A Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of the most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons together with some strictures on the origin, nature, and design of that institution.

London: Printed for the Author, By Brother James Dixwell, in St. Martin's Lane, A. L. 5769. A. D. 1769.. First edition. 8vo. A very good full leather binding. 8.50" x 5.50" x 0.75" [ 21.5cm x 13.8cm x 2.1cm ]. [4pp.]/pp.32/pp.243 [p.244] . Later matching leather spine, 5 raised bands gilt publication date: "1769" and recent green leather title label: "Calcott's Masonry". Polished boards, edges carefully strengthened. Endpapers present. Printed title, lightly soiled and foxed. Followed by a dedication, and then; "A List of Subscribers Names." (32 pages). Separate half title [p.135] : The Duties Of A Free-Mason In Several Charges..." p.220 - p.243 (mis-numbered p.244) contains the words to various songs, beginning with "Solomon's Temple: An Oratorio." Clear English text throughout, lightly toned, foxing and a few small blemishes. A good copy of a scarce book. ** "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 1750's 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.� - See An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. *** Full title reads: "A Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of the most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons together with some strictures on the origin, nature, and design of that institution. Dedicated, by Permission, To the most Noble and most Worshipful Henry Duke of Beaufort, &c. &c. Grand Master. By Wellins Calcott, P.M."