Journal of Dreams · §§ 1–30

1. Emanuel Swedenborg’s Journal of Dreams

1743-1744

1743. July 21. I started on my journey from Stockholm, and arrived at Ystad on the 27th, having passed through the cities of [Soder]talje, Nykoping, Norrkoping, Linkoping, Grenna, and Jonkoping. At Ystad I met the Countess de la Gardie with her two young ladies and two [young] counts; also Count Fersen, Major Landtishusen and Magister Klingenberg. On July 31st General Stenflycht arrived with his son, and Capt. Schachta.

[The Countess De la Gardie, here mentioned, was the widow of Count Magnus Julius De la Gardie, who died in 1741. The widow, with her children, removed to Paris in 1743, and she died there in 1745. Her husband was that Count De la Gardie, whose marriage in the other life, with the late Empress Elizabeth of Russia, is described in the Spiritual Diary, n. 6027.]

[Count Frederik Azel von Fersen, (1719-1794), an eminent Swedish aristocrat and politician, who, in 1752, married the daughter of Countess De la Gardie.]

[Jakob Albrekt von Lantingshausen, (1699-1769), an eminent Swedish soldier and politician. In 1743 he travelled to Paris to enter the French army and to take part in the War of the Austrian Succession. In 1748 he married a sister of Count F. A. von Fersen.]

[Johan Stenflycht, (1681-1758), a Swedish soldier, who greatly distinguished himself in the battle of Gadebusch, 1713. In 1743 he was commander-in-chief at Hamburg.]

[Captain Schachta, probably the same as the “Kapten Schiechta,” mentioned by Linneaus in his “Anteckningar.” (Doc II:1068.)]

2. On account of contrary winds we were not able to sail until August 5th. I travelled in company with General Stenflycht. On August 6th we arrived at Stralsund, and early on the 7th we entered the city. The Countess and the General left the same day.

3. In Stralsund I viewed again the fortress from the Badenthor even to the Franken, Triebseer and Kniperthor; I saw also the houses where King Charles XII had lodged, the Meierfeld palace, the churches of St. Nicholas, St. James (which was ruined during the siege), and St. Mary. I visited Colonel Schwerin, the Commandant, the Superintendent Loper, and Postmaster Crivits. In the Church of St. Nicholas I was shown a clock that was struck by lightning in the years 1670, 1683, and 1688, just as the hand pointed to 6 o’clock. Afterwards I viewed the new fortifications outside the Kniperthor. I also met Carl Jesper Benzelius; examined the water works which supply the city, they consist of two Archimedean screws [slangangar].

[Count Claus Philip von Schwerin, (1689-1748).]

[Carl Jesper Benzelius, (1714-1793), the second son of Eric Benzelius and Swedenborg’s elder sister, Anna. In 1743 he was on a journey to Germany. In 1766 he became Bishop of Strengas. He was very friendly to Swedenborg, and corresponded with some of the early Newchurchmen in Sweden.]

4. On August 9th I left Stralsund, passing through Damgarten. In the Mecklenburg territory I passed by Ribnitz to Rostock, where I viewed eight churches, five large ones and three smaller ones, and a convent for women; there were eight of them, but they were in freedom.

5. Thence I travelled to Wismar, where there are six churches; the best of them are St. Mary’s and St. George’s.

On August 11th I left Wismar. On the way I visited Gadebusch, where was the battle between the Swedes and the Danes; then I came to Ratzeburg, which is surrounded by a swamp, on account of which we passed over a long bridge.

6. On [August] 12th I arrived at Hamburg and took lodging at the Keisershof, where the Countess De la Gardie was staying. I met Baron Hamilton, Reuterholm, Trivald, Konig, Assessor Awerman, and was introduced to Prince Augustus, the brother of his royal Highness, who spoke Swedish. Afterwards I was introduced by the marshal-in-chief, Lesch, to his Royal Highness Adolpus Fredrich, to whom I submitted the contents [of my book] which is to be printed, and showed him the reviews of the preceding work.

[Baron Carl Frederick Hamilton, who in 1743 attended as marshal of the court upon Adloph Frederik, the corwn-prince-elect of Sweden. (Doc II:1965.)

[Baron Esbjorn Kristian Reuterholm, (1710-1773), a Swedish politician, royal chamberlain, and senator.]

[Samuel Triewald, (1688-1743), a Swedish scientist and writer. He died at Kiel in 1743.]

[Johan Fredrik Konig, Swedish Postal Commissary in Hamburg. In 1738 he became the Swedish agent, and in 1747 resident consul. He died in 1759. (Doc. II:82.)]

[Prince Augustus, of Holstein-Gottorp, a younger brother of Adolph Fredrik.]

[Adolph Fredrik, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, was elected crown-prince of Sweden on July 3, 1743, thus three weeks before Swedenborg was introduced to him. He succeeded to the Swedish throne in 1851. The “contents” which Swedenborg submitted to him were those of the Animal Kingdom, which he was about to publish at The Hague. The “preceding work” was the Economy of the Animal Kingdom.]

7. On [August] 17th I left Hamburg, across the Elbe to Buxtehude, where, to the extent of a [German] mile, I viewed the most charming country I have yet seen in Germany; we passed through a continuous orchard of apple trees, pear trees, plums, walnuts, and chestnut trees, and also of linden and elms.

8. On [August] 18th I arrived at Bremen, which has good ramparts and suburbs; the best is Nystadt. Near the bridge leading to it there are eleven river mills close to one another. I viewed the Town Hall in the market place, and the great Roland [statue], which is the sign of a free city; afterwards I viewed the Church of St. Nicholas, the Cathedral, and the hospital. There are also some statues in town.

9. On [August] 20th I travelled from Bremen to Leer, passing through Oldenburg, which is a country belonging to the King of Denmark. [Leer] has good ramparts, with plenty of water round about. I likewise passed through Neuskants. Near Leer there is a fortification called Leerort, belonging to Holland. I journey thence to Groningen, which is a large city, under the Prince of Orange. At Leeuwarden I saw his palace, and also the palace of his mother, which is called the Princess’ palace; likewise the Town Hall, etc. We arrived there by canal boat.

10. From Groningen there are two ways, one by Harlingen, and the other by Lemmer; the former is reached by canal boat, the latter by carriage; but we chose the road to Harlingen through Lewarden.

From Harlingen, which is a large town…

[Here the manuscript abruptly breaks off. The Swedish editor of the original manuscript adds in a note: “The continuation is missing. It is impossible to decide whether it was written or not, for the word ‘stad’ [town] is at the end of page 6; this is followed by several blank pages; but it is probable that some (4?) pages have been torn out. On the strips remaining from leaves that have been cut out, there are seen some large numerals written by an unskilled hand, perhaps that of a child.”]

[The remaining entries in the MS., if any, could not have been lengthy, as there only remained to tell of the short journey from Harlingen to The Hague.]

[The manuscript then continues as follows:]

11. 1. In [my] youth and the Gustavian family.

2. In Venice, about the beautiful palace.

3. In Sweden, about the white cloud of the sky.

4. In Leipzig, about the one that lay in seething water.

5. About the one that tumbled with a chain into the depth.

6. About the king who gave something very precious in a peasant’s hut.

7. About the man-servant who wished that I would go away on a journey.

[The “Gustavian family, i.e., the royal dynasty of Sweden, founded by Gustavus Wasa;-the last remaining members, in Swedenborg’s youth, were Charles XII, and Ulrica Eleonora.]

[“In Venice.” Swedenborg sojourned in Venice from April to August, 1738.]

[The entries of 11-14 are brief references to the subjects of dreams, which Swedenborg had before he began to keep a regular record of his dreams.]

12. 8. About my joys at night.

– I wondered at myself that there remained nothing of [the desire] to work for my own glory, so as to have sensation thereof.

– that I was not inclined towards the sex, as I had been in all my days.

9. How I have been in wakeful ecstasies almost the whole time.

13. 10. How I opposed myself to the spirit.

– and how I then liked it, but afterwards found it to have been foolish things, without life and coherence.

– and that consequently a mass of what I have written must be [such], since I have not in that degree forsaken the power of the spirit, wherefore the faults are all my own, but the verities are not my own.

– indeed, I sometimes fell into impatience and thoughts, that I wished to make insistent demands, when there was not the easy progress that I wanted, since I did not labor for my own sake; I found my unworthiness less, and gave thanks for the grace.

14. 11. How, after arriving at The Hague, I found that the impulse and self-love for my work had passed away, at which I considered.

– how the inclination for women, which had been my chief passion, had so suddenly ceased.

– how during the whole time I had enjoyed the best of sleep at night, which has been more than delightful.

– how my ecstasies before and after sleep.

– my clear thoughts in the matters.

15. How I had resisted the power of the Holy Spirit, and what happened; how I beheld hideous spectres, without life, horribly involved, and within [something] moved itself; with a beast that attacked me but not the child.

16. I seemed to be reclining on a mountain beneath which there was an abyss; there were projections; I was lying there, trying to get up, holding on to a projection, without foothold, an abyss beneath; it signifies that I wished to rescue myself from the abyss by mine own power, which was not possible.

17. How a woman was by my side, just as if I had been awake; I wanted to know who she was. She spoke in a low voice, but said that she was pure, but that I had a bad odor. She was, as I believe, my guardian angel, for the temptation then began.

18. 1744. March 24-25.

1. I was standing by a machine which was moved by a wheel; its spokes involved me more and more and carried me up so that I could not escape: I awoke. [It signifies] either that I need to be kept further in the dilemma, or else that it concerned the lungs in the womb, on which subject I then wrote immediately afterwards; both.

[“The lungs [of the foetus] in the womb.” This subject is referred to in the Animal Kingdom, Vol. I., n. 272.]

19. 2. I was in a garden containing many fine beds; one of which I desired to own, but I looked about to see if there was any road to walk out; I also seemed to see it, and thought of another; there was one there who was picking away a heap of invisible vermin and killed them; he said they were bedbugs which some person had carried thither and thrown in, infesting those who were there. I did not see them, but some other little insect, which I dropped on a white linen cloth beside a woman; it was the impurity which ought to be rooted out of me.

20. 3. Quite freely and boldly I stepped down a large stairway; by and by there was a ladder, below it there was a hole which went down to quite a great depth; it was difficult to get to the other side without falling into the hole. On the other side there were persons to whom I reached out my hand to help them cross over, I awoke. It is the danger in which I am of falling into the abyss, unless I receive help.

21. 4. I spoke long and familiarly with our Successor in Sweden, who changed into a woman. Afterwards I spoke with Carl Broman, [saying] that he ought to be in favor of him; he answered something; [then I spoke] with Erland Broman, [saying] that I had returned here. I do not know what this means, unless it has to do with what follows.

[“Our Successor in Sweden,” Adolph Fredrik.]

[Carl Broman, (1703-1784), Master of Ceremonies at the Swedish court; governor of Elfsborg, 1749; governor of Stockholm, 1751. Swedenborg had invested with him a capital of 10,000 dalers.]

[Erland Broman, (1704-1757), a younger brother of Carl Broman; he became court-marshal in 1741 and president of the College of Commerce, 1747. He was a great favorites with King Fredrik I., acting as intermediary in the love-intrigues of the adulterous king. He married Countess Wilhelmina Taube, a sister of the King’s chief mistress. Swedenborg identifies him with “luxury, riches, pride,” and in the Spiritual Diary 5492-95 describes his deathbed repentance as being of no avail.]

22. 5. I came into a magnificent chamber and spoke with a woman who was governess of the court. She wished to relate something to me; then came the queen and passed through to another chamber; it seemed to be the same one who represented our Successor. I went out for I was rather meanly dressed, as I just returned from my journey; [wearing] a long old overcoat, and without hat and wig; I wondered that she condescended to come to me; she related that a certain one had given all the jewels to his mistress, but that he had received them back again in the manner that it was told her that he had not given her the best, whereupon she threw away the jewels.

[“Our Successor,” Adolph Fredrik.]

[“A certain one, who had given all the jewels to his mistress.” This was, undoubtedly, Fredrik I., (1676-1751), land-grave of Hesse Cassel, who, in 1714, married Ulrica Eleonora, of Sweden, through whose influence he ascended the throne, as reigning monarch, in 1720. The “mistress” referred to was probably Hedwig Ulrica Taube.]

23. She asked me to come again, but I excused myself on the plea that I was so shabbily dressed, and had no wig, and must go home first; she said it did not matter. This has reference to that I was then about to write and begin the Epilogue of the second part, to which I wanted to write a preface, but there is no need of it. I acted accordingly. What she told about the jewels had reference to the truths which are discovered to a person, but are taken away again, because she was offended because she had not received all. I afterwards saw the jewels in [my?] hands and a great ruby in the middle.

[“The Epilogue of the second part.” This Epilogue is found at the close of Vol. I., of the Regnum Animale.]

24. [March] 25-26

It seemed as if I took a key and went in; the door-keeper examined what keys I had; I showed them all, in case I should have two, but it seemed that Hesselius had another. I was arrested and put under guard; there came to me many in carriages. It seemed to me that I had done nothing wrong, but I remembered that it might be considered in a bad light if it turns out that I had taken the key. I awoke. There may be various interpretations, as that I have taken the key to anatomy, while the other one which Hesselius had, was the key to medicine; as also that the key to the lungs is the pulmonary artery, and thus to all the motions of the body; or [it may be interpreted] spiritually.

[Hesselius, Dr. Johan, (1687-1752), Swedenborg’s cousin, an eminent physician and botanist. He accompanied Swedenborg on a journey to Holland, in 1721. His relationship to Swedenborg is examined in the following table:

Anders Hesselius

——————–Johan Hesselius

– Maria Bergia

Anders Bergius – Sarah Bergia

Second wife of

Jesper Swedberg ———- Emanuel Swedenborg

[“The pulmonary artery.” Swedenborg was then engaged in preparing for the press the second part of the Renum Animale, which treats of the lungs and the organs connected therewith.]

25. I asked to be cured of my illness; there was given me a heap of rags to buy for [it]; I took half of them, and looked out for the other half, but returned all the rags. He said that he himself would buy [something] that would lead to a cure. The rags were my corporeal thoughts by which I wised to cure myself, but they were good for nothing.

26. Afterwards I went out and saw many black images; a black one was thrown to me; I saw that he could not get about with his foot; I believe it meant that natural reason cannot agree with spiritual reason.

27. [March] 30-31.

I saw a group of women, one who wrote a letter; I took it but do not know what became of it. She was sewing, and a yellow man struck her on the back; wished she should get more blows, but it was enough; this, I believe, concerns what I am writing and have written,-our philosophy.

28. I saw a very handsome woman by a window where a child was placing roses; she took me by the hand and conducted me; it signifies what I am writing, and my suffering, which should lead me, as I believe.

29. I saw a magnificent procession of men, adorned so handsomely that I have never seen anything more handsome, but it soon disappeared. It was, as I believe, experimental science which now is greatly in fashion.

30. April 1-2.

I rode in the air on a horse; went into all the rooms, the kitchen, and other places, hunting for one whom I did not find; the rooms were untidy; finally I was carried through the air into a drawing room where I received two beautiful loafs of bread, and then I found him again. Quite a number of people were there and the room was in good order. Signifies the Lord’s Supper.