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1016 SWEDENBORG’S WRITINGS. [Doc. 313.
Author says in no. 157, "I have been in the spirit and at the same
time in the body for twenty-six years," and in no. 851, "The interiors
of my mind have been opened now for twenty-seven years;" it follows
that the first part was written in 1769, and the second in 1770.
Towards the close of July, 1770, he departed from Stockholm to
publish this work in Amsterdam, as appears from his seventeenth
letter to Dr. Beyer, dated July 23, 1770, where he says, "As I shall
depart in the course of a few days for Amsterdam, I desire here
with to take leave of you ;" and in a letter enclosed in this he says,
"In a few days I shall depart for Amsterdam in order to publish
there the "Universal Theology of the New Church," the foundation
of which is the worship of the Lord our Saviour, on which founda
tion if no temple be now built, lupanaria (brothels) will be erected"
(Document 245, pp. 379 and 380).
On September 10, 1770, Cuno mentions having met him on the Ex
change in Amsterdam with his friend Wretman (Document 256, p. 481).
On January 26, 1771 , Cuno wrote to a friend in Hamburg respecting
Swedenborg, "He is now indefatigably at work; yea, I must say
that he labours in a most astonishing and superhuman manner at
his new work. Sixteen sheets with types twice as small as those
used in his former works, are already printed. Only think! for
every printed sheet he has to fill four sheets in manuscript. He
now has two sheets printed every week. These he corrects himself;
and consequently he has to write eight sheets every week. And
what appears altogether incomprehensible, he has never a single line
in reserve. His work is to consist, as he says himself, of eighty
printed sheets ; he has thus calculated already that it cannot be
finished before Michaelmas. I will also tell you the title of the
work he has in hand: it is as follows : True Christian Religion,
containing the Universal Theology of the New Church,’ &c., by
Emanuel Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I could
not, in my open manner, conceal my astonishment that he should
declare himself on the title-page the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But he replied, ’ I have asked, and have received not only permission,
but even an express command’" (Document 256, p. 482 et seq.)
As Swedenborg himself declares in no. 791 of the present work
that he finished it on June 19, 1770 ; and as Cuno under the date
of January 26, 1771 , declares that he was indefatigably at work
writing out this same work for the press-it appears that he prepared
two copies of it, a rough copy in Sweden, and a clean copy for the
printer in Amsterdam ; just as he did in the case of the Arcana
Cœlestia and the "Apocalypse Explained." The materials of some
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