Oppian. He had begun a tragedy of Dion, but made small progress in it. "As to his other affairs he dyed poor, but honest, leaving no debts or legacies; except of a few pounds to Mr. Trumbull and my Lady, in token of respect, gratefulness, and mutual esteem. “I shall, with pleasure, take upon me to draw this amiable, quiet, deserving, unpretending Christian and philosophical character, in his epitaph. There truth may be spoken in a few words: as for Flourish, and Oratory, and Poetry, I leave them to younger and more lively writers, such as love writing for writing sake, and wd rather shew their own Fine Parts, yn report the valuable ones of any other man. So the Elegy I renounce. "I condole with you from my heart on the loss of so worthy a man, and a Friend to us both. Now he is gone, I must tell you he has done you many a good office, and set your character in ye fairest light to some who either mistook you, or knew you not. I doubt not he has done the same for me. "Adieu: Let us love his memory, and profit by his example-I am, very sincerely, "Dr Sir, "Your affectionate & real servant, "Aug. 29, 1730." Thus wrote, not the just censor, the keen satirist, the brilliant moral painter, the gay, elegant, courtly letterwriter, the arch critic of the artificial school of poetry and of criticism; but the humane, the affectionate, the friendly Pope, out of his very heart of hearts, with earnestness and undoubted zeal. To question the truth of this were to insult humanity. X V. SWEDENBORGIANISM.* We have here two accredited expositions of the character and tenets of the Swedenborgian sect, by respectable clergymen of that denomination; and, in order to satisfy the minds of those inquiring into the truth and genuineness of these doctrines, in ever so slight a degree, we shall present a brief abstract of them; but first, it may be necessary to lay before the reader some account of that extraordinary man, Emmanuel Swedenborg; for such, all who study his life and system must allow him to have been, however they may refuse to admit his apostolical or prophetic cha racter. We Swedenborg was the son of a Lutheran bishop, and educated with, perhaps, something of sectarian rigor. conceive we see, in this fact, an explanation of those visionary theories, and that "largest liberty," which occupied the thoughts of his later years. From a restricted bigotry to unbounded freedom of belief, the transition is neither uncommon nor unnatural. Yet, true to his early education, "A Course of five Lectures on the fundamental Doctrines of the New Jerusalem Church," by Richard De Charms. 92 pp., 12mo., Philadelphia. "Barrett's Lectures," 12mo. John Allen. Swedenborg never left the communion of the Lutheran Church, but remained a member to the day of his death. Many of his sentiments, of a nobler morality, and much of the spiritual interpretation, which he vulgarized by its too frequent use, might safely be introduced into every sect, and into the bosom even of the true Church; but then, purely in an episodical manner, and not as the only saving truth. Though writing and teaching as "a man sent from the Lord," yet it was not until after his death that his followers united together to form, what they assumed to style (with sufficient humility to be sure) The New Church. Sectarian arrogance and spiritual conceit have rarely transcended this. Swedenborg was early distinguished for quickness, industry, memory and enthusiasm. He had a rich, luxuriant fancy, and some poetical talent. He was a chemist, linguist, and mathematician: understood metallurgy and anatomy, and possessed an inventive spirit, and an original vein, in all of these. He was more than this, a clear, exact, methodical man of business; drew up the best financial reports, succeeded in embassies, and made himself a useful statesman. Altogether, he was a man of rare natural abilities, with much and various culture. He filled numerous offices of high trust, was ennobled and honored with distinguished attentions; at one time the favorite of Charles XII.; and, if we are not in error, he converted a later sovereign to his peculiar views. Swedenborg, from all accounts, must have been an honest man, a pure man, a sincere Christian, but essentially a religious enthusiast ; and, as we cannot help thinking, possessed with a monomania, not fierce and turbulent, but gentle and spiritual. It has been said, that the study of the Book of Revelations would turn any man's head who attempts to translate that mystical allegory into plain prose. Newton (says a great authority) wrote nonsense on the Revelations. Wise Dan Chaucer, long since, told his readers that The greatest clerks are not the wisest men. And Swedenborg adds another illustrious name to the list of those who attempt impossible things; ranking, with the inquirers after the longitude, those who seek to square the circle, or discover perpetual motion. It were as wise to hunt after the art of transmuting the baser metals into gold, as to aim at a new (and true, at the same time) commentary on the Christian scheme and the Holy Scriptures. From one of the best accounts of the life of Swedenborg, in the Encyclopædia Americana, to which our attention has been directed by a Swedenborgian, we adopt a conclusion of the critic, that Swedenborg was rather a religious poet than a scientific theologian: that, though a man of a truly devotional spirit, he had more of fancy in his piety and his so-called visions, than he himself imagined. His country, his temperament, his very name, smacks of mysticism. His followers deny this: but we want no other proof of it, than some of his own pretensions, and the titles of some of his works.* What man but he, save Quevedo in satire, and Virgil, with Dante and Milton, in epic poesy, ever pretended a picture of Hell? Swedenborg gives, also, a minute description of Heaven and the Angelic Spirits. We have heard the Swedish Apostle compared to Jacob Boehmen, and we suspect a close parallel: it is said that the former was obliged to the earlier mystic, for many ideas * Arcana Celestia, the Apocalypse, and Angelic Wisdom. and images. Even Emerson, very lately, spoke of Swedenborg as the greatest poet since Dante, thereby greatly alloying his prophetic character. For, the introduction of fancy into religion leaves too much room for the exercise of human invention. A poetical religionist is likely to be an unsafe biblical critic. We see this exemplified in the strange mixture of ancient Christianity and Neo-Platonism, where the distinctive doctrines of each were so confused as to impair the verisimilitude of the former, and give too high authority to the visions of the latter. This grew to so great an evil, that after the separation of the two diverse elements, the doctrine of the Trinity itself, the very corner-stone of Christianity, came to be considered, by some, a relic of Platonism. The prophets of old spake from a celestial inspiration; the impostors of modern days (we do not rank Swedenborg among conscious impostors), the Mother Ann Lees, of the Shakers; the Joe Smiths, of the Mormons, etc., seek the light of their own unenlightened reason, and the vain boastings of a copious, but ill-regulated fancy. The Apostles of old were, most of them, plain, unlettered men. Modern pseudo-apostles are men of some acquirements, and a ready invention. To make a genuine Christian disciple, Faith and Love only are wanting (both, how rare!); but, to make a fashionable and popular, vulgar saint, some vigor of character and physical constitution is necessary; but more of a dazzling showy species of talent, with a vast fund of impudence and imperturbable selfreliance. We believe Swedenborg to have been a good man, in most respects; and in some particulars, a great man; but like many men, both great and good, he was vain, or worse; and enthusiastic (in the sense of weakness, not a manly, vigorous enthusiasm) to an extraordina |