1888/1

A Geometrical View of the Grand Procession of the Scald Miserable Masons, designed as they were drawn up over against Somerset House in the Strand, on the Twenty-seventh of April, An’ 1742.

Date:- 1742 Classification:- Engraving

Country of Origin:- England -

Description

Invented and engraved by A. Benoist.at his lodgings at Mr. Jordan’s a grocer, ye north-east corner of Cornpton Street, Soho, and sold by the Printsellers of London and Westminster. Note, A. Benoist teaches drawing abroad.

Properties

Clavel’s” Histoire de Ia Pittoresque,” which is in the Library (No. 185), gives a reduced copy of this remarkable caricature, and states that only one original existed. If that be so (which is not likely) this is that “original.” The copies of 1771, of which several are known, lack the quaint particulars of the artist’s lodgings, &c., going no farther than the *. “Benoist” (Wm. Philip), was born in Constances, in Normandy, and brought to England by Du Bose. After a residence of about forty years in London, he died there, in August, 1770. I presume his property was sold, the plate of this engraving “touched up,” and the name of the publisher altered to "F. Vivares, in Great Newport Street, London, 1771.” The date 1742 is not altered in these reprints, 1771 being added in very small figures at the bottom of the plate. On reference to the old Books of Constitutions, 1723-1784, it will be seen that it was the custom in the early times of Grand Lodge for the Brethren to form in procession and escort the GrandMaster elect from his residence to the Freemasons’ Hall. This mock procession in 1741 was organised to throw ridicule on this custom of the Fraternity, and it led soon after to a discontinuance of Masonic processions in London.