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ANECDOTE RESPECTJNG HIS VISIT TO PARIS. 91
of spirits. But of this the man still liviug knows nothing; the spirit, however,
knows everything. This familiar spirit has everything in accordance with his
companion upon earth ; he has, in the world of spirits, the same figure, the same
countenance, and tlie same tone of voice, and wears also similar garments; in
a word,this/<2w///ar spirit of the queen,’ said Swedenborg, ’
appeared exactly as
he had so often seen the queen herself at Stockholm, and had heard her speak.’
In order to allay my astonishment, he added, ’ that Dr. Ernesti,* of Leipzig, had
appeared to him, in a similar manner, in the world of spirits, and that he had
held a long disputation with him.’ What will this learned professor say, when
he comes to hear of it ? Probably he will say, that the old man is in his second
childhood ; he will only laugh at it, and who can be surprised ? I have often
wondered at myself, how I could refrain from laughing, when I was hearing such
extraordinary things from him. And what is more, I have often heard him re-
late the same things in a numerous company of ladies aild gentlemen, when I
well knew that there were mockers amongst them ; but, to my great astonish-
ment, not a single person even thought of laughing. Whilst he is speaking, it is
as though every person who hears him were charmed, and compelled to be-
heve him. He is by no means reserved and recluse, but open-hearted, and ac-
cessible tb aU. Whoever invites him as his guest, may expect to see him. A
certain young gentleman invited him last week to be his guest, and althoi^h he
was not acquainted with him, he appeared at his table, where he met Jewish
and Portuguese gentlemen, with whom he freely conversed, without distinction.
Whoever is curious to see him has no difficulty ; it is only necessary to go to his
house, and he allows anybody to approach him. It can easily be conceived,
however, that the numerous visits, to which he is liable, deprive him of much
time.—I am, &c,,
" D. P. ab Indagine."
With respect to the work above mentioned, entitled " Universal Theology of the True
Christian Religion, §*c.," which was the last that Swedenborg himself superintended
through the press, it may be proper here to observe, that it was Swedenborg’s intention
to have this work printed and ijublished at Paris, whither he went, in 1769, for that
purpose. When he arrived, it was necessary, according to the laws which then regu-
lated the press in France, to submit the work first to the censor royal to recei\e permis-
sion to print it ; as, however, permission could not be given without saying in the title-
page, that it v/as printed either at Amsterdam or London, Swedenborg being in all things
most scrupulous as to the truth, peremptorily refused to concur in this falsehood, and
accordingly went to Amsterdam, where the work was printed.
The following authentic anecdote, which proves that this was the fact, is extracted
from the advertisement prefixed to the French edition of the first volume of the True
Christian Religion, printed at Paris in 1S02 :
—
" Swedenborg came to Paris in 1769. He wished to have his True Christian
Religion printed there ; but it was necessary that the work should be submitted
to the censors. M. Chevreuil, then censor royal and doctor of the Sorbonne,
who was appointed to examine it, told him, after having read it, that a tacit
permission would be granted him, on condition, as was customary in such cases.
* See T. C. R, 137, where Swedenborg alludes to this circumstance.
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