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Doc.275.] 651
SWEDENBORG AND THE QUEEN.
Tell me in what manner you have heard it related, and I will
tell you what part of it is true or otherwise. I replied, that
as I saw he was on the point of going on board the vessel,
I supposed there was no time to lose, and therefore desired
he would have the kindness to relate the affair to me. He
consented, and told it me in the same manner as I had been
informed of it before by means of letters from people of credit ;
adding, however, the following circumstances :
"The Senator, Count Scheffer,136 came one day to see him,
and asked him whether he would accompany him to the court
next day; Swedenborg inquired why he proposed it, as he
very well knew he occupied himself with other concerns than
going to court. Count Scheffer replied, that the Queen, a
few days before, had received a letter from her sister the
Duchess of Brunswick, in which she mentioned a censure or
criticism she had read in the gazette of Göttingen, on a man
in Stockholm, who pretended to speak with the dead ; and she
wondered much that the Queen, in her letters to her, had
never mentioned a word on that subject. The Queen then
inquired of those present, Whether it was true that there was
such a man, and whether he was not insane? To this Count
Scheffer answered, that he was far from being insane, but was a
sensible and learned man. Upon this, the Queen expressed a
wish to see him; when Count Scheffer said that he was inti
mately acquainted with him, and would propose it to him. The
Count accordingly made Swedenborg promise to accompany him
to court, which he did. The King" and Queen having arrived,
they entered into conversation with the foreign ambassadors and
other principal characters at court, and then approached Count
Scheffer, who presented Swedenborg. The Queen expressed
her satisfaction at seeing him, and asked him, ’Whether it
was true, that he could converse with the deceased ? ’ He an
swered, ’ Yes.’ She inquired further, ’ Whether it was a science
that could be communicated to and by others? ’ ’ No.’ ’What
is it then?’ ’
A gift of the Lord.’ ’ Can you, then, speak with
every one deceased, or only with certain persons ?’ He an
swered, ’I cannot converse with all, but with such as I have
known in this world ; with all royal and princely persons, with
all renowned heroes, or great and learned men, whom I have
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