EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
ber of the Imperial Academy of Sciences; and at home he became Fellow of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Fifty years after its publication, on the report of a commission to the unfortunate Louis XV, that there did not yet exist any theory of the magnet, the Marquis de Thomé responded indignantly and at length, declaring that the Opera Philosophica of Swedenborg was held in high esteem in all Europe, and that the most celebrated men "had not disdained to draw materials from it to assist them in their labors;" that "the theory of the Swedish author is a true theory of the magnet, and of all magnetism;" and that M. Camus, who performed such surprising things with the magnet before their eyes, admitted that he had "derived from this author almost all the knowledge he exhibited on the subject." To this we may add that some practical electricians of the present day are finding in this theory explanations of results which they do not find explained by any other.
For completing the publication of the Opera Mineralia et Philosophica Swedenborg obtained an extension of his leave of absence, but in July, 1734, was in his seat again, examining candidates
90
