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Doc. 4.] 13
EULOGIUM ON SWEDENBORG .
which it is both a duty and a pleasure for us to consider,
namely, the memory of a noble man, celebrated alike for his
virtues and the depth of his knowledge, who was one of the
oldest members of this Academy, and whom we all knew and
loved.
The feeling of affection and high esteem which we all
entertained for the late Assessor of the Royal College of
Mines, EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, assures me, that you will love
to hear me speak of him ; and happy shall I be, if I can fulfil
your desire, and pronounce his eulogy as he deserves. But
if, as artists declare, there are some countenances, of which
it is difficult to give an exact likeness; how much more dif
ficult will it be to do justice to a vast and sublime genius,
who never knew either repose or fatigue ; who, occupied with
sciences the most profound, was long engaged with researches
into the secrets of nature, but in later years applied all his
efforts to unveil still greater mysteries; who, in respect to
certain principles of knowledge, went his own separate way,
but never lost sight of the principles of morality and the fear
of God ; who was possessed of remarkable power, even in the
decline of his age, and boldly tried to find how far the power
of thought could be stretched; and who, during the whole of
this time, has furnished materials for a great variety of thoughts
and judgments upon himself, differing from one another as much
as do the faculties of the men who think and judge.
The more brilliant the faculties and other properties which
are the gifts of nature, the more clearly appear the shadows
by which they are attended. It is only those influenced by
mere curiosity who, on the appearance of some new light, see
on all sides nothing but marvels and wonders, even in mere
shadows. The shallow, on the other hand, see trifles in every
thing; quickness of apprehension intheir eyes is superficiality;
deep thought dreaminess; learning appears to them whimsical ;
experiments they regard as mistakes; and the fathoming of hidden
things they consider as a proof of insanity, and so forth. The
wise man , however, loves to hold fast to the good, and does
not reject a rich ore because it contains some heterogeneous
substance, indicating its origin. He explores the deviations of
the needle, not for the purpose of doing away with it, but in
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