Quote
"It was moved that it be recommended to the Society to express their desire of shewing every mark of respect to the garb of their ancestors, and that such members, as appear in the Highland dress on the 19th May, being the Queens birth day will be considered as warm friends to the spirit of the Society."
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At a committee of the Highland Society London, met at the Shakespeares Head Tavern. Covent Garden 8th March 1784.
Present
Neil Malcolm Esquire Notary Public in the chair
Mr Archibald Campbell
Major James Campbell
Captain Campbell Lochnell
Mr William Forbes
Mr Simon Houston
Mr John Mackenzie
Mr Colin Mackenzie
Mr Secretary Mackenzie
Colonel Duncan MacPherson
Mr James Morison
Mr George Gun Munro
Mr Duncan Steuart
Mr George Steuart
The committee having taken into consideration the expediency of members wearing the Highland garb on a particular day in each year.
It was moved that it be recommended to the Society to express their desire of shewing every mark of respect to the garb of their ancestors, and that such members, as appear in the Highland dress on the 19th May, being the Queens birth day will be considered as warm friends to the spirit of the Society.
Resolved that George Steuart Esquire be requested to form an emblematical design proper for distinguishing the presidents chair, and that Mr Steuart be requested to report his ideas on this subject at the next meeting of the committee.
The committee having taken into their consideration the question referred to them by the Society, as to the propriety of offering a reward for the best Gaelic poem to be recited at the annual meeting of January.
Resolved that it is the opinion of this committee that such a measure will be productive of happy effects in giving new energy to Gaelic poetry, and is therefore highly worthy the attention of the Society.
Resolved that it be recommended to the Society to offer a premium of five guineas to be paid to the author of the best Gaelic poem wrote on such subjects as shall be given out annually by the Society. The merits of the different poems to be decided by a committee of gentlemen conversant in the language, and the premium to be paid in money or in such manner as shall appear to be most acceptable to the successfull composer.
The committee having taken into consideration the state of the arrears of officers of the army and other members who must have been necessarily absent out of the kingdom found great difficulty in coming to any determination in the same without having the ideas of the members at large, and therefore
Resolved to advise with the Society thereon at their next meeting.
Sources
Text taken from Minute Book of the Highland Society of London, 8 March 1784 (Manuscript, NLS reference: Dep.268/21). Manuscript online on the National Library of Scotland website. Transcription by Alain Kerhervé.