Hi
I am completing the translation of my book Adam Smith in Toulouse and 
Occitania (Toulouse, Privat, 2018). Smith stayed in Toulouse from March 
1764 to October 1765. At the question why this long stay in Toulouse, 
the local gossip was "free masonry". I did not find any evidence linking 
Smith to free masonry but it is striking that 1) his pupil, Henry Scot, 
later 3rd Duke of Buccleugh was the grand son of Francis Scott, earl of 
Dalkeith who from 24 June 1723 to 24 June 1724 held the office of Grand 
Master of Freemasons, that 2) in Toulouse his guide was Abbé Colbert 
whose father George was a founding member of Inverness lodge while his 
uncle - officier in Royal Ecossois was a member of the Regiment lodge. 
Abbé Colbert was "testamentary executor" of Nicholas Barnwall whose 
father was the founder of freemasonry in Toulouse, that (3) in Bordeaux 
he met Duke of Richelieu, another free mason, that (4) in Bordeaux and 
Bagnères he met Montesquieu's son (Montesquieu was a free mason). In 
Toulouse he met Attorney General Riquet de Bonrepos and
his cousin Riquet de Caraman who were free masons.
Besides in Toulouse the archbishop was Loménie de Brienne wo has 
succeeded to the Jacobite Arthur Richard Dillon who has helped the 
Barnwall family to get letters of naturalization
Loménie de Brienne, celebrated by D. Hume, has written The conciliator 
where he recommended tolerance. Pierre Chevallier who has extensively 
studied Loménie de Brienne wrote that Loménie de Brienne was "freemason 
friendly" even if there is no evidence supporting he belonged to the Order.
Probably we never know more about Smith and freemasonry and it is futile 
to add a quarter of a proof, plus a quarter of a proof, plus half a 
proof in order to equal one complete proof.
Best regards
AA


Stanislaw Kwiatkowski <[log in to unmask]> a écrit :

> Dear List,
>
> I have recently encountered and article in Polish claiming, that there are
> "significant signs Adam Smith was secretly a member of the freemasonry".
>
> Puzzled by the claim I searched google scholar, alas without success.
>
> Anyone encountered anything on the topic? Or is it another unfortunate
> example of using "freemasonry" as a derogatory term?
>
> Best regards,
> Stan Kwiatkowski,
> Poland
>
> --
> Stanisław Kwiatkowski
> Instytut Misesa
> www.mises.pl
> [log in to unmask]