5785. Factual knowledge means nothing if the rational faculty has not been cultivated by it
There was a certain man engaged in experimental work who was renowned above others in Europe [Leeuwenhoek]. 1He said he led a miserable life in the other life because he had only done experiments, and with great interest, but that he had not at all cultivated his rational faculty. He said that in the beginning he had thought that he would be accepted in preference to the rest, but that he is still stupid. The angels were talking among themselves, about this, saying that provided people only cultivate their rational faculty in some way or other, in the other life they can still be among such as find something of delight in socializing, since it is the rational that speaks in the other life and not the earthly side of the mind as to its knowledge. This [earthly] memory is closed. If people have goodness and affection for truth, [the angels said] that their rational faculty is then perfected.
Footnotes:
1. Antony von Leeuwenhoek, a celebrated Dutch microscopist and maker of microscopes; born at Delft in 1632, died in 1723.
5785. SCIENTIFICS AVAIL NOTHING, IF THE RATIONAL HAS NOT BEEN CULTIVATED THEREBY.
There was a certain one (Leeuwenhoek) 1more celebrated in experimental researches than any man in Europe. He said, in the other life, that he lived a wretched life, because he had only performed experiments there [i.e. on earth], and that with much labor, but cultivated nothing rational by their means. He said, that, in the beginning, he believed that he should be accepted in preference to all others; but that he is still stupid. Angels spoke to each other about this matter, saying, that if man only cultivates the rational in any kind of way, he would still be able in the other life to be amongst such ones as possess some charm of social interaction; since, in the other life, the rational is what speaks, but not the rational as regards the scientific faculty; for then, the memory is closed. They said also that if he is in good and in the affection of truth, his rational is then perfected.
Footnotes:
1. Antony von Leeuwenhoek. --He "was a celebrated Dutch microscopist and maker of microscopes; born at Delft in 1632, died in 1723" (Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. ii., p. 1256). --TR.
5785. Quod scientifica nihil faciant, si non rationale per illa excultum fuerit
Erat quidam in experimentalibus inclutus prae ceteris in Europa, Leeuwenhoek, is in altera vita dixit agere miseram vitam, quia solum experimenta fecit, et cum multo studio ibi, sed per illa nihil excoluit rationale, dixit quod principio crediderit fore illum acceptum prae reliquis, sed quod usque stupidus sit: loquebantur inter se angeli, de ea re, dicendo, quod modo homo excolat qualicunque modo rationale, quod usque in altera vita inter tales esse possit, qui conversationis aliquod jucundum habent, quoniam rationale est quod in altera vita loquitur, et non naturale quoad scientificum, hac memoria clausa: si in bono est, et in affectione veri, quod rationale ejus tunc perficiatur.