Reverend Sir,*

On the 18th of June I sent two copies of the latest work published by me to the Herr Landgrave's princely Serenity, and at the same time one to you, Reverend Pastor, and I hope that the mail coach with these books will arrive within a few days. On the same day, I humbly answered the Landgrave's Serenity, but I am afraid I have earned his just displeasure by the long delay; therefore I ask you to excuse me before him for the reasons disclosed to you.

With regard to the Arcana Coelestia, I have written two gentlemen in Stockholm that they might send it to me for a price. The one letter I wrote to the Bishop of Gothenburg,** and the other to Dr. Celsius.*** As soon as these gentlemen answer me, I shall make it known.

You may perhaps greatly wonder why I did not know from heaven that the letter was signed by his Serene Highness, the Landgrave's own hand. The reason is because angels do not know such things, and the Lord our Savior leaves things which concern temporal (worldly) matters to my intelligence and judgment, and reveals to me only such things as treat of heaven and eternal life; and, moreover, I have not ventured to ask the Lord Himself about these earthly matters.

I remain, Reverend Priest, Respectfully Your most obedient servant Eman. Swedenborg

Amsterdam, June 22, 1771 * On June 22, Swedenborg wrote to Pastor Venator, who had then returned to the Landgrave's court at Pirmassens. As now preserved, this letter is in German, and written in some other hand than Swedenborg's, but it is undoubtedly signed by the latter. Swedenborg of course knew that Venator, being a clergyman, was familiar with Latin, and it is likely that he wrote him in Latin and added a German translation for the benefit of the Landgrave, who certainly read it. If such is the case, the Latin copy is now lost. ** Bishop Lamberg, who was then attending the Diet in Stockholm. In August 1766, Swedenborg, then in London, had sent him as a present a complete set of the Arcana Coelestia unbound; but in view of his utter repudiation of Swedenborgianism, Swedenborg was well aware that he had no use for them. *** Olof Celsius (1716-1794), Pastor of the Cathedral Church in Stockholm.