Name/Title
Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practice of the Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons, AEntry/Object ID
M11 C35cSecondary Title
together With Some Striture on the Origin, Nature, and Design of that InstitutionDescription
Leatherbound, raised spineContext
From Abe Books's description attributed to the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (likely Gould): "Wellins Calcott saw in Freemasonry something more than a museum of Medieval relics, and more than a set of convivial clubs, and undertook to write a rational, or philosophy, on the Craft, becoming thereby the first of a line of greatly distinguished Craftsmen, in which were to stand Hutchinson, Preston, Oliver, Mackey. He was born at a date not discoverable in available books; in the Minutes of one Lodge he is described as "a native of Shrewsbury, county of Salop," in another as from 'Salop in Cheshire.' At some date in probably the late 1750s he published A Collection of Thoughts, a volume half of quotations and half of his own meditations, a type of book dear to readers in that period. He had 1600 subscriptions for it before printing; and it went through five editions. In 1769 (and with 1200 subscribers) he published A Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of the Most Honorable society of Free and Accepted Masons, etc. Oliver described this book, so simple, so gentle in spirit, and with few obvious displays of the classical learning behind it, 'the gem of the period.' Kenning describes Calcott: 'Indeed he may fully be called the father of the Masonic philosophical and didactic school.'Cataloged By
Adam KendallInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
ScribblesLocation
endpaper.Transcription
tables of numbersLanguage
EnglishMaterial/Technique
PenOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Old catalogOther Number
2001 BB2-1 366.109Number Type
Old catalogOther Number
366.109 C13CBook Details
Author
Calcott, WellinsDate Published
1772Date Printed
1772Publication Language
EnglishPublication Subjects
Masonic philosophy.Call No.
M11Notes
The printer's name was defaced by damage. Originally printed in London. This is a reprint from Boston. The printer's name is defaced except for "McAlpin in Marlborough.Location
Location
* Untyped Location
Special Collections: Locked Case, Shelf 3Category
PermanentCondition
Overall Condition
PoorNotes
Several pages from the bottom right corner have been chewed away by a likely (ancient) rodent.Update Date
May 21, 2024