ht, but stupid, and
live by robbery,--although a part of this latter planet is inhabited by
beings of great sweetness, who live in the love of Good. In short, he
describes the customs and morals of all the peoples attached to the
different globes, and explains the general meaning of their existence as
related to the universe in terms so precise, giving explanations which
agree so well with their visible evolutions in the system of the world,
that some day, perhaps, scientific men will come to drink of these
living waters.

"Here," said Monsieur Becker, taking down a book and opening it at a
mark, "here are the words with which he ended this work:--

"'If any man doubts that I was transported through a vast number of
Astral Regions, let him recall my observation of the distances in that
other life, namely, that they exist only in relation to the external
state of man; now, being transformed within like unto the Angelic
Spirits of those Astral Spheres, I was able to understand them.'

"The circumstances to which we of this canton owe the presence among
us of Baron Seraphitus, the beloved cousin of Swedenborg, enabled me to
know all the events of the extraordinary life of that prophet. He has
lately been accused of imposture in certain quarters of Europe, and the
public prints reported the following fact based on a letter written
by the Chevalier Baylon. Swedenborg, they said, informed by certain
senators of a secret correspondence of the late Queen of Sweden with her
brother, the Prince of Prussia, revealed his knowledge of the secrets
contained in that correspondence to the Queen, making her believe he
had obtained this knowledge by supernatural means. A man worthy of all
confidence, Monsieur Charles-Leonhard de Stahlhammer, captain in
the Royal guard and knight of the Sword, answered the calumny with a
convincing letter."

The pastor opened a drawer of his table and looked through a number of
papers until he found a gazette which he held out to Wilfrid, asking him
to read aloud the following letter:--

Stockholm, May 18, 1788.

I have read with amazement a letter which purports to relate the
interview of the famous Swedenborg with Queen Louisa-Ulrika. The
circumstances therein stated are wholly false; and I hope the
writer will excuse me for showing him by the following faithful
narration, which can be proved by the testimony of many
distinguished persons then present and still living, how
complete