ity. To the poor benevolently kind—to the rich a pattern of condescension-and to all an engaging and delightful companion.

"As a man and a christian, he excelled in literature, still more in science, and most of all in religion.

Through heavenly meekness, conscious innocence and integrity, he bore unmerited censure with the greatest contentment. Steady and indefatigable in the prosecution of laudable and religious purposes, he seldom failed of success.

"In short, his profound depth of understanding, derived from his great knowledge in literature, practice in science, and experience in religion, rendered his company pleasing and instructive to all ranks of people. Yet, whilst he shone as the scholar, philosopher, and christian, he set an example of the most childlike simplicity and dependance on the GREAT UNIVERSAL PARENT.

"He was comely in his person; kind and charitable in his disposition: courteous and truly polite in his carriage, beyond all forms of breeding, uniting the ease and affability of the gentleman with the sobriety and dignity of the Christian.

"On the solemn approach of his final adieu to all worldly endearments, his internal peace being founded on the impregnable basis of a true faith, he welcomed the stroke of death with undaunted fortitude, in full assurance of admittance into a holy, spiritual kingdom, and of drawing nearer to the Divine Source of glory and blessedness."

PREFACE TO THE FIRST PART OF THE REGNUM ANIMALE OF THE HON. E. SWEDENBORG.

[Continued from our last, p. 349.]

ANALYSIS commences the train of its reasoning from products, from effects, and from the phænomena which have gained admission by the way of the bodily senses, and pursues it even to causes and the causes of causes, that is to say, to the simple principles of mind, untwisting the web to its first thread. It first seeks for sure and evident documents, which lie scattered in all directions, and which it collects and forms into a mass, from which it presently selects such as suits its purpose, arranging them skilfully into order. Moreover, it also imbibes the sciences which na

ture hath at any time supplied to human genius; and these it deposits, not in its memory only, but in its bosom, treasuring them up for useful service. Enriched as it were with these precious stores, and furnished with these aids, the mind prepares itself for operation, and begins to act and build; and if its buildings may be compared with a palace, a temple, or a pyramid, it first lays the foundation, afterwards 'erects the walls, and by degrees carries up the edifice, furnished with winding stairs, to its roof or summit. To the intent also that every part may properly cohere with the whole, it afterwards superadds whatsoever is further wanting, as door-posts, rails, gates, tiling, &c. &c.

Thus the mind, pressing forwards in the way of Analysis, lays the foundation and completes the structure of a palace; not raising the building in the air, and above itself in an atmosphere not its own, where it hath under it no support, still less a foundation; but firmly founding it on the earth itself.

12. This way alone leads to principles and to truths, or to things superior, and almost to things celestial; nor doth any other way appear open for us earth-born beings; yet truly it is most laborious, and occupies a most extensive field, if the purpose be to investigate truth by the truths which enter into the composition of every one truth, that is to say, which unitedly determine and define it, and if the further purpose be, to connect them by a common bond, or to link them together: For, in 'these cases, it is assuredly necessary to lay a very broad foundation, to compare exactly one thing with another, and to keep all in connection by directing them to one end. Moreover, every species of science, of learning, and of art, necessary to bring the work to perfection, must be thoroughly acquired; yea, from each species new ones must be thought of and explored; since by these means the work is constructed, and the mind is led directly to the completion of its object: in a word, the aid of all the Muses must be courted on the occasion. To the above requisites, must be added an innate love of truth; an eagerness to explore it; a delight in it when explored; also a natural talent and faculty for thoughtful and distinct meditation, and for acute reasoning; to say nothing of the power of recalling the mind from the objects of sense, from corporeal attachments, from the allurements of the world, from cares and anxieties, which are so many hindrances to the wished-for acquirement; to which power must be added that,

by which the mind is enabled to maintain its station in its own superior sphere, while it is engaged in weighing the conclusion of its thoughts, and in casting up the amount of the reasons on which the conclusion depends. In proportion as by these means we ascend to truths, in the same proportion truths descend to us. But it is of especial concern that the mind be pure, and that it have respect to the more universal ends, such as the happiness of the human race, and hence the glory of its GOD; in which case truth is infused into our minds from its own heaven; for it is thence, as from its proper fountain, that it flows. Plato often said, (as we are told by a philosopher,) that when his soul was engaged in contemplation, he seemed to enjoy the Supreme Good, accompanied with incredible delight, to which he adhered, as it were, in a kind of astonishment, acknowledging himself to be a certain part of a superior world, and having a sensation of having attained immortality of life, attended with the highest degree of light: At length, the intellect being exhausted with this contemplation, it relapsed into a kind of reverie, and also, on the above light failing, experienced a degree of sadness. Again, on leaving the body, and returning to the above state, he was made sensible of an abundance of light communicated to the soul, and of its influence, in such ease, on the body. And in another place it is related, that "the soul, being as it were disengaged from the body, ascends and is enlightened, and that descending it is obscured, but afterwards, when purged and purified, it again ascends." Possibly, however, to those who are unacquainted with such contemplations, this may appear like an idle tale.

13. When, at length, under the auspices of such analysis, we have been elevated even to the first principles of things, it is then first practicable to enter into the subject from its first principles, or rather to return back, and by an intelligible definition to lay open the principles, which are then sufficiently established on rational ground: For the mind, as from a lofty eminence, now views in all directions the surrounding world, and examines in its contemplations every object universally. The staircase is constructed and the steps inserted by which we may descend, as we ascended: Those stairs are, as it were, so many series of truths linked together, by which the power is afforded us of steering towards any point of the compass, or of going and returning at pleasure. But those truths themselves, explored

ture hath at any time supplied to human genius; and these it deposits, not in its memory only, but in its bosom, treasuring them up for useful service. Enriched as it were with these precious stores, and furnished with these aids, the mind prepares itself for operation, and begins to act and build; and if its buildings may be compared with a palace, a temple, or a pyramid, it first lays the foundation, afterwards erects the walls, and by degrees carries up the edifice, furnished with winding stairs, to its roof or summit. To the intent also that every part may properly cohere with the whole, it afterwards superadds whatsoever is further wanting, as door-posts, rails, gates, tiling, &c. &c.

Thus the mind, pressing forwards in the way of Analysis, lays the foundation and completes the structure of a palace; not raising the building in the air, and above itself in an atmosphere not its own, where it hath under it no support, still less a foundation; but firmly founding it on the earth itself.

12. This way alone leads to principles and to truths, or to things superior, and almost to things celestial; nor doth any other way appear open for us earth-born beings; yet truly it is most laborious, and occupies a most extensive field, if the purpose be to investigate truth by the truths which enter into the composition of every one truth, that is to say, which unitedly determine and define it, and if the further purpose be, to connect them by a common bond, or to link them together: For, in these cases, it is assuredly necessary to lay a very broad foundation, to compare exactly one thing with another, and to keep all in connection by directing them to one end. Moreover, every species of science, of learning, and of art, necessary to bring the work to perfection, must be thoroughly acquired; yea, from each 'species new ones must be thought of and explored; since by these means the work is constructed, and the mind is led directly to the completion of its object: in a word, the aid of all the Muses must be courted on the occasion. To the above requisites, must be added an innate love of truth; an eagerness to explore it; a delight in it when explored; also a natural talent and faculty for thoughtful and distinct meditation, and for acute reasoning; to say nothing of the power of recalling the mind from the objects of sense, from corporeal attachments, from the allurements of the world, from cares and anxieties, which are so many hindrances to the wished-for acquirement; to which power must be added that,

by which the mind is enabled to maintain its station in its own superior sphere, while it is engaged in weighing the conclusion of its thoughts, and in casting up the amount of the reasons on which the conclusion depends. In proportion as by these means we ascend to truths, in the same proportion truths descend to us. But it is of especial concern that the mind be pure, and that it have respect to the more universal ends, such as the happiness of the human race, and hence the glory of its GOD; in which case truth is infused into our minds from its own heaven; for it is thence, as from its proper fountain, that it flows. Plato often said, (as we are told by a philosopher,) that when his soul was engaged in contemplation, he seemed to enjoy the Supreme Good, accompanied with incredible delight, to which he adhered, as it were, in a kind of astonishment, acknowledging himself to be a certain part of a superior world, and having a sensation of having attained immortality of life, attended with the highest degree of light: At length, the intellect being exhausted with this contemplation, it relapsed into a kind of reverie, and also, on the above light failing, experienced a degree of sadness. Again, on leaving the body, and returning to the above state, he was made sensible of an abundance of light communicated to the soul, and of its influence, in such case, on the body. And in another place it is related, that "the soul, being as it were disengaged from the body, ascends and is enlightened, and that descending it is obscured, but afterwards, when purged and purified, it again ascends." Possibly, however, to those who are unacquainted with such contemplations, this may appear like an idle tale.

13. When, at length, under the auspices of such analysis, we have been elevated even to the first principles of things, it is then first practicable to enter into the subject from its first principles, or rather to return back, and by an intelligible definition to lay open the principles, which are then sufficiently established on rational ground: For the mind, as from a lofty eminence, now views in all directions the surrounding world, and examines in its contemplations every object universally. The staircase is constructed and the steps inserted by which we may descend, as we ascended: Those stairs are, as it were, so many series of truths linked together, by which the power is afforded us of steering towards any point of the compass, or of going and returning at pleasure. But those truths themselves, explored

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