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62 [Doc. 6.
GENERAL BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.
written by his own hand, without any corrections or era
sures, lying upon the table where he was writing, asked him
whether he took the trouble himself to write out a clean
copy. “ I make a clean copy in writing it out the first time,”
replied Swedenborg; “for I am only a secretary, and I write
at the dictation of my spirit.” *
16. A certain man , a great admirer of Böhme,40 asked
him in London, what he thought of that author. “He was a
good man,” answered Swedenborg, “ it is a pity that some
errors crept into his writings, especially with regard to the
Trinity. [See Note 41.]
17. He was asked whether there was any truth in Her
metic philosophy ? “ Yes," he replied, “I consider it to be
true, and one of the greatest wonders of God, but I advise
no one to work in this subject.42 [See Note 42.]
18. On arriving from London at Gottenburg, Swedenborg
was told that his house had been consumed by a great con
flagration, in which almost the whole of the southern suburb
of Stockholm was destroyed in 1759. “ No,” replied he, “my
* David Paulus ab Indagine (Joh. Christ. Cuno) in a collection of
anecdotes concerning Swedenborg, published at Hamburg 1771, under the
title “ Sammlung einiger Nachrichten Herrn Emanuel Swedenborg be
treffend " (Collection of some statements concerning Emanuel Swedenborg),
says concerning him , “He said his angel dictated to him , and he could write
fast enough for him .” Cuno at the same time states that Swedenborg
did not make a first draught of his ks, but wrote out a clean copy
at once. These statements are not borne out by the facts, inasmuch as
among the Swedenborg MSS. in the library of the Academy of Sciences in
Stockholm there are two copies of Swedenborg’s treatise on the Apocalypse
Explained, both in his own handwriting, one of these being the first
draught of the work, and the other a clean copy written out for the
printer. Moreover, in the same library, there is also a first draught copy
of almost the whole of his largest work, entitled the Arcana Cælestia.
This plan of making a first draught copy of at least a portion of what he
intended to publish, Swedenborg followed to the end on his natural life,
inasmuch as the first draught copies of a large number of the memorable
relations contained in his last work, The True Christian Religion , are
preserved in the Royal Library in Stockholm ; these sheets having been left
by Swedenborg on board the ship in which he sailed to Amsterdam in
1769, and afterwards having been presented by the captain of the ship to
Magister Lanaerus, 146 of Carlscrona.
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