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Doc. 270. ] MATHESIUS’ ACCOUNT OF SWEDENBORG. 587
was given me by one of his own country.nen [Mathesius]. He
is now in London, as is Mr. Brockmer also, and ready to
attest every part of it. In the Baron’s writings are many
excellent things ; but there are many likewise that are whim
sical to the last degree. And some of these may do hurt
to serious persons whose imagination is stronger than their
judgment.
1. "Some time in the year 1743,* a Moravian Brother, by
name Seniff, in his return to London from Holland, where
he had been visiting his children, became acquainted in a
packet-boat with Baron Emanuel de Swedenborg ; who desired
.
to be recommended to a family in London, where he could
live retired. Mr. Seniff brought him to Mr. Brockmer.‡
This gentleman was very easily prevailed upon to take him
under his roof.
2. "The Baron behaved very decently in his house : he
went every Sunday to the chapel of the Moravians in Fetter
Lane.§ Though he lived very recluse, he nevertheless would
often converse with Mr. Brockmer, and was pleased with
hearing the Gospel in London. So he went on for several
months, continually approving of what he heard. At last he
came to Mr. Brockmer, and told him, that he rejoiced that
the Gospel was preached tothe poor ; but lamented over the
learned and the rich, who he said must all go to hell.
3. "Some months after, he told Mr. Brockmer he was
to be a translation from the Swedish of Mathesius, under the date of
August 27, 1796. Instead of taking the evidence of a man given soon
after a supposed occurrence, he prefers to accept his testimony on the
same subject as written down sixteen years later, and after he had an
attack of insanity. There is a considerable discrepancy between these two
accounts, as we shall have occasion to show.
* Swedenborg was not in London in that year; he arrived there in
May, 1744 ; see p. 193.
† Mr. Seniff may have been "the pious shoemaker," in whose company
Swedenborg travelled from Holland to London in 1744 ; see Document 209,
no. 137, p. 194.
Swedenborg mentions under the date of July 9, 1744 his having
"selected for himself other lodgings ;" see Document 209, no. 151, p. 200.
§ That Swedenborg on arriving in London in 1744, "by various cir
cumstances was led into the church belonging to the Moravian Brethren,"
appears from Document 209, no. 142, p. 196.
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