EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
in all those which he embraced. He was without contradiction the most learned man in my country. In his youth he was a great poet: I have in my possession some remnants of his Latin poetry which Ovid would not have been ashamed to own. In his middle age his Latin was in an easy, elegant, and ornamental style; in his latter years it was equally clear, but less elegant after he had turned his thoughts to spiritual subjects. He was well acquainted with Hebrew and Greek, an able and profound mathematician, a happy mechanician, of which he gave proof in Norway, where by an easy and simple method he transported the largest galleys over high mountains and rocks to a gulf where the Danish fleet was stationed. . . . He possessed a sound judgment upon all occasions; he saw everything clearly and expressed himself well on every subject. The most solid memorials and the best penned at the Diet of 1761 on matters of finance, were presented by him. . . .
"I once represented in rather a serious manner to this venerable man, that I thought he would do better not to mix with his beautiful writings so many 'memorable relations,' or things heard and
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