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.
184 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
to believe, that, to acquit themselves worthily of their commission, and to just-
ify as they ought the coafideiice with which the sovereign has honored them,
they would neglect nothing that could contribute to make them perfect masters
of the question of animal magnetism, and enable them to decide upon it, and
that they would accordingly read and consider everything which has hitherto
been published on the subject: at least everything that has proceeded from the
pen of the most celebrated naturalists. The work which has occasioned this
remonstrance, being without contradiction the most complete and profound of
all, ought principally to have fixed their attention ; and this being granted, the
saying of the commissioners, that there does not yet exist any theory of the mag-
net,—that is, that nothing which has yet appeared is to be regarded as such,
—
is saying that the theory of Swedenborg is none at all ;—that a theory demon-
strated by experiment, geometry, and reasoning, and in agreement with them
all, is not a theory. Such, I believe, is the exact amount of the assertion of the
commissioners, which, therefore, it remains for them to prove.
" 1 shall now proceed to enable the public to determine, whether the Swedish
philosopher was not most intimately persuaded, that, in natural philosophy,
every theory which is not supported by experience and geometry ought to be
regarded as chimerical. In the first page of the first volume, he thus explains
his views on this subject :
* Qaijinem vult, &c. He who wishes to attain an end,
must also wish to acquire the means. Now these are the means which more
especially lead to knowledge truly philosophical; experience, geometry, and the
faculty of reasoning.’ In the following page he insists, in these terms :
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
