in correspondence.

The intellect, however, principally affects the lungs. During deep contemplations we take deeper and longer inspirations, and give deeper and longer respirations, exactly corresponding to the character of the thought. Thus we perceive the will acts by correspondence upon the heart, and all things that belong to it, while the intellect operates on the lungs. And doubtless every other part of the body is similarly acted upon, as Liebeg observes. There is, I presume, no necessity to show that there is equally a correspondential voluntary action of the soul upon the body; for you must know, that when the mind wills, "it directs the ear to hear, disposes the eye to see, moves the tongue and lips to speak, actuates the hands and fingers to do whatsoever it pleases, and the feet to walk whither it will; the body is thus all obedience to the mind." There is, therefore, an involuntary as well as a voluntary action of the mind upon the body, and both act by correspondences.

That the great world is a type of man's mental and material world, we have already noticed. We have been informed by a French anatomist, that during the formation of the human foetus, it successively assumes all the forms of the different genera of animal creation, beginning with the lowest and ending with the highest, which is man. Whether this be true or not, I am unable to say; but if it is so, you will perceive that man contains within his form the type of all created animal forms. Perhaps, however, it is unnecessary to depend at all upon the assertion of the Frenchman; for it seems that a much more extensive fact on the same subject is generally admitted. For a considerable time it has been observed, that there is not a single form in the universe, the type of which cannot be found in the human form! So that there is clearly a likeness between man and external creation. But we believe there is more, there is a correspondence also; and that man acts imperceptibly by correspondence upon inferior creation, in the same way as the soul acts upon the body. I conceive that man is the medium through which the divine life flows to every thing below him; and as he uses or abuses it, it is accordingly transmitted to recipients below him, and inferior creation thus manifests the quality and disposition of man, in all ages of the world. In the spiritual world, we think that its inhabitants are each surrounded by living and other forms, which exactly symbolize their nature and disposition. Each spirit lives amidst the external forms of his own internal affections and thoughts. But here, in this world, there is only a general influx into inferior creation, and, consequently, only a general correspondence between man and all below him. Sometimes, however, this influx through man into N, S. No. 97.-VOL. IX.

B

the rest of creation, becomes so far particular, as to enable us to recognize the fact. In his extraordinary work entitled "Angelic Wisdom," &c., 345, Swedenborg observes,-"That things noxious upon earth derive their origin from man, so from hell, may be confirmed from the state of Canaan, as described by the Word, in that when the children of Israel lived according to the commandments, the earth gave forth her increase, and in like manner the flocks and herds; and that when they lived contrary to the commandments, the earth was barren, and, as it is said, accursed, when instead of harvest it produced thorns and briars, and the flocks and herds miscarried, and there were irruptions of wild beasts. The same may be inferred from the locusts, frogs, and lice, in Egypt." Besides illustrating the truth under consideration, these remarks go far towards affording a clue to the astonishing phenomena mentioned. I do not know whether you will be able to understand my observations, for there is a difficulty in simplifying ideas on such subjects; but you will obtain the clearest views by studying the subject for yourself. The ideas of one mind scarcely fit, with equal clearness, the mind of another; so that thoughts which you work out by your own contemplation, will give you greater light and clearness than any explanation of another can do. I must, therefore, leave the subject with you, only observing that you shall have a short letter on the symbolisms of the ancients as soon as I can find opportunity to write it.

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With affectionate regards, I am, yours, &c.,

CONFIRMATIONS OF THE PRINCIPIA.

To the Editor of the INTELLECTUAL REPOSITORY.
SIR,

R. E.

IN page xcv. of the Preface to the Principia (vol. 2), Swedenborg says, We affirm, moreover, that in every finite there are three motions, namely, a progressive motion of the parts, an auxiliary, and a local motion, provided there be no obstacle." And, "We affirm again, that all these motions proceed from one fountain head, or from one and the same source, namely, from a SPIRAL motion of the parts," &c. * * * "This motion is most highly mechanical, and most highly natural.” Again it is stated," Nature is similar to herself, and cannot be different in the largest elementary and volume from what she is in the smallest; in the macrocosm from what she is in the microcosm."

Now from these "Principia" it follows, that all the planetary bodies,

including, of course, the earth on which we dwell, must be considered as "finites" on the greatest scale; and as each of these bodies appears to be in the condition of having "no obstacle' to prevent the manifestation of their inherent motions, we ought to find them exhibiting each of the three motions above named. That they do all exhibit two of these motions, namely, an auxiliary and a local or orbital motion, is now universally adınitted; but, until a comparatively recent period, no other regular and defined motion seems to have even been suspected. That the solid crust of the earth is liable to elevations and depressions, is among the ascertained facts of geology, but I am not aware that any law or rule has been shewn for these changes. It was therefore with no small interest that I read, in a paper on "Creation," in the last number of The Westminster Review, a statement which goes to prove, from actual observation, that the "parts" of the earth have that "progressive motion," which, according to the philosophy of Swedenborg, they ought to possess, and from the very cause which he assigns for it; namely, a spiral motion of the axis; and that your readers may participate in the interest which attaches to the subject, I transcribe for their perusal an extract :

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"There is," says the writer, one problem of the earth's motion, connected with what is called the precession of the equinoxes, of which only an imperfect and unsatisfactory solution has hitherto been given, and which has a most important bearing upon the geological phenomena to which we are now alluding." (That is, to the remains of tropical productions in arctic climes, &c.) "By the precession of the equinoxes is understood an annual change of the place, or precise spot, at which the sun in the ecliptic crosses the plane of the equator, producing twice in the year, equal days and equal nights all over the world. The two points of intersection of the spring and autumnal equinox, recede from east to

earth in 25,869 years, a Platonic year.' Its

west, at the rate of 50 seconds annually, or one degree in 71 years; and travel round the entire circumference of the the period which was termed by the ancients physical cause is, the attraction of the sun and moon upon the protuberant parts of the earth's equator, combined with the diurnal rotation.** The effects of this attraction have been described by astronomers, as producing both the precession of the equinoxes, and a slight oscillation of the axis of the earth, called its nutation, by which, twice in the year, the plane of the equator inclines towards the ecliptic, and returns as often to its former position.

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"Encyclopædia Britannica," vol. xviii., page 506.

"It is now held by some, that this motion of the earth's axis is not oscillatory, but SPIRAL: iuvolving a gradual change in the relative position of the different parts of the earth in reference to the equatorial and polar regions, although the mass itself retains the same general inclination;-as in a spinning ball, which has always an upper and a lower side, although the same side is not always the upper nor the lower. This change, we are told, is so minute, as to be scarcely perceptible in a hundred years, but amounts, in the course of the precessional round of the Platonic year, to a difference in the latitude of all places, of about three and a half degrees.

"For the mathematical data upon which this hypothesis is founded— first submitted to the Astronomical Society by Captain Bergh-we must refer the reader to the Tables of M. de la Lande, the observations of Dr. Maskelyne, in 1788, and Vince's Astronomy. The fact of any changes in the axis of the earth, excepting that of a semi-annual oscillatory movement, has been stoutly denied, and the question will admit of much discussion; but the evidence in favour of the New Theory has made sufficient impression on our minds to induce us to call attention to the subject, and, assuming its correctness, we would briefly note the conclusion to which it leads."

Then follow various speculations on the power of this motion to occasion the geological phenomena adverted to within brackets above. And it is also stated, in foot notes, that scarcely any astronomer of eminence can agree with his predecessors, as to the exact latitudes of the long-established public observatories; and that all reasons but the right one have been adduced to account for these discrepancies: namely, that the sites have really changed their position; and it is further affirmed, that ancient churches, and other buildings, erected due east and west, are now found to deviate from that position.

The length of time necessary to elapse before this progressive motion can be shewn, by repeated observation, to be the result of an order as fixed and determined as that which is the basis of Kepler's Laws, or the Newtonian System of Gravitation, renders it probable that many years may roll away before the Swedenborgian hypothesis is fully admitted. Nevertheless, we may have sufficient faith in the stability of Eternal principles to anticipate it as a "fact accomplished," and that the giant genius of Swedenborg, which enabled him to generalize a century in advance of his age, will eventually be both acknowledged and appreciated.

There is another remarkable coincidence in the paper referred to. Swedenborg says "that when speaking of the Fifth Finite or Aqueous

Vapour, he shall shew, that in every drop of water is contained every thing that had existed from the first simple, as also the whole genus of finites, actives, and elementaries; consequently, that in a single drop of water is latent the whole elementary world," &c. The reviewer says that the ocean is the source of all existing forms."

May I suggest, sir, that it would be well for such of your readers as have opportunity, carefully to note all matters that bear upon our New Philosophy, and to transmit them to you, so that if of sufficient importance, they may become generally known, and thus tend to foster a spirit of observation and inquiry.

In an excellent paper on the Recent Discoveries of Astronomy, in The British Quarterly Review, the writer deplores the absence of faith in the fixed love of order, manifested by our astronomer royal and others; and shews that it was entirely owing to a want of firm reliance on principles, that England lost the honour of the sole discovery of the new planet Neptune. How desirable that such of the readers and admirers of Swedenborg as possess the requisite mathematical and other knowledge, should investigate and carry out his principles, so that by no want of faith or research should the rising New Church be deprived of any honour which may justly belong to her.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

It is the part of all spiritual instruction to appeal to the things known,. in order to lead to those that are not known. Thus the Christian philosopher who, in advance of his age, would impart to his less favoured brethren the higher intelligence of which he is the recipient, must begin his mission by enforcing the truths common to his hearers, as well as himself; and making these the foundation of his theme, proceed afterwards to the deeper and more interior knowledge of which he is the expounder. Equally does it become the journalist having the same noble object in view, to note well every publication in the Christian or literary world, which yields him an opportunity of enforcing from its pages the truth, of which he is the champion; since the admissions of an opponent are the most powerful arguments in the field of discussion. It is with this view I would call attention to an American work, entitled