Spencer's Great Library.

SPENCER'S GREAT LIBRARY .

FIRST NOTICE . THI S collection , advertised for sale by auction on tho 27 th prox . offers an opportunity which will probably never again occur for the acquisition of many of the rarest and most interesting items in Masonic literature . They who know the years of waiting and tho futile orders reiterated to booksellers , which aro now experienced in

the endeavour to procure those early tracts , which form some of tho most important links in our history , will not bo slow to avail themselves of tho occasion . Tho time , patience , money , aud trouble required to form an historical Masonio library cannot be overestimated . Many Grand Lodges and individuals , lovers of our

literature , have been forming such libraries of late years ; the result has been practically to exhaust the market , so that very many of the books enumerated in tho Catalogue now under review , we could never have expected to see advertised for sale again . We confess we had looked for a few more " rarities , " snch as the

" Post Boy , " and the falso revelations of 1717 to 1725 , the " Cat Ont of the Bag , " & c . ; but noticing the occurrence of somo works in duplicates , we find cause to suspect that some of tho rarer havo been privately disposed of , and thoir places filled by duplicates of others . We have had the pleasure to inspect somo of them occasionally at

Bro . Spencer ' s , and havo found them generally in excellent preservation , bound or half-bound , some sumptuously gilt and tooled , the various series of volumes being generally uniform . We may here remark that of the works on Freemasonry in general , prior to 1717 , mentioned by Dr . Kloss , some seem to bo apocryphal ,

and others indirectly related to the subject—Van Helmont , to wit ( see lot 437)—many early works of tho latter description are in this Catalogno which were apparently unknown to tho great bibliographer . Commencing on tho first page of the Catalogue , we find a number of extremely scarce books , both English and foreign , and one , The

Mystery , probably unique . The Relation apohgiqve was publicly burned at Eomo . Tho complete sots of editions of tho French revelations , L'ordre trahi and Les Francs-Mucous e ' erases , are notable , Le secret and Le sceau rompu are extremely scarce . Wo next come upon a congeries of peculiar rituals , Solomon , Mahhabone , Tubal

Cain , Shibboleth , Three distinct Knocks , and a wonderful series of tho editions of Jachin and Loaz : many of these are useful for tho Lists of Lodges thoy contain , and are sure to bo eagerly sought after by those of us who cannot hope to get Freemasons' Calendars or Pine ' s Lists of corresponding years .

Of Eituals of Ladies' Masonry ( which obtained a footing in this country during the latter part of tho last century ) , there is a goodly number , scattered among various lots . Freemasonry for the Ladies ( dedicated to H . E . H . tho Duchess of York ) , La vraie Maconnerie d'Adoption , Vicr Stiiclce iiber den Treymaurcr und Freydamen , Ucber

den Jlosenerden ( on tho ladies' Order of tho Eose ) , Manuel des Franchcs Maconnes , & c . Of the time ( 1770—1785 ) , when the baffled Jesuits wero making such persistent efforts to pervert the Order by the invention of high degrees , there are a number of works in illustration , culminating iu Les Jesuites chasids , and the great Starck

Controversy , for which ace p . 100 of tins journal . The philosophical controversy , consequent upon the dissemination of weird notions of Swedenborg and the dawning knowledge of magnetism , appears in Lot AS—Erreurs ct Verite "— a work which produced a remarkable sensation throughout Europe , Tableau nature ! , 4 c , & c On all these

now forgotten discussions Bro . Findel , in his History , touches lightly ; there is far more in them to interest and even to enthrall the student . We next come upon an humble reflection from Bacon ' s Atalautis , the Enthiillung des Systems de ) - Wcltbiirger-Republik , with the sequela and replies it elicited . Then we find various contemporaneous works on

the notorious Cagliostro , most of them dictated by a strong bias of "hit him hard , he has no friends , " which is regrettable , inasmuch as they contain unwilling evidence that ho must havo been a gifted mesmerist , apart from his charlatanic proclivities . Consult the impartial " Colroache ' a Eeminiscences of Prince Talleyrand , "

Spencer's Great Library.

chap . 4 , pp 122-143 ( 2 vols . Colburn , 1848 ) , in support of this view . * Tho little that has come down to us concerning Schrepffer ia contained in lot 177 , in the scarce Tonibeau de Jacques Molai , and similar tracts . The Asiatic Knights , tho African Architects , and other degrees , well repay investigation ; they wero results of the mystico-philosophical

craving spirit of their age . Of the ignorance of historians concerning them , the specimen page of a new Masonio Encyclopaedia , now in tho press , affords a caso in point , aa followa : — " Asiatic System , or Brothers of Asia : —A Masonio sect with somewhat mystical theories , which arose in Germany about tho year 1780 . It explained ,

somewhat fancifully , the symbols , rites and words of Freemasonry . There were several degrees all more or less tinctured with tho speculations of the Eosicrucians and Hermetic Masonry . " This does not evince much strain upon the industry of a compiler

who has profited by tho labours of Oliver and Mackey . JJBS Masques arrache ' s , Le voile leve , Le tonibeau , Les Jacobins demasquds , are all curious and to-day practically unattainable by booksellers . From these are derived tho valuable notes to De Luchet ' s

Eassi surlasecte des Illumines , to which members of the highdegrees appeal for proof of tho sanction of the Great Frederick . They pointed the way for Monnier , Barrnell , and Eobison , and led states , men to confound Freemasonry with all sorts of secret horrors . The mysterious Unbekaunten , or secret commanders , appear in Iota

88 and 153 . Tho authors , Fessler , Velthnsen , Thory , Laurena , Eagotzky , Krause , Heldmann , Chemin-Dupontes , Des Etangs , aro all represented , and tho history ( soi-disant ) by Lawrio is also there . The secret societies of the French Army , the Fehengericht , the Freros Poutifos , the Carbonari , the black brotherhood , aud other secret

societies of objects more or less laudable , appear in lots 188 and 199 . The second Masonic controversy ( of 1815 ) which raged hotly among Protestant Theologians ( on tho impolicy of State toleration of a secret society ) , commenced by the Stimme der Warnung of Councillor Schiualz , and followed up by Nicbuhr , is in lot 189 ; in 190 wo find a

work which is seldom quoted , but which contains a rich fund of Masonic interest , alboit of anti-Masonic tendency , " Mac Benac " No . 20 o contains " Sandoval , " a Masonic work of high order , in which romance subserves tho end of history : from the pen of a Spanish refugee of rank , whoso narrative is founded on fact , and " quorum [ art )

magna fin . It traces the progress of political Freemasonry in Spain , and its pictures of society and manners , apart from the deep interest of the story , would alone attest its worth . Other curious Masonic romances are fonndiu lots 151 , 170 , 229 and 233 . Many unobtainable books and tracts , published iu British India , next claim attention ( 220 , 231 ) , and notably the Handboolc of Stapelton , Calcutta ,

1847 . A copious representation of Masonic Numismatics is the Numotheca in lot 218 , without which no Masonic Library is complete . Godwin ' s Marls on Stones ( 227 ) will be useful to Mark Lodges . Wo hope to return to this subject , completing our survey , next week , for our space warns us to be brief . A review of the works in this Catalogno constitutes a history in itself , illustrating the vicissitudes and the vagaries of the Masonic idea in almost every clime .

Ar01402

CHINESE CARVING . FOE Sale , an elaborately carved Set of Ivory Chessmen . The Kings stand 84 inches high , the other pieces in proportion . Knights and Pawns on horseback , all mounted on stands , with concentric balls . Can bo seen , and full particulars obtained , on application to W . W . JioitoAK , 67 Barbican . —Adct . Chvn Houss PIAYIKG CARDS . —Mogul Quality , picked Is 3 d per pack , 14 s per dozen packs . Do . seconds Is per pack , lis per dozen packs . If by post ljd per pack extra . Cards for Piquet , Bezique , EcarttS , Sec , Mogul Quality lOd per pack , 9 s per dozen packa . —London : W . W . Morgan . ti 7 Barbican , E . C . DK LA ROB ' iKTERirATiojr . n . PLATIKO CARDS . —Portraits of tho Royalty of Europe . Post free , 2 s ( id . W . W . Morgan , 67 Barbican , London , E . C .

Ad01403

THEHOLBORNRESTAURANT,218HIGHHOLBORN. ONEOFTHESIGHTSANDONEOFTHECOMFORTSOFLONDON. Attractions of tlie chief PARISIAN ESTABLISHMENTS , witli the quiet and order essential to English customs . DINNERS AND LUNCHEONS PROM DAILY BILL OP PARE . ATabled'Hoteeveryeveningfrom6to830.Price3s6d. INCLUDING SOUPS , FISH , ENTREES , JOINTS , SWEETS , CHEESE , SALAD , & c , WITH DESSERT . This FAVOURITE DINNER is accompanied by a SELECTION of High-class INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC , COFFEE , TEA , CHESS AND SMOKING ROOMS ,