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Doc. 4.] 23
EULOGIUM ON SWEDENBORG .
charged with having remained on the surface only; for he
applied his whole strength in attempting to fathom the in
most recesses of things, and to connect together the various
links into one universal chain, and show their derivation
in a certain order from their first origin: neither can he
be accused by any one of having, like other mathema
ticians and physicists, made use of the light he discovered
during his researches, to hide from himself and others, and,
if possible, to extinguish, the greatest light of all ; for in
his constant meditations on the work of creation, he con
tinually found reasons for acknowledging and adoring the
Lord of nature.
But let us suppose ourselves engaged in analyzing a great
mechanical work. We were not present at its construction ;
nor have we penetrated to all its moving springs, and there
fore from the effects only, with which even we are not per
fectly acquainted, we are obliged to judge of the whole struc
ture. What are we to do? Each one assumes certain prin
ciples of his own, which appear to him most probable, and
under their guidance endeavours to advance step by step.
This is the course which our greatest thinkers have pursued
in speculative philosophy. Happy they who, in unfolding sub
lime subjects, have been least unintelligible! For although, even
with the greatest perspicuity and the profoundest insight, they
have not always succeeded in penetrating the depths of know
ledge, or in keeping clear of error, still they have been often
instrumental in opening new avenues for the exercise of our
reason ; or at least, one thought has led to another, and, finally,
been productive of more reliable information.
Alchemists, but not those that were merely ignorant
empirics–by their unceasing experiments led the way to
invaluable discoveries in chemistry, although they did not dis
cover the art of making gold.
I am perhaps not mistaken in believing, that, from the
time when our Swedenborg began to build his thoughts upon
his own ground, he cherished a hidden fire to fathom the most
secret things, and that, even then, he was seeking for ways, by
which to reach his object; at least, a comparison of his earlier
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