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1070 NOTES TO VOLUME II.
NOTE 161.
SWEDENBORG’S PHILOSOPHY OF DREAMS.
The general theory of dreams is stated by Swedenborg in the
Adversaria, Vol. II, nos. 182 to 184, in these words : "With respect
to dreams in particular I desire simply to state here that they are
induced on man by spirits. Those dreams by which the future is
revealed, and also truths, are caused by the spirits of God-Messiah
[i. e. by angels], but other dreams by spirits that are not of God
Messiah ; those dreams, however, by which men are deceived are
induced by evil spirits, and thus by the devil’s crew. They express
themselves either by the living voice, or, most frequently by represen
tations, of which there are innumerable kinds ; and unless a person
know these kinds, it is impossible for him to know the signification
of representative dreams. For they are representations of things from
heaven by means of such things chiefly as are seen upon earth, and
thus by the things of nature; and sometimes these representations
are so intricate, that their meaning can be unravelled only when
the various modes of representation are known. That such is the
case appears most clearly from the dreams of Joseph and also of
Pharaoh, and likewise from the prophets, where various things con
cerning dreams are recorded. I need not mention here visions which
are altogether similar to dreams; nor representations which are like
them, and which sometimes appear as in clear daylight to the life
in a state of wakefulness, before and after sleep ; nor, finally, real
representations when objects appear present in a similar manner, as
when one man is present before another man-this last kind of
representation, however, took place with me, when I was in a dif
ferent state."
After thus speaking of dreams, visions, and representations in a
general way, Swedenborg adds : "That these things are so, I can
attest; and their being so ought the less to be doubted because, by
the Divine mercy of God-Messiah, they have happened so frequently,
that they have become quite familiar to me. I learned them partly by
dreams which I had at first during a number of years, when I
learned something of their real signification, and partly by the other
revelations [i. e. by visions and representations] ; and also by addi
tional revelations, as, for instance, when the very letters appeared
written before my eyes, and were read to me, &c. &c. But I am
not yet permitted to say more concerning them." This he wrote
in 1746.
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