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568 [Doc . 200 .
SWEDENBORG AS A MAN OF SCIENCE.
B.
SWEDENBORG’S REPLY TO PROFESSOR CELSIUS .*
Computation of the declination of the needle for the meridian
of Upsal, showing the use of such computations for finding the
eastern and western longitude.
It is probably universally known that the learned among
the ancients could not advance physical science to that height
to which it has been brought by the learned of later times,
especially by those of the last and of the present centuries:
for in former times they were obliged unaided by observation
and experiments to investigate everything from their own
thoughts, and to derive their knowledge from their own brains;
as they thus derived no help from visible tokens by which
they could have been directed to the true way, it necessarily
followed that in certain respects they were misled. Neverthe
less, by their profound thought they encouraged posterity to
examine things more closely, and by investigating effects to
find out how closely or how remotely their rules agree with
the actual order of nature.
There are two ways by which to trace out those things in
nature which lie either open before us, or are hidden from
our eyes, viz. the a priori which is also called the synthetical
method, and the a posteriori, or the analytical method. Both
are necessary in reflecting upon and tracing out one and the
same thing: for in order to do so there is required both light
a priori, and experience a posteriori. Now, while the learned
among the ancients followed the former light as remotely and
profoundly as they possibly could, those at a later period were
induced not to accept anything as witness, unless it was con
firmed by experience. Hence also some of the learned at the
present day seem to have agreed to let thought rest, and to
make experiments which would appeal to the senses ; yet they
* This paper was read before the Academy of Sciences, on December
14, 1740, and is preserved in its Archives.
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