The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in 33 degrees is the most widespread system of masonic higher degrees worldwide. It was developed in the 18th century, drawing on the most diverse well springs of esoteric traditions and philosophical currents. It is represented wherever Freemasonry is active. That is why the Rite commands the continued interest of historians. The circumstances of its creation are naturally the focus of a specific research. On that matter we have a limited number of documents. This two volume publication aims at making available to researchers, curious readers and the general public, the main bulk of those letters, transcribed from the original pages and translated into English. They were written by the founders of the Lodges of Elect in France, first in Bordeaux and later, around Etienne Morin (whose known letters are here published and translated) in the colonies of Saint Domingue (present day Haiti) the Martinique and New Orleans. Also included are day to day testimonies of the life of those Lodges of Elect in Toulouse under the monarchy and the Napoleonic empire.

Le Rite Ecossais Ancien et Accepte en 33 degres est le systeme de hauts grades ma9onniques le plus pratique a l'echelle mondiale. Elabore au xvme siecle, i1 est represente partout ou se pratique la Franc-ma9onnerie. Pour ces raisons, ce Rite est l'objet du constant interet des historiens. Les circonstances de sa creation suscitent naturellement une recherche particuliere. Nous disposons sur ce sujet d'une quantite limitee de documents. Cette publication en deux volumes met a la disposition des chercheurs, des curieux et du public l' essentiel de ces correspondances transcrites sur les originaux et traduits en anglais. Elles furent ecrites par les fondateurs des Loges d'Elus en France, a Bordeaux d'abord puis autour d'Etienne Morin (dont nous publions toute la correspondance connue) dans la colonie de Saint-Domingue (aujourd'hui Haiti), de la Martinique et de la Nouvelle Orleans. On trouvera egalement des temoignages au jour le jour de la vie des loges d'elus a Toulouse sous l' Ancien Regime et sous !'Empire.