The Library And Museum Of The Grand Lodge Of England.

The building was completed in due course , and the Board of General Purposes having provided the necessary cases and fittings , the books and other treasures were removed into the new premises early in 1900 . BOOKS AND MAXCSCKIITS . As previously stated , in 1879 , there were at the most

only about 400 volumes of all sorts in , the Library , including old directories and other kindred books of reference of an official character , but of standard Masonic works there were very few . Masonic periodicals were equally scarce , consisting only of the eleven volumes of The Freemasons '

( l'liolo Elile ]'< , rlr , ii / C" . \ PLATE No . 1 . OF A ( THIOL'S MASONIC M ANISCI ! IIT . J'rrreiilril hi ) Itmrlnml l'l , i , „ l , e , U . S . ll ' orl . / , 1 SHH .

Magiiziiie , 1793-9 8 , and the first six volumes of ' The Freemasons ' Onarlcrly Review , 18 34-39 , the latter presented by Dr . Cruceiix . The voluminous Dr . Oliver was represented only by the Star in lhe Fasl , 1825 ; Signs and Symbols , 1826 and 18 37 ; and Antiquities of Freemasonry , 1823 ( two copies ) ; while of the seventeen editions of Preston's Illustrations only three copies

were to be found . We need hardly say that this has all been remedied , for in the opinion of the writer every Masonic work in any language , whether for or against Freemasonry , should be found in the Library of the premier Grand Lodge of the World , as well as books relating to other

societies of a kindred nature , including antiquarian , architectural , and classical works , in short , every kind of book likely to interest the general Masonic reader , or be of use to the student of the history of our Order , and when we

state that our Library now consists of at least 8000 separate volumes , large and small , many of which are formed of a number of pamphlets bound up together , its growth and value can be more readily imagined than estimated . A class of books in which the Grand Lodge Library is peculiarly rich—indeed , far ahead of any other library in the

world , whether public or private—is the splendid series of engraved lists of English Lodges published by official authority , ranging from 1 723 to 1778 , when they were discontinued . Of these curious and unique publications , portions of whicli have already appeared in this journal , the Grand Lodge is

the fortunate possessor of no less than ~ , i originals , while to the best of our belief no other library or individual has more than live or six copies . To say that these little books were " worth their weight in gold , " would be a low estimate

even of their intrinsic value—many of them being the only copies known to be in existence , they are simply invaluable . The Library now contains certain other books frequently referred to bv Masonic writers , although seldom seen in an ordinary library owing to their rarity . In this category may be placed " The Natural History of Staffordshire , " by Dr .

Robert Plot , Oxford , 1686 , and " The Academy of Armory and Blazon , " by Handle Holme , Chester , 1688 . An especially line large paper copy of the last-named work was acquired at the sale of Lord Ashburton's library in 18 97 , at the cost of £ 16 5 s ., considered by experts to be a very moderate price ,

containing as it does the curious frontispiece and two other plates , which are sometimes absent from the volume , as well as numerous manuscript notes by the late noble and learned owner . A facsimile of the frontispiece and title page will appear in the next issue , and doubtless the peculiarity of the

design of the former will suggest a probable reason for its selection , and possibly the Masonic source of the idea . Lord Ashburton was evidently proud of his copy of this rare book , for he writes on the fly leaf' The Grenville copy of this book measures - 13-I- x 8 i .

The Museum copy - - - - 13 , - * „ X 8 | - The King's Library ( in the B . Museum ) - - 13 , 77 X 8 f This Copy measures fully - 14-i- x 9 ^ - and may therefore be fairly considered a large paper copy . The paper also appears to be of rather a better quality than the generality of copies . "

In this connection may be mentioned two other printed books of even greater rarity than those already noted . They are known as " The Mrs . Dodd ' s Version of the Antient Charges , " 1 739 , and "A Defence of Freemasonry as practised in the Regular Lodges , " 1763 . The fact of their being merely

( rhiila Nile l'urlrait Co . ) I'LATI-: No . __ 2 KltOM Till . MANUSCltll'T . I ' retentefl /_// lloirlun , ! J'tnmf , e . pamphlets furnishes a probable explanation of their scarcity , as not more than three or four copies of the first named are

known to be in existence , while of the latter the copy in our Grand Lodge Library is believed to be the only one in England . It was reproduced in facsimile with other scarce pamphlets a few years ago . '"'