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TESTIMONY OF C. SPRINGER, ESQ. 63
" There is also a small volume in 8vo., the Latin title of which is, Nova Hiero-
solyma, &c. This also has been translated into English, but is imperfect.* The
Latin copy, is therefore more worthy of perusal on this account, than that edition.
It may not be amiss to observe, that although this translation is imperfect, there
is not, as I am informed, a copy to be sold. As to the Arcana Ca^lestia, I am told
that there are but two sets of the volumes to be met with ; one of which I have
retained for your service.
"I shall now proceed to satisfy the desire you have. Sir, of being informed of
the discourses I had with the late venerable Swedenborg, as well by ourselves,
as in the presence of others ; but I must here observe, that as these discourses
Avere numerous, it would be too difficult to relate the whole.
"It is certain, that two or three weeks before his decease, and not two or three
days (as his opponents insinuate), I asked him, when he believed that the New
Jerusalem, or the New Church of the Lord, would be manifested, and if this
raanifestation would take place in the four quarters of the world ? His answer
was, that no mortal could declare the time, no, not even the celestial angels ;
and that it was solely known to God. Read, said he, the Revelations, chap. xxi.
2, and Zechariah, chap. xiv. 9, and you will find, that it is not to be doubted,
but that the New Jerusalem mentioned in the Apocalypse, which denotes a new
and purer state of the Christian Church than has hitherto existed, will manifest
itself to all the earth. I questioned him also concerning the letter that was writ-
ten by the queen of Sweden to her brother the deceased Margrave ; he replied,
much of the common report is true, and part of it not; but perhaps the whole
of the matter is better known at Berlin than in other parts. I then asked him
whether it was true, as I was informed it was, that when he was at Gottenburg
(a town about sixty Swedish miles from Stockholm), he had foretold to his
friends, three days before the arrival of the post, the particular hour of the be-
ginning of the great fire that happened at Stockholm ; to which he replied, that
it was exactly true. I put to him also many questions concerning Charles the
XII. of Sweden, and received surprising answers from him on that head.
" 1 shall now proceed to relate to you, Sir, what I have seen and heard of him.
Fifteen years ago, Swedenborg was about to depart for Sweden, and desired me
to procure him a good captain, v/hich I did. I made the agreement with a
person named Dixon. Swedenborg’s effects were carried on board the vessel,
and as his apartments were at some distance from the port, we took for that
night a cham.ber at an inn near it, because the captain of the vessel was to come
and fetch him in the morning. He went to bed ; and I went to sit in another
room with the master of the house, with whom I was conversing. We both
heard a remarkable noise, and could not apprehend what it could be ; and
therefore drew near to a door, where there was a litde window that looked into
the chamber where Swedenborg lay. We saw him with his hands raised to-
wards heaven, and his body appeared to tremble. f He spoke much for the
space of half an hour, but we could understand nothing of what he said, except
* The extracts from the Arcana Caslcstia were omitted in that edition.
t It may be very easily supposed, that when Swedenborg had a very full and interior
communication with spirits, the effects of such communication would be visible in his
external look and deportment. As, however, he lived much in retirement, these effecfs
could not, of course, be often seen by others.
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