house　of　Richard

Shearsmith；　Coldbath…fields；　in　July；　1771。　He　wore　his　brown　frieze

coat　with　steel　buttons；　his　waistcoat　buttoned　to　the　throat；　a　white

cravat；　and　the　same　magisterial　wig　rolled　and　powdered　at　the　sides

and　raised　high　in　front；　showing　his　vast　and　luminous　brow；　in

keeping　with　the　noble　square　face；　where　all　is　power　and

tranquillity。　I　recognized　the　large　nose　with　its　fiery　nostril；　the

mouth　that　ever　smiled；angelic　mouth　from　which　these　words；　the

pledge　of　my　happiness；　have　just　issued；　〃W