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Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS ABOUT THOMAS DUNCKERLEY. Page 1 of 1 Article CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS ABOUT THOMAS DUNCKERLEY. Page 1 of 1 Article UNWORTHY CONDUCT. Page 1 of 2 →
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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
THE VACANT SECRETARYSHIP .
To the Editor ot the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have a very great respect for Bro . Gottheil ' s opinion , but I am afraid the suggestion in his letter last week is not of a sufficiently practical character , and smacks rather of the idea of trotting out the candidates , as if they were so many horses at a sale , and it was desirable to seo " their paces . " It strikes me that on an occasion like this , tho best , and indeed tho only way , is
to rend carefully the testimonials of the different competitors . It would bo an undoubted advantage if tho electors could make tho acquaintance of tho candidates first , but where can they be interviewed , and when ? and even if thoy are , how can any one form a just estimate of a man ' s qualifications merely by bavins : five minutes speech with him . I think wo must leave matters as they stand , and trust that the electors will exercise a proper judgmeut in the selection of the fittest candidate . Fraternally yours , T . P . C .
Conflicting Accounts About Thomas Dunckerley.
CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS ABOUT THOMAS DUNCKERLEY .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In tho Cyclopedia of Freemasonry just issued , article " Dunckerloy , " tho editor , or compiler , says : — "It is well here to observe that all later biographers havo taken their accounts from three sources—tho notice in the Freemasons ' Magazine , vol . I ., 1793 : the account in the Freemasons' Quarterly
Review for 1812 , pagre 155 : nnd Bro . Dr . Oliver's Revelations of a Square . Bro . Jacob Norton tells us that there is , in the Gentleman ' s Magazine for 1 " 95 , another obituary , very much opposed to our commonly received versions of Dunokerley's life . But wo see no good reason in re-opening a question difficult in itself and so long buried ; and so prefer to follow our Masonic writers in this respect . "
Dr . Johnson used to say : " The fact . may bo useless , bnt if it is a fact , I want to know it . " I fierce with Dr . Johnson ' s opinion , and presume that intelligent Freemasons of the present age would rather know both sides of a question than only one . Bo it remembered that tho first narrative , viz ., of 1793 , was written during the lifetime of Dunckerloy , and was intended by tho writer as a compliment to
the said Bro . Dunckerley . The account in the Quarterly Review of 1812 is too far removed from tho time of Dunckerley to expect from it any original information . The writer of that article merely repeated the story from tho 1793 Magazine , and was equally partisan in his narrative ; for instance , he says , " But -were wo to enumerate his [ Dunokerley ' s ] general virtues , -wo should extend this article to
an inconvenient length . " The fact is , there is very little known about Dnnckerley ' s virtues , save and except what may bo found in the said Magazine of tho last century . Again , says this veracious writer : "His [ Dunokerley ' s ] chronological sketch of the Order of Knights Templar is deserving attention . " The said sketch was printed in 1795 , page 119 , of the same Magazine , and if auy ono
would take tho trouble to read it , he would agree with me that it is the most contemptible trash he ever read ; a school girl of 14 would bo ashamed of such utter ignorance of history and chronology . And as to Oliver ' s authority , and most especially his Revelations of a Square , tho less we rely npon it tho better . I reall y can see no
good reason for smothering information for the purpose of perpetuating a one-sided account about a man who died over eighty years asro , Under these circumstances , I propose to reproduce both accounts about Dunckerley , and thons ; h it is impossible to demonstrate which account is true , the reader will have a chance of judging for himself . Here is tho first .
"In tho year 17 G 0 , upon Mr . Dunokerley ' s return from the Siege of Quebec , an event happened which could not but fill him with astonishment , as it placed him in a new and most extraordinary point of view . A lady , receiving the sacrament on her death bed , made a declaration in all the awful solemnity of tho occasion , by which it appcared that Mr . Dunckerley owed his birth to tho first personage in
tho kingdom , and Nature was determined that it never should be questioned ; for thoso who recollect the high personajre alluded to , will require no further proof when they see the subject of these memoirs . . . . Notwithstanding this discovery of Mr . Dunckerley ' s descent , he determined not to quit the service of his country until the end of the war , but unfortunately for him , in the meantime ,
the sudden dissolution of tho great personage we have alluded to , deprived him of a friend , who died without knowing that such a person existed . ' ¦ ' In 17 ( 5 Uio applied for and obtained a superannuation , but it was not until 17 ( 57 that his ease was laid before a great personage , who was graciousl y pleased to make a provision for him . "—Freemasons ' Magazine , 1793 , page 378 .
The above story indicates that Dunokerley ' s mother ( for who else could mako such a revelation ?) on her death bed , in 1760 , made known to her son that King Georgo II . was his real father , and he applied in 1707 for a pension , which George III . "ranted to him . In fact , Dunckerley actually did receive a pension of £ 800 per annum , and had apartments assigned him in Hampton Court , And now for the other story .
Conflicting Accounts About Thomas Dunckerley.
"Mr . Dunckerley was the son of a servant maid in the family of Sir Robert Walpole at Houghton , whence his father married her , and got a place of porter at the Somerset House . His mother died when ho was very young , and his grandmother tookcaro of him till he was put apprentice to a barber . From this place he ran away , and crot aboard tho ship of Sir John Norris , who was then aoing abroad . Sir Edward
Walpole , , informed of this circumstance , wrote to Sir John . . . requesting that the boy might havo such instruction given to him aa the ship would afford . He seems to have continued in the service , as tho next thing wo hear of him was his being at the siego of Quebec by Wolfe , where he behaved so well as to havo had a recommendation to fill some employment in tho Royal Academy at Portsmouth , which
he did with credit . About twenty years ago ho availed himself of tho remarkable likeness he bore to the Royal family to get it represented to his Majesty that the late King was in truth his father , and that bo owed his existence to a visit which that Kino :, when Prince , had paid to Houghton , and he ventured to refer to Sir Edward Walpole for his knowledge of the circumstance . His Majesty , ever attentive to
charitable applications , directed inquiry to bo made of Sir Edward . Mr . D . has apprised this gentleman of what ho had done . Sir Edward expressed his astonishment that ho should refer to him to support such a tale , —then for the first timo suggested to him , —who had known him all his life , and then brought forward when his father , mother , and grandmother were all dead . Sir Edward added , that he
had at all times been his friend , that he believed him meritorious in the capacity in which ho had served , but he could never be made an instrument of imposing this story as true . He , however , got a pension and apartments at Hampton Court , and was afterwards entered at some Inu of Court , and was called to tho Bar , but not succeeding , soon quitted tho profession . "—Gentleman ' s Magazine , 1765 , 2 nd part ,
page 10 o 2 . It is said that Dunckerley published "a remarkable and able address in 1757 , " viz ., " Tbe Light and Truth of Masonry Explained , being the substance of a Charge delivered at Plymouth in April 1757 . " I have read an address by Dunckerley in Dr . Oliver's works . I could see nothing remarkable in it ; the very same explanation
may be hoard in every English Lodge of Instruction , and I doubt very much whether Dunckerley made any address at all at Portsmouth in 1757 . Be it known that , owing to his want of patronage from any one connected with Parliament ( so says his biographer in 1812 ) , Dunckerley , on board of a man-of-war , never rose higher than gunner , and he seems to have remained in that position until 1764 .
It seems , therefore , improbable that a mere gunner could either have spared time to acquire the ritual , or that he could havo had influence and means to lecture and to print his lecture ia 1757 . After Dunokerley's appointment in the Royal Academy at Portsmouth in 1764 , with a prospect of being acknowledged uncle to His Majesty ,
then , indeed , it became tho easiest possible thing for Brother Dunckerley to rise in the Masonic profession , to be applauded as a great orator , profound lecturer , a man of science , and what not ; and the said " remarkable address" was , therefore , probably not delivered at Portsmouth before 1767 .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , JACOB NOUTON , Boston , U . S ., 23 rd May 1878 .
Unworthy Conduct.
UNWORTHY CONDUCT .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is a pleasure to read tho accounts given in your interesting paper of the meetings of tho various Lodges where harmony exists , ' and I have at times been envious of Masonic brethren in my own Province ; at the same there are Lodges ' even in this country that are worked on bad principles , and nothing
short of vigorous measures from the " powers that be " will set many of these right . I unfortunately belong to a Lodgo ( and ib being my mother Lodge I hope not to be compelled to leave it ) where the whole of the proceedings are conducted by two or three , or , perhaps I should speak more correctly if I stated , by ono member , who has assumed a
dictatorship that has driven many a good brother to speak but little ancl think less of Freemasonry . This Lodge possesses about a hundred subscribing members , but the amount disbursed in charity does not average £ 20 per annum , the funds being invested in the trading banking account of the Treasurer , and no member seems to be able to get office , or to keep it , unless he trades with
that individual , whoso success in life no doubt has depended in a great measure upon his connection with Masonry , and this Lodge in particular ; and although he is now , or is supposed to be , in affluent circumstances , this brother has not contributed a single penny in the shape of quarterages during , I believe , tho past twelve years , certainly nob since my connection with tho
Lodge—say about five years . He has , however , attended nearly every banquet at tho expense of the Lodge , and duly pays his Grand Lodtce fees out of its funds . Ho is always talking of resigning his " duties , " but this he never does , as he would have to pay over the balance in hand ( over £ 100 ) , and if ho does not have his own way in everything , he threatens to
resign the Lodge , while if he is spoken to in reference to the matter , he falls into a violent passion , and if raving does \ not take effect , pleads indisposition , ancl retires in a hysterical sort of way . ID is amusing to watch his tactics at an initiation . When he announces the candidate has " paid the customary fees , " ho walks up the south
¦ nde of the Lodge , packs up his case and departs , fearing , I suppose , some more generous brother might propose a sum of money to some indigent brother or widow . He seems to look upon all distressed Masons as tramps , and even when obliged , he doles out charity like a relieving officer . Dear brother Editor , did you ever meet such a
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AU Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .
THE VACANT SECRETARYSHIP .
To the Editor ot the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have a very great respect for Bro . Gottheil ' s opinion , but I am afraid the suggestion in his letter last week is not of a sufficiently practical character , and smacks rather of the idea of trotting out the candidates , as if they were so many horses at a sale , and it was desirable to seo " their paces . " It strikes me that on an occasion like this , tho best , and indeed tho only way , is
to rend carefully the testimonials of the different competitors . It would bo an undoubted advantage if tho electors could make tho acquaintance of tho candidates first , but where can they be interviewed , and when ? and even if thoy are , how can any one form a just estimate of a man ' s qualifications merely by bavins : five minutes speech with him . I think wo must leave matters as they stand , and trust that the electors will exercise a proper judgmeut in the selection of the fittest candidate . Fraternally yours , T . P . C .
Conflicting Accounts About Thomas Dunckerley.
CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS ABOUT THOMAS DUNCKERLEY .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In tho Cyclopedia of Freemasonry just issued , article " Dunckerloy , " tho editor , or compiler , says : — "It is well here to observe that all later biographers havo taken their accounts from three sources—tho notice in the Freemasons ' Magazine , vol . I ., 1793 : the account in the Freemasons' Quarterly
Review for 1812 , pagre 155 : nnd Bro . Dr . Oliver's Revelations of a Square . Bro . Jacob Norton tells us that there is , in the Gentleman ' s Magazine for 1 " 95 , another obituary , very much opposed to our commonly received versions of Dunokerley's life . But wo see no good reason in re-opening a question difficult in itself and so long buried ; and so prefer to follow our Masonic writers in this respect . "
Dr . Johnson used to say : " The fact . may bo useless , bnt if it is a fact , I want to know it . " I fierce with Dr . Johnson ' s opinion , and presume that intelligent Freemasons of the present age would rather know both sides of a question than only one . Bo it remembered that tho first narrative , viz ., of 1793 , was written during the lifetime of Dunckerloy , and was intended by tho writer as a compliment to
the said Bro . Dunckerley . The account in the Quarterly Review of 1812 is too far removed from tho time of Dunckerley to expect from it any original information . The writer of that article merely repeated the story from tho 1793 Magazine , and was equally partisan in his narrative ; for instance , he says , " But -were wo to enumerate his [ Dunokerley ' s ] general virtues , -wo should extend this article to
an inconvenient length . " The fact is , there is very little known about Dnnckerley ' s virtues , save and except what may bo found in the said Magazine of tho last century . Again , says this veracious writer : "His [ Dunokerley ' s ] chronological sketch of the Order of Knights Templar is deserving attention . " The said sketch was printed in 1795 , page 119 , of the same Magazine , and if auy ono
would take tho trouble to read it , he would agree with me that it is the most contemptible trash he ever read ; a school girl of 14 would bo ashamed of such utter ignorance of history and chronology . And as to Oliver ' s authority , and most especially his Revelations of a Square , tho less we rely npon it tho better . I reall y can see no
good reason for smothering information for the purpose of perpetuating a one-sided account about a man who died over eighty years asro , Under these circumstances , I propose to reproduce both accounts about Dunckerley , and thons ; h it is impossible to demonstrate which account is true , the reader will have a chance of judging for himself . Here is tho first .
"In tho year 17 G 0 , upon Mr . Dunokerley ' s return from the Siege of Quebec , an event happened which could not but fill him with astonishment , as it placed him in a new and most extraordinary point of view . A lady , receiving the sacrament on her death bed , made a declaration in all the awful solemnity of tho occasion , by which it appcared that Mr . Dunckerley owed his birth to tho first personage in
tho kingdom , and Nature was determined that it never should be questioned ; for thoso who recollect the high personajre alluded to , will require no further proof when they see the subject of these memoirs . . . . Notwithstanding this discovery of Mr . Dunckerley ' s descent , he determined not to quit the service of his country until the end of the war , but unfortunately for him , in the meantime ,
the sudden dissolution of tho great personage we have alluded to , deprived him of a friend , who died without knowing that such a person existed . ' ¦ ' In 17 ( 5 Uio applied for and obtained a superannuation , but it was not until 17 ( 57 that his ease was laid before a great personage , who was graciousl y pleased to make a provision for him . "—Freemasons ' Magazine , 1793 , page 378 .
The above story indicates that Dunokerley ' s mother ( for who else could mako such a revelation ?) on her death bed , in 1760 , made known to her son that King Georgo II . was his real father , and he applied in 1707 for a pension , which George III . "ranted to him . In fact , Dunckerley actually did receive a pension of £ 800 per annum , and had apartments assigned him in Hampton Court , And now for the other story .
Conflicting Accounts About Thomas Dunckerley.
"Mr . Dunckerley was the son of a servant maid in the family of Sir Robert Walpole at Houghton , whence his father married her , and got a place of porter at the Somerset House . His mother died when ho was very young , and his grandmother tookcaro of him till he was put apprentice to a barber . From this place he ran away , and crot aboard tho ship of Sir John Norris , who was then aoing abroad . Sir Edward
Walpole , , informed of this circumstance , wrote to Sir John . . . requesting that the boy might havo such instruction given to him aa the ship would afford . He seems to have continued in the service , as tho next thing wo hear of him was his being at the siego of Quebec by Wolfe , where he behaved so well as to havo had a recommendation to fill some employment in tho Royal Academy at Portsmouth , which
he did with credit . About twenty years ago ho availed himself of tho remarkable likeness he bore to the Royal family to get it represented to his Majesty that the late King was in truth his father , and that bo owed his existence to a visit which that Kino :, when Prince , had paid to Houghton , and he ventured to refer to Sir Edward Walpole for his knowledge of the circumstance . His Majesty , ever attentive to
charitable applications , directed inquiry to bo made of Sir Edward . Mr . D . has apprised this gentleman of what ho had done . Sir Edward expressed his astonishment that ho should refer to him to support such a tale , —then for the first timo suggested to him , —who had known him all his life , and then brought forward when his father , mother , and grandmother were all dead . Sir Edward added , that he
had at all times been his friend , that he believed him meritorious in the capacity in which ho had served , but he could never be made an instrument of imposing this story as true . He , however , got a pension and apartments at Hampton Court , and was afterwards entered at some Inu of Court , and was called to tho Bar , but not succeeding , soon quitted tho profession . "—Gentleman ' s Magazine , 1765 , 2 nd part ,
page 10 o 2 . It is said that Dunckerley published "a remarkable and able address in 1757 , " viz ., " Tbe Light and Truth of Masonry Explained , being the substance of a Charge delivered at Plymouth in April 1757 . " I have read an address by Dunckerley in Dr . Oliver's works . I could see nothing remarkable in it ; the very same explanation
may be hoard in every English Lodge of Instruction , and I doubt very much whether Dunckerley made any address at all at Portsmouth in 1757 . Be it known that , owing to his want of patronage from any one connected with Parliament ( so says his biographer in 1812 ) , Dunckerley , on board of a man-of-war , never rose higher than gunner , and he seems to have remained in that position until 1764 .
It seems , therefore , improbable that a mere gunner could either have spared time to acquire the ritual , or that he could havo had influence and means to lecture and to print his lecture ia 1757 . After Dunokerley's appointment in the Royal Academy at Portsmouth in 1764 , with a prospect of being acknowledged uncle to His Majesty ,
then , indeed , it became tho easiest possible thing for Brother Dunckerley to rise in the Masonic profession , to be applauded as a great orator , profound lecturer , a man of science , and what not ; and the said " remarkable address" was , therefore , probably not delivered at Portsmouth before 1767 .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , JACOB NOUTON , Boston , U . S ., 23 rd May 1878 .
Unworthy Conduct.
UNWORTHY CONDUCT .
To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It is a pleasure to read tho accounts given in your interesting paper of the meetings of tho various Lodges where harmony exists , ' and I have at times been envious of Masonic brethren in my own Province ; at the same there are Lodges ' even in this country that are worked on bad principles , and nothing
short of vigorous measures from the " powers that be " will set many of these right . I unfortunately belong to a Lodgo ( and ib being my mother Lodge I hope not to be compelled to leave it ) where the whole of the proceedings are conducted by two or three , or , perhaps I should speak more correctly if I stated , by ono member , who has assumed a
dictatorship that has driven many a good brother to speak but little ancl think less of Freemasonry . This Lodge possesses about a hundred subscribing members , but the amount disbursed in charity does not average £ 20 per annum , the funds being invested in the trading banking account of the Treasurer , and no member seems to be able to get office , or to keep it , unless he trades with
that individual , whoso success in life no doubt has depended in a great measure upon his connection with Masonry , and this Lodge in particular ; and although he is now , or is supposed to be , in affluent circumstances , this brother has not contributed a single penny in the shape of quarterages during , I believe , tho past twelve years , certainly nob since my connection with tho
Lodge—say about five years . He has , however , attended nearly every banquet at tho expense of the Lodge , and duly pays his Grand Lodtce fees out of its funds . Ho is always talking of resigning his " duties , " but this he never does , as he would have to pay over the balance in hand ( over £ 100 ) , and if ho does not have his own way in everything , he threatens to
resign the Lodge , while if he is spoken to in reference to the matter , he falls into a violent passion , and if raving does \ not take effect , pleads indisposition , ancl retires in a hysterical sort of way . ID is amusing to watch his tactics at an initiation . When he announces the candidate has " paid the customary fees , " ho walks up the south
¦ nde of the Lodge , packs up his case and departs , fearing , I suppose , some more generous brother might propose a sum of money to some indigent brother or widow . He seems to look upon all distressed Masons as tramps , and even when obliged , he doles out charity like a relieving officer . Dear brother Editor , did you ever meet such a