{{DISPLAYTITLE: ''True Christian Religion: Containing the Universal Theology of the New Church, which was Foretold by the Lord in Daniel, Chap. vii. 5, 13, 14, and in the Apocalypse, Chap. xxi. 1, 2''}}
===by Emanuel Swedenborg===
__NOTOC__
{{BookPageInfoBox
|imagename=SwedenborgTrueChristianReligion1789V1 Title.jpg
|link=https://catalog.libraries.wm.edu/permalink/01COWM_INST/v4pjr1/alma991034770780203196
|shorttitle=True Christian Religion
|commontitle=True Christian Religion
|vol=volume one
|author=[[:Category: Emanuel Swedenborg|Emanuel Swedenborg]]
|trans=John Clowes
|publoc=[[:Category: Philadelphia|Philadelphia]]
|publisher=Printed by Francis Bailey, at Yorick's Head, in Market-Street.
|year=1789
|edition=Third
|lang=[[:Category:English|English]]
|set=2
|desc=[[:Category:Octavos|Octavo]] (22 cm)
|shelf=B-2
}}[[wikipedia:Emanuel Swedenborg|Emanuel Swedenborg]] (1688 – 1772) was a Swedish scientist and theologian. In the year 1719, his family was ennobled by the Swedish queen, and the family name changed from Swedberg to Swedenborg.<ref>Elizabeth Foote-Smith and Timothy J. Smith, “Emanuel Swedenborg,” Epilepsia 37, no. 2 (1996): 211.</ref> Following a prolific career in the natural sciences and engineering, Swedenborg began having religious visions. Modern scientists postulate that these episodes were the product of epileptic seizures.<ref> Foote-Smith and Smith, “Emanuel Swedenborg,” 212.</ref> Nonetheless, while he was always a spiritual person, these visions elicited a crisis which drove Swedenborg into a more mystical phase. During the last 28 years of his life, beginning at age 57, Swedenborg published 18 works on Christian theology, believing that Christ had appointed him to reform Christianity.<ref>Alexander James Grieve, [https://archive.org/details/Encyclopaediabri26chisrich_201303/page/n243/mode/2up|"Swedenborg, Emanuel."] ''Encyclopædia Britannica,'' vol. 26, Hugh Chisholm, ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1911), 221-223.</ref>

Swedenborg was a divisive figure. While he undeniably possessed scientific prowess, he was only "grudgingly" recognized by the scientific world.<ref>O.B. Frothingham, "Swedenborg," The North American Review 134, no. 307, (1882): 600.</ref> This could be because Swedenborg’s scientific thought cannot cleanly be separated from his mysticism.<ref>Frothingham, "Swedenborg," 601.</ref> Even those who respected elements of his scientific work often believed he was "otherwise a harmless lunatic."<ref>Frothingham, "Swedenborg," 601.</ref> Swedenborg’s religious work was also polarizing. He preached a theory of scripture that emphasized the senses and the hidden messages within biblical texts.<ref>Frothingham, "Swedenborg," 605.</ref> His ideas were entirely unique for his time.<ref>Frothingham, "Swedenborg," 604.</ref> Yet, while many categorize his contributions as eccentric and abnormal, Swedenborg's influence is found within the works of many respected intellectuals, including Balzac and Baudelaire.<ref>Gary Lachman, Swedenborg: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas (Penguin, 2012), xvii.</ref> Thus, while Swedenborg is recognized as "a central figure in the Western esoteric tradition; he was also crucial to much mainstream Western culture as well."<ref>Lachman, Swedenborg, xvii.</ref>

The ''True Christian Religion'' was Swedenborg's final work, originally published in Latin as ''Vera Christiana Religio'' in 1771, when he was 83. In it, Swedenborg summarizes his idea of the Christian trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the essential qualities of God: love, wisdom, and activity. This trinity is reflected in human beings by soul, body, and mind, and all things in creation correspond to the divine love and and wisdom from the spiritual plane. Mankind's free will, Swedenborg says, however, has diverted the love of God to their own ego, and allowed evil to enter the world.<ref>Encyclopaedia Britannica. [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emanuel-Swedenborg "Emanuel Swedenborg,"] ''Encyclopedia Britannica.'' Accessed September 12, 2025.</ref>

''True Christian Religion'' also takes care to distinguish Christian belief from Christian institutional structures. Within the book, he emphasized that truth was to be found directly from God, and not from any intermediaries.<ref>Ernst Benz and Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, ''Emanuel Swedenborg: Visionary Savant in the Age of Reason'' (Swedenborg Foundation, 2011), 206.</ref> He praised those who he believed maintained their focus on actual belief without any distortion or distraction from the institutions in charge.<ref>Charles Arthur Hawley, "Swedenborgianism and the Frontier," ''Church History'' 6, no. 3 (1937): 209</ref> Swedenborgian belief has thus be described as "the "communism" of the early Christians."<ref>Hawley, "Swedenborgianism," 207.</ref>

However, while Swedenborg took care to distinguish revelations from God and revelations from intermediaries, he did not seem to view himself as an intermediary. He maintained that his own interpretations and his own revelations came directly from God. Swedenborg likened himself to the apostles, which "indicates a new feature of his religious self-consciousness. In his writings, Swedenborg frequently tried to prove that his own kind of prophecy was comparable to the truth and authority of the revelations of prophets in the old and new testaments."<ref>Benz and Goodrick-Clarke, ''Emanuel Swedenborg,'' 205.</ref>

An early proponent of Swedenborg's writings in America was [[wikipedia:Robert Carter III|Robert Carter]] (1728–1804) of Nomony Hall, a plantation owner and politician from Virginia's Northern Neck.

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==

A 1792 letter from Robert Carter to [[George Wythe]] is reprinted in an article by John Whitehead in a Swedenborgian newsletter, the ''New-Church Messenger'' (Chicago) from 1917, "[[New-Church Messenger|The Early History of the New Church in America, VIII]]." In the letter, dated October 11, 1792, Carter states he is sending Wythe four volumes of Swedenborg's writings: ''[[Nine Queries Concerning the Trinity]]'' (1786, or 1790), ''[[Short Account of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg and His Theological Writings|A Short Account of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg and His Theological Writings]],'' by Robert Hindmarsh (1792), ''[[Liturgy of the New Church|The Liturgy of the New Church Signified by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation]]'' (1792), and the first volume of '''''True Christian Religion''''', published in Philadelphia by Francis Bailey, 1789. Carter also mentions Swedenborg's ''A Treatise Concerning Heaven and Hell'' (London: W. Chalklen, 1789) being sold by a local merchant in Richmond:<ref>Robert Carter to George Wythe, October 11, 1792. Reprinted in John Whitehead, "[[Media:NewChurchMessenger7March1917.pdf|The Early History of the New Church in America, VIII]]," ''New-Church Messenger'' (Chicago) 112, no. 10 (March 17, 1917), 186-187.</ref>

<blockquote>
Under a particular Influence I present to you the following Books, viz., the first vol. of the True Christian Religion, 9 Questions concerning the Trinity proposed to E. S. by the Rev. Thos. Hartley, also, His Answers. A short account of the honorable E. S. and His Theological Writings, and the Liturgy of the New Jerusalem Church. The Liturgy is a Production arising from the Baron's Writings; for Societies are established in several of the most principal towns in Great Britain, styled members of the New Jerusalem Church, which was foretold was to be by the Lord, by the Prophet Daniel and the Evangelist John in the Revelation.

It is said that many copies of a Treatise on Heaven and Hell by E. S. were imported by a merchant of Richmond Town, which work communicates much comfort to Believers.
</blockquote>

Wythe [[Wythe to Robert Carter, 17 October 1792|replied in October, 1792]], thanking Carter for the books and stating, he wished "I had power to remunerate your beneficence by sending books to you which would do to you no less good than those handed to me by Mr. Dawson ought in your opinion to do to me."<ref>[[Wythe to Robert Carter, 17 October 1792|George Wythe to Robert Carter, October 17, 1792]], in Library & Archives, Maine Historical Society.</ref> Swedenborg's works do not appear in [[Jefferson Inventory|Thomas Jefferson's inventory of books]] received from Wythe's estate after his death in 1806. Wythe may not have kept the four books gifted from Carter, giving them away or otherwise disposing of them.

==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
Bound in contemporary tree leather, vol. 2 rebacked with orig. spine laid down. Spines feature gilt double-ruled compartments and red morocco labels with gilt lettering and decorative flourishes. Title page of volume one signed "Seth Washburn." Rear free endpaper of volume one includes the initialsPurchased from G.S. MacManus Company with the [[:Category:George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund|George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund]].

Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/albums/72177720336224652/ available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://catalog.libraries.wm.edu/permalink/01COWM_INST/v4pjr1/alma991034770780203196 William & Mary's online catalog.]

==See also==
*''[[Liturgy of the New Church|The Liturgy of the New Church Signified by the New Jerusalem in the Revelation]]''
*[[New-Church Messenger|"The Early History of the New Church in America, VIII"]]
*''[[Nine Queries Concerning the Trinity|Nine Queries Concerning the Trinity, &c. Proposed to The Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg by the Rev. Thomas Hartley]]''
*''[[Short Account of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg and His Theological Writings|Short Account of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg and His Theological Writings]]''
*[[Wythe to Robert Carter, 17 October 1792]]
*[[Wythe's Library]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[https://swedenborg.com/ Swedenborg Foundation.]

[[Category:Emanuel Swedenborg]]
[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]

[[Category:English]]
[[Category:George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund]]
[[Category:Octavos]]
[[Category:Philadelphia]]

File:SwedenborgTrueChristianReligion1789V1 Title.jpg

2026-10-19T18:36:18Z

Lktesar: Title page from volume one of Emmanuel Swedenborg's ''True Christian Religion: Containing the Universal Theology of the New Church''. Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Bailey, at Yorick's Head, in Market-Street, 1789. Category: Title Pages

Œuvres Complettes de Démosthene et d'Eschine

2026-09-23T15:33:02Z

Lktesar: /* External Links */

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Œuvres Complettes de Démosthene et d'Eschine''}}
===by Demosthenes and Aeschines===
__NOTOC__
{{BookPageInfoBox
|imagename=DemosthenesOevresComplettes1777v1.jpg
|link=https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991024234289703196
|shorttitle=Œuvres Complettes de Démosthene et d'Eschine
|vol=volume one
|trans=Abbé Athanese Auger
|author=[[:Category:Demosthenes|Demosthenes]] and [[:Category:Aeschines|Aeschines]]
|publoc=[[:Category:Paris|Paris]]
|publisher=Lacombe
|year=1777
|lang=[[:Category:French|French]]
|set=4 volumes in 5
|desc=[[:Category:Octavos|8vo]] (20 cm.)
|shelf=H-2
}}[[File:OeuvresComplettesDeDemostheneEtDEschine1777v1Frontispiece.jpg|left|thumb|250px|<center>Frontispiece, volume one.</center>]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demosthenes Demosthenes] (384-322 BCE) was a prominent statesman and orator in Ancient Greece. Demosthenes was the son of a wealthy swordsmith, but was orphaned at the age of seven.<ref>Ian Worthington, ''Demosthenes: Statesman and Orator'' (London: Routledge, 2000), 162.</ref> His father left him with a substantial inheritance, but his guardians mishandled it and left him with only a fraction of the initial estate.<ref>Ibid., 186.</ref> At the age of twenty Demosthenes sued his guardians for misappropriating his estate, and won.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

Demosthenes developed his skills as an orator by studying speeches given by earlier great orators.<ref>Ibid., 240.</ref> He transferred his talents as an orator and writer into a successful professional speech-writing career.<ref>''Encyclopædia Britannica Online'', s.v. "[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/157438/Demosthenes Demosthenes]," accessed October 24, 2013.</ref> During his time as a speech-writer Demosthenes developed an interest in politics; he went on to devote most of his career to opposing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_%28ancient_kingdom%29 Macedon’s] expansion.<ref>Ibid.</ref> He spoke out against both [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_II_of_Macedon Philip II of Macedon] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great Alexander the Great].<ref>Ibid.</ref> Demosthenes played a leading role in his city’s uprising against Alexander. The revolt was met with harsh reprisals and Demosthenes took his own life to prevent being arrested.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

Demosthenes’ oratory works were highly influential during the Middle Ages and Renaissance,<ref>Ibid.</ref> and inspired the authors of the ''Federalist Papers'' and the major orators of the French Revolution.<ref>Konstantinos Tsatsos, "XV" in ''Demosthenes'' (Athens: Estia, 1975), 352.</ref>

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeschines Aeschines] (389 – 314 BCE) was a Greek statesman, orator, and bitter political opponent of Demosthenes. He was raised in humble circumstances and worked as an actor before becoming a member of the embassies to Philip II.<ref>''Encyclopædia Britannica Online'', s.v. "[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7407/Aeschines Aeschines]," accessed November 14, 2013.</ref> He eventually provoked Philip II to establish Macedonian control over central Greece.<ref>Ibid.</ref> Unlike Demosthenes, Aeschines was more conciliatory to the Macedonians as they expanded. The two orators collided when Aeschines brought suit against a certain Ctesiphon for proposing the award of a crown to Demosthenes in recognition of his services to Athens.<ref>Ibid.</ref> Aeschines suffered a resounding defeat in the trial and subsequently left Athens for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes Rhodes] where he taught rhetoric.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
Listed in the [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Oeuvres de Demosthene & do Eschine par Auger. Fr. 5.v. 8vo." and kept by [[Thomas Jefferson]]. Later sold by Jefferson to the Library of Congress.<ref>E. Millicent Sowerby, ''Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson'', (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 5:24 [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015033648133;view=1up;seq=40 [no.4664]].</ref> Jefferson's copy of the 1777 edition of ''Œuvres Complettes de Démosthene et d'Eschine'' is still at the Library of Congress, but it has no definitive Wythe markings. Nevertheless, both the [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref>Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file.</ref> and [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s.v. "[http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe Member: George Wythe]" accessed on April 28, 2013.</ref> on LibraryThing list this copy as the one which once belonged to George Wythe. Accordingly, the Wolf Law Library moved a copy of the same work into the [[George Wythe Collection]].

==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
Library owns mixed set. Volumes one and two bound in quarter green calf. Decorative gilt bands define compartments on spine, title and volume in gilt lettering. Two parts of volume two bound together. Volumes three and four quarter-bound in speckled calf with matching faux leather speckled paper covers. Spines feature compartments ruled with decorative gilt bands. Red title label and black volume label include gilt lettering. Volumes three and four purchased with the [[:Category:George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund|George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund]].

Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/sets/72157637446450665 available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991024234289703196 William & Mary's online catalog].

==See also==
*''[[Dēmosthenous Logoi Eklektoi|Dēmosthenous Logoi Eklektoi = Demosthenis Selectæ Orationes]]''
*[[George Wythe Room]]
*[[Jefferson Inventory]]
*[[Wythe's Library]]

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
Read volume one of this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=MEcTAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover Google Books].<br />
Read volume two of this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=9yAXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover Google Books].<br />
Read volume three of this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=BoBgeEXj52YC&printsec=frontcover Google Books].<br />

[[Category:Aeschines]]
[[Category:Demosthenes]]
[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
[[Category:Jefferson's Books]]
[[Category:Language and Rhetoric]]
[[Category:Probable Surviving Wythe Volumes]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]

[[Category:George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund]]
[[Category:French]]
[[Category:Octavos]]
[[Category:Paris]]

2026-08-05T17:10:20Z

Lktesar: /* Letter text */

[[George Wythe]] asks for John Norton to send him some linens for shirts, dark colored Russian drab fabric, the debates of the parliament of Ireland, [[Journals of the House of Commons]] since 1766, some razors and pen knives, and a saddle. He tells Norton that Captain Robertson will deliver nine hogsheads of tobacco to him and concludes the letter by sending his and [[Elizabeth Taliaferro Wythe| his wife's]] respects to Norton's wife and his family.
==Letter text==
<blockquote>
To<br />
Mr. John Norton<br />
Merchant in London

Dear Sir

I beg the favour of you to send me the articles undermentioned. Capt. Robertson will deliver you nine hogsheads of tobacco, which are all that I made. Pray give [[Elizabeth Taliaferro Wythe|mrs. Wythe’s]] and my best respects to mrs. Norton, and all your good family, and believe me to be

Your sincere friend<br />
[[George Wythe|G. Wythe]]<br />
3d of Aug. 1769<br />

2 pieces of sheeting linen not exceeding 2s per yard. <br />
2 pieces of irish linen for shirts 2s per yard. <br />
1 piece of ditto ditto 1/3 per yard. <br />
1 piece of dark coloured Russia drab. <br />
[[Debates Relative to the Affairs of Ireland in the Years 1763 and 1764|Debates of the parliament of Ireland. <br />]]
[[Journals of the House of Commons|Journals of the house of commons since 1766]]. <br />
Some best razors and pen knives. <br />
A genteel Mans Saddle, bridle & blue housing to be made by Pennymen ord. in J. H. Ns. Letter of 4th Augst.
</blockquote>

==See also==
*''[[Journals of the House of Commons|The Journals of the House of Commons]]''
*[[Wythe to John Norton, 15 May 1768]]
*[[Wythe to John Norton, 18 August 1768]]
*[[Wythe to John Norton, 7 May 1770]]

[[Category:Imogene E. Brown Papers]]
[[Category:Letters from Wythe]]
[[Category:Letters and Papers]]