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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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.