“Adjoining the house was a rather large garden, in the midst of which he had a summer-house, or pavilion. There were four doors to the apartment, which formed a square, and was occasionally turned, in an instant, into an octagon, by means of four other doors that belonged to it. One of these doors shut with a secret lock, which being opened, there appeared a glass door placed opposite a fine green hedge, where a bird was seen in a cage. This new spectacle produced an agreeable surprise of a second garden to the person who opened the door, which Swedenborg used to say was more agreeable than the first. At the entrance of the garden there was a parterre, well covered with flowers, which he was very fond of. He derived no other advantage from the garden, for he gave the whole produce of it to the gardener who waited on him; so also that of a very excellent greenhouse, in which he took much pleasure. “The gardener and his wife were the only servants he had; of the latter he never desired other service than that of making his bed, and of bringing water into his apartment. He generally made his own coffee on the fire in his study, and took much of it, well sweetened. When at home, his dinner consisted of a small loaf put into boiled milk, and at that time he neither drank wine nor any spirituous liquor, nor did he take any supper. Though he was very sparing in his eating and drinking, yet he would sometimes, when in company, take a glass of wine, but was always in one equal temper of mind, and cheerful. “He had a fire constantly kept up in his study, from autumn, throughout the winter, until spring; but his bedroom, contrary to the usual custom in Sweden, was always cold; and according as the cold was more or less severe, he made use of three, or four, blankets. When he awoke, he went into his study, where there were always live coals, on which he laid wood, with birch-bark, having a number of small bundles ready for use, and to make a quick fire before he sat down to write. “In his parlor was a table of black marble, on which, one would have supposed, at first sight, that a hand of cards had been carelessly thrown, the imitation being so perfect. He made a present of this table to the Royal College of Mines, who preserve it with great care. This room was neat and genteel, but furnished in a plain style. “His wardrobe was simple, yet suitable to the season. He wore in winter a fur gown; and when at home, in summer, a morning robe. “He spoke very distinctly. When he began to talk in company, every one was silent, as well from the pleasure they had in hearing his discourse, as from a sense of his well known great erudition, which he did not show but on occasions in which he found himself compelled to prove his assertions, or the little weight of the arguments of some with whom he conversed. Besides the learned languages, in which he was well versed, he understood the French, English, Dutch, German, and Italian.”