Page 11 - The Early History of The Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. UGLE

CHEVALIER BARTHOLOMEW RUSPINI

N ORDER TO APPRECIATE the character of Ruspini and his influence on
the Lodge, some idea of his life and contacts is desirable. This is not so much a
Idigression as it is a confirmation in retrospect of his qualities, both good and not
so good.
Ruspini was born at Romanora near Bergamo in Northern Italy in 1728. His
family was allied to many of the local nobility and was of ancient stock. At the age
of 30 he left Bergamo Hospital, where he had acquired high qualifications as a
surgeon, to study dentistry under the notable Jean Francois Capron, dental surgeon
to Louis XV, before coming to England to practise both surgery and dentistry as was
customary abroad but quite novel in this country.
His first attempt to become a Freemason was with an exclusive Lodge in Bath,
10
where, as a presumptuous foreigner, he was regrettably ‘black balled’ . He was,
however, initiated in the Bush Lodge at Bristol in 1762. It is probable that he first
met Baron Starck there when they were both enjoying the patronage of the dowager
Princess of Wales. If even more interesting in the light of subsequent developments
is the fact that, in the same town and at about the same time, Thomas Harper was
initiated in an ‘Antients’ Lodge and it is very likely that Harper and Ruspini first
met, as Masons, in Bristol. In any event they were to become fast friends, and this
friendship had a significant part to play in the events that led up to the Union of 1813.
In 1766, Ruspini went to live in London. He was soon appointed Dental Surgeon
to the Royal Family and, with what is seen to be his natural flair, became a notable
social success. He joined several London Lodges including the Royal Lodge, No. 313,
at about the time that H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland was initiated. Thus it may be
seen that his earlier presumption was soon fulfilled.
Ruspini, however, was also a truly generous man. He had opportunity to show his
generosity for, after the Seven Years War (1756-63) many Italians, fleeing from Austrian
and French domination, came to England. Then, in Portugal when King Joseph II
died, the Catholic Church regained its power and many, including Freemasons, who
had been running that country so efficiently, also fled to England. Large numbers
of these refugees were helped by Ruspini. This accounts for the many Italian and

10 AQ.C. 59. “The Bear Lodge at Bath.” F. R. Jones.