Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VII. The Church in the “Time of Freedom” and Period of Neology (1718—1811 A.D.)
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
5 ._SWKDKNBORG AS A YOUNG MAN. 337
books, makes this striking reference to him.25
Speaking
of courage in man, he writes: "We may see genuine
courage illustrated in the person of the dead King of
Sweden, that hero of the North, who never knew that
which others call fear, nor that fallacious courage and
boastfulness which is excited by intoxicating drinks; for
he touched no other than water. Of him we may say that
he lived a life farther removed from death than others, and
that he had in reality lived more than other men."
This death not only closed a period in Swedenborg s
life, but it was followed shortly after by another blow, his
disappointment in the only love affair which is known
to have seriously touched his heart. He was greatly
attracted by Emerentia Polhem, his dear friend s younger
daughter, and Polhem made her promise in writing to
marry Swedenborg. But the young lady could not dis
guise her sorrow and distress, and Swedenborg was forced
to give her up, and swore that he could never think of
another woman. Thus it came to pass that one who wrote
more warmly than anyone else of the honourable estate of
matrimony, and who afterwards taught as a matter of re
velation that it was (in a spiritual manner) to be part of
human life in another world, was himself debarred from
entering it.
26
25
In his (Economia regni animalis, quoted by Holmquist,
I.e., p. 38.
26
Swedenborg s own moral character is a matter of debate.
On the one hand (i) his writings shew a coarse habit of mind,
and a great familiarity with vicious thoughts, and (2) in his
moral teaching he allowed great laxity to men, especially in
the unmarried state. He seems to view woman chiefly from the
man s standpoint, and to have had no ideas of the elevation
which she then so sorely needed. On the other hand, the actual
lapses of conduct attributed to him do not appear to be made
out. Holmquist, I.e., p. 39 n., criticizes the story that he had
an alskarinna in Italy. On the coarseness of his diary in 1743
1744, see White, chapter xi., and Chr. Rembr., I.e., p. 318. On
the laxity which he allowed to men, either unmarried or living
apart from their wives, see White, pp. 554-62, and Wilkinson,
pp.. i.8q-j. His works are in parts anything but pleasant
aa
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
