[ANDERSON, James].
The constitutions of the Free-Masons. Containing the history, charges, regulations, &c. of that most ancient and right worshipful fraternity. For the use of the lodges.
London, Printed by William Hunter for John Senex and John Hooke, 1723 ["In the year of masonry 5723. Anno Domini 1723"]. Large 4to (ca. 23 x 18 cm). With the allegorical engraved frontispiece by John Pine, a woodcut vignette on the title-page, the engraved coat-of-arms of the dedicatee John, 2nd Duke of Montagu, 6 pages with printed musical scores, one woodcut tailpiece and 6 historiated woodcut initials. Contemporary dark brown calf, re-backed with a modern ribbed spine with black morocco title-label lettered Constitutions in gold. [8], [91], [1], [3 with manuscript text], [13 blank] pp.
€ 28,000
Very rare first edition of this fundamental work in the history of Freemasonry, one of the earliest printed books on the subject. This codification of rules and regulations of organized Freemasonry (including the behaviour of Freemasons) became the standard reference work until the end of the 19th century. A second, revised edition was published in 1738 and thereafter more than 20 editions appeared, partly expanded and emended. In 1734, it was printed in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), making it the first Masonic book to have been published in America. The work was translated into different languages, the first Dutch translation by Johan Kuenen appeared in 1736 in The Hague, in 1741 the first German translation appeared which was followed by the first French translation in 1745..
Although his name is omitted on the title-page, James Anderson is mentioned as the author in a list of Freemasons printed on p. 74 ("James Anderson A.M. The Author of this Book"). Born in Aberdeen around 1690, Anderson grew up in a Masonic family (his father was Worshipful Master of one of Scotlands oldest Masonic lodges). He studied at the University of Aberdeen and in 1707 he became minister of the Church of Scotland. After moving to London, he became a minister of the Presbyterian Church in 1710 and continued in that position until his death in 1739. In London, he became a member of the Royal Society where he befriended Isaac Newton (1643-1727) and John Theophilus Desaguliers (1683-1744). He was initiated at two Masonic lodges and appointed Senior Warden of the Grand Lodge.
On 24 June 1717, the "Grand Lodge of London and Westminster" was established (later renamed as the "Premier Grand Lodge of England") by merging four Masonic lodges with the one in London as its base. As more lodges were added, the organisation was soon outgrowing and the need for general regulations arose. In 1720, a first compilation of rules was made by the former Grand Master George Payne (1687-1757) which were approved by the Grand Lodge in 1721. This important text has been published here for the first time and of great historical interest. It is the first attempt for structuring the governance of Masonic lodges.
Anderson was asked to produce a revised version of it, which was supplemented by a general history of Freemasonry. This new constitution was dedicated to the English Duke John Montagu (1690-1749), Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England in the period of 1721-1723. He is depicted on the engraved frontispiece by the English printmaker John Pine (1690-1756) presenting a scroll (titled Constitution) and a pair of compasses to the English Duke Philip Wharton (1698-1731), his successor as Grand Master in 1723. The four-page text of the dedication was written by Andersons friend, the French-born natural philosopher Jean Théophile Desaguliers (1683-1744), elected to Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in 1719 and who presumably played a pioneering role in drawing up the rules for this constitution.
The work starts with an extensive introduction (tracing the history of Freemasonry back to biblical times) followed by a set of six Masonic obligations, then Paynes general regulations, and the work is concluded by several Masonic songs and musical scores with melodies and accompaniment.
Bound at the end are 8 blank leaves, of which the first two leaves contain an anonymous Masonic song in English (titled The fairy song), written in black ink in a late 18th-century hand and consisting of 10 stanzas with 6 lines each. All stanzas (slightly) differ from the printed versions and the combination of both songs into a new Masonic song seems to appear here for the first time.
Corners of both sides are expertly restored. The title-page and frontispiece are slightly soiled, text-pages occasionally slightly browned. Otherwise in good condition. For the paper: Heawood 1829; Laurentius, Watermarks 1450-1850, no. 267-267a.
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