Jonathan S. Rose, M.Div., Ph.D.
Tailpieces
Tailpieces are centered ornaments to close or end a section. They are not full width but vary quite a bit in size, nor do they have a standard height. Twenty-seven different tailpieces occur one hundred seventeen times. As for frequency of repetition, eleven different tailpieces appear only once; the rest recur with a maximum of sixteen occurrences (Tailpiece 09). In addition to marking the end of books and grand categories of text they also appear at the end of lesser sections of text such as chapters and even prefaces. They occupy leftover space on the page and do not appear if the section ends at the bottom of a page. As mentioned above, in three instances ornaments used as tailpieces also appear as title page ornaments. The tailpieces in Swedenborg's first editions return again and again to themes of baskets, leaves, flowers, fruit, and birds, with occasional dogs, foxes, human and cherubic faces, musical instruments, and even books and sheet music.
A particularly striking ornament occurs at the end of the preface to the Doctrine of the Lord (Tailpiece 19). Although the overall shape is an oval and therefore roughly symmetrical the elements within it forego tailpieces' usual observance of detailed left/right symmetry. In addition to the usual leaves, a cornucopia, and a garland there are butterflies, insects, and seashells. The whole design carries the eye around its irregular path and brings to mind the chain of life. It comes at a significant point, being the first tailpiece in Swedenborg's Amsterdam publications and occurring just here and nowhere else.
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Tailpiece Ornament 01: London
Occurs
five times.
AC1.122,146; AC3.343; HH.272; HD.26.
Tailpiece Ornament 02: London
Occurs
nine times.
AC1.195,369,534; AC2/III.4; AC3.279; AC8.134,648; HD.81; IB.23.
Tailpiece Ornament 03: London
Occurs
eleven times.
AC1.296,630; AC2/II.64; AC3.211; AC8.246,472,666; HD.71,105; WH.8; EU.48.
Tailpiece Ornament 04: London
Occurs
three times.
AC1.417,453; HD.76.
Tailpiece Ornament 05: London
Occurs
three times.
AC2/V.59; AC8.686,695.
Tailpiece Ornament 06: London
Occurs
twice.
AC3.4; HD.50.
Tailpiece Ornament 07: London
Occurs
once.
AC3.563.
Tailpiece Ornament 08: London
Occurs
twelve times.
AC3.643; AC4.141,559; AC5.535; AC6.194,219,256[b],370,390,457; AC7.120,521.
Tailpiece Ornament 09: London
Occurs
sixteen times.
AC4.77,179,284,378; AC5.99,209,248,299,328,383,423; AC6.333,527; AC7.158,218,369.
Tailpiece Ornament 10: London
Occurs
three times.
AC6.110; HD.44,123.
Tailpiece Ornament 11: London
Occurs
four times.
AC7.86; HD.41,67,107.
Tailpiece Ornament 12: London
Occurs
twice.
AC8.56; HD.10.
Tailpiece Ornament 13: London
Occurs
once as a tailpiece ornament.
(This ornament occurs also as Title Page Ornament 01).
AC8.101.
Tailpiece Ornament 14: London
Occurs
once.
AC8.373.
Tailpiece Ornament 15: London
Occurs
once as a tailpiece ornament.
(This ornament occurs also as Title Page Ornament 03).
AC8.676.
Tailpiece Ornament 16: London
Occurs
once as a tailpiece ornament.
(This ornament occurs also as Title Page Ornament 04).
HD.59.
Tailpiece Ornament 17: London
Occurs
twice.
HD.113,143.
Tailpiece Ornament 18: London
Occurs
twice.
HD.117,154.
Tailpiece Ornament 19: Amsterdam
Occurs
once.
DL.4.
Tailpiece Ornament 20: Amsterdam
Occurs
eleven times.
DL.64; FA.23; CJ.28; DW.86,113; DP.214; AR.123,140,160,185; BE.67.
Tailpiece Ornament 21: Amsterdam
Occurs
thirteen times.
SS.54; LI.36; DW.151; AR.344,371,440,508,563,599; TR.216,354,429,502.
Tailpiece Ornament 22: Amsterdam
Occurs
once.
DW.24.
Tailpiece Ornament 23: Amsterdam
Occurs
four times.
AR.16,60,285; TR.300.
Tailpiece Ornament 24: Amsterdam
Occurs
four times.
AR.236,268,537; BE.57.
Tailpiece Ornament 25: Amsterdam
Occurs
once.
AR.629.
Tailpiece Ornament 26: Amsterdam
Occurs
once.
CL.328.
Tailpiece Ornament 27: Amsterdam
Occurs
twice.
BE.12; TR.515.
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