To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Jacques de Barrett, [before 21 May 1781]
From Jean-Jacques de Barrett6
Printed invitation with MS insertions: American Philosophical Society
[before May 21, 1781]
T∴ C∴ F∴7
L∴ R∴ L∴ des Neuf Soeurs, Est convoquée pour le Lundi 21 du 3e. mois D∴ L∴ D∴ L∴ V∴ L∴ 5781. à 10 heures précises du matin.
Il y aura Election des officiers et banquet. &c.8
Vous êtes priés d’y venir augmenter les douceurs de l’union fraternelle.
Je suis par les N∴ C∴ D∴ V∴ M∴ V∴ T∴ H∴9 & affectionné Frere
DE BARRETT 3e.S.
Secrétaire D∴ L∴ R∴ L∴ Des Neuf-Soeurs.
L’adresse ordinaire de la Loge est à M. DE LA DIXMERIE, Maison de M. Valleyre, Imprimeur-Libraire, rue de la vieille Bouclerie.1
Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur Le Docteur / franklin / ./. A Passy / N∴ S∴
6. Barrett (1717–1792), of Scottish origin, his family having followed the Stuarts into exile, was third secretary of the lodge. He had been a professor of Latin and the director of studies at the Ecole royale militaire. Among his published works are translations of Cicero, Tacitus, and Virgil, and in 1790, an original work, De la Loi naturelle: Louis Amiable, Une Loge maçonnique d’avant 1789 … (Paris, 1897), p. 299; Quérard, France littéraire.
7. Très Cher Frère. The two abbreviations in the next paragraph stand for La Respectable Loge and De L’année De La Vraie Lumière 5781. The masonic year began on March 1.
8. This meeting marked the end of BF’s vénéralat, begun two years before, and he was succeeded by the marquis de La Salle: XXIX, 528–30; XXXIV, 470n.
9. Earlier invitations had closed with a series of initials standing for “Par Les Noms Connus Des Frères Maçons Votre Très Humble” (XXXIII, 17n), and we suspect that this series is a variation, perhaps standing for “Noms Connus Des Vénérables Maîtres Votre Très Humble.”
1. Jean-Baptiste-Paul Valleyre l’aîné: XXXIV, 471n.
During the months covered by this volume BF received four other printed invitations, all signed by second secretary Louis d’Ussieux. The first of these, for May 7, announced that there would be “réception du profane Chevalier Le féron” as well as a treasurer’s report. A meeting of the lodge’s council was called for July 28, at the vénérable’s house on rue Chapon, to address “des objets majeurs.” The next meeting of the lodge, on Sept. 24, included “réception au premier grade” and discussion “des affaires actuelles.” The final invitation was for a banquet as well as a discussion of the lodge’s affairs on Oct. 15, to which the members were urged “d’y venir augmenter les douceurs de l’union Fraternelle.” APS.