The Scottish Philosophy [136]
that "any member may take a glass at a by-table while the president is in the chair, but no health shall be drunk during that time." The meeting continued its sittings for three hours, there being room for free conversation half an hour before, and half an hour after, the president took or vacated the chair. The attendance may have averaged half a dozen. The first meeting was held Jan. 12, 1758. About 1772, the forfeits for nonattendance are getting heavy, and discontent is expressed. The minutes show a meeting so late as February, 1773, after which the society disappears.
The society was formed for the purpose of reading discourses or dissertations, and making observations on the subjects of them, and of discussing questions proposed and sanctioned. " The subjects of the discourses and questions shall be philosophical; all grammatical, historical, and philological discussions being conceived to be foreign to the design of this society [it is evident that they had no idea of the importance of philology]. And philosophical matters are understood to comprehend every principle of science, which may be deduced by just and lawful induction from the phenomena either of the human mind, or of the material world; all observations and experiments that may furnish materials for such inductions; the examination of false schemes of philosophy and false methods of philosophizing; the subserviency of philosophy to arts, the principles they borrow from it, and the means of carrying them to their perfection."
It is interesting to notice that so many of the speculations of the Aberdeen philosophers, afterwards given to the world in their published writings, were first laid before this society. Thus Dr. Reid, on May 24, 1758, intimates that the subject of his discourse at next meeting (June 13) is to be " The philosophy of the mind in general, and particularly on the perceptions we have by sight." In 1760, he gives an analysis of the senses, and a discourse on the sense of touch. On Jan. 26, 1762, he read a discourse at the laying down of the office of president, on " Euclid's definitions and axioms." On Oct. 11, 1762, Dr. Reid read a discourse, which the society approved of; but he declined inserting it, in regard he proposed soon to send it to the press, along with the other discourses he had read before the society.
Gerard, too, discourses on his own subjects, from 1758 to 1771, and reads a series of papers on genius, and a paper on the effect of the passions on the association of our ideas. Between 1761 and 1768, be inquires: " What is peculiar to those Operations of the Mind of which we can form some Ideas, and what distinguishes them from other Operations of the Mind of which we can form no Ideas? " He writes on the Principles which determine our Degrees of Approbation in the Fine Arts; upon the " Characters of Poetical Imagination; " upon the " Difference between Common Sense and Reason; " and he gives a series of papers on the " Universality and Immutability of the Moral Sentiment." From 1761 to 1767, Dr. Campbell reads papers on " Eloquence; " on " The Relation of Eloquence to Logic; on " The Dependence of Eloquence on Grammar." {229}
The other members take up cognate subjects. Traill takes "An Abstract of a Discourse of M. Rousseau, of the Sourse [so spelled] of the Inequality among Mankind." Mr. Gordon treats of "Memory and its Influence in forming Characters among Men; " on the " Origin of Polytheism;" on the Universal Belief in a Deity; on the " Existence and Perfections of the Supreme Being; " on " Language; " and on the "Alphabet." Farquhar reads on the " Imagination," and a " Particular Providence." Dr. David Skene has a paper on "The Different Branches of Philosophy," particularly "The Study of the Nature and Philosophy of the Mind." Dr. Gregory discourses on "The Usefulness of Natural Philosophy" on The Prolongation of Human Life;" "The Retardation of Old Age; and "The Foundation of Taste in Music." Mr. Ross takes up "The Use of the Leaves of Plants;" and "The Methods of Classing Plants."
The society was formed for the purpose of reading discourses or dissertations, and making observations on the subjects of them, and of discussing questions proposed and sanctioned. " The subjects of the discourses and questions shall be philosophical; all grammatical, historical, and philological discussions being conceived to be foreign to the design of this society [it is evident that they had no idea of the importance of philology]. And philosophical matters are understood to comprehend every principle of science, which may be deduced by just and lawful induction from the phenomena either of the human mind, or of the material world; all observations and experiments that may furnish materials for such inductions; the examination of false schemes of philosophy and false methods of philosophizing; the subserviency of philosophy to arts, the principles they borrow from it, and the means of carrying them to their perfection."
It is interesting to notice that so many of the speculations of the Aberdeen philosophers, afterwards given to the world in their published writings, were first laid before this society. Thus Dr. Reid, on May 24, 1758, intimates that the subject of his discourse at next meeting (June 13) is to be " The philosophy of the mind in general, and particularly on the perceptions we have by sight." In 1760, he gives an analysis of the senses, and a discourse on the sense of touch. On Jan. 26, 1762, he read a discourse at the laying down of the office of president, on " Euclid's definitions and axioms." On Oct. 11, 1762, Dr. Reid read a discourse, which the society approved of; but he declined inserting it, in regard he proposed soon to send it to the press, along with the other discourses he had read before the society.
Gerard, too, discourses on his own subjects, from 1758 to 1771, and reads a series of papers on genius, and a paper on the effect of the passions on the association of our ideas. Between 1761 and 1768, be inquires: " What is peculiar to those Operations of the Mind of which we can form some Ideas, and what distinguishes them from other Operations of the Mind of which we can form no Ideas? " He writes on the Principles which determine our Degrees of Approbation in the Fine Arts; upon the " Characters of Poetical Imagination; " upon the " Difference between Common Sense and Reason; " and he gives a series of papers on the " Universality and Immutability of the Moral Sentiment." From 1761 to 1767, Dr. Campbell reads papers on " Eloquence; " on " The Relation of Eloquence to Logic; on " The Dependence of Eloquence on Grammar." {229}
The other members take up cognate subjects. Traill takes "An Abstract of a Discourse of M. Rousseau, of the Sourse [so spelled] of the Inequality among Mankind." Mr. Gordon treats of "Memory and its Influence in forming Characters among Men; " on the " Origin of Polytheism;" on the Universal Belief in a Deity; on the " Existence and Perfections of the Supreme Being; " on " Language; " and on the "Alphabet." Farquhar reads on the " Imagination," and a " Particular Providence." Dr. David Skene has a paper on "The Different Branches of Philosophy," particularly "The Study of the Nature and Philosophy of the Mind." Dr. Gregory discourses on "The Usefulness of Natural Philosophy" on The Prolongation of Human Life;" "The Retardation of Old Age; and "The Foundation of Taste in Music." Mr. Ross takes up "The Use of the Leaves of Plants;" and "The Methods of Classing Plants."