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FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS WRITINGS. 81
taken ; his thoughts are too sublime and lofty to be surveyed with a weak or a
wanton eye ; his language is quite different from the common modes of speech;
and his sense is sometimes so deep and profound, as not to be readily appre-
hended by a common understanding. Whoever, therefore, takes this book in
hand, and finds passages in it not easily inteUigible, let him not throw it by as a
thing of no value, nor content himself with a bare perusal; but let him read il;
over and over again; let him study the drift and design of the author; and I
will answer for it, that the more and oftener he reads it, the more instruction
and delight he will receive from it. The author has a depth, which, if once
fathomed (and it is not unfathomable), will yield the noblest repast to a pious
mind But if any one imagines that I say this to puff a book, in the sale of
which my interest is so nearly concerned, any gentleman is welcome to peruse
it at my shop, and to purchase it or not, as his own judgment shall direct him.
" Nothing recommends a book more effectually to the public than the emi-
nence and credit of its author: nothing is more notorious, than that a weak per-
formance, if it appears under a great name, shall be better received in- the world
than the most sublime and ingenious productions of an obscure person : so that
it is not merit but prejudice that generally governs the judgment of men.
’•
Though the author of Arcana CoBlestia is undoubtedly a very learned and great
man, and his works highly esteemed by the literati, yet he is no less distinguish-
ed for his modesty than his great talents, so that he will not suffer his name to
be made public* But though I am positively forbid to discover that, yet I hope
.he will excuse me if I venture to mention his benign and generous qualities.
How he bestowed his time and labors in former years, I am not certainly
informed (though I have heard by those who have been long acquainted
with him, that they were employed in the same manner as I am going to
relate) : but what I have been an eye-witness to, I can declare with certain
truth; and therefore I do aver, that this gentleman, with indefatigable pains
and labor, spent one whole year in studying and writing the first volume
of Arcana Ccelestia, was at the expense of two hundred pounds to print it,
and also advanced two hundred pounds more for the printing of this second
volume ; and when he had done this, he gave express orders, that all the money
that should arise in the sale of this large work should be given towards the
charge of the propagation of the gospel. He is so far from desiring to make a
gain of his labors, that he will not receive one farthing back of the four hundred
pounds he has expended ; and for that reason his works will come exceedingly
cheap to the public.
" I further declare, I have not the least reason in the world to believe him a
bigot to any mode or method of religion ; I know not what community he be-
longs to, or whether he belongs to any : if any one can guess by his writings,
he knows where to find them. But it matters not what or who the person is
that writes, if his writings are founded on truth, and agreeable to such learned
men as are competent judges of them. The deepest and most learned, as well
as the most valuable pieces, are sometimes misunderstood and rejected for many
* Swedenborg did not desire to have his own name prominently exhibited in connex-
ion with the great cause he was the instrument of advocating ; he did not wish to be-
come the head or leader of a sect ; he addressed his writings to all denominations of
Christians, and desired his readers to see the truth from fts inherent light, and not be-
cause it was advocated by some dignified and celebrated name.
6
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