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632 NOTES TO VOLUME I.
brilliant whenever he chose (for his disposition was sometimes lacking
in readiness), learned, admirable in writing and speaking, cautious,
far-seeing, a sceptic in thought and in character, too proud ever to
be a favourite, yet sincerely devoted to the house of Holstein to
which he felt drawn by an hereditary loyalty; as, to the rest he
looked more after his own interest, and therefore was unable to
execute great designs."
In his letter to General Tuxen dated May 11, 1772, Count Höpken
stated, that, "he had not only known the late Assessor Swedenborg
these two-and -forty years, but also some time since daily frequented
his company.” This more intimate acquaintance with Swedenborg
"
seems to have dated from the winter of 1759, when it first became
publicly known in Stockholm that Swedenborg’s spiritual eyes were
opened, and that he enjoyed intercourse with departed spirits. (Cfr.
Baron D. Tilas’s letter to Count C. J. Cronstedt, dated March 24,
1760.) In this letter Baron Tilas, who was then councillor of mines,
writes, that "Senator Count Höpken had called upon Swedenborg,
and stayed with him from two to three hours." The interest which
Höpken took in Swedenborg seems to have originated at first en
tirely in curiosity; but after he found that Swedenborg was sound
in mind, and most learned in everything that concerned not only
the spiritual but also the natural world, he made it a point to collect
all his theological and philosophical writings, and he also request
ed from Swedenborg his portrait in oil. The books that were col
lected by Count Höpken are now in the possession of the Royal
Library in Stockholm, and Swedenborg’s portrait was presented by
one of the Count’s heirs to the National Portrait Gallery in Grips
holm. Among the books presented to Count Höpken at that time
by Swedenborg was his copy of Swammerdam’s Biblia Naturæ ,
which he sent in place of his Opera Philosophica et Mineralia,
which the Count desired to possess, but which Swedenborg was un
able to send to him, as he had presented his own copy of the
work to the Royal Library in Stockholm . The copy of Swammer
dam with Swedenborg’s letter of presentation to Count Höpken is
now in the possession of Dr. Lovén of the Medical Institute
( Carolinska Institutet) in Stockholm . In a letter dated November 17,
1769, which will be found in Section IX of the present work ,
Swedenborg meets some objections of Count Höpken to his work
“A Brief Exposition of the Doctrines of the New Church,” and at the
close of the letter he writes: "Your Excellency’s pleasure in my
writings rejoices me at heart, and I thank you for it with all due
respect,” &c. So that it would seem, as if Count Höpken was in
fluenced by more than a mere feeling of curiosity in seeking Sweden
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