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Doc. 267.] 557
TESTIMONY OF FERELIUS.
especially in the beginning of the year, I should not be at all
surprised if you include me in the number of those who are
ungrateful. Yet I assure you that the favour that was shown
to me during my stay in Greifswalde,* as well as during my
residence in London, shall never be forgotten by me ; and I
herewith render to you my best thanks for it. I thank you
likewise for your favour dated the 7th of last December, and
according to your request will communicate to you as much
as I can remember about our late celebrated countryman.
1. Assessor Emanuel Swedenborg died in the month of
March, 1772, and was buried by me on April 5 in the bury
ing vault of the Swedish Ulrica Eleonora church ; which was
the last clerical duty I performed in that country. Towards
the close of the year he was touched by paralysis on one side,
which rendered his speech indistinct, especially when the
atmosphere was oppressive.
2. I visited him several times, and asked him each time,
whether he had an idea that he was to die this time. Upon
which he answered, " Yes."
3. Upon this I observed to him, that, as quite a number
of people thought that his sole purpose in promulgating his
new theological system had been to make himself a name, or
to acquire celebrity, which object, indeed, he had thereby
attained, if such had been the case, he ought now to do the
world the justice to retract it either in whole or part, especially
as he could not expect to derive any additional advantage
from this world, which he would soon leave. He thereupon
half rose in his bed, and laying his sound hand upon his
breast said with some manifestation of zeal : "As true as you
see me before your eyes, so true is everything that I have
"Swedenborg Documents," Vol. III, pages 40-46. An English translation
of this letter appeared in the "Intellectual Repository" for December, 1842,
and was afterwards introduced into the Appendix to the English edition
of the "Swedenborg Documents," published in 1855.
The editor of these Documents succeeded in obtaining in Sweden, in
1870, a certified copy of the original letter which contains some particulars
omitted in the copy printed by Dr. Tafel. From this certified copy the
present translation is made.
* Ferelius took his degree of A. M. in Greifswalde in 1757.
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