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14 [Doc. 4.
GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
order, with proper care, to make the best use of this incom
parable guide. He values a penetrating eye, even though upon
some occasion it should unguardedly look into the sun, or
rivet itself upon an object which is too distant, and should, in
consequence, become for a while disturbed; he never judges
any one ; and least of all can he judge uncharitably a man
like SWEDENBORG, who worked so unremittingly and so zea
lously in the cause of knowledge and enlightenment, that, with
the single exception, perhaps, of his desire to penetrate too
deeply, there is nothing whatever in his whole character with
which we can find fault.
The beautiful picture of his life, although it contain some
involved parts, deserves therefore to be carefully examined.
The excellent Bishop of Skara, Dr. Jesper Swedberg,* a
man full of zeal but without bigotry, was still chaplain of the
Royal Horse-guards, when his first wife, Sarah Behm , daughter
of Albert Behm , Assessor in the College of Mines, brought
him his second son, EMANUEL SWEDENBORG ; who was born at
Stockholm , the 29th of January, 1688.* He was called
SWEDENBORG from the time, when he, together with his brothers
and sisters, was elevated to the rank of nobility, in 1719.
Nature and art both contribute in beautifying the earth,
but birth and education in adorning the human race. Allowance,
however, must also be made for malformations. For a choice
fruit-tree does not always preserve its qualities in propaga
tions from its fruit -seeds. This is due mostly to the modi.
fications which are effected in a fruit-tree by art, by which
the nature of its fruit is changed; but which are unable to
prevent the nature of the root from affecting the nature of
the fruit. Experience teaches us that there are many similar
* For a detailed account of Dr. Jesper Swedberg, see Document 10.
+ According to a letter written by Assessor Swedenborg in Latin, and
printed in London in 1769, the year of his birth is said to be 1689 ; but
this is an error of the printer: for according to his own statement made
to the House of Nobles, and according to the Register of the Nobility,
compiled by the Counciilor of Chancery, von Stiernman, together with
other certain proofs, he was born in 1688.
There is, however, an error in the said Register in regard to Sweden
borg’s birth -place; for Upsal is mentioned there instead of Stockholm.
Note by S. Sandels.
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