honorary for "women of fashion" who might
compete, and the lucrative for those "whose laudable industry
contributes to their own support." Scotch stockings had then a great
reputation for the excellence of their workmanship, but Scotch
worsted, to make them with, was not so good, and consequently a
premium was to be offered for the best woollen yarn. There was a great
demand at the time for English blankets, and no reason why the Scotch
should not make quite as good blankets themselves out of their own
wool, so a premium was proposed for the best imitation of English
blankets. Carpet-making was begun in several places in the country,
and a prize for the best-wrought and best-patterned carpet would
encourage the manufacturers to vie with each other. Whisky-distilling,
too, was established at different places, and Scotch strong ale had
even acquired a great and just reputation both at home and abroad; but
the whisky was "still capable of great improvement in the quality and
taste," and the ale trade "might be carried to a much greater height,"
and these ends might be severally promoted by prizes for the best tun
of whisky and the best hogshead of strong ale.

The practical execution of this scheme was committed to nine members
of the society, who were to be chosen annually, and were to meet with
the society once a month to report progress or receive instructions;
but to keep this new task quite distinct from the old, the society
resolved, like certain mercantile firms when they adopt a new branch
of business, to carry it on under a new firm name, and for this
purpose the Select Society of Edinburgh became "The Edinburgh Society
for encouraging arts, sciences, manufactures, and agriculture in
Scotland"; and the executive committee of nine were termed the
"ordinary managers of the Edinburgh Society," who were assisted by
other nine "extraordinary managers." The Edinburgh Society was not,
however, a separate institution; it was really only a special
committee of the Select Society. It met once a month at a separate
time from the usual weekly meeting of the parent society, and the
business of this monthly meeting came, from the predominant interest
of the members, who were so largely composed of the nobility and
gentry, to be engrossed almost wholly with agricultural discussions.
To render these discussions more effective and profitable, a
resolution was passed in 1756 to admit a certain number of practical
farmers to the me