In addition to these, which are the larger and more important of Swedenborg's philosophical works, containing each three or four hundred pages 4to, there are ten or twelve other smaller works, written and published at an earlier period. Some of these are, A Treatise on the Height of the Tides, and a greater Flux and Reflux of the Sea in former ages; with proofs furnished by various appearances in Sweden. New attempts at explaining the Phenomena of Chemistry, and Physics on Geometrical Principles. New Observations and Discoveries respecting Iron and Fire, especially respecting the Elementary Nature of Fire; with a new mode of constructing Chimneys. A new method of finding the Longitude of Places, either on Land or at Sea, by Lunar Observations. A new mode of constructing Dykes to exclude Inundations of the Sea or of Riv

ers.

A Mode of ascertaining, by Mechanical Means, the Qualities of Vessels. Miscellaneous Observations on Natural Things, particularly on Minerals, Fire, and the Strata of Mountains. (See Life of Swedenborg p. 8, 9.)

The limits of a single lecture will allow me to do but little more than give this dry catalogue of the titles of Swedenborg's scientific works. But this, however, may answer the purpose of showing that there is scarcely a single department of natural science with which his capacious mind was not familiar. And those who will take time to examine these works, will find them pervaded throughout with the spirit of a profound philosopher, and will all along be impressed with the comprehensive scope, the orderly, and severe analytical character of their author's mind.

In the Principia, Swedenborg asserts that nature, in all its operations, is governed by one and the same general law, and is always consistent with itself. "Nature," he says, "may be styled a labyrinth, whose intricacies you are anxious to explore. Fruitless would be the attempt to wander through its meandering turns, and note the dimensions of all its ways. The difficulty would but grow the more inextricable; you would pur

sue your footsteps in a circle, and recognize the selfsame spot, when most elated by the prospect of success. But would you gain with ease, and possibly by the shortest road, the exit of the labyrinth, reject then the senseless wish of exploring all its turns. Rather plant yourself at any intersection of its paths, strive to ascertain somewhat of its general form from the ways which you have trodden, and thus in some degree retrace your steps. When once you have gained the exit, a mere thread can serve to guide you through all its circuitous tracks, and to retrace your errors; but even this, after a time, you may cast aside, and wander fearlessly without it. Then, as if seated on an eminence, and at a glance surveying the scene which lies before you, how would you smile in tracing out its various breaks and contortions, which have baffled the judgment by multiplied and illusive intersections."

In the same work, the author treats of the magnetic needle and its variations. He describes the sun and its vortex, and explains the creation of the planets of our solar system from the sun. And what may appear remarkable, although this work was published more than forty years before the discovery of the seventh planet by Dr. Herschel, he alleges that there were seven planets created from the sun at the same time. He has eight or ten drawings in the work illustrative of the subject, in all of which seven planets are laid down.

It is believed that in this work Swedenborg made many discoveries in philosophy, which, owing to the little attention paid to his writings, have not been accredited to him. We have testimony to this effect from a philosopher of reputation in our own country. Mr. Patterson, late Professor in the University of Pennsylvania, in a letter written to Dr. Atlee respecting the Principia, says, "The work of Swedenborg which you were so kind as to put into my hands, is an extraordinary production of one of the most extraordinary men, certainly, that has ever lived." After stating, among other things, that he should like to peruse it farther before he could form an opinion of it, "a thing," he adds, "not to be done in a few words," he continues: "This

much, however, I can truly say, that the air of mysticism which is generally thought to pervade Baron Swedenborg's ethical and theological writings, has prevented philosophers from paying that attention to his physical productions, of which I now see that they are worthy. Many of the experiments and observations on magnetism, presented in this work, are believed to be of much more modern date, and are unjustly ascribed to much more recent writers." Did it probably ever occur to the author of these remarks, that the air of mysticism which has been thought to pervade Swedenborg's theological writings might be but the vapor of men's own imaginations, or might be owing to the perversion and dimness of their moral vision? And that the time is rapidly approaching when true philosophers and true christians will speak of his ethical and theological; as the professor himself has here spoken of his philosophical works? When they will confess that these also have not received from religious men the attention of which they are so well worthy?

There is also the fullest evidence that other important discoveries were anticipated by Swedenborg, the merit of which has been claimed by different writers. In a work entitled "The Institutions of Physiology," by Blumenbach, the author, treating of the brain, says, that after birth it undergoes a constant and gentle motion, correspondent with respiration; so that when the lungs shrink in expiration, the brain rises a little, but when the chest expands, it again subsides. And in a note he adds, that Daniel Schlichting first accurately described this phenomenon in 1744. But it is now well known that Swedenborg had fully demonstrated, and accurately described this correspondent action in that part of his Economia Regni Animalis, published in 1740, which treats of the coincidence of motion between the brain and lungs.

In another part of the same Institutions of Physiology, when speaking of the causes of the motion of the blood, Blumenbach remarks thus; "When the blood is expelled from the contracted cavities, a vacuum takes place, into which, according to the common laws of deriva

tion, the neighboring blood must rush, being prevented, by means of the valves, from regurgitating." In the notes, this discovery is attributed to Dr. Wilson. But it now appears that the same principle was known to Swedenborg long before, and is applied by him in the Economia Regni Animalis, to account for the motion of the blood, as any one may see who will read the section of that work on the circulation of the blood in the fœtus.

Those who are skilled in anatomy, and have read Swedenborg's Economy of the Animal Kingdom, state that he was familiar with many truths in Anatomy, which were unknown to other learned men of his day. For example, the first discovery and description of a passage of communication between the two lateral ventricles of the brain, was claimed by the celebrated anatomist Dr. Alexander Monro of Edinburg, and the merit of the discovery has since been awarded him by succeeding anatomists. In his work entitled "Observations on the Structure and Functions of the Nervous System," the Doctor says, that he demonstrated this foramen to his pupils as early as the year 1753. Now any one who will look into Swedenborg's Regnum Animale, page 207, may there find a description of the foramen here spoken of. And this work was published by Swedenborg some eight or ten years before the time that Dr. Monro says he demonstrated this foramen to his pupils.

I do not affirm that these men first drew their discoveries from the writings of Swedenborg, and then claimed them as their own; but thus stands the fact, that the discoveries here claimed were made by Swedenborg years before, as his philosophical works themselves do testify.

To show the value of his Regnum Minerale, and the high estimation in which this work is held in England, I quote a brief extract from the translation of Cramer's Elements of the Art of Assaying Metals, by Dr. Cromwell Mortimer, Secretary of the Royal Society of London. "For the sake of such as understand Latin," he says, "we must not pass by that magnificent and labo

rious work of Emanuel Swedenborg, entitled Principia Rerum Naturalium, in three tomes, folio. In the second and third tomes of which-[these embrace his mineral kingdom-he has given the best accounts, not only of the method and newest improvements in metalic works in all places beyond the seas, but also those in England and our colonies in America, with drafts of the furnaces and instruments employed. It is to be wished we had extracts of this work in English."

Thus much of Swedenborg regarded as a philosopher and man of science. A great deal more might be said, did time and the limits I have proposed to myself permit. It was not his object to gain human applause, or to astonish the world by discoveries in natural science; hence no pains were taken by him to give circulation to his discoveries. His great object in investigating the organization of the human system, was to attain to a knowledge of the nature, form and constitution of the human mind. Had he been desirous of fame, he would have made a very different use of his knowledge. He regarded all natural science only as the means of becoming wise. Speaking in his (Economia, of those who are in pursuit of genuine wisdom, he says, "They reckon the sciences and the mechanical arts only among the ministers of wisdom, and they learn them as helps to its attainment, not that they may be reputed wise on account of their possessing them. They modestly restrain the external mind in its tendency to be elated and puffed up, because they perceive the sciences to form an ocean of which they can only catch a few drops. They look at no one with a scornful brow or the spirit of superiority: nor do they arrogate any of their attainments to themselves. They refer all to the Deity, and regard them as gifts from Him, from whom all true wisdom springs as from its fountain."

Every one, therefore, must be convinced from what has now been said, that Swedenborg, whatever else may be thought of him, was no charlatan. Nor did he, like most pretenders to science, merely skim along the surface of things, or content himself with scraping together the treasures of other minds. In his own person,