Hymns to the Gods, and Other Poems

United States of America: Privately Printed, 1873. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. Signed by Author(s). First Edition.. 254 pages, 8vo. Very Scarce. From the personal library of the very influential and high-ranking Freemason Thomas H. Caswell. SIGNED and inscribed by the author Albert Pike to Caswell on second page leaf, thus: "To Bro. Thomas H. Caswell, with very kind regards and good wishes of Albert Pike. Dec. 25, 1882". Given the date, this volume appears to have been a Christmas present from Pike to Caswell. Thomas H. Caswell, at the time of his death in San Francisco in the year 1900, was the highest ranking Freemason in the world, outranking even the British Royalty. In October 1895, Caswell was elected Grand Commander of the Mother Supreme Council of the World, making him the highest mason in the world and holder of one of the three golden keys which open the Ark of the Covenant. He held the key to the Southern Judiciary. Upon his death, the Ark had to be sealed up until a successor could be nominated. Bound in dark brown leather boards with two green leather title boxes along spine, gilt lettering and tooling along spine with five raised bands, ornate gilt border design on front and rear covers, full gilt page edges, marbled inside covers and free endpapers. Minor shelfwear: light scuffing along edges and cover boards, spine hinges appear to have been reinforced with binding tape. Otherwise, volume is tightly bound, no marks. Volume is in Near Fine-minus condition..