EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
moved with compassion and purloined the contract from Swedenborg, whose only comfort consisted in daily perusing it, and who therefore quickly missed his treasure. His sorrow at his loss was so evident that her father insisted on knowing the cause; and on learning it, was willing by an exercise of his authority to have the lost document restored. But when Swedenborg himself saw her grief, he voluntarily relinquished his right and left the house with, it is said, a solemn vow never to fix his affections on any woman again. However this may have been, it is certain that he never married and that he never forgot his first love. What called Swedenborg to Strömstadt he does not explain. But from other sources we learn that he was engaged in superintending the transportation of two galleys, five large boats, and a sloop seventeen miles overland, from Strömstadt to Iderfjol, for the aid of Charles XII in his operations against Frederickshall. Baron Sandels in his eulogy gives the credit of the feat to Swedenborg, and in fact we have seen that several years before he had drawn out plans for such transportation; but we do not know whether the plan adopted was his or Polhem's.
64
