Unswept House
dreamed 1744/4/1 by Emanuel Swedenborg
INTRODUCTION
Swedenborg (1688-1772) worked for decades as a scientist (especially metallurgy and mining), but his reputation today is primarily as a mystic. He kept a dream journal during the period of his great change from engineer to visionary, early 1743 to late '44; one of the world's oldest surviving dream-journals. It was never meant for publication--scrawled, with scratch-outs, abbreviations and highly personal references--difficult even before translation. However, Swedenborg's scientific habits serve him well--dates are clear, dreams are in sequence, and he regularly attempts interpretation; he's practical, reasonable, and sometimes records multiple possibilities.
Yet he was devout; he seems determined to emulate Christ, purging all selfish and worldly urges to become, essentially, a saint. Curious ambition for a scientist! Odder still, he achieved it--at least his practical demonstrations of miraculous knowledge (see Swedenborg's Visions) were the best-documented of his century; he influenced Blake and Emerson, and troubled Kant. If he'd been Catholic he'd likely be a saint--if a controversial one like Francis of Assisi. As it is, he's a strange, powerful figure making both scientists and conventional Christians uncomfortable. Good for him!
UNSWEPT HOUSE
Rode in the air on horseback. Went into all the rooms, kitchen, and the rest, and sought after a particular person; but found nothing. The rooms were badly swept and cared for. At last, I was carried in the air into a hall; there I got two pieces of beautiful bread, and so again got him [whom I sought]. Here there were a number of people, and a well-swept room.
Signifies the Lord's Supper.... There came two persons. They came into a house which was not yet ready, but the building finished. They went round about it, and did not appear at all pleased with it. We saw that our force was not with us, and feared them. One came to me, and said that they had a punishment for me on the next Maundy Thursday, if I did not take myself off. I did not know how to get out. He said he would show me the way. Wakened.
Means that I, in an unprepared and unswept cabin had invited a visit from the Highest; and that he found it unswept; ought to be punished; but most graciously the way was shown me to escape their wrath.[There] was a beggar, that cried out that he would have bacon; they wished to give him something else, but he continually cried out, "Bacon!"
Wakened. Same signification, I believe.
Editor's Notes
I wish we had more about flying indoors on a horse! Odd image. But Swedenborg figures out the gist: he's only cleaned up one room inside to invite God in. More cleanup and furnishing to go! Bread before bacon.
This is one of the earliest dreams in his journal; he spends at least the next year and a half in close scrutiny of his thoughts and actions, scouring out selfishness in his efforts to emulate Jesus.
Source: Swedenborg's Journal of Dreams 1743-1744, 1989 ed. with intro by Wilson van Dusen. Paragraphs 30, 33-34. Descriptive titles are mine; untitled in journal. Interpretations are Swedenborg's, though run together with dream text; I offset interpretations for clarity.
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