Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< 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.
ANECDOTES COLLECTED BY MR. PROVO. 79
gels, or receive information from them, about such things :’ which offended that
person ; though ]Mr. Cookworthy saw that it was the most forcible argument
that could have been used ; and as a proof of his approbation of the testimony,
he afterwards published the first edition of the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, which
cost £100.
" In 1781, Mr. Hartley related to Mr. Provo, that he had been with Sweden-
borg in Cold Bath Fields several times ; that he was a kind and sensible man,
and had something so loving and taking in his manner as highly delighted
those he spoke wath : but what his sentiments of him were, may be seen in the
prefaces to the works on Infiiix, Heaven "and Hell, and Universal Theology ; and
by his executing the translation of the Heaven and Hell, when near seventy years
of age, and subject to many bodily infirmities, solely from a desire to render the
work public for the general good of the world.
" Mrs. Lewis [an advertisement at the end of the Delitice Sapientice, ^’c. states
that the works are sold by Mr. Lewis, Paternoster Row, and Mr. Hart (see the
following article), in Poppin’s-court, Fleet-street,] told Mr. Provo, about the year
1778, that she thought Swedenborg a good and sensible man, but that it appeared
to her that he was too apt to spiritualize things (when speaking of their corres-
pondence). She said he was very abstemious, and lived chiefly on almonds
and raisins.
"Mr. Hart related to Mr. Provo, about the year 1779, that he thought Swe-
denborg a remarkable man, for w^hilst he was abroad, old Mr. Hart, his father,
died in London. On Swedenborg’s return he went to spend an evening at Mr.
Hart’s house, in Poppin’s-court. After being let in at the street door, he was
told that his old friend, Mr. Hart, was dead ; to which he replied, ’ I know that
very well, for I saw him in the spiritual world whilst I was in Holland, at such
a time [near the time he died, or soon after] ; also whilst coming over in the
packet to England : he is not now in heaven,’ continued he, ’
but is coming
round, and in a good w^ay to do well.’ This much surprised the widow and
son, for they knew that he was just come over, and they said that he was of
such a nature that he could impose on no one, that he always spoke the
truth concerning every little matter, and would not have rnade any evasion
though’his life had been at stake. Mr. Hart, the father, printed all the Arcana
Cadestia, in Latin; Swedenborg was fond of his company, and often went to
spend an evening there : he used to take particular notice of Mr. Hart’s little
girl, whom Mr. Provo saw at the time, then about ten years old.
" Mr. Burkhardt, a Swede, and formerly clerk to the Swedish Chapel here,
told Mr. Provo, in 1783, that he knew Swedenborg, and was present once when
he dined in London w^ith some of the Swedish clergy ; he said that some argu-
ment passed between Swedenborg and one of them concerning the Lord, and
the nature of man’s duty of life to him, and that Swedenborg overthrew the
tenets of his opponent, who appeared but a child to him in knowledge. Mr.
Burkhardt added, that Swedenborg was a holy, good man, much given to ab-
straction of mind ; that even when walking out he sometimes seemed as if in
private prayer, and latterly took but little notice of things and people in the
streets. After his decease he was carried to this person’s house, and buried
from thence.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
