Clubs and Societies
Source 1 : List of members of the Select Society
Manuscript (NLS reference: Adv MS.23.1.1)
This list of members is included in the Select Society’s minute book, held in the National Library of Scotland. The minute book is a record of the society’s weekly meetings and the topics which were debated.
The Select Society was established in Edinburgh on 22 May 1754 by the painter Allan Ramsay. Weekly meetings were held in the Advocates Library, the forerunner of the National Library of Scotland. The aims of the society were ‘the pursuit of philosophical enquiry and the improvement of the members in the art of speaking’.
Transcript
Page 1
List of the members of the select Society.
1754
Present Mr John Jardin, Minister of the Gospel in Edinburgh.
Present Dr Francis Hume.
Present Mr Adam Smith, Professor at Glasgow.
[cross] Mr [….] Anderson [cross].
Present Mr Alexander Wedderburn.
Present Mr Simon Fraser, Advocate.
Present Mr Alan Ramsay, Painter.
Present Mr James Burnett, Advocate.
Present Mr John Campbell, Advocate.
Present Mr Alexander Carlile, Minister at Inveresk.
Present Mr William Johnston, Advocate.
Present Mr James Stephenson Rogers, Advocate.
Present Mr David Hume.
Present Mr John Swinton, Advocate.
Present Dr Alexander Stephenson.
Present Mr Patrick Murray, Advocate.
Present Mr Patrick Hume of Billie.
Present Mr Walter Stewart, Advocate.
Present Mr John Hume, Minister at Athelstanford.
Present Mr Robert Alexander.
Present Mr James Russel, Surgeon.
Present Mr George Cockburn, Advocate.
Present Dr David Clarke.
Mr George Brown, Advocate.
Present Mr William Robertson, Minister of Gladsmuir.
Mr John Fletcher.
Present Mr Alexander Agnew.
Present Dr John Hope.
Present Sir David Dalrymple, Advocate.
Mr Gilbert Elliot, Advocate.
Sir Harry Erskine.
Mr Hugh Blair, Minister.
Mr Andrew Stewart, Writer.
June 12th Mr Charles Fish Palmer.
Present Mr George Morison.
Present Mr George Dempster.
June 19thMr Andrew Pringle.
Present Mr Alexander Monro.
Present Mr David Ross.
Pat.
Discussion Points
- Look at the profession included beside each member’s name on the list. What information does this source provide about the membership of the Select Society?