Outlines of a philosophical argument on the infinite, and the final cause of creation; and on the intercourse between the soul and the body / by Emanuel Swedenborg. Translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson.

  • Emmanuel Swedenborg
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of a philosophical argument on the infinite, and the final cause of creation; and on the intercourse between the soul and the body / by Emanuel Swedenborg. Translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    out which the retina would get too dry, and neither be duly ex- panded, nor have any power of receiving the motions that are passing inwards. Furthermore, there is the crystalline humor or lens, of a denser structure than the other humors, and en- closed by a tunic within a depression in the vitreous humor ; this lens is suspended freely [by the ciliary ligament] between the aqueous and vitreous humors, [just behind the pupil]; its mobility being thus secured ; and it is composed of a number of pellucid, vascular lamelle, [after the manner of an onion with its skins]. The crystalline and vitreous substances are sur- rounded by a fine vascular tunic, which by enclosing the lens in the bosom of the vitreous humor, tends to protect and preserve it. We shall not now dwell upon the minute arteries and veins that enter into the organization of the eye in so wonderful a manner; or upon the nerves; as for instance the optics, which running back from the retina plunge into the medulla oblon- gata; and those other nerves whose office it is to preside over the motions of the whole organ, both in general, and in parti- cular; or upon the muscles. The result of our considerations is, that we now see how all the parts one by one conspire to make the whole, i.e. the eye, a fit organ and instrument for re- ceiving the modifications of ether or light, and a means of sen- sation ; which exists not at all in the eye, but in the cerebrum, and in those little membranes where the true representation of the object takes place; of all which subjects we shall treat in detail on another occasion. The eye of itself is an organ desti- tute of sense, for sense consists in the inner parts; in the other end; that is to say, above all, in the soul. But let us confine our attention to a single organ; for there is not an organ in the animal body but if examined specifically and particularly will afford infinite grounds of amazement; at the manner, for example, in which one part joins with another, in which one part moves another; one part determines the shape of another; holds another in its place, preserves and nourishes it; the least in this way ministering to the greatest, the invisible to the visible; and all conspirmg to one end, to enable man either to see, or hear, or enjoy some other sense ; and all collectively, or the whole, to empower him to lead an active bodily life, and to be a rational creature; which results a