SWEDENBORG, Emanuel.
(1688 – 1772)
Biographical references: Barr, Index to Biographical Fragments, 1973: 255. • BBA: I 1056, 323-336; II 1791, 243. • Biographiskt Lexicon. • Drugulin, Sechstausend Portraits, 1863: nos. 5362-7. • DSB: 13, 178-9. • Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition. • ISIS, 1913-65: 2, 519-20. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 422. • Poggendorff: 2, cols. 1056-7. • Poole, S.F., "The Mineralogical World of Emanuel Swedenborg", Matrix, 5, (1997), 68-74, portrait. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 3, 2221-3, Suppl. (1986), 2, 815 & Suppl. 2 {1995), 2, 1126. • SBA: Scandinavian Biographical Archive: B-322, 164-443. • Schaedler, Biographisch Handwörterbuch, 1891: 130-1. • WBI.
1. Latin, 1721.
Prodromus | Principiorum | Rerum Naturalium | Sive | Novorum Tentaminum | Chymiam & Physicam Experimentalem | Geometrice explicandi. | [ornament] | Amstelodami, Apud Joannem Oosterwyk, 1721. | Sumtibus Autoris.
8°: [12], [1]-199, [1] p., 15 folding plates. Title vignette. Pages 65 & 112 misnumbered 6 & 112. Very scarce.
2. Latin, 1721.
Nova Observata et Inventa circa Ferrum et Ignem cum nova luminis inventione. Amstelodami, 1721.
8°: 3 plates. Very scarce.
Bibliographical references: Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 208. • LKG: XIII 47.
3. Latin, 1722.
Eman. Swedenborgii | Assess. Coll. Meta ll. in Suecia, | Miscellanea | Observata | Circa | Res Naturales | & | præsertim circa | Mineralia, Ignem & Montium | strata. Pars Prima [-Tertia]. | [ornament] | [rule] | Lipsiæ, 1722.
4 parts. 8°: [1]-173, [1] p., [4] folded leaves of plates. Very scarce.
Bibliographical references: Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 1, 43. • LKG: VI 5 & 6. • USGS Library Catalog.
4. Latin, 1734.
Emanuelis Swedenborgii | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Principia | Rerum Naturalium | Sive | Novorum Tentaminum | Phænomena | Mundi Elementaris | Philosophice Explicandi. | Cum Figuris Æneis. | [ornament] | Dresdæ et Lipsiæ, | sumptibus Friderici Hekelii, | bibliopolæ regii M DCC XXXIV.
Emanuelis Swedenborgii | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De Ferro | Deque | Modis Liquationum Ferri Per Europam | Passim In Usum Receptis: Deque Conversione | Ferri Crudi In Chalybem: De Vena Ferri Et Probatione | Ejus: Pariter De Chymicis Præparatis Et Cum Ferro | Et Victriolo Ejus Factis Experi- | mentis &c. &c. | Cum Figuris Æneis. | [ornament] | Dresdæ et Lipsiæ, | sumptibus Friderici Hekelii, | bibliopolæ regii M DCC XXXIV.
Emanuelis Swedenborgii | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De | Cupro et Orichalco | Deque | Modis Liquationum Cupri Per Europam | Passim In Usum Receptis: De Secretione Ejus Ab | Argento: De Conversione In Orichalcum: Inque Me- | talla Diversi Generis: De Lapide Calaminari: | De Zinco: | De Vena Cupri Et Probatione Ejus: Pariter De Chy- | micis Præparatis, Et Cum Cupro Factis | Experimentis &c. &c. | Cum Figuris Æneis. | [ornament] | Dresdæ et Lipsiæ, | sumptibus Friderici Hekelii, | bibliopolæ regii M DCC XXXIV.
3 vols. [Vol 1] 2°: a8 A-5U2; 230l.; [8], [1]-452 p., frontispiece, 28 plates.; [Vol 2] 2°: a6 A-5D2 5E1; 199l.; [12], [1]-386 p. [Vol 3] 2°: a7 A-6S2 6T1; 274l.; [14], [1]-534 p., 89 plates (numbered Tab I to LXXXIX). Page size: 326 x 200 mm.
Contents: [Vol 1] [2 pages], Half title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii | Opera | Philosophica | Et | Mineralia. | Tres Tomi.," verso blank.; [Frontispiece].; [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [4 pages], Dedication to Ludovice Rudolphe, signed Emanuel Swedenborg.; [8 pages], "Præfatio | De | Philosophia Nostra In Compendium Redacta."; [1]-122, Text.; [123], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Examen | Principiorum Rerum | Naturalium | Cum | Phænomenis Magneticis: | Sive | Pars Secunda. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [124], Blank.; [125]-372, Text.; [373], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Principiorum | Rerum Naturalium | Sive | Novorum Tentaminum | Phænomena Mundi Philosophice | Explicandi | Pars Tertia. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [374], "Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit | utile dulci."; [375]-449, Text.; 450-452, Appendix.
[Vol 2] Pp. [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [4 pages], Dedication to King Wilhelm, signed Emanuel Swedenborg.; [6 pages], "Præfatio."; [1]-254, Text.; [255], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De | Vena Et Lapide | Ferri, | Ut Et | De | Variis Ejus Probandi | Modis. | Classis Secunda. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [256], Blank.; [257]-298, Text.; [299], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De Variis | Cum | Ferro Et Ejus | Victriolo | Chymicis Præparatis | Et | Factis Experimentis. | Classis Tertia. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [300], Blank.; [301]-386, Text.
[Vol 3] Pp. [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [4 pages], Dedication.; [8 pages], "Præfatio."; [1]-400, Text.; [401], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De | Vena Et Lapide | Cupri | Ut Et | De Variis Ejus Probandi | Modis. | Classis Secunda. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [402], Blank.; [403]-446, Text.; [447], Sectional title page, "Emanuelis Swedenborgii, | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | Regnum Subterraneum | Sive | Minerale | De Variis | Cum | Cupro | Et | Orichalco | Chymicis Præparatis | Et | Factis Experimentis. | Classis Tertia. | [ornament] | Dresdæ & Lipsiæ, | apud Fridericum Hekelium, | Bibliopol. regium M DCC XXXIV."; [448], Blank.; [449]-534, Text.; [At end], 89 plates.
Very scarce. Swedenborg's cosmological and metallurgical masterpieces, comprising the Principia rerum naturalium, Regnum subterraneum sive minerale de cupro..., and Regnum subterraneum sive minerale de ferro. In the first work, "probably conceived as a counterpart to Newton's Principia, he sought a comprehensive physical explanation of the world based on mathematical and mechanical principles. While remaining faithful to the general principles of Cartesian natural philosophy... Swedenborg elaborated upon them. According to his cosmogony the physical reality had developed from the mathematical point, which was an entity between infinite and finite... In contrast to Descartes, Swedenborg believed that the planets had developed from the chaotic solar mass through expansion of its surrounding shell, which finally jointed to form a belt along the equatorial plane of the sun. It then exploded, forming the planets and the satellites. Although the basic construction of Swedenborg's thought heralded the later planetary theories of Buffon, Kant, and Laplace, there is nothing to indicate that tit exerted any direct influence on posterity." (DSB)
The following two volumes, the results of his official duties and investigations as assessor to the Swedish Board of Mines, are on the mining, mineralogy, and metallurgy of copper (and brass), and iron (and steel). They give a highly detailed survey of the industry, the mining techniques employed, the chemistry utilised, and the geology of the ore deposits, and are illustrated with exceptionally fine plates, the best illustrations of mining technology since Agricola.
Swedish transl., 1923: Mineralriket av Emanuel Swedenborg ... om järnet och de i Europa vanligast vedertagna järnframställningssatten ... med illustrationer den Svenska upplagan under redaktion av Hj. Sjögren ... Stockholm, Wahlström & Widstrand, 1923. 8°: xxix, 470 p., illus., plates (part fold.) fold. map, diagrs. (part fold.).
Bibliographical references: Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 517. • Gatterer, Mineralogischen Literatur, 1798-9: 2, 208 & 236-7. • Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares, 1859-69: 6, 533. • Hoover Collection: nos. 773-75. • LKG: XIII 48a. • NLM 18th Century Books (Blake): 440. • Parkinson, Breakthroughs, 1985: p. 151. • Partington, History of Chemistry, 1961-70: 2, 164-7. • Poole, S.F., "The Mineralogical World of Emanuel Swedenborg", Matrix, 5, (1997), 68-74, portrait. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 2140. • Wheeler Catalogue: 283.
5. English, 1846 [Abridged transl.].
The | Principia; | Or, | The First Principles Of Natural Things, | Being | New Attempts | Toward A | Philosophical Explanation Of The Elementary World. | By | Emanuel Swedenborg, | [...5 lines of titles and memberships...] | Translated From The Latin | By | The Rev. Augustus Clissold, M.A. | Volume I. [-II.] | London: | W. Newbery, 6, King Street, Holborn; | H. Baillière, 219, Regent Street; | Otis Clapp, School Street, Boston, United States. | [short rule] | 1846.
2 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: [i]-viii, [i]-cii, [6], [1]-380 p., illus. [Vol 2] 8°: [8], [1]-413, [1] p., illus. Page size: 218 x 142 mm.
Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Half title page, "The Principia.", verso "London: | Printed By Walton And Mitchell, | Wardour-street, Oxford-street."; Frontispiece: Map of the world.; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v], Dedication.; [vi], Blank.; [vii]-viii, "Contents Of Volume I."; [i]-lxxxvii, "Introduction By The Translator."; [lxxxviii], Blank.; [lxxxvix]-xci, "Serenissime Princeps | Ludovice Rudolphe, | ..."; [xcii], Blank.; [xciii]-cii, "Preface."; [1 pg], Sectional title page, "The Principia. | Part I."; [4 pgs], Diagrams of the earth's poles.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-208, Text.; [209], Sectional title page, "The Principia. | Part II."; [210], Blank.; [211]-380, Text.
[Vol 2] [2 pgs], , Half title page, "The Principia.", verso "London: | Printed By Walton And Mitchell, | Wardour-street, Oxford-street."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pgs], "Contents Of Volume I."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], Sectional title page, "The Principia. | Part II.-continued."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-225, Text.; [226], Blank.; [227], "Sectional title page, "The Principia. | Part III."; [228], Blank.; [229]-362, Text.; [363]-367, "Appendix."; [368], Blank.; [369]-374, "Preface To The Treatise | On | Iron, | In | Swedenborg's Mineral Kingdom."; [375]-383, "Preface To The Treatise | On | Copper, | In | Swedenborg's Mineral Kingdom."; [384], Blank.; [385]-405, "Index Of Subjects."; [406], Blank.; [407]-413, "Appendix."; [1 pg], Errata.
Very scarce. Translation by Augustus Clissold of the first volume of Principia Rerum Naturalium (Leipzig, 1734).
Augustus Clissold. (Born: 1797; Died: 1882) English writer & Swedenborgian. Need Biography.
Bibliographical references: BL. • NUC. (Clissold) Allibone, Dictionary of English Literature, 1859-71. • BBA: I 241, 113-118. • Boase, Modern English Biography, 1892-1921. • Thomas, Dictionary of Biography, 1884. • WBI.