GOETHE AGREES WITH SWEDENBORG. 59 "ceive of the continual efflux of their green from the Sun? " or similarly of the gray tints of stones, rocks, and moun"tains? If thou canst, then tell me what becomes of this "outflow of solar Colour? where does it rest? If the Sun " is for ever shedding such material, might not new Earths "be condensed from it?" Newton considered deeply, and then confessed "Now I know, that Colours are modifications of Light "in objects. Light is returned in Colour according to the "forms in which it is received." These are Newton's words, which he desired me to 'communicate.'* We have here an anticipation of Göethe's controversy with the Newtonian doctrine. He asserted, that Light is not compound, but the simplest and most homogeneous thing we know, and explained the phenomena of Colour by means of what he called the Opaques in which Light is received. He maintained, that on the one side there is Light, and on the other Darkness, and that Colours in all their variety, are no more than degrees of transparency in the media into which Light passes. For years and years he experimented and accumulated illustrations in defence of this theory. Swedenborg, writing when Göethe was a babe in his cradle, said 'For the production of Colour there must necessarily 'be a ground, which either absorbs or reflects the rays of 'Light from the Sun, or which is, in other words, either 'black or white. Now, according to the various conditions ' of this ground as to absorbing or reflecting power, or, as it ' is termed, as to blackness or whiteness, is that modification ' of the inflowing rays of Light, which gives rise to Colour, * Diarium Spirituale, Pars VII., Appendix, pp. 85 to 87, and 'De Divino 'Amore et de Divina Sapientia,' No. 82. 60 ORIGIN OF COLOUR. 'some of which partake more or less of the obscure or black 'property, and others more or less of the shining or white 'property, and hence arises diversity of Colour.'* This opinion is frequently repeated or assumed by Swedenborg in the course of his works, and in its defence he would have been pertinacious as Göethe, with the advantage of being able to cite Newton himself as convert and witness in his favour. * 'Arcana Cælestia, Nos. 1,042, 3,993, and 4,530, 'Apocalypsis Explicata,' No. 1,324, Vera Christiana Religio, No. 763. CHAPTER XIII. AT HOME IN STOCKHOLM. SWEDENBORG left London for Stockholm in the summer of 1759. He landed at Gottenburg on the 19th of July, and there gave public proof of his seership. None less than Philosopher Kant is the reporter of the transaction 'On Saturday, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when 'Swedenborg arrived at Gottenburg from England, Mr. 'William Castel invited him to his house with a party of 'fifteen persons. About 6 o'clock, Swedenborg went out, 'and after a short interval returned to the company, quite 'pale and alarmed. He said that a dangerous fire had just 'broken out in Stockholm, at the Sudermalm (Gottenburg 'is 300 miles from Stockholm), and that it was spreading 'very fast. He was restless, and went out often. He said 'that the house of one of his friends, whom he named, was 'already in ashes, and that his own was in danger. At '8 o'clock, after he had been out again, he joyfully ex'claimed "Thank God! the fire is extinguished the third "door from my house." 'This news occasioned great commotion throughout 'Gottenburg, and particularly amongst the company in 'which he was. It was announced to the Governor the 'same evening, who next morning sent for Swedenborg and ' questioned him concerning the disaster. He described the 'fire precisely, how it had begun, in what manner it had 'ceased, and how long it had continued. The Governor's 'attention gave fresh importance to the news, and increased 62 THE STOCKHOLM FIRE. 'the consternation of the citizens, many of whom were in 'trouble on account of their friends and property. 'On Monday evening a messenger arrived at Gotten'burg, who had been dispatched from Stockholm, whilst 'the fire was raging. In the letters brought by him, the 'fire was described precisely as by Swedenborg. 'On Tuesday morning, a royal courier arrived at the 'Governor's with the melancholy intelligence of the fire, of 'the loss which it had occasioned, and of the houses it had 'damaged and destroyed, not in the least differing from 'that which Swedenborg had given immediately it had 'ceased; for the fire was extinguished at 8 o'clock.' 6 Asks Kant triumphantly 'What can be brought forward against the authenticity 'of this occurrence? My friend, who wrote this to me, has 'not only examined the circumstances of this extraordinary case at Stockholm, but also, at Gottenburg, where he is 'acquainted with the most respectable houses, and where he 'could obtain the most authentic and complete information; 'as the greatest part of the inhabitants, who are still alive, were 'witnesses to the memorable occurrence.'* For a reason which will presently appear, attention is requested to the last words in italics as implying, that Kant's friend must have prosecuted his inquiry some years subsequent to 1759, the date of the fire. The story of the vision of the fire spread through * An incident like this would at no time have been regarded as incredible by Swedenborg himself. In his 'Animal Kingdom, when speaking of the soul's state after death, he says 'I need not mention the manifest sympathies acknowledged to exist in 'this lower world, and which are too many to be recounted: so great being 'the sympathy and magnetism of man, that communication often takes place 'between those who are miles apart. Such statements are regarded by many 'as absurdities, yet experience proves their truth. Nor will I mention that 'the Ghosts of some have been presented visibly after death and burial;' &c. Part VII., page 237. THE LOST RECEIPT. 63 Stockholm, and Swedenborg's house was beset with curious visitors seeking interviews with him on various pretexts. Amongst them was the widow of Marteville, Dutch Ambassador to Sweden. She was sued for 25,000 guilders, which she knew her husband had paid, but could nowhere find the receipt. The lady married again, and from her second husband we have the narrative of the affair 'About a year after the death of Marteville, my wife 'felt a desire to see the notorious Swedenborg, who at that ' time was her neighbour in Stockholm. Several ladies of 'her acquaintance shared her curiosity, and accordingly 'accompanied her to his house. Swedenborg received them 'in a very beautiful garden, where they found him in an 'elegant summer-house. 'My wife asked him whether he knew her late husband. 'He replied, that he did not; that when Marteville was at 'Court, he was detained in London.' The matter of the missing receipt was then set forth, and, on entreaty, Swedenborg promised, that if he should encounter Marteville in the Spiritual World, he would make the requisite inquiry. 'Eight days afterwards, Marteville appeared to my 'wife in a dream, and mentioned to her a secret place in 'his English cabinet where she would find not only the 'receipt, but also a hair-pin set with twenty brilliants, 'which had been given up as lost. This happened about 'two o'clock in the morning. 'Full of joy, my wife rose and found them in the place 'designated. She returned to bed, and slept till nine o'clock. 'About eleven in the forenoon, Swedenborg was an'nounced. His first remark, before my wife had time to 'speak, was, that he had seen several Spirits during the 'preceding night, and amongst others Marteville. He 'wished to talk with him, but Marteville excused himself 'on the plea, that he must go and discover something of |