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Doc. 314.] 1
SWEDENBORG AND ETINGER. 1055
E.
EXTRACTS FROM ETINGER’S LETTERS TO COUNT VON CASTELL.104*
1765. (1.) " Chancellor Reuss [of Tübingen] about three
weeks ago shewed me a letter from the son of Blume, the
chaplain of the court, who had conversed with the old gentle
man, Swedenborg. He from having been the greatest philo
sopher, has become a small apostle. For fifteen years already
his mission has been to describe the invisible world (1) in respect
to the state of the most blessed angelic spirits, (2) in respect
to the intermediate state, and (3) in respect to hell ; and indeed,
in accordance with the pure and clear words of the spirits
themselves. His work is entitled ’Arcana Calestia, or the Heavenly
Mysteries, which are discovered in the Word of God in the
book of Genesis, together with the wonderful things which
have been seen in the world of spirits and the heaven of
angels,’ Vol. I, 1749. The book is printed in large quarto.
I am willing to translate it, if my friends will defray the
expenses of publication. Swedenborg in his old age journeyed
to Holland, where he had it printed without his name [?]. It
contains wonderful, astonishing, unheard of, and important
things. His spiritual experiences are beautiful, but his expla
nations of Scripture are one-sided. I am not disturbed by this ;
I am able to combine it all, for I am not a theologian of
one stripe only. But what a wonderful book this is!
Prof. Krafft says that the information contained therein is
so very detailed, that it is better to pass into eternity with
faith alone than with such a detailed account" (no. 547, p. 676).
1765. (2.) "My book on Swedenborgt is a philosophical
essay. Every one is at liberty, if he is willing to take the
trouble, to compare it with the Sacred Scripture. The eight
philosophies which are contained in the second Volume, are
just as important, on account of the wish expressed by Spener,
and their relation to Jacob Boehme¹0" (no. 550, p. 677) .
* The References in these extracts are made to Ehmann’s "Life and
Letters of Etinger," Stuttgart, 1859.
"Earthly and Heavenly Philosophy," &c.
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