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.
TESTIMONY OF EMANUEL KANT. IM
had thought it worthy of attention, the consternation was considerably increased
;
because many were in trouble on account of their friends and property, which
might have been involved in the disaster. On the Monday evening a messenger
arrived at Gottenburg, who was despatched during the time of the fire. In the
letters brought by hirn, the fire was described precisely in the manner stated by
Swedenborg. On the Tuesday morning the royal courier arrived at the gover-
ner’s, with the melancholy intelligence of the fire, of the loss which it had oc-
casioned, and of the houses it had damaged and ruined, not in the least differ-
ing from that which Swedenborg had given immediately it had ceased -, for the
fire was extinguished at eight o’clock.
"What can be brought forward against the authenticity of this occurrence .=*
My friend who wrote this to me, has not only examined the circumstances of
this extraordinary case at Stockholm, bntalso, about two months ago, at Gotten-
burg, where he is acquainted with the most respectable houses, and where he
could obtain the most authentic and complete -information; as the greatest part
of the inhabitants, who are still alive, were witnesses to the memorable occur-
rence.—I am, with profound reverence, &c. &c.,
" Emanuel Kant."*
Kant, in another \vork,f bears testimony to the memorable occurrence respecting the
queen of Sweden and Swedenborg, mentioned above p. 94.
*’
Towards the end of 1761| (says Kant), M. Swedenborg [Swedenborg] was
invite^ to the court of a princess, whose great understanding and intelligence
rendered it almost impossible that she could be duped or deceived. Sweden-
borg’s visit to the queen was occasioned by the universal report of the visions
of this man. After several questions, the object of which appeared rather to
sport with his imaginaions, than to procure any news from the other world, the
queen, before they parted, gave him a secret commission, which had relation to
his intercourse with spirits. After some days Swedenborg came with the an-
swer, which was of that nature, as to place the queen, according to her own
confession, in the greatest astonishment, because she foimd it was true, and, at
the same time, declared, that no living man upon earth could have communi-
cated it to him. This occurrence was recorded in the Report of an ambassador at the
court of Sweden, ivho was present at the time, to another ambassador at Copenhagen, and
it agrees precisely with the investigation which has been made respecting it."§
Dr. Clemm, Professor of Theology at Tubingen, also records, in one of his works,(|
these three remarkable occurrences. It appears, that a German prelate, Oetinger, a
man of great reputation, in his day, on account of his learning and piety, wrote to the
* The above letter is taken from a work entitled, Darstellung des Lihens und Charak-
ters Immanuel KanVs, von Ludwig Ernst Borowski, von Kant sclbst gcnnau rividirt und
herichtigt. Konigsberg, 1804. That is, " Description of the Life and Character of
Emanuel Kant, by Lewis Earnest Borowski: revised and corrected by Kant himself."
t " Trdume eines Geistersehers, erl’dutert durch Trdume der Metaphysick. Konigsberg,
1776," p. 85. Dreams of a Spirit Seer, illustrated by dreams of Metaphysics.
t This should be 1758.
§ The Italics are Kant’s, which indicate, that he hihriself did not doubt the truth of
the memorable occurrence.
I!
" VoUst. Einleittmg in die Religion v/nd gcsante Theologie. Bd. 4. Tiib. 1767," p.
206.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
