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LAVATER. 1139
at the University of Strasburg, and finally went to Denmark. There
he vented his hatred against the clergy in such a manner that
he was imprisoned on the island of Bornholm. After his release he
went to Sweden, where he became renowned as a physician, and was
even summoned to Stockholm by the King in that capacity. On
account of representations made by the clergy he was compelled to
leave Sweden, when he went to Berleburg, in Germany, where he
died suddenly in 1734. Dippel, under the name of Christianus
Democritus, published numerous writings in which he inveighed
against the clergy and their doctrinal opinions. His own belief was
that religion consists only in love and in self-sacrifice, wherefore he
regarded almost all statements of doctrine as superfluous. Swedenborg
mentions Dippel repeatedly in his " Spiritual Diary" (nos. 3485-3487,
5962 and 5995). He says there, "It was thought that Dippel pos
sessed the ability of seeing things accurately, because he wrote
against many persons, and in his writings appeared to excel others
in understanding matters and things. Upon being examined, however,
it was found that he was unable to see any truth, nay, the reality
of anything, and that he was only skilled in defaming others. What
resulted from himself was ridiculous and nonsensical, as for instance
where he maintained that fire was spirit, &c." (no. 5962). "I was
told that his style when he criticized others was such that it
appeared full of science and intelligence; but that when he com
municated his own ideas on systems, religion, and other things, he
talked sheer nonsense" (no. 5995).
NOTE 186.
J. C. LAVATER.
Among Swedenborg’s correspondents was John Casper Lavater,
celebrated as a theologian, and also as the author of an extensive
treatise on Physiognomy, which appeared in several editions and
was translated into English and French. He was born in 1741, and
was thus twenty-seven years old when he wrote his first letter to
Swedenborg in 1768 (Document 236). He intended early in life to
become a minister of the gospel. In 1763 he visited the celebrated
Dean Spalding in Pomerania, and after his return home in 1764,
appeared in public in 1767 with his excellent " Swiss songs" (Schweizer
lieder). This publication was succeeded by a more extensive poetical
work, entitled "Prospects into Eternity" (Aussichten in die Ewigkeit),
on which he desired to have Swedenborg’s opinion, and of which
he wrote him he "would willingly send him a copy, or, if he pleased,
72*
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