The Select Society, established in 1754 as The

St. Giles Saint Giles (, la, Aegidius, french: Gilles), also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 6th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly lege ...

Society but soon renamed, was an intellectual society in 18th century

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.Emerson, Roger L. ''The Social Composition of Enlightened Scotland: The Select Society of Edinburgh, 1754–1764''. (Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century) (1973) The society was first a discussion club then shortly thereafter a debating club for the intellectual elite of Edinburgh.

History

The Select Society initially had fifteen members who included: * James Adam * John Adam *

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Henry Home, Lord Kames Henry Home, Lord Kames (169627 December 1782) was a Scottish writer, philosopher, advocate, judge, and agricultural improver. A central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, a founding member of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, and a ...

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Review of

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's ''Crowded With Genius (Capital of the Mind'' in the UK) * John Monro * Alexander Monro ''primus'' * Allan Ramsay * William Robertson *

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By the end of its first year, The Select Society had eighty three members. Some years later, some of the members established

The Poker Club The Poker Club was one of several clubs at the heart of the Scottish Enlightenment where many associated with that movement met and exchanged views in a convivial atmosphere. History The Poker Club was created in 1762 out of the ashes of The ...

.The Poker Club (1762–1784)
/ref> Their mission was articulated in The Scots Magazine in 1755: "The intention of these gentlemen was, by practice to improve themselves in reasoning and eloquence, and by the freedom of debate, to discover the most effectual methods of promoting the good of the country." A member would pose a question for debate during the following meeting. Meetings were held on Wednesday nights from 6 PM to 9 PM 12 November – 12 August.

Membership

To become a member, one needed to be recommended in writing by two current members. If more than one name was up for consideration, members voted and the majority name made it to the following meeting at which a vote of three-fourths was needed to confirm the membership.

Other Societies

In 1755 the Select Society founded a subsidiary body: the Edinburgh Society for Encouraging Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture in Scotland. The society was not the only one of its kind in Edinburgh, with

The Speculative Society The Speculative Society is a Scottish Enlightenment society dedicated to public speaking and literary composition, founded in 1764. It was mainly, but not exclusively, an Edinburgh University student organisation. The formal purpose of the Societ ...

performing a similar role. Members of the society would go on to be involved with Edinburgh's convivial societies, such as

References

Scottish Enlightenment Learned societies of Scotland Scotland articles needing attention Organisations based in Edinburgh Defunct organisations based in Scotland Defunct learned societies of the United Kingdom 1754 establishments in Scotland Organizations established in 1754 1764 disestablishments Clubs and societies in Edinburgh {{Edinburgh-stub

History

Membership

Other Societies

See also

References