Page:The Life and Mission of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/43

 office suffer not a little, and are brought into contempt. I have never had my daughters in Stockholm, where many are sent in order to learn fine manners, but where they also learn much that is worldly and injurious to the soul."

Of the mother of Jesper Swedberg we have little knowledge. Her name was Anna Bullernæsia, daughter of Magister Petrus Bullernæsius, pastor in Svärdsjö. She became the wife of Swedberg's father, Daniel Isaksson, about 1640. Her son Jesper said of her, "My mother was to me all that Monica was to Augustine." Of Swedberg's own wife, the mother of his children, we know little more. Her name was Sara Behm, of good family, the daughter of an Assessor in the College of Mines, the same office that was held so long by her son Emanuel. Her first husband was Dean of Upsal, and left her with wealth that was of great service to her later husband and children. She became the wife of Jesper Swedberg in 1683, when he was simply Magister Swedberg, still preaching in the prebend of his deceased friend Brunner. Her first child was born during her husband's absence on his travels, and she named him Albrecht, for her own father. He died in childhood. The next child was Anna, born in 1686, who became the wife of Ericus Benzelius. To her Emanuel, the next younger, was always sending kindest greetings when writing to his brother-in-law. Emanuel was born on the 29th of January, 1688, while his father was serving as ordinary royal chaplain at Stockholm. After him were born in succession Hedwig, Daniel, Eliezer, Catharina, Jesper, and Margaretha. The last-named was born in October, 1695, and the good mother, of whom we know all too little, died in June, 1696, while the rector was building his large stone house at Upsal. Emanuel was then not nine years old, and his impressions of his mother have not come down to us.

In 1719 the family of Bishop Swedberg was ennobled by