Page:Swedenborg, Harbinger of the New Age of the Christian Church.djvu/278

 would never distress himself with work and temptations if he did not know whence they came."

At another time Robsahm quotes the gardener's wife as saying—

"'I can see when he has spoken with heavenly spirits, for his face has then an expression of gentleness, cheerfulness, and contentment which is charming; but after he has conversed with evil spirits, he looks sad.' ..

"During the session of the Diet he was interested in hearing news from the House of Nobles, of which he was a member by virtue of his being the head of the Swedenborg family. He wrote several memorials; but when he saw that party-spirit and self-interest struggled for mastery, he went rarely to the House of Nobles. In his conversations with his friends he inveighed against the spirit of dissension among the members of the Diet; and in acting with a party he was never a party man, but loved truth and honesty in all that he did.

"I asked Swedenborg whether in our times it was worth while to pay attention to dreams; upon which he answered that the Lord no longer at the present day makes revelations by dreams;