Page:Immanuel Kant - Dreams of a Spirit-Seer - tr. Emanuel Fedor Goerwitz (1900).djvu/159

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EXTRACTS FROM SWEDENBORG.
141

heaven, are recipients of love and wisdom from the Lord, and recipients are images."—D. L. W., 288. (See also note 32.)

37 (p. 72).—"Visions are often spoken of which indeed are really seen, but in phantasy. The spirits which induce such phantasies work upon persons of weak minds, and who are easily credulous; such persons are visionaries, and the things which they see are illusions conjured up from outward objects, especially in obscure light. Visions caused by enthusiastic spirits are similar to these, but refer to subjects of belief."—Arcana, 1967–68.

"Genuine visions are the actual sight of things which exist in the other life, and are seen by the eyes of the spirit, not of the body."—Arcana, 1970.

38 (p. 72).—That angels are spirits and cannot see into the world except by some one as a medium whose interior senses are opened to perceive the things of the spiritual world.—See Arcana, 1880.

"Spirits of all kinds perceive the very thoughts of man: angelic spirits the interiors of thought; angels the causes and ends which are still more interior."—Arcana, 1931.

"The spirits attendant upon man perceive not the objects presented to the mans sight, or the words he hears, but the subjects of his thoughts."—Arcana, 6319.

39 (p. 73).—How little Kant was capable of making a true psychological estimate of Swedenborg's experience is abundantly shown in this single allusion which reveals the fact that either Kant was entirely ignorant of Swedenborg's public life, or else that he, like others since his time, shirked the difficult problem of reconciling Swedenborg's political activity as a trusted and highly valued member of the House of Nobles, and as an important contributor to the science of his time, with these charges of "foolishness" and "lack of this world's intelligence." The "Traume" was published in 1766. In 1760 Swedenborg had presented in the Diet of Sweden the following papers:

Memorial in favour of returning to pure metallic currency.

Appeal in favour of the Restoration of a Metallic Currency.

Additional Considerations with respect to the Course of Exchange.

Memorial to the Ring against the exportation of Copper.

Memorial declining to become a Commissioner on Exchange.

See Documents concerning Swedenborg.—By R. L. Tafel, I., 509.