304 Biography of Swedenborg. 



ledge, he was continually unable to discriminate between what 

 was actually ascertained by means of experience, and what was 

 simply imagined by pursuing a theory to its ultimate results. 

 Modern philosophers have completely given up the vain 

 attempt to know what matter is in its essence. They con- 

 tent themselves with studying its actions and effects, and the 

 doctrine is becoming prevalent that all forces are modes of 

 motion of material particles, whatever such particles may be. 



The supposition that mathematical relations of quantity 

 prevail all through nature, from the smallest and subtlest, 

 to the largest and most concrete forms, originated with the 

 old Greek philosophers ; and Swedenborg can lay no claim to 

 originating such an idea. That he had glimpses of real laws 

 and truths not recognized in his day, we may fairly concede, 

 but his philosophy was a jumble, in which fact and fancy, 

 rationality and delusion, were mixed. 



He united, to a degree seldom witnessed, the opposite 

 faculties of acquiring extensive and accurate knowledge in 

 experimental and observational sciences, and of being under the 

 influence of dreams and hallucinations, during the continuance 

 of which scientific principles of verification were freely aban- 

 doned. His mind was remarkably inventive, and when not 

 engaged in endeavouring to make new applications of physical 

 science, he invented in the realms of social, psychological, 

 and theological speculation. He stands alone amongst the 

 mystics for extensive acquisition of positive knowledge, and for 

 zeal in its diffusion. The oriental mystics lost sight of earth, 

 in their imaginary contemplations of heaven — Swedenborg 

 always had an eye to the practical, and his speculations were 

 intended, and often did tend, to the improvement of mankind. 



The place assigned to Swedenborg as a scientific man will 

 vary with the notions of what constitutes discovery, which his 

 critics or admirers entertain. Most important discoveries have 

 been imperfectly shadowed forth in the sayings or statements 

 of those who did not know how to give tbem a definite and 

 enduring shape ; and, perhaps, no clever man, in any age of 

 the world, has ever speculated much upon difficult problems, 

 without sometimes coming near truths reserved for later thinkers 

 to see more clearly and unfold. In mechanical invention how 

 many thousands get a vague notion of what ought to be done, 

 but fail to discover how to do it. It is the same in speculative 

 science, and he only ought to be held as a discoverer who 

 leaves his work definite, intelligible, and complete. If Sweden 

 had offered more scope for the engineering and metallurgical 

 talents of Swedenborg, his career anight have been materially 

 changed, and instead of being the mystical prophet of a small 

 though important sect, his visions might have wandered less 



