THE DOCTRINE OF DEGREES. 201 



in being able to recognize it not only as entirely true, but highly 

 interesting and important ; at the same time that I find in it a 

 confirmation of the principles involved in my previous thoughts 

 upon the same subject. This, however, is said without the 

 intention to intimate any opinion as to the truthfulness or un- 

 truthfulness of the general writings of Swedenborg, concerning 

 which, indeed, I know comparatively little. 



The doctrine of Swedenborg concerning Degrees, is essen- 

 tially similar to that which I had conceived, the main differ- 

 ence, aside from his peculiar terminology, consisting in his 

 exclusive use of the ternary division, whereas I, as a general 

 rule, use the septinary, as involving the ternary. In Sweden- 

 borg's writings, however^ I find many features and applications 

 of this doctrine of which I had not before conceived ; while, 

 in my own previously embodied thoughts upon this subject, 

 there were ideas which I have not yet found in Swedenborg. I 

 am, therefore, induced to so far modify the chapter I had 

 written on this subject, as to give a general reflex of what is 

 essential and fundamental in both forms of the conception, in 

 doing which I shall so far change my own previously adopted 

 terminology, as to avoid a>confounding of ideas essentially 

 different, as originating with the Swedish philosopher and my- 

 self. 



Swedenborg makes Degrees of two kinds, viz., continuous 

 Degrees, or Degrees of latitude, and discreet Degrees, or De 

 grees of altitude. Continuous Degrees, or Degrees of latitude, 

 are described as being " like degrees from light to shade, from, 

 heat to cold, from hard to soft, from gross to subtle, etc." 

 But Discreet Degrees are described as " entirely different" 

 from these, in that " they are in the relation of prior, posterior, 

 and postreme, or of end, cause, and effect. They are called 

 Discreet Degrees," continues the writer, " because the prior is 



