to establish an analogy between the seed of a plant and the ovum of an animal belonging to the genus mammalia, where all females are furnished with the organ of the womb. Yet with the mammals the ovum of the female is simply a cell, capable of fixing the male semen, and it does not bear any relation whatever to the egg of a bird, from which the writer derives his analogy. In the impregnated ovum of a mammal there is absolutely no nutriment whatever, and all the nutriment the embryo requires, it derives subsequently in the womb from the juices of the maternal mammal; even as all the juices of the rudimentary plant, as long as it is growing under the surface of the earth, are derived from its mother earth. The writer says, indeed, that "the earth contributes no more to the early development of the tree than the hen does to the development of the chick in the egg during the process of incubation;" but this is simply an assertion, and is, besides, an assertion which seems to contradict an essential doctrine of the New Church, namely, the doctrine of spheres. For, according to that doctrine, a sphere emanates from every object of creation, including the ingredients of the soil; and this sphere, which emanates from the minutest particles of the earth, as Swedenborg distinctly states (T. C. R. 585, and other places), penetrates to the prolific principle of a seed, develops it, and causes it to grow.

Again the writer declares that "Swedenborg denied the sexuality of plants" (p. 515); and further, that the Rev. Samuel M. Warren in his paper on the subject contained in the American New Jerusalem Magazine where, as it seems to me, he showed conclusively that Swedenborg was well acquainted with the phenomena of what the learned call the "sexuality of plants," and admitted its reality—" has failed to establish his point."

As Mr. Warren's argument on this subject has not been laid before the readers of the Repository, I think it is due to him that this should now be done. He says:

"The facts [of the case] are, that, at least with the more highly-organized plants, there are two separate classes of organs, the co-operation of which is necessary to the formation of seed, for their reproduction; that with a comparatively few plants these organs are in separate individuals; with more they are in separate flowers, on the same individuals; and with a still greater number the two classes of organs exist together in the same flower. The duality of function has been found to exist even among most of the cryptogamous, or flowerless, plants. "Now these facts Swedenborg was neither ignorant of, nor does he anywhere deny them. In general terms he affirms them, as in 'Conjugial Love,' No. 222, where we read: The universal of all the spheres proceeding from the Lord is the conjugial sphere, because this also is the sphere of propagation, and thus the supereminent sphere of conservation of the created universe by successive generations. That this conjugial sphere fills the universe, and pervades all things from first to last, is evident from this, that besides being with human beings, it is also with all the subjects of the animal kingdom on the earth, even down to worms; and, moreover, with all the subjects of the vegetable kingdom, from olives and palmtrees even to the smallest grasses.' What Swedenborg denies is the scientific doctrine founded on the above facts-that is, the theory and analogy of them. His most explicit declaration on the subject (T. C. R. 585) makes pointed refer ence to the teaching of many of the learned,' the freshest and foremost of whom

was Linnæus; and was made, undoubtedly, in full view of the facts, the false analogy of which only he denies."

Mr. Warren then quotes the passage from T. C. R. 585, cited above, and comments upon it as follows:

"While, on the one hand, it is clear that, in this so deliberate and formal denial of the common doctrine of vegetable sexuality, Swedenborg disputes no fact of science; on the other hand, in the rest of the paragraph taken in connection with the preceding, he declares to be the true analogy and significance of the facts; and by reference to its correspondence in the Word. He says, 'That the earth is the common mother may also be spiritually illustrated; and is illustrated, by the fact that in the Word the earth signifies the Church, and the Church is the common mother [of her members], as she is also called in the Word' (T. C. R. 585).

"But1 [let us look at the relative functions of the vegetable kingdom, and the earth, in the matter of reproduction. The vegetable kingdom, like the male of animals, produces only seed. If there are actually two sexes in that kingdom, there should be one class of individuals that bring forth young plants, or, at least, what is equivalent to the egg. But the duality of function, which is observable in the subjects of the vegetable kingdom, is only for the production of seed. A similar duality of function, according to our author, exists in the male of animals, for the same purpose; and this is the true analogy of the dual function of plants, which has been called sexual.] He says, 'The human seed is conceived in the understanding, and formed in the will' (T. C. R. 584). Again, the seed of the male fructifies the female; so the seed of plants fructifies the earth. The seed of the male contains the soul, while the body or form is from the female (T. C. R. 103); so the vegetative soul or essence of the plant is in the seed, while the body or form is from the earth.”

So far the Rev. S. M. Warren.

In connection with the above, the Editor of the Intellectual Repository, with characteristic fairness, sent me the following communication which he received from one of his correspondents. He accompanied it with the following remarks: "The enclosed would have been inserted in the Repository had you not taken the whole subject in hand. It may be of use to you, and a notice of it, if that would be consistent with your plan, might gratify the writer." The communication is as follows:

"When I read the Rev. S. Warren's paper in the New Jerusalem Magazine, I thought the subject was put in a satisfactory light. The paper I now send from the Horticultural Record is a confirmation of Mr. Warren's article, and a proof that on this subject our author was not 'behind the science of his age,' but 'in advance of his times. To speak of male and female flowers and plants is a convenient way of expressing the functions of seed-producing; but there is this difference between what are termed 'the sexes' in plants and animals-that in many of the former (if not in all) the agency of winged insects is required to effect fertilization, while in the latter this is always done by the self-determination of the male. The male animal is a separate individual from the female, whilst in plants the sexes (so called) exist sometimes in each flower, or separately in different flowers on the same plant, and in other instances on separate plants. In each of these cases fertilization is effected in a totally different way from the impregnation of a female animal by the male. There is no instance of a male plant being an active

1 The portion in brackets has been quoted by the writer in the Repository.

agent in fertilizing the blossom of a female plant, that is, when the sexes exist in distinct plants. Now let any one, after reading these remarks and the appended extract from The Horticultural Record, turn to T. C. R. 584 and 585, and I think he will arrive at the conclusion that on this subject our author was neither in error nor behind his age. It may still be convenient and allowable to speak of the sexuality of plants, but not to pronounce Swedenborg in error,' because he teaches that there are not two sexes in the vegetable kingdom, but that the whole vegetable kingdom is male and the earth female. 'It is but a war of words.'

"From The Horticultural Record,' No. 18, September 1877.

6

For

"Very much and, it would seem, needless discussion has been going on in European scientific circles as to the proper limitation or interpretation of the terms male and female, as applied to plants and flowers. With people who have no knowledge whatever of botanical science there might be some need of explanation; but even then it is not often that explanations are understood. instance, pomologists tell us there are male and female flowers in strawberry plants. By this they mean that some flowers have stamens only, and others only pistils, and only those with pistils bear fruit. But sometimes plants which have generally borne flowers of one kind will produce the other kind; and then comes a discussion about the change of sex,' and the possibilities of such facts. Now, if a strawberry flower, fully expanded, and with only perfect stamens formed, were before our eyes gradually to withdraw its stamens, and develop the pistils in their place, we might speak of a change of sex; but no one means this, and the recent discussions in which Van Tieghem, Worthington Smith, and Sachs have been brought in, seem but a waste of thought. The whole misunderstanding comes from an imperfect idea of sex as applied to plants. The plant, or even the flower, is not an individual' in the sense that a highly-organized animal is; and, therefore, there can be properly no male or female plant or flower in the same sense that we carry with the term in the animal kingdom. It is but a war

of words."

If now I pass in review the charges of error which the writer brings against Swedenborg's natural science, as contained in the writings of the New Church, it seems to me that he has not been able to establish a single one of his positions—at least not in that form in which it is able to detract from the Divine authority of those writings in which the Lord effected His Second Coming through the instrumentality of Swedenborg.

In my next I shall take up the alleged errors and mistranslations in Swedenborg's version of the Sacred Scripture. R. L. TAFEL.

SPAIN.

NO. IV.

GRANADA-THE ALHAMBRA-THE MOORS IN SPAIN.

I LEFT Sevilla at ten in the forenoon, and arrived at Granada at eleven in the evening. At Bobadilla there is a junction at which you arrive about six, and change carriages for Granada, the direct train going on to Malaga. There is plenty of time afforded for all arrangements to be made, and for the usual infestation by beggars.

On entering the carriage into which I moved in the new train, a lady and gentleman already seated welcomed me with, "Kome in, sare. You are Ingleesh. We have lived in Londone, and are arteests travelling in Spain at present."

'I returned the kind salutation, and found them agreeable company. The gentleman had lost a hand, which had been amputated in consequence of injury sustained by a fall at Perpignan some years before. A Spanish boy of probably fifteen years of age, a stout youth, following the general custom, came imploring charity. "How many hands have you?" said my new friend. The lad at once held up two. "Then go and work," said the gentleman, "and be ashamed of yourself; for I make a good living, and have only one." The lad slunk away.

The kingdom of Granada, which was the last of the Moorish kingdoms in Spain, contains every excellence and every beauty, as far as the land is considered, which can adorn a country. It is grand with mountain, valley, and plain. It is rich from its fertile surface, and rich in its mines. Its atmosphere is sunny, clear, transparent, and delightful.

The snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada are magnificent to the eye, and they gratefully temper the heat. The Moors said it was

a portion of heaven dropped down upon the earth.

In every part of Granada one hears of the English having taken part in the battles and struggles of the country; and there is a considerable estate belonging to the Duke of Wellington there.

One cannot but feel how little effect for good the labours and the sacrifices of these devoted men have accomplished for Spain, and how much better it would have been to have left the Spaniards to themselves, and allowed them to learn by a nobler example how nations really progress by cultivating the arts of peace, not by rushing about the world and fighting here, and fighting there in quarrels that don't

concern us.

When Ferdinand and Isabella took the city of Granada in 1492, it was mainly by the aid of Lord Rivers and a body of English archers, and the ruin of that part of the country is by good judges dated from that time. Under the Moors, says Mr. Ford, "Granada was rich, brilliant, learned, industrious, and gallant; and now it is poor, dull, ignorant, indolent, and dastardly. The Spaniards have indeed laboured hard to neutralize the gifts of a lavish nature, and to dwarf this once proud capital down to a paralyzed provincial town."

By the Peninsular War the English under Wellington saved the Spaniards from the dominion of Napoleon, by enormous efforts and a vast outlay of blood and treasure, only to restore them to imbecile rulers, to sluggish life and beggary, and the narrow bigotry of the Inquisition.

Now, however, Spain is making progress, and adopting the valuable achievements of other nations; and if the present Government continue in the path of liberal, moderate, and peaceful advancement, a career lies before Spain of long and enduring prosperity.

Not being at all acquainted with the city of Granada, on my arrival I did not know which hotel to choose; but hearing amongst them the Hotel Victoria called, I determined to try that one for the sake of home associations, and I was tolerably well satisfied with my apart

M

ments and my comforts. I learned, however, the next day that two comfortable hotels are ready to accommodate travellers right in the middle of the Alhambra. These are the Washington, so named from Washington Irving, who lived two years in the Alhambra, and the other the Siete Suelos, or Seven Stories, from a tower of that name in the old Moorish palace, on the site of which it is built. The Siete Suelos is said to be the most comfortable, and the more moderate of the two in price.

Granada now contains 60,000 inhabitants, has some good wide streets, and a Paseo or small park with several fountains, quite open and free. There are, however, many narrow tortuous streets, and here and there in these old thoroughfares one gets a glimpse of an old house with a beautiful decorated roof or arch, the remains of ancient excellence. As you come from the railway station, about half a mile from the town, the hill of the Alhambra is in front, close to the city, but very lofty and bold, covered with walls and towers. It is grand, precipitous, and rugged, but the ascent from the city is well kept and easy. There is no difficulty either in finding it or seeing it, and there is an official guide in the old palace itself, so that there is no need for any one to trouble himself with a guide from the town, but for all that he will have many offers. In the streets now and then you see public letter-writers, old gentlemen, each one with his small table ready to receive and despatch the news and the wishes of those who are unable to write them out themselves. There is a University at Granada, and I saw the young men turning out-a fine raw material they seemed to be, full of life and capability. A large image of the Virgin was over the University gate. You constantly meet with these images. There are many churches-some good, others very poor, but the decorations in all showy and tawdry. The Cathedral is large and noble, containing many altars and statues. There are also the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, as well as that of the great Cardinal Ximenes. The entrance to each church is fenced by the whining or the jinking of the cans of about a dozen mendicants. A large square in front of the Cathedral would be imposing, if it were not the gathering-place of the greatest collection of beggars it was ever my lot to see. They sat on every ledge and every step. Old and young, and crippled and strong, in every variety of ugliness, rags, and dirt, ready for a chorus whenever there was a chance. They squatted close to one another like crows; whether they were the constant hangers-on of the Cathedral, which was undergoing repair, or whether it was a special alms-day, I did not inquire, but it was a notable sight. Each church, as I have said, has its special dozen or so at the entrance; but this was a very rag-fair, a grand gathering of the miserable hangers-on, who are and have been too lazy to help themselves or any one else, and throw away more time and effort in sponging upon others than would make them three times more comfortable, if earnestly employed in useful work. There is an excellent road leading up to and right through the Alhambra. Inside the walls there is quite a plantation