Les Neuf Soeurs
Members
- André Chénier journalist military poet writer
- André Morellet cleric economist philosopher teacher translator writer
- Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot civil servant politician writer
- Antoine-Louis-Claude Destutt, comte de Tracy freemason military philosopher politician professor writer
- Benjamin Franklin politician publisher writer
- Camille Desmoulins freemason journalist jurist politician
- Constantin-François de Chasseboeuf, comte de Volney historian journalist philosopher politician professor
- Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès cleric philosopher politician
- Évariste Désiré de Forges, vicomte de Parny civil servant freemason military poet
- François-Alexandre-Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt diplomat economist freemason journalist military politician traveller writer
- François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire philosopher writer
- Gabriel Bonnot de Mably cleric diplomat historian philosopher writer
- Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette military politician
- Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau abolitionist pamphleteer politician translator writer
- Jacques-Pierre Brissot de Warville abolitionist bookseller entrepreneur pamphleteer politician publisher translator writer
- Jean-Antoine Gallois civil servant freemason poet politician translator
- Jean-Antoine Roucher freemason poet translator
- Jean-Baptiste Chemin-Dupontès bookseller freemason journalist publisher writer
- Jean-François Marmontel
- Jean Le Rond d'Alembert philosopher scientist writer
- Jean-Nicolas Démeunier civil servant freemason jurist politician translator writer
- Joseph-Antoine-Joachim Cerutti freemason journalist poet politician writer
- Louis-Félix Guinement de Kéralio civil servant historian journalist military teacher translator writer
- Louis-Philippe-Joseph, duc d'Orléans freemason military politician
- Michel de Cubières-Palmézeaux playwright poet writer
- Nicolas de Caritat, marquis de Condorcet abolitionist journalist philosopher politician scientist writer
- Nicolas-Louis François de Neufchâteau civil servant poet politician
- Paul Henri Dietrich d'Holbach philosopher
- Pierre-Jean-Georges Cabanis philosopher scientist
- Pierre-Samuel Dupont de Nemours bookseller diplomat economist entrepreneur freemason journalist philosopher politician publisher scientist translator writer
- Sébastien-Roch-Nicolas de Chamfort journalist playwright poet translator writer
Notes
Established in Paris in 1776, Les Neuf Soeurs was a leading Masonic Lodge (of the 'Grand Orient de France', the oldest in continental Europe) that was influential in organising French support for the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin was its "Venerable Master" from 1779–81. Its membership was closely linked the salon based around Madame Helvétius known as the Cercle d'Auteuil. During the French Revolution, from 1789 until 1792, Les Neuf Sœurs became a 'Société Nationale' and was not reconstituted until 1808. Other members not on our database included: Jérome Lalande (the first "Venerable Master"), Jean Sylvain Bailly, John Paul Jones, Jean-Antoine Houdon, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Claude-Emmanuel de Pastoret, Pierre-Louis Roederer, Pierre-Louis Guingené (an important journalist who was also part of the Cercle d'Auteuil), Dominique-Joseph Garat (ditto) and Georges Danton. Many of the great educational reforms in France and beyond were initiated by members of the lodge. For more information, see: Nicholas Hans, 'UNESCO of the Eighteenth Century. La Loge des Neuf Soeurs and its Venerable Master, Benjamin Franklin' (Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Oct 30 1953, Vol.97, No.5); Barbara B. Oberg et al, eds., 'The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, Vol.34: Nov 1780–April 1781' (YUP, 1998) & Dainard et al, eds, 'Correspondance Générale d'Helvétius, Vols 3 & 4'.