Things even which are motionless, mainly acquire what beauty they may present from the same ultimate relation. The undulating hills, copying in their outline the rising and falling waves, thus carry us to that which in its ceaseless pulsation is the sublimest emblem of lifethe earth-circling ocean. Hogarth's 'line of beauty' is no artistic invention, but an unsuspected and world-old delineation, in its elegant wave, of the great vital principle without which beauty would not exist. 175. No less important a part is played in language by the distinction of sex-its laws, phenomena, and results; a part indeed fully commensurate with the majesty of its facts in regard to the physical life. Sex is the greatest law of nature, the most universal, and the most mysterious. All things material, intellectual, moral, and spiritual, are equally the result of it; marriage, or sex in activity, being at once a type of what reproduces every form of matter, and the outbirth or physical expression of the unions which give rise to the ideas, thoughts, and emotions of our minds, The sense of beauty, for instance, comes of the marriage of our aptitudes and perceptions with the shapes of outward nature perfection is the offspring exclusively of nuptials-the useful married to the beautiful: the emotions of religion grow up from the repetition in our souls of that heavenly marriage between God and his church which has furnished Scripture with its sublimest and profusest figure. The chemist shews that in inorganic matter, when left to its own free will, there is no such thing as single life; the natural philosopher, that to the sun's two-fold property of heat and light (answering to and expressing the love and intellect of the Sun of Righteousness'), is owing all its power of transmitting and mediately sustaining the world's vitality. Even the architecture of the universe exhibits the marriage union, as in the bridal of the earth and the sea, whose glorious intercourse upon the beach we delight to look on, not from any adventitious circumstance, but because our instincts are repellent of celibacy, and enamoured of the hymeneal. 176 Marriage ramifies throughout creation, because in essence it subsists in the Creator, whose divine mind is formed of the two great principles of Love and Wisdom,* whence are perpetually proceeding the * Many think that God's mind is inscrutable. Not so. It is one of the greatest delusions that ever prevailed. Certainly we cannot understand God as to his infinity; but so far as our finite understanding can carry us, we may understand him, and with the greatest ease, precision, and satisfaction. For there is no insincerity in Godnothing to baffle and perplex us, as when we explore the earthly. Inquired for from his Word and Works, the Divine Nature becomes plainer to us than that of any man, or of any created thing whatever. unnumbered forms of progeny which constitute the worlds. As child resembles parent, all things, both visible and invisible, inherit accordingly, as an inevitable ingredient of their nature, that divine law of being to whose twofold quality they owe their birth. This is why mankind is said to have been made in the image and in the likeness of God. For there is no tautology in these expressions: that appears only in the letter. Man, marked by intellect, is the outbirth and image of God's wisdom; woman, the symbol of affection, is the expression and likeness of his love. Each, however, in a degree, shares in the spiritual attributes of the other, because each sex, up to a certain point, is equally image and likeness, just as to a certain extent the organic structure is identical. Hence true conjugal harmony, or that which results from the well-adjusted and reciprocal blending of intellect with affection-the eyes of both partners for ever turned to the same skies-is the exact counterpart of God's own mind, and therefore the most beautiful in creation. Though different, they are not dissonant. In a genuine marriage, each partner is superior and excellent in place, because the Divine love and wisdom act as one, and because in God there is no inequality. 177. Sex enters language in three principal forms, viz., in the metaphors which relate to its peculiar function; in those which refer to relationship, as a thing induced by sex; and as giving to words their gender. Gender is universally acknowledged. Objects and qualities conspicuous for their vigour, strength, majesty, and causative power, and thus correspondent with man, are spoken of as masculine; those which are remarkable for delicacy, modesty, mildness, and productiveness, and thus correspondent with woman, are spoken of as feminine.* Such at least is the distinction made in the early ages of languages; the neuter gender of their later and polished states being a contrivance of grammarians. It is more or less preserved in all ancient tongues, and even in some of the modern ones which have grown out of them, as the French. The inconsistencies which sometimes appear between the grammatical gender and the natural one, are to be attributed to the imperfection of alphabets, and the maltreatment to which all words have consequently been subjected when first attempted to be written down. 178. In our own language, up to the seventeenth century, the substantives were thus distinguished into masculine and feminine. The *The only exception of moment is the curious anomaly seen in the Gothic languages, where the sun is feminine and moon masculine. Chiefly from this circumstance, Hurwitz seeks to attribute an arbitrary origin to the noun-genders. (Hebrew Grammar, p. 45.) neuter 'its,' which is now almost wholly applied to things not actually male or female, occurs only three or four times in Shakspere; and but rarely, if at all, in the authorized version of the Bible. The perusal of our older writers is attended, therefore, by a pleasing suggestiveness scarcely known to modern ones; the reader being continually reminded of the sexual character, not only of all objective nature, but of the virtues, vices, and emotions of our inner being. Spoken of as masculine, for instance, are 179. In English, the poets alone are now accustomed to speak of things according to their natural sexes. What power and charm it gives to their allusions, needs but little illustration : 'Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud Turn forth her silver lining to the night ?'-Millon. 'Now morn her rosy steps in the Eastern clime Advancing.'-Ibid. 'Indus or Ganges rolling his broad wave.'— -Akenside. 'Old Ocean was Infinity of ages ere we breathed Existence, and he will be beautiful When all the living world that sees him now Shall roll unconscious dust around the sun.'-Campbell. 473 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. LONDON PRINTING SOCIETY. Forty-first Report of the Society for Printing and Publishing the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Instituted in London in the year 1810. Our readers will remember that in our July number we inserted the Address of the President of this Society, Dr. Spurgin, which was delivered at their last annual meeting in June. This address was so awakening, and so earnest in its appeal in behalf of the important objects and ends of this institution, that an extra number was struck off for the purpose of giving it a wider circulation. We have now much pleasure in presenting a full abstract of the report, which has lately appeared, and which we think will be read with much interest. The preliminary proceedings of the meeting, in reading the report, and in electing a committee and officers for the ensuing year, having been transacted, several important resolutions were carried, from which we extract the following: "It was moved by Mr. Bateman, and seconded by Mr. Prowse, and after an impressive address from the Rev. A. Clissold, it was resolved-That the present state of the world calls for the utmost efforts on the part of all the members of the Lord's New Church, and that it be earnestly recommended to the committee of this society for the ensuing year to continue advertising liberally the writings of Swedenborg on the plan which has been so auspiciously commenced by the late committee." A letter from James Meredith, Esq., was read, enclosing a banker's draft for £100. to be distributed as follows:-£50. as a donation to this society; £25. as a donation to the Swedenborg Association; and £25. for Dr. Tafel: when it was moved by the chairman, and seconded by Mr. Finch, That the cordial thanks of the meeting be given to Mr. Meredith, for his most generous and timely gift.' "During the past year 500 copies of 'The True Christian Religion' have been printed from the stereotype plates; and Mr. Hancock's edition of the "Heaven and Hell" is being revised by him, and stereotyped, and 500 copies are being taken from the plates.* The 10th volume of the 'Arcana' also is undergoing careful *This work is now completed and published. N. S. NO. 132.-VOL. XI. revision by Mr. Butter, previdas to its being reprinted; and the Index to the Arcana is in the hands of Mr. Rich and Mr. Larkin for revision, and will shortly be printed. Mr. Dodd has also kindly undertaken the revision of the Index of Scripture Passages in the 'Arcana,' which must shortly be reprinted; and the 'Apocalypse Revealed,' the 1st volume of the 'Apocalypse Explained,' and the 'Earths in the Universe,' must also be sent to press during the ensuing year." By carefully revising the works as they are required to be reprinted, and by collating them strictly with the original, pruning former editions of solecisms and Latinisms as much as possible, without being in the slightest degree unfaithful to the text, secures at the same time accuracy of version, and renders the works, by their purer diction, more agreeably readable and intelligible to the general reader. For these laborious efforts, the grateful acknowledgements of every member of the Church should be rendered to the society. We are also glad to see that a new Index is being prepared to the "Arcana Colestina. We doubt not, from the literary and zealous character of the gentlemen, Messrs. Rich and Larkin, who have undertaken this laborious and tedious work, that their production will far surpass the former editions in copiousness of subjects, and in accuracy and precision of statement. Let there be the greatest care bestowed upon the numbers and figures, as one wrong figure is often fatal to the finding of the passage required. The Society also, in accordance with its rules, and with its annual custom, has made many judicious presents of books to libraries, schools, and New Church emigrants. "A friend of Mr. Clissold's," says the Report, "is printing [at his own cost] 500 copies in the shape of a tract, of the chapters on Baptism and Regeneration in the Universal Theology, with the article on Regeneration extracted from the Index to the Arcana Cœlestia,' and which, when printed, he desires to present to the Society for sale and distribution. Thus it is hoped, that by taking advantage of the Controversy on the subject of Baptism, which is at present agitating the Church, many may be induced to examine Swedenborg's works on the subject." Pursuant to a resolution passed at the 2 N previous annual meeting, the committee have, during the past year, extensively advertised their works. We are rejoiced to see, that in consequence of these extensive advertisements, the sale of the works has greatly increased. "The result of these advertisements," says the report, "has been a very considerable increase in the sale of the works selected, as you will see by comparing the sale for the years 1848, 1849, and 1850. Of the 'Heaven and Hell' there were sold its disbursements to £311. 15s.; leaving a balance in hand of £295. 18s. 6d., a sum quite inadequate to carry out the necessary reprint of works which the society, according to their announced intention, will endeavour, if possible, to accomplish during the present year. This interesting report concludes with strong appeals to all members and friends of the Church to come forward with their donations and subscriptions, to aid in promoting the great cause of genuine Christian Truth and Doctrine, which at the present period, when old things are breaking up and passing away, so intimately concerns 175 the well-being and salvation of mankind. 91 75 100 1955 £283 19 0 "Thus (continues the report) a rapidly progressive increase in the sale of the two works principally advertised has been already secured; and on the other works a decided increase is perceptible: and it is confidently hoped, that after this successful result, the society will not regret either the recommendation which they gave to the committee, or the manner in which the committee has carried out that recommendation. The total cost of the advertisements has been £51. 1s. 6d; no great amount, when we consider that this society is the main-spring and foundation of all others in the New Church, and is the pioneer of the good cause we all have so much at heart: but notwithstanding the earnest solicitation of pecuniary aid at the last general meeting, but very small sums have been paid towards the advertising fund; and, considering the point which the society has now reached, and the number of works which require reprinting, its general funds are very inadequate to sustain the additional expense which is thus thrown upon it." The income of the society during the past year amounts to £607. 13s. 6d., and DESIGNATION OF THE NEW CHURCH. To THE EDITOR. SIR,-Although the Conference has passed a resolution that the proper title of the New Church is "The New Jerusalem Church," what objection can there possibly be on the part of the Conference, to the church being also designated a "New Christian Church," after its own example, in its own Liturgical service for dedicating a building for worship, wherein the church is described as a "New and True Christian Church"? If this be a wrong designation,-if the Conference meant to affirm the EXCLUSIVE accuracy of the title "New Jerusalem Church;" why did it, at the same time, direct that a service should be reprinted in which the church is called a "New Christian Church"? To me it appears that the title "New Jerusalem Church" is borrowed from the words "New Jerusalem" the literal sense of the Word, while the title “New Christian Church" is drawn from the spiritual meaning of the 'Holy City New Jerusalem," which signifies the New Church as to its doctrine. How, indeed, can a New Church, with a new or renovated Christian doctrine, be distinguished from a New Christian Church? I presume the Liturgy of the Conference is of equal authority with its Minutes, and therefore that there is quite as good Conference authority for the designation " New Christian Church," as for the title "New Jerusalem Church," and, consequently, societies, and members of societies, are placed at liberty by the Conference to choose, and use, whichever title they prefer. Is it not so? Can it be proved that Swedenborg never called the New Church a "New Christian Church"? Undoubtedly not. The contrary is, confessedly, the 66 66 |