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102 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
queen of Sweden expressly to ascertain whether the report respecting her own case and
Swedenborg were true. The queen replied that it was true.*
" Swedenborg’s omitting to answer (says Mr. Noble,t) by letter, professor
Kant’s inquiries relating to the above affairs, may appear extraordinary. But it
is to be remembered, that he never, himself, laid any stress upon these super-
natural proofs of the truth of his pretentions ; and never does he appeal to them,
or so much as mention them in his works. How strong an evidence is this of
his elevation of mind ; and of his perfect conviction of the truth of the views he
was made an instrument for unfolding, with his own divine appointment to that
purpose, as standing in no need of such evidence for its support ! Could it be
possible for any of the merely fanatical pretenders to divine communications to
appeal to such testimonies of supernatural endowment, how eagerly would they
seek to silence objectors by referring to the queens, counts, ambassadors, gov-
ernors, and university professors, that had been witnesses of their power ! But
it is. precisely on*account of the silencing nature of such evidence that Sweden-
borg declines to appeal to it. Doubtless, however, it was of Divine Providence
that occasions arose which constrained him to give such demonstrations, and
that they were recorded by others : because such things serve for confirmations
of the truth, though they are not the proper grounds of its original reception.
When presented also upon testimony, and at a distance of time, they lose that
compulsive character which they possess when they take place, or neafly so,
before our eyes : and thus they may then become useful to draw the attention of
receptive minds to the truth, which, when known, may convince by its own evi-
dence.
" That supernatural evidences, at a distance of time, lose that compulsive
character which they possess when they take place, or nearly so before our
eyes ; and that minds not receptive of the truth, will then throw off the atten-
tion to it that was only compulsively induced, are facts of which Kant himself
afforded a melancholy example : for he afterwards wrote a pamphlet in which
he depreciates Swedenborg and his writings. But, as observed by the editors,
when his letter was first published in English in The Intellectual Repository :
—
J
" On the whole, this letter of Kant’s must certainly be deemed a very valuable
document, and ought to have great weight with all unprejudiced minds. He
here, it must be allowed, exhibits the true spirit of a philosopher. Prejudiced,
at first, like most men of science, against all belief in spiritual intercourse, he
consents, on Ending b. primci facie case made out in favor of that of Swedenborg,
to investigate the matter thoroughly : he does so : and comes at last to the con-
clusion, that some of the cases are so well established, as ’
to set the assertion re-
specting Swedenhorg’s extraordinary gift out of all possibility of doubt.’ Admit this,
* See also ^"Stilling’s Theori^ der Gcister-ku/ndc, ^c. f’ or Theory of Pneumatology,
English translation, p. 88, note.
t See " Appealy ^c.," p. 213.
X For January, 18-30, Irom which some of the preceding remarks are abridged. See
all that is there said upon Kant and liis system, p. 57-62. For what he afterwards
wrote against Swedenborg, with an exposure of its utter futility, see pp. 197, 198, 199,
of the No. for July, 1834.
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