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SWEDENBORG AND HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY. 651
.
together, in a word by conglobating, produces the second, and by
this the third; and that each is distinguished from the other by a
surrounding covering. It hence follows that the first degree is su
preme and reigns alone in the succeeding degrees: consequently that
the first degree is the all in all of the succeeding degrees. Application
may be made of this to the muscles, nerves, matters, and particles
both of the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, to the organic substances
which are the subjects of the thoughts and affections in man, to the
atmospheres, to heat and light, and to love and wisdom. In all of
these the first degree is the only reigning principle in the following
degrees, yea it is the only substance in them, and because it is the
only substance, it is the all in them ." From this principle it follows
that every metal and every element preserves its identity from the
outermost to its very inmost essence, that gold, therefore, is gold
even to its innermost principle; and the same may he said of iron,
copper, mercury; and consequently that Swedenborg’s doctrines are
diametrically opposed to the assumption that any of the baser metals
or earths can be changed into the nobler metals of gold or silver.
Moreover, as early as 1721, Swedenborg published in his "Miscellaneous
Observations," (English Edition p.75,) Reasons showing the impossibility
of transmuting Metals, especially into Gold, where he expresses him
self most strongly against all such endeavours. From this it follows
that the whole of paragraph 17 in Pernety’s “ Account of Swedenborg"
is false, where he states that Swedenborg declared " the subject of the
Hermetic philosophy to be true," i. e. the finding of the philosopher’s
stone, by means of which gold and silver may be manufactured out
of baser substances.
Originally by the " Hermetic philosophy" was understood the
wisdom contained in the sacred writings of the Egyptians, known
under the name of the “ Hermetic writings,” and which are ascribed
to the Egyptian god Thoth, called Hermes by the Greeks. These
writings contained the mythological dogmas and history, the litur
gy, the civil and religious law , the rules of life and ethics, and
the entire circle of Egyptian science. In the third century after
Christ there arose the school of the New Platonists in Alexandria,
by whom the philosophy of the Greeks was combined with the
science of the Egyptians, and in the fourth century after Christ
the problem of changing the baser metals into gold was diligently
pursued in the schools at Alexandria. This problem had, however,
been studied at an earlier period by others, who declared that
they had derived the secret immediately from a study of the ancient
Egyptian writings; wherefore the Emperor Diocletian in the year
296 ordered that all Egyptian books on the art of making gold should
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