Arcana Coelestia volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

ARCANA COELESTIA 4The first complete American edition was published in Boston inthe years 1837 to 1847, in twelve volumes octavo; and was arevision made on the basis of the translation of Clowes and hisrevisers. The first four volumes of this edition were issued by theBoston Printing Society, and the rest of the volumes by privatepersons.The second American edition was published in New York in tenvolumes in the years 1853 to 1857, by the American SwedenborgPrinting and Publishing Society, being a reprint of the currentEnglish edition.The third American (Rotch) edition is now in course ofpublication 1 in 12mo. Fifteen volumes have already been issued,and four more have yet to appear. The first nine volumes werepublished in New York with the imprint of the New Church Boardof Publication, and the remainder are being issued in Boston withthat of the Massachusetts New Church Union. The whole of theplates have been prepared at the cost of the Rotch legacy. The workwas undertaken at the suggestion of John Worcester, and whollyunder his direction. A set of rules was prepared for the guidance ofthe various workers, and volumes were assigned to them forrevision (or retranslation if they so chose to make it) on the basis ofthe old Boston revision, but with the understanding that the wholewould be revised and harmonized by the director, as editor, withthe assistance of his brother, Benjamin Worcester. Up to thepresent time the revision or retranslation has been the work chieflyof Samuel Mills Warren, Samuel Howard Worcester, Samuel C.Eby, A. L. Kip, Theodore F. Wright, and Horace W. Wright; butas the work of these gentlemen has been subjected by the twoeditors to most careful and uncompromising revision, they cannotfairly be held responsible for everything that exists in the severalvolumes or portions of volumes labored on by them. The death ofthe director occurred during the preparation for the press of thethirteenth volume; since which time the direction of the work hasbeen continued in the hands of the surviving editor, BenjaminWorcester. Although under the circumstances it was perhapsinevitable that the work should display considerable variety of styleand excellence, it is unquestionable that the volumes of this edition1. This preface was written in 1915. [Editor]