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Doc. 6.] 59
PERNETY’S ACCOUNT.
communicate his views to any, except such as he considered
single-minded, disposed to listen peaceably, capable of under
standing him , and lovers of the truth.*
12. Notwithstanding his caution in this respect, and although
he had never preached a morality which was opposed either
to the decalogue or good manners ; although his conduct
was exemplary, and he spoke neither against the government
nor particular persons, he was not exempted from persecution.
He found enemies so bent upon doing him injury, that he
was obliged to leave the capital so as not to fall into their
hands. * A young man had even entered his house with a
view of assassinating him , and the gardener’s wife, to save
Swedenborg’s life, told him that he was not at home. The
young man , however, would not believe her, and ran into the
garden, thinking he was there. God, however, provided means
to protect him . As the young man was rushing into the
garden, his cloak caught in a nail of the lock, so that he
could not disengage himself; and his naked sword fell to the
ground. Whilst in this embarrassment the fear of being dis
covered took possession of him, and he withdrew with all poss
ible speed . This young man was afterwards killed in a duel.
* Cfr. Robsahm’s Memoirs, §. 14.
+ This does not seem to be quite correct. Up to the year 1769, accord
ing to Swedenborg’s own statement to Dr. Hartley, he had not met with
any persecutions at all in his own country. But upon his return to Stock
holm, in the latter part of 1769, an attempt was made by some of the
clergy to have him confined in a lunatic asylum (cfr. Robsahm’s Me
moirs § 48), and it was then that a certain Senator, a friend of Sweden
borg’s, counselled him to leave the country, advice which, however, he did
not follow .
| Another more detailed version of this occurrence is given by “Sam
tidens Märkvärdigaste Personer," Upsal 1820, in which a short biographical
sketch of Swedenborg is given, which is in part based on oral communi
cations. There is, however, an error in this account, inasmuch as it is
reported to have taken place in the year 1756, when yet before the winter
of 1759 it was not generally known in Sweden that Swedenborg’s spiritual
eyes were opened, (cfr. the letter of Baron D. Tilas to Count Cronstedt,
dated March 16, 1760, which will be found in Section X). Moreover, it
attributes to Swedenborg a feeling of revenge and a love of sarcasm , which
were entirely foreign to his nature. The account on p. 141 is as
follows. “ During the Diet of 1756 (?), Swedenborg was walking one day
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