Qu'est-ce que c'est? Club
Second Meeting: 4th Feb. 1870
Preamble.
Considering the small size of the group the second meeting reveals an enthusiasm for rules & procedure! One wonders what Mond made of all this.
Motto names adopted
As at the first meeting on January 26th, the participants adopted mottoes to identify themselves. It's never said why this was done, and the association with names appears only in pencil notes by Eustace Carey and are not part of the minutes proper.
Early encryption!
From the pencil notes of Eustace Carey,
Mottoes adopted
Mond (Ludwig) Unversagt (Undaunted)
Brunner (John) Onward and Upward
Brunner (Henry) Nemo (Nobody)
Carey (Eustace) Paulatim (Little-by-little)
Watts (Walter Angus) Palmam qui meruit ferat (Let him who deserves it bear the palm)
Raven (James) Gradatim (gradually)
Muspratt (James Liebig) Erin go bragh!
*Muspratt (Sydney) Sans changer (Unchanging)
*Jekyll** Nescio quid (I know not what)
*Holbrook Gaskell II Spes
* Guest
** Chemist Gaskell, Deacon Laboratory
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transcript:
2.
Feb. 4th 1870
Meeting held at Mr. Carey's house. Present -
Messrs Carey, Muspratt, Brunner, J., Brunner
& Watts. S. Muspratt a visitor. Chairman Mr Carey
Words proposed for definition
Art, Poetry, Taste, Superstition, Miracles, Originality,
Eccentricity
The following words were considered. Art, Poetry.
It was proposed and carried unanimously
that the following addition be made to the rules?
1. First that we begin punctually at 8 P.M. &
cease discussion at 10 30 P.M. The meeting to
close not later than 11. P.M.
The Rules proposed at the last meeting by Mr Watts
were considered & after some amendments
finally adopted.
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Feb. 4th 1870
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2
Rules as finally adopted.
1. The name of the club shall be the "Qu'est ce
que c'est"? club.
2. The meetings shall be held at the houses of
the members alternately; the object being to
propound & discuss the definitions of various
words.
3. The members shall be invited to attend by
the host of the evening, who may invite, in
addition, any friends; but no person shall
be considered a member unless he shall
have been accepted unanimously by the
members present at any ordinary meeting.
4. The host of the evening shall be chairman, the
chairmen of the previous meeting to act as
secretary, & continue in office until the ensuing
meeting; unless & until a permanent
chairman or secretary be appointed.
5. The chairman's duty shall be to call the
meeting; to prepare & forward to each member
prior to the day of the meeting, a list of words
for definition (say six? words) to preserve
order at the meeting & to endeavour to attain
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3
some agreement upon a definition to be adopted
of each word submitted.
6. The duty of the secretary shall be to preserve
minutes of the proceedings, to record and preserve
the several definitions, as well as the one
finally adopted, if any, and to arrange for the
next meeting of the club, if none shall
have been appointed at the last meeting.
7. Each member present at the meeting call
submit a written definition of the word
under consideration (which shall be taken
from the list prepared by the chairman)
signed by a motto, & which motto shall
designate all his definitions, & he shall be
allowed to speak in support of his definition
as often as may be necessary, but not to engage
in desultory remarks.
8. Each word on the list, so far as time may allow,
shall be taken separately, according to any order
that may be agreed upon, each member having
written his definition, the paper shall be
folded and drawn out by lot, & shall be read by
the chairman. The subject shall the be dis-
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3
-(dis)cussed in order, if possible to arrive at a definition
from which may be accepted by all. Should unanimity
be unattainable, the vote of the majority
shall be taken by /// & the definition recorded
with the voter, subject to the right of the majority
on any position of theirs?, to place a minority
definition or definitions on record.
9 Should disagreement or doubt arise as to the
ordinary meaning or grammatical construction
of any word, reference shall be made to a
standard dictionary, which appeal shall be final.
10 The meetings shall commence punctually at
8 P.M. and all discussion of the definitions shall
cease at 10 30. The meeting to close not later
than 11 P.M.
4th Feb 1870
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transcript:
4
Art
Definitions proposed
Beauty portrayed Paulatim
Art is the mode of conveying an idea or
sentiment of the mind through the medium of
the imaginative faculties.
Palmam qui meruit ferat
Art is the faculty of giving expression to ideas
according to certain fixed? rules
Nemo
That talent? which appreciates purity of style in
painting, music or sculpture?
Erin go Braugh
Works? expressive of Beauty Onward & Upward
Art is that which everybody admires & yet
which few people can perform or do
Sans changer
Vote taken whether "Art" expresses the sense? of ob-
-taining a certain result //////
For the "Art"? Nemo, Sans changer
Onward & Upward, Erin go Bragh
Palmam qui meruit fera.......} 5
For the "result?" Paulatim ……………} 1
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4
Vote taken on ? whether the ordinary notion? of
beauty is necessarily involved in the idea of Art
Ayes Paulatim 1
No --- Nemo, Onward & Upward, Erin go Bragh
Palmam qui etc. Sans changer 5
For the definition "Art" is the mode of conveying
Palman qui etc. sentiment of the mind through
the medium of the imaginative faculties
Palman qui etc. Erin go Bragh, Sans
changer ---------------------------------- 4
For the definition Art is work experience of
Beauty. Onward & Upward 1
For the definition "Art is beauty portrayed
Paulatim 1
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"Poetry"
Definitions proposed
That division of art which relates to human
feeling Paulatim
That form of language which expresses ideas
in words following each other in regular ///
Erin go Bragh
The expression in language of beautiful fluency
Onward & upward
The result of art expressed by means of language
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in? composition or rhetoric. Poetry is //
/// put into regularity & harmony? of outward forms. Palmam qui meruit ferat
no definitions were submitted by Nemo & Sans changer
----------------------------------------------------------
Vote taken whether Poetry implies combination
of the expression of ideas within the form(ul) of expression
Ayes Erin go bragh
Nemo
Palmam qui meruit ferat } 3
No Onward & Upward
Paulatim
Sans changer } 3
Vote taken on whether poetry must be expressed in language
Ayes Erin go bragh
Nemo
Palmam qui meruit ferat
Onward & Upward
Sans changer } 5
No Paulatim 1
Definition proposed. Poetry is the expression
of artistic ideas, by means of language in
certain forms combining regularity and
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harmony Nemo
Erin go bragh
Palmam qui meruit ferat } 3
For the definition Poetry is the expression in
language of beautiful fluency.
Onward and Upward
Sans changer } 2
For the definition Poetry is that division of art which relates too human feeling.
Paulatim } 1
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Feb 4th 1870
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