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A  HISTORY  OF 

THE  ROYAL  DUBLIN 

SOCIETY 


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W  CJ      {_y 


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JOHNA.SEAVERNS 


TUFTS  UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES 


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Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 

Cummings  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 

Tufts  University 

200  Wesiboro  Road  .^ 

North  Grafton,  MA  01 536  *&*. 


A  HISTORY  OF 
THE  ROYAL  DUBLIN  SOCIETY 


THE  OLD  GATEWAY,  LEINSTER  HOUSE, 

AS   IT   APPEARED   IN    1885 

[From  a  photograph  by  Mr.   A.  McGoogan) 


A  HISTORY  OF 

THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN 

SOCIETY 


BY 


HENRY  F.  BERRY,  i.s.o.,  litt.d 

BARRISTER-AT-LAW 


"Hoc  anno  (1731)  ad  omandam  agriculturam  Societas 
coaluit  Dublini,  quae  hebdomatim  suas  adnotationes  edidit, 
et  prima  est  societatum  quae  ad  agricolendi  artem  colendam 
i0a/7ieruut."—ALBRECHT  VON   Hai.LER. 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS 


LONGMANS,    GREEN    AND    CO. 

39    PATERNOSTER    ROW,    LONDON 

FOURTH  AVENUE  &  30th  STREET,  NEW  YORK 

BOMBAY,    CALCUTTA,    AND    MADRAS 

i9J5 


M\)vlx  (Bbbuxa  Baton  Wilautt 

Bom  at  &t  Anne's,  Clontatf,  1  November  18^0 
©fell  at  St.  guru's,  Slontarf,  20  Januarg  1915 


Lord  Ardilaun,  at  whose  instance  this  book 
was  written,  did  not  live  to  see  its  completion, 
as  he  passed  away  a  few  days  before  its  issue 
from  the  press.  The  considerations  which  led 
him  to  design  the  publication  of  a  history  of 
the  Dublin  Society  are  mentioned  in  the  preface, 
and  during  the  last  year  of  his  life,  notwith- 
standing much  weakness,  the  work  was  con- 
stantly in  his  thoughts,  and  its  progress  was 
watched  by  him  with  solicitude.  His  portrait 
will  be  found  opposite  p.  287,  where  it  was 
placed  at  his  desire  instead  of  being  made  the 
frontispiece  as  the  author  had  intended. 


3^\ 

S 


PREFACE 

To  the  patriotism  and  munificence  of  Lord  Ardilaun 
the  publication  of  this  History  of  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society  is  due.  During  his  long  connection  with  the 
Society  he  had  gained  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
leading  part  that  for  many  generations  it  had  taken  in 
the  development  of  the  resources  of  Ireland  ;  and  he 
believed  that  it  would  be  of  service  to  his  country  that 
an  account  of  the  Society's  operations  and  of  the  men 
who  had  directed  them,  should  be  compiled. 

I  have  to  thank  Lord  Ardilaun  for  much  help  and 
many  valuable  suggestions  during  the  preparation  of  the 
work,  and  I  regret  that  it  did  not  appear  before  his 
resignation  of  the  office  of  President,  which  he  held  for 
the  lengthened  period  of  sixteen  years.  The  season  of 
its  publication,  however,  is  not  altogether  inappropriate, 
as  it  synchronises  with  the  centenary  of  the  Society's 
possession  and  occupation  of  Leinster  House.1 

In  publishing  this  History,  Lord  Ardilaun  has 
carried  out  a  suggestion  made  considerably  more  than 
a  century  ago  by  Arthur  Young.  Writing  in  1780, 
that  eminent  agriculturist  expressed  the  opinion  that 
Ireland  deserved  great  credit  for  having  given  birth  to 
a  society  which  had  been  the  precursor  of  all  similar 

1  On  the  14th  of  December,  1814,  the  purchase  of  that  mansion 
was  completed,  and  on  the  1st  of  June,  181 5,  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Society  within  its  walls  was  held. 


vi  THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 

societies  then  existing  in  Europe1  He  added  that  a 
history  of  its  transactions  would  be  a  work  extremely 
useful  to  Ireland,  as  in  every  part  of  that  country  he 
had  found  traces  of  the  Society's  influence,  exercised 
by  means  of  instruction.  The  origin  of  the  Society 
was  attributed  by  Young  to  a  single  individual,  Dr. 
Samuel  Madden,  whom  he  pronounced  to  be  one 
of  the  most  patriotic  men  that  any  country  had 
produced. 

The  present  members  of  the  Society,  as  well  as  the 
general  public,  may  have  certain  ideas  as  to  the  utility 
and  importance  of  its  work  in  the  past,  without  any 
definite  conception  of  the  varied  and  comprehensive 
character  of  the  very  thorough  methods  adopted  in 
the  course  of  their  labours  by  the  long  line  of 
distinguished  men  who  joined  in  carrying  out  the 
Society's  objects.  It  is  well  that  now,  at  the  close  of 
nearly  two  centuries,  through  the  public  spirit  of  Lord 
Ardilaun,  the  details  can  be  systematised,  and  some 
account  in  historical  shape  be  given  of  its  endeavours, 
so  that  the  innumerable  obligations  under  which  our 
country  stands  to  generations  of  Irishmen  who  have 
worked  for  the  common  good  under  its  auspices  may 
be  recognised. 

The   multitude  of  interests  which   from   time   to 

time  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Society  is  striking, 

and  while  many  great  undertakings  were  carried  out, 

nothing   appeared   too   small    or   insignificant    for  the 

1  Young  meant  that  it  was  the  precursor  of  all  existing  agri- 
cultural societies — not  the  very  first  of  its  class.  The  Scottish 
Society  of  Improvers  in  the  Knowledge  of  Agriculture,  which  had 
similar  objects  in  view,  was  founded  in  June  1723,  lasting  to  1745. 


PREFACE  vii 

members  to  interest  themselves  in,  provided  it  tended 
to  any  practical  result  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity. From  agricultural  machinery  and  the  great 
fishing  industry ;  from  science  and  the  fine  arts  down 
to  rag-picking  and  rat-catching,  nothing  seemed  to 
come  amiss.  All  who  came  forward  with  plans  or 
inventions,  of  even  the  humblest  character,  had  a  patient 
hearing,  and  if  possible,  a  helping  hand  extended. 
How  many  a  promising  art  student  was  stimulated 
to  further  effort,  and  afforded  the  means  of  completing 
his  education  !  What  numbers  of  impoverished  country 
tenants  were  enabled  to  live  more  comfortably,  and 
enjoy  improved  conditions  through  the  Society's  en- 
lightened efforts !  In  Dublin  alone,  not  to  speak  of 
country  districts,  thousands  of  artisans  and  skilled 
workmen  have  been  indebted  to  its  schools  and 
teachers  for  their  means  of  livelihood.  It  were  need- 
less to  point  out  the  improvement  in  the  breed  of 
cattle  and  horses  effected  by  the  Society's  operations, 
or  to  recount  the  measures  taken  to  promote  the 
fisheries  round  our  coasts. 

In  the  long  period  during  which  the  Dublin  Society 
has  laboured,  many  important  changes  in  social  and 
economic  conditions  have  taken  place,  and  a  perusal 
of  this  volume  will  make  it  plain  that  for  years  it 
performed  many  functions  which  at  length  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  country  was  compelled  to  discharge.  The 
Art  Schools,  the  Museum,  Botanic  Garden,  and  the 
Veterinary  Department,  which  represent  branches  of 
work  to  which  the  Society's  energies  were  devoted  in 
the  past,  are  all  now  placed  under  State  control.     The 


viii       THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 

Society  itself,  released  from  their  direction,  has  found, 
and  continues  to  find,  fresh  interests,  on  which  its 
beneficent  labours  may  be  expended,  under  the  guidance 
of  men  who,  like  their  predecessors,  at  much  self- 
sacrifice,  unite  in  a  common  effort  for  the  benefit  of 
their  fellow  countrymen. 

Mr.  R.  J.  Moss,  Registrar  of  the  Society,  and 
his  very  courteous  staff  have  been  most  helpful  during 
the  progress  of  the  work.  It  is  plain  that  no  one  so 
effectively  as  Mr.  Moss  could  have  written  the  history 
of  the  Society  during  the  last  thirty-five  years,  and 
dealt  with  the  scientific  aspect  of  its  work,  on  which, 
as  well  from  his  own  high  attainments  as  from  the 
traditions  he  has  inherited,  he  speaks  with  exceptional 
authority.  Mr.  Moss  most  kindly  contributes  Chap- 
ters xvin  and  xix,  which  form  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  work.  To  Dr.  F.  Elrington  Ball  my  obliga- 
tions are  very  great,  as  he  not  only  read  the  proofs, 
but  placed  his  experience  and  extensive  knowledge 
of  Ireland  in  the  eighteenth  century  at  my  disposal. 
To  Mr.  Walter  G.  Strickland,  of  the  National 
Gallery,  my  best  thanks  are  due  for  help  in  the 
chapter  on  the  Drawing  Schools,  in  which  his 
Dictionary  of  Irish  Artists  is  frequently  cited.  Sir 
Frederick  W.  Moore,  Director  of  the  Botanic  Garden, 
took  a  kind  interest  in  the  chapter  on  his  Department, 
and  afforded  much  valuable  information.  Mr.  T.  W. 
Lyster  obligingly  read  the  portion  of  the  work  devoted 
to  the  Library,  and  his  competent  staff,  true  to  their 
traditions,  were  ever  ready  to  meet  any  demands  on 
their  technical  knowledge.     The  Council  of  the  Royal 


PREFACE  ix 

Irish  Academy  was  good  enough  to  permit  the  portrait 
of  Dr.  Richard  Kirwan  to  be  photographed  for  the 
work,  and  thanks  are  due  to  the  Very  Rev.  the  Dean 
of  Christ  Church  for  allowing  the  Prior  monument 
in  the  south-west  porch  of  the  Cathedral  to  be  photo- 
graphed. Thanks  are  also  due  to  Count  Plunkett, 
Director  of  the  National  Museum,  for  lending  the 
block  which  illustrates  the  Statue  Gallery,  School  of 
Art.  Mr.  A.  Redding,  of  the  National  Museum, 
was  entrusted  with  the  task  of  photographing  the 
various  portraits  and  views  reproduced  in  the  volume, 
which  he  has  admirably  fulfilled ;  and  Mr.  A. 
McGoogan's  successful  restoration  of  a  view  of  the 
old  gateway  of  Leinster  House  must  not  pass  un- 
noticed.    {Frontispiece.) 

The  original  Minute  Books  of  the  Society  now 
remaining  of  record,  which  have  been  used  in  the 
compilation  of  this  volume,  are  as  follows  : — 

25  June  1731  —     1  Nov.  1733 

15  Nov.  1733  —  12  Nov.  1741 

19  Nov.  1741  —  10  July  1746 
3  May  1750  —  24  Nov.  1757 

20  Feb.  1752  —  24  Apr.  1755  (rough) 
9  Mar.  1758  —  13  Aug.  1761 

6  Mar.  1766  —  26  Nov.  1767 

3  Dec.  1767  —  6  July  1769 
13  July  1769  —  24  Jan.  1771 
31  Jan.  1771  —  9  Apr.  1772 

16  Apr.  1772  —  14  Oct.  1773 

21  Oct.  1773  —  29  June  1775 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 

They  do  not  appear  to  have  been  preserved  after  this 
date.  From  the  15th  of  March,  1764,  the  minutes 
were  printed. 

The  Dictionary  of  National  Biography  has  been 
largely  used  in  the  numerous  biographical  notices 
throughout  the  volume,  and  the  splendid  collection  of 
pamphlets  formed  by  the  late  Mr.  Charles  Haliday, 
now  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  afforded  valuable 
information  on  many  questions  in  which  the  Dublin 
Society  was  from  time  to  time  interested. 

Albrecht  von  Haller  (1 707-1 777),  whose  allusion 
to  the  Society  and  its  work  appears  in  the  quotation  in 
the  title-page,  was  a  Swiss  anatomist  and  physiologist, 
who  obtained  a  European  reputation.  King  George  II 
conferred  on  him  the  chair  of  medicine  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Gottingen,  and  in  1743  the  Royal  Society 
elected  him  one  of  its  Fellows. 

H.  F.  BERRY. 

Dublin, 

15th  Dece7nber,  19 14. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 


P*GE 


I.  Origin  of  the  Society i 

II.  Constitution  and  Progress  of  the  Society  .       14 

III.  The   "Weekly   Observations"  and  General 

History  of  the  Society,     (i 736-1 750)      .       34 

IV.  Dr.    Madden's    and    the    Society's   Premium 

Systems.     (1739-1790)         .         .         .  52 

V.  The    Society's    Charter    and    its    Further 

Progress.     (1750-1767)       ....       75 

VI.  Homes  of  the  Society 88 

VII.  The  Drawing  Schools 108 

VIII.  Experiments  in   Agriculture,  and  General 

Proceedings.     (1764-1780)  .         .         .     136 

IX.  The  Schools  of  Chemistry  and  Mineralogy. 

(1786-1836) i54 

X.  The  Library;  and  The  Statistical  Surveys 

of  Counties        .         .         .         .         •         .170 

XI.  The  Botanic  Garden 186 

XII.  The    Hibernian    Silk    and    Woollen    Ware- 
houses . 198 

XIII.  Finances   of   the   Society  :   Membership  and 

By-laws.     (1 761-1836)         ....     209 
XIV.  General  History  of  the  Society.    (1781-1815)     217 


xii        THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XV.  General  History  of   the  Society — continued. 

(1815-1836) 234 

XVI.  Select  Committee  on  the  Society  :    its   Re- 
port and  the  New  Constitution.     (1836- 

1838) 258 

XVII.  General    History  of    the  Society — continued. 

(1836-1877) 269 

XVIII.  General   History   of   the   Society,    1878   to 

the  Present 295 

XIX.  Survey    of     the    Scientific    Work    of     the 

Society 355 

[Chapters  xvm  and  xix  have  been  contributed 
by  Mr.  R.  J.  Moss,  Registrar  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society.] 


APPENDIXES 

I.  The  Society's  Officials,  1731-1914     .         .         .  379 
II.  Premiums    Offered    by    the    Dublin    Society, 

1766 386 

III.  List  of  Works  of  Art   in  Leinster   House    .  422 

Corrigenda  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  426 

Index 427 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING    PAGE 

9 


Leinster    House,  Old  Gateway,  as  it   appeared 

in   1885 Frontispiece 

{Photograph  by  Mr.  A.  McGoogan) 

Thomas  Prior 

[Marble  Bust  by  /.   Van  Nost :  Leinster  House) 

William  Maple 

{Marble  Bust  by  Patrick  Cunningham  :  Leinster  House) 

Philip,  Earl  of  Chesterfield 

{From  a  Mezzotint  by  J.  Brooks) 

Samuel  Madden,  d.d 

{From  a  Mezzotint  by  Charles  Spooner) 

Prior  Monument,  Christ  Church,  Dublin 

{J.  Van  Nost) 

Society's  Escritoire,  1753    .... 
Society's  House,  Grafton  Street 

{Gentleman' s  Magazine,  1786) 

President's  Chair,  1767         .... 
Society's  House,  Hawkins  Street,  West  Front 

(Hibernian  Magazine,  1801) 

Leinster  House,  West  Front,  1792    . 

{After  a  drawing  by  fames  Ma  I  ton) 

Leinster  House,  Conversation  Room 
Leinster  House,  Council  Room  .... 
Leinster  House,  Mantelpiece,  Reception  Room 
Leinster  House,  Reception  Room 


10 
46 

52 
81 

88 
89 

90 
96 

98 

101 
103 
104 
106 


xiv        THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


Medal    awarded    to    George    Petrie    in    the 

School     

Medal  of  the  Farming  Society 

Statue  Gallery,  School  of  Art,  1866 

{Photograph  by  Mr.  H.  Bantry  White,  M.A.) 

Silver  Cake  Basket,   1772 

[Premium  awarded  for  reclaiming  bog) 

General  Charles  Vallancey        .... 

[Oil  painting  by  Solomon  Williams:  Leinster  House) 

Dr.  Richard  Kirwan,  f.r.s.  .... 

(Oil painting  (painter  unknown)  :  Royal  Irish  Academy) 

Dr.  R.  Kirwan's  "Burning  Glass"  (Leinster  House) 
Sir  Charles  L.  Giesecke      .... 

(Oil painting  by  Sir  Henry  Raeburn  :  Leinster  House) 

Medal  awarded  to  Mr.  Lewis  Roberts,  1765 
Medal  presented  to  Sir  C  L.  Giesecke,  18 17 

(  William  S.  Mossop) 

Sir  Richard  Griffith,  Bart. 

(Marble  Bust  by  Sir  Thomas  Farrell :  Leinster  House) 

Botanic  Garden,  Glasnevin,  Plan,  1800    . 
Botanic  Garden,  Glasnevin,  Addison's  Walk 
Botanic  Garden,  Glasnevin,  View  in 
Thomas  Pleasants  .  ,  . 

(Oil painting  by  Solomon  Williams:  Leinster  House) 

Isaac  Weld     ....... 

(Oil painting  by  Martin  Cregan,  P.R.H.A.:  Leinster  House) 

Industrial  Exhibition  Building,  1853  (Leinster  Lawn) 
Exterior 

Industrial  Exhibition  Building,  1853,  Interior 
Dr.  George  Johnstone  Stoney,  f.r.s. 

(Photograph  by  W.   Whiteley,  Ltd.,  London) 

Arthur,  Lord  Ardilaun,  President  1897-1913  . 

(Photograph  by  Walter  Davey  &  Sons,  Harrogate) 


FACING  PAGE 

Art 


119 

128 

145 
148 

156 
158 

163 
166 

169 

IS6 
188 

196 
236 

246 

281 

282 

285 

287 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS  xv 

FACING  PAGE 

The  Society's  Mace 288 

[Presented  by  Lord  Ardilaufi,  1903) 

Ballsbridge  Premises,  Front  Entrance     .         .  31 1 

Laurence,  Earl  of  Rosse,  President  1 887-1 892        .     315 

[Photograph  by  Lafayette,  London) 

Mervyn,  Viscount  Powerscourt,  President  1892-1897     325 

(Photograph  by  Lafayette,  Dublin) 

Thomas  Kane,  Baron  Rathdonnell,  President  19 13     332 

(Photograph  by  Lafayette,  Ltd.,  Dublin) 

Charles  Uniacke  Townshend,  Vice-President  1893- 

i9°7 344 

(Oil painting  by  William  Orpen,  Dublin  :  Leinster  House) 

Ballsbridge  Premises,  Jumping  Enclosure         .         .     350 
Ballsbridge   Premises,   Grand   Stand,  Horse   Show, 

i9!3 352 

(Photograph  by  Chancellor,  Dublin) 

The  Boyle  Medal 376 

( Design ed  by  Alan  Wyon ) 


A   History  of 
The    Royal    Dublin    Society 

CHAPTER   I 

ORIGIN   OF   THE   SOCIETY 

Although    the    Royal    Society   of   London  was   not 
founded  until  the  year   1660,  it  is  a  well  ascertained 
fact  that  long  prior  to  that  date  a  number  of  scientific 
men  were  wont  to  meet  together  in  London  for  the 
discussion  of  subjects  interesting  to  them.     The  Oxford 
Philosophical  Society,  which  commenced  its  career  in 
165 1 — a  continuation  or  offset  of  one  that  occasionally 
met  in  Gresham  College,  London,  and  numbered  among 
its  members  Sir  William  Petty — largely  influenced  the 
beginning,  and  helped  to  mould  the  early  form,  of  the 
Royal  Society.     The  troubled  state  of  the  country  pre- 
vented regular  meetings  of  the  philosophers  at  Gresham 
College ;   but    they    still    held   to   their   purpose,   and 
Evelyn's  design  and  plan  for  a  Scientific  College,  pro- 
pounded in  1659  in  a  letter  to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle, 
is  believed  to  have  also  had  no  small  part  in  furthering 
the  foundation  of  the  Royal  Society,  when,  on  the  Re- 
storation, the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  were  once  more 
placed  on  surer  ground.     Sir  William  Petty,  in  addi- 
tion, formulated  a  scheme  for  a  Scientific  Academy,  and, 

A 


2  A   HISTORY   OF 

as  a  result   of  these  and  other  influences,  the  Royal 
Society  sprang  into  being  in  November  1660. 

In  the  same  way,  the  Dublin  Society  was  heralded 
by  one  or  two  associations  formed  in  Dublin  by  learned 
men  interested  in  scientific  pursuits  and  experiments. 
Though  at  no  time  distinctly  scientific,  being  founded 
for  practical  purposes,  which  only  took  in  science  so  far 
as  it  applied  to  them,  the  Dublin  Society  was  moulded 
and  fostered  by  men  influenced  by  those  of  a  prior 
generation,  who  had  formed  clubs  for  philosophic  pur- 
suits. In  1684,  the  Dublin  Philosophical  Society  was 
founded  by  William  Molyneux,  agreeably  (as  he  says) 
to  the  design  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London.  Pro- 
fessor S.  P.  Johnston,1  says  that  "  it  might  in  justice 
be  called  the  embryonic  form  of  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  Irish  institutions — the  Royal  Dublin 
Society."  William  Molyneux  was  son  of  Samuel 
Molyneux,  by  Margaret  Dowdall,  his  wife,  and  brother 
of  Sir  Thomas  Molyneux,  bart.  He  was  born  in 
1656,  and  died  in  1698.  William  Molyneux  was  ap- 
pointed in  1684  Surveyor  of  Works  in  Ireland,  and  in 
the  next  year  he  was  sent  by  Government  to  survey 
important  fortresses  in  the  Low  Countries.  He  was 
elected  m.p.  for  the  University  of  Dublin  in  1692, 
and  was  distinguished  as  a  philosopher  and  astronomer. 
His  most  celebrated  work,  the  Case  of  Ireland  being 
bound  by  Acts  of  Parliament  in  England  stated,  was 
published  in  1698.  Sir  William  Petty2  was  the  first 
president  of  the  Philosophical  Society — Molyneux  him- 
self being  constituted  secretary.     The  society  at  first 

1  Note  contributed  to  a  lecture  on  Marsh's  Library  in  Dr.  G.  T. 
Stokes'  Worthies  of  the  Irish  Church. 

2  Famous  for  his  survey  of  estates  forfeited  after  the  rebellion 
of  1 64 1,  known  as  the  Down  Survey.  Thomas,  first  Earl  of  Kerry, 
married  Petty's  daughter,  Anne,  and  they  were  ancestors  of  the 
Lansdowne  family. 


THE   ROYAL    DUBLIN   SOCIETY  3 

consisted  of  about  twenty  members,  and  meetings  for 
the  discussion  of  mathematics,  physics,  literature, 
history,  and  medical  science  were  held  in  a  coffee-house 
on  Cork  Hill.  Dr.  St.  George  Ashe,  afterwards 
provost '  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin  and  Bishop  of 
Derry,  one  of  Swift's  circle,  contributed ;  and  Dr. 
Robert  Huntingdon,  then  Provost,1  invited  the  infant 
Society  to  meet  at  his  abode.  Copies  of  the  minutes 2 
and  communications  were  transmitted  to  the  Royal 
Society ;  they  were  read  at  the  meetings,  and  are  still 
to  be  found  among  its  records.  Meetings  were  subse- 
quently held  at  the  Crow's  Nest,3  Crow  street,  where  were 
established  a  museum,  laboratory,  and  botanic  garden. 
In  Sir  John  Gilbert's  History  of  Dublin  (vol.  ii.,  p. 
173)  will  be  found  a  very  full  account  of  this  society, 
and  in  appendix  ii.  of  the  same  volume  is  a  list  of  the 
papers  read  before  it — "  Transactions  of  the  Dublin 
Philosophical  Society  to  1686  " — classified  by  the  late  Sir 
William  Wilde,  with  names  of  the  contributors.  Among 
them,  Dr.  Narcissus  Marsh,  who  held  successively  three 
archbishoprics,  wrote  an  essay  on  the  doctrine  of  sounds  ; 
Molyneux  a  paper  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  viewing 
pictures  in  miniature  with  a  telescope ;  Dr.  St.  George 
Ashe  discoursed  on  the  evidence  of  mathematical  de- 
monstration ;  Dr.  Huntingdon  wrote  on  obelisks  and 
pillars  of  Egypt,  and  other  members  reported  as  to 
experiments  on  dogs,  blood,  &c.  On  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities  between  King  James  and  William  of  Orange, 
the  society  appears  to  have  broken  up. 

1  Later  Bishop  of  Raphoe.  He  was  a  great  Orientalist,  and, 
during  a  ten  years'  residence  in  Palestine,  acquired  a  large  number 
of  Oriental  documents,  which  are  now  in  Oxford  and  Cambridge. 
(See  Life,  &c,  by  Thomas  Smith.) 

2  The  original  Minute  Book  is  now  in  the  British  Museum.  (Add. 
MSS.  4811.) 

3  Recently  occupied  by  the  Cecilia  Street  Medical  School  of 
the  Catholic  University. 


4  A   HISTORY    OF 

In  1693  a  reorganisation  of  it  was  brought  about 
in  Trinity  College,  which  was  in  active  operation  up  to 
1698.  "This  evening  (26  April)  at  6,  met  at  the 
Provost's  lodgings,  t.c.d.,  in  order  to  a  renewal  of 
our  Philosophical  meeting,  when  Sir  R.  Cox  read  a 
geographical  account  of  Derry,"  &c.  (Marsh's  Ms. 
Diary)} 

A  third  society  was  in  existence  about  1706,  of 
which  Samuel  Molyneux,  son  of  William  Molyneux, 
was  secretary,  and  it  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
Familiar  Letters  of  Locke  and  Molyneux.  Of  this 
society  Berkeley  was  a  member.  Sir  Thomas  Molyneux, 
brother  of  the  originator  of  the  first  society,  was  the 
only  person  who  appears  to  have  directly  connected 
the  Dublin  Society  with  the  earlier  associations. 

When,  after  the  Revolution,  the  country  had  settled 
down  to  resume  its  former  peace  and  quiet,  the  condi- 
tion of  agriculture  was  low  in  the  extreme.  The  most 
primitive  implements  were  in  use,  and  the  crudest 
possible  ideas  on  husbandry  prevailed.  Tenure  of 
holdings  was  most  precarious,  and  this,  combined  with 
the  poverty  and  ignorance  of  the  farming  classes,  pre- 
vented any  real  progress.  Landlords  began  to  find 
that  pasturage  was  their  easiest  mode  of  making  money, 
and  they  showed  a  marked  preference  for  a  few 
substantial  tenants  over  a  number  of  smaller  ones,  who 
could  only  engage  in  light  tillage.  Seeing  there  was 
no  employment  for  labourers,  whole  neighbourhoods 
were  turned  adrift,  and  begging  became  a  settled  occu- 
pation of  numbers  of  the  people.  These  are  Mr. 
Lecky's  views  as  to  the  state  of  agricultural  Ireland  at 
the  time,  and  in  his  Essay  on  Trade,  Arthur  Dobbs  was 
forced  to  suggest  the  erection  of  workhouses  as  a  remedy 

1  Now  in  the  library  which  he  founded  in  Dublin. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY  5 

for  the  widespread  want  and  destitution  prevalent  at 
this  juncture.  Robert,  first  Viscount  Molesworth,  who 
was  a  close  personal  friend  of  William  Molyneux, 
and  to  whom  Swift  dedicated  the  fifth  of  the  Draper  s 
Letters,  was  author  of  a  very  remarkable  pamphlet — 
Some  Considerations  for  Promoting  Agriculture  and 
Employing  the  Poor  (1723) — which  Mr.  Lecky  observes1 
"  exposed  with  a  skilful  and  unsparing  hand  the  gross 
defects  of  Irish  agricultural  economy,  and  at  the  same 
time  proposed  a  series  of  remedies,  which,  if  they  had 
been  carried  out,  might  have  made  Ireland  a  happy  and 
prosperous  country."  Among  the  Haliday  collection 
of  pamphlets  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy's  Library  are 
a  number  of  essays  and  papers  dealing  with  Irish  trade, 
manufactures,  and  husbandry  in  the  first  half  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  which  will  well  repay  perusal  by 
those  making  such  subjects  a  special  study.  They 
show  that  in  the  south  of  Ireland  farms  were  being 
largely  consolidated  and  lesser  tenants  were  being 
turned  out,  while  the  north  groaned  under  the  burden 
of  excessive  rents,  and  everywhere  discontent  became 
rife. 

At  the  time  of  the  accession  of  King  George  the 
Second  to  the  throne,  there  was  much  cultivated  society 
in  Dublin,  and  throughout  Ireland  there  were  many 
thoughtful  men,  anxious  to  improve  the  condition  of 
their  country,  and  to  raise  the  status  of  the  agri- 
cultural population,  on  which  its  prosperity  so  largely 
depended.  As  a  result  of  these  conditions,  a  small 
band  of  patriotic  reformers,  actuated  by  the  purest 
and  noblest  motives,  felt  that  a  time  had  arrived  at 
which  they  might  unite  in  an  effort  to  promote  and 
improve  the  system  of  husbandry,  the  manufactures, 

1  Ireland  in  the  Eighteenth  Century,  i.  302. 


6  A   HISTORY   OF 

and  useful  arts  of  the  country.     To  them  was  due  the 
foundation  of  the  Dublin  Society. 

Though  the  Society  soon  began  to  assemble  in  a 
committee  room  of  the  Parliament  House,  its  first 
meeting  was  held  in  the  rooms  of  the  Philosophical 
Society  in  Trinity  College  on  the  25th  of  June  173 1, 
and  the  following  is  a  transcript  of  the  minutes  of 
that  date  :  — 

Dublin,  2$thjune,  1731 
Present 

Judge  Ward.  Dr.  Stephens. 

Sir  Th.  Molyneux.  Dr.  Magnaten. 

Th.  Upton,  Esq.  Dr.  [John]  Madden. 

John  Pratt,  Esq.  Dr.  Lehunte. 

Rich.  Warburton,  Esq.  Mr.  Walton. 

Rev.  Dr.  Whitecomb.  Mr.  Prior. 

Arthur  Dobs,  Esq.  W.  Maple. 

Several  gentlemen  having  agreed  to  meet  in  the 
Philosophical  Rooms  in  Trin.  Col.,  Dub.,  in  order  to 
promote  Improvements  of  all  kinds,  and  Dr.  Stephens 
being  desired,  took  the  Chair. 

It  was  proposed  and  unanimously  agreed  unto, 
to  form  a  Society,  by  the  name  of  the  Dublin  Society, 
for  improving  Husbandry,  Manufactures,  and  other 
useful  arts. 

It  was  proposed  and  resolved,  that  all  the  present, 
and  all  such  who  should  become  members  of  the 
Society,  shall  subscribe  their  names  to  a  Paper,  con- 
taining their  agreement  to  form  a  Society  for  the 
purposes  aforesaid. 

Ordered  that  a  Committee  ot  all  the  members 
present  do  meet  next  Thursd.,  in  the  Philosophical 
Rooms  in  Trin.  Col.,  Dub.,  to  consider  of  a  Plan 
or  Rules  for  the  Government  of  the  Society,  any 
three  thereof  to  be  a  Quorum,  and  that  notice  be  sent 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY  7 

to  the  members  in  Town,  the  day  before  the  time  for 
meeting.  The  Society  adjourned  to  this  day  fort- 
night. 

The  names  of  those  who  thus  stood  round  the 
cradle  of  the  infant  Society  must  ever  be  held  in 
honour  in  this  country,  and,  though  all  were  men  of 
note,  the  names  of  at  least  eight  stand  out  prominently 
as  having,  from  the  start  and  for  years  after,  laboured 
assiduously  and  unselfishly  in  promoting  the  ends  it 
had  in  view.  Primarily,  they  set  themselves  to  educate 
those  concerned  in  the  first  principles  of  successful 
farming,  and  in  endeavouring  to  promote  industries 
which  might  afford  employment.  As  our  story  pro- 
ceeds and  unfolds  itself,  the  warmest  admiration  must 
be  felt  for  them  as  men  who  seemed  so  much  in 
advance  of  their  age,  and  who  aimed  at  making  Ireland 
not  only  self-supplying,  but  also  a  great  exporting 
country. 

Michael  Ward,  of  Castle  Ward,  co.  Down,  m.p.  for 
the  county  of  Down  171 5  ;  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench 
1727— 1759.     He  was  father  of  the  first  Viscount  Bangor. 

Sir  Thomas  Molyneux,  brother  of  William  Molyneux, 
was  born  in  Dublin  in  166 1,  and  studied  for  the  medical 
profession  at  Leyden.  He  was  a  friend  of  Robert  Boyle 
and  Sir  William  Petty,  and  in  London  became  acquainted 
with  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  John  Evelyn,  and  Dryden  ;  he  also 
met  Locke.  Molyneux  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  and  in  1702  became  President  of  the  Irish  College 
of  Physicians.  In  1730  he  was  created  a  Baronet,  and  died 
in  Dublin  in  1 733.  A  monument  to  his  memory  was 
erected  in  Armagh  Cathedral.  Molyneux  printed  Notes  on 
the  Giant's  Causeway,  which  was  the  first  work  that  main- 
tained it  to  be  a  natural  formation.  He  published  the 
earliest  account  of  the  Sea  Mouse,  and  in  1696,  the  first 
scientific   report  on  the  Irish   Elk   {Cervus   megaceros)   in   a 


A   HISTORY    OF 

"  Discourse  concerning  the  large  horns  frequently  found 
underground  in  Ireland."  He  also  wrote  an  essay  on 
Giants,  a  letter  on  the  Lyre  of  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  a 
discourse  on  Danish  Forts.  There  is  in  Trinity  College  a 
portrait  of  Sir  Thomas  by  Kneller. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  John  Whitecombe  was  born  in  Cork,  and 
became  tutor  to  Lord  George  Sackville,  son  of  the  Duke  of 
Dorset,  to  whom  he  was  chaplain.  He  obtained  a  Fellow- 
ship in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  in  1720,  being  subsequently 
appointed  Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  1 735,  Bishop  of  Down 
and  Connor,  and  in  1 752  Archbishop  of  Cashel.  He  died 
there  in  1 75 3,  and  is  buried  in  the  old  cathedral. 

Arthur  Dobbs,  born  at  Girvan,  n.b.  (where  his  parents 
took  refuge  during  the  Irish  troubles),  in  1689.  He  was 
Engineer  in  chief  and  Surveyor-general  in  Ireland,  and 
M.P.  for  Carrickfergus  in  the  Parliament  of  1727— 1760. 
His  essay  on  the  Trade  and  Imports  of  Ireland,  published  by 
A.  Rhames,  Dublin,  1729,  was  designed  "to  give  a  true 
state  of  the  Kingdom  that  may  set  us  thinking  what  may  be 
done  for  the  good  and  improvement  of  one's  country,  and 
to  rectify  mistakes  many  have  fallen  into,  by  reason  of  a 
prevailing  opinion  that  the  trade  and  prosperity  of  Ireland 
are  detrimental  to  their  [i.e.  England's]  wealth  and  commerce, 
and  that  we  are  their  rivals  in  trade."  He  advocated  an  im- 
proved system  of  land  tenure,  considering  it  a  grievance  that 
the  Irish  tenant  had  no  fixed  property  in  his  land,  and  that 
he  was  thereby  deprived  of  any  incentive  to  improvement. 
The  essay  contains  much  information  as  to  the  condition  of 
Irish  trade  and  of  the  Irish  people  at  the  time.  This  treatise 
was  followed  by  Thoughts  on  Government  in  General  in  1 73 1, 
which  is  among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets.  Dobbs  took  a  very 
active  part  in  promoting  the  search  for  a  North-West 
passage  to  India  and  China,  and  a  point  of  land  in  Hudson's 
Bay  was  named  Cape  Dobbs.  He  published  an  Account  of 
the  Countries  adjoining  Hudson  s  Bay,  1 748,  and  he  was  also 
instrumental  in  carrying  through  an  Act  of  Parliament  for 
enclosing  waste  land  and  planting  trees.  In  1 754,  Dobbs 
was  appointed  Governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  he  died  at 
the  seat  of  his  government  in  1 765. 


THOMAS  PRIOR 
[Marble  Bust  by  J.    Van  Nost) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY  9 

William  Stephens,  doctor  in  physic,  was  physician  to 
the  Royal  Hospital,  Dublin,  where  he  resided,  being  also 
physician  to  Mercer's  and  Steevens'  Hospitals.  He  was  a 
member  of  a  very  old  county  Wexford  family,  that  owned 
property  in  that  county  and  in  the  county  of  Kilkenny.  Dr. 
Stephens  became  lecturer  in  Chemistry  in  Trinity  College 
in  1733,  and  was  President  of  the  College  of  Physicians  in 
that  year  and  again  in  1742.  He  published  Botanical 
Elements  for  the  use  of  the  Botany  School  in  the  University  of 
Dublin,  and  died  in  1760. 

Francis  Le  Hunte,  m.d.,  succeeded  his  brother  Richard 
Le  Hunte  in  the  family  estates  in  co.  Wexford,  and,  on 
retiring  from  practice  as  a  medical  man,  went  to  reside  at 
Brennanstown,  co.  Dublin.  His  extensive  charities,  bene- 
volence, and  great  affability  rendered  him  justly  beloved. 
He  died  December  I,  1750.  Mozeen,  an  actor,  in  an  "In- 
vitation to  Dr.  Le  Hunte  "  {Miscellaneous  Essays),  says  his 
abode  was  the  home  of  every  virtue  and  delight.  (See  History 
of  Dublin,  F.  E.  Ball,  i.  106,  and  Swanzy's  French  and  Nixon 
Families,  p.  27.) 

Thomas  Prior,  born  in  1682,  at  Rathdowney,  Queen's 
co.,  was  educated  at  Kilkenny  School,  where  he  had  as 
school-fellow  the  illustrious  George  Berkeley,  with  whom 
he  formed  a  lifelong  friendship.  After  graduating  in 
Trinity  College  in  1 703,  Prior  began  to  promote  all  kinds 
of  industrial  work  in  Ireland.  His  List  of  Irish  Absentees 
appeared  in  1729,  and  was  intended  as  a  rebuke  to  the 
large  number  of  his  fellow-countrymen  and  women  who, 
while  drawing  enormous  revenues  from  their  properties, 
systematically  resided  out  of  Ireland.  In  1741  he  printed  a 
Proposal  as  to  the  Price  of  Corn.  Lord  Chesterfield,  during  the 
period  of  his  viceroyalty,  had  many  opportunities  of  meeting 
Prior,  and  formed  a  very  high  opinion  of  him.  He  acted  as 
Secretary  to  the  Society  from  1 731  to  175 1.  Thomas 
Prior  closed  a  career  of  exceptional  usefulness  on  the  21st  of 
October  175 1,  and  a  monument  to  his  memory  was  erected 
in  Christ  Church  Cathedral,  Dublin,  by  the  Dublin  Society 
(see  p.  80).  The  Society  is  also  in  possession  of  a  marble 
bust  of  him  by  Van  Nost,  executed  in  175 1  by  its  order. 


io  A   HISTORY   OF 

William  Maple,  a  distinguished  chemist,  and  operator  in 
chemistry  to  the  University  of  Dublin,  was  keeper  of  the 
Parliament  House,  and  it  was  through  his  influence  that  the 
newly  formed  Society  was  enabled  to  meet  in  one  of  the 
committee  rooms,  until  suitable  premises  were  found.  In 
1723  he  had  been  selected  to  give  evidence  before  the 
House  of  Commons  as  to  the  composition  of  the  metal  in 
Wood's  halfpence.  In  1727  the  Irish  Parliament  presented 
Maple  with  ^200  for  discovering  a  method  of  tanning 
leather  by  the  root  of  the  Tormentilla  erecta  or  Septfoil,  and 
in  1729  he  published  a  pamphlet  entitled  A  Method  of 
Tanning  without  Bark.  Maple  acted  as  curator  and 
registrar  to  the  Dublin  Society  until  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  1762,  at  an  advanced  age.  In  his  will  he  speaks  of 
his  modest  fortune  as  the  result  "  of  a  painful  life  of  labour," 
and  he  bequeathed  the  greater  part  of  it  to  a  niece,  Frances 
Potter.  There  is  a  bust  of  Maple,  by  Cunningham,  in 
Leinster  House. 

At  a  meeting  held  on  the  1st  of  July  173 1,  it  was 
agreed  that  the  word  "Sciences"  should  be  added  after 
"Arts  "  in  the  title  of  the  Society.  Soon  after,  Anthony 
Sheppard,  jun.,  was  appointed  its  first  treasurer,  a  post 
which  he  held  until  his  death  in  1737.  A  sumof  301. 
was  to  be  paid  on  admission  to  membership,  and  30J. 
was  to  be  the  amount  of  the  annual  subscription. 

Among  the  earliest  admissions  a  strong  clerical 
element  was  noticeable,  and  the  following  five  digni- 
taries of  the  Irish  Church  joined  the  Society  in  September 
I73I :  (0  Theophilus  Bolton,  archbishop  of  Cashel,  one 
of  Swift's  correspondents.  He  was  a  leader  in  politics, 
opposed  to  Primate  Boulter,  and  favourable  to  the 
Irish  as  distinguished  from  the  English  interest.  The 
Archbishop  was  an  improver  of  land,  by  draining  bogs 
which  were  large  and  useless,  and  turning  them  into 
pasture  and  tillage.  He  placed  the  city  of  Cashel 
under  great  obligation  by  instituting  a  water  supply 
at  his  own  expense.     Great  rejoicings  took  place  at  its 


WILLIAM  MAPLE 
[Marble  Bust  by  Patrick  Cunningham) 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY         n 

inauguration,  and  the  new  canal  was  named  the  "  River 
Bolton."  (Pue's  Occurrences,  16th  December  1732.) 
(ii)  Welbore  Ellis,  bishop  of  Meath,  who  had  pre- 
viously held  the  See  of  Kildare.  (iii)  Josiah  Hort, 
bishop  of  Kilmore,  who  subsequently  became  Arch- 
bishop of  Tuam.  (iv)  Edward  Synge,  bishop  of  Clon- 
fert.  (v)  Robert  Clayton,  bishop  of  Killala,  1730, 
who  published  a  number  of  works.  His  Essay  on 
Spirit,  175 1,  and  some  later  pamphlets,  were  so  Arian 
in  their  tendencies,  that  an  Ecclesiastical  Commission 
was  appointed  to  bring  the  Bishop  to  trial,  but  he 
died  in  1758,  before  any  proceedings  were  had  under 
it.  Clayton  was  appointed  to  the  Bishopric  of  Clogher 
in  1745,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Clayton  are  frequently 
mentioned  in  the  Correspondence  of  Mrs.  Delany, 
who  describes  the  splendid  entertainments  at  their 
house  in  Stephen's  Green. 

Aaron  Rhames  was  appointed  as  first  printer  to 
the  Society,  and  the  earliest  work  dealt  with  was 
Jethro  Tull's  Horse  Hoeing  Husbandry,  which  was 
ordered  to  be  printed,  or  rather  reprinted.  This 
appears  to  be  a  clear  case  of  piracy,  as  the  work  had 
only  just  appeared  in  England.  The  Irish  edition 
printed  by  Rhames  is  among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets, 
Royal  Irish  Academy,  and  the  title-page  describes  the 
work  as  on  the  new  Horse  Houghing  Husbandry, 
"  wherein  is  shown  a  method  of  introducing  a  sort  of 
vineyard  culture  into  corn  fields,  in  order  to  increase 
their  product  and  diminish  expense  by  the  use  of 
instruments  lately  invented."  This  was  the  drill 
husbandry  practised  in  Lombardy ;  machines  drilled 
the  seed  in  rows,  and  cleaved  and  hoed  the  intervals. 

Jethro  Tull,  the  author  of  the  work,  was  born  in 
Berkshire  in  1674,  graduated  at  Oxford,  and  was  called  to 
the  Bar  at  Gray's  Inn  in  1 699,  as  he  had  intended  entering 


12  A   HISTORY   OF 

on  a  political  career.  He,  however,  began  farming  near 
Wallingford,  where  he  invented  and  perfected  his  "  drill." 
For  some  years  Tull  was  compelled  to  travel  for  his  health, 
and  on  his  return  in  1 7 14  he  carried  out  many  improve- 
ments noted  while  abroad,  but  his  views  and  experiments  met 
with  much  opposition.  His  famous  book  was  an  Essay  on  the 
Principles  of  Tillage  and  Vegetation.  In  1 733  and  1753, 
French  translations  of  it  appeared,  and  Voltaire  was  said  to 
have  been  a  disciple  of  Tull,  practising  husbandry  at  Ferney 
on  the  new  system.  Tull's  invention  was  the  contriving 
of  an  engine  which  would  plant  more  surely  than  could  be 
done  by  hand,  and  he  is  said  to  have  invented  the  four- 
wheeled  post-chaise.     His  death  took  place  in  1 741. 

A  treatise  on  "  A  new  method  of  draining  marshy 
and  boggy  lands "  was  presented  in  writing  by 
Mr.  Prior,  which,  on  being  read,  was  ordered  to  be 
registered,  and  this  treatise  is  copied  in  full  in  the 
original  minute  book.  A  paper  on  Hampshire  Methods 
in  the  Culture  of  Hops ',  by  Captain  Cobbe,  and  a  disserta- 
tion on  Dyeing  by  Dr.  William  Stephens,  were  also 
read,  and  are  to  be  found  in  the  minute  book. 

The  meeting  of  the  28th  of  October  173 1  was  held 
in  the  Lords'  committee  room  at  the  Parliament  House, 
where  many  subsequent  ones  were  conducted.  Dr. 
Stephens  brought  forward  an  account  of  the  design 
and  method  of  proceeding  of  the  Society,  of  which 
2000  copies  were  ordered  to  be  printed,  distributed 
among  the  members,  and  also  sent  into  the  country. 

As  showing  the  anxious  desire  of  the  Society,  even 
in  its  early  infancy,  for  full  enquiry  and  enlightenment 
on  every  point  that  might  tend  to  improvement,  which 
has  been  so  characteristic  of  it  in  its  subsequent  career, 
there  is  a  record  of  Lord  Barrymore  having  been  re- 
quested to  direct  his  agent  in  Cheshire  to  send  over  a 
bushel  of  each  species  of  marl  found  in  that  county : 
also   of  Mr.    Prior    handing    in   a   set   of  queries   on 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        13 

madder 1  which  were  to  be  sent  to  Holland,  with  a  view 
to  eliciting  information.  Dutch  methods  seem  to 
have  been  highly  appreciated,  and  among  the  earliest 
volumes  acquired  by  the  Society  as  a  nucleus  for  its 
library  were  works  by  Dutch  writers  on  agriculture 
and  husbandry. 

On  the  4th  of  December  173 1,  the  first  election  of 
officers  was  held,  when  Lionel  Cranfield  Sackville, 
Duke  of  Dorset,  lord  lieutenant,  was  named  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Society  ;  the  Primate  (Hugh  Boulter),  vice- 
president  ;  Anthony  Sheppard,  treasurer  ;  Dr.  Stephens, 
secretary  for  home  affairs ;  Thomas  Prior,  secretary  for 
foreign  affairs ;  William  Maple,  curator  and  registrar. 
Subsequently,  on  being  waited  on  at  the  Castle  by  a 
deputation  to  thank  him  for  the  honour  done  the 
Society  by  his  consenting  to  become  President,  the 
Duke  of  Dorset  signed  his  name  in  that  capacity  in 
the  subscription  book.  Hugh  Boulter,  primate,  who 
was  chosen  vice-president,  held  the  See  of  Armagh 
from  1724  to  1742.  He  was  born  in  London,  and 
soon  after  entering  on  public  life,  his  great  talents 
made  him  a  conspicuous  figure  both  in  Church  and 
State.  He  lies  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey,  where 
there  is  a  monument  to  his  memory.  At  this  election 
Dr.  John  Van  Lewen  was  admitted  a  member,  and  he 
appears  to  have  been  the  first  member  of  the  Society 
admitted  by  ballot.  He  was  son  of  a  Dutch  physician, 
and  practised  as  an  accoucheur,  dying  in  Moles- 
worth  street  in  1736.  Van  Lewen  was  father  of 
Letitia  Van  Lewen,  Swift's  favourite,  who  married  the 
Rev.  Matthew  Pilkington. 

1  Madder  was  grown  in  large  quantities  in  Flanders,  on  which 
account  cloth,  made  in  England,  was  still  sent  over  there  to  be 
dyed.  Until  the  introduction  of  the  coal-tar  colours,  more  than  a 
century  later,  madder  was  the  principal  source  of  all  red  dyes.  (See 
Hist.  Roy.  Soc.  A7'ts,  p.  15.) 


A   HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   II 

CONSTITUTION  AND  PROGRESS   OF   THE  SOCIETY 

On  the  18th  of  December  173 1,  twenty-six  members 
being  present,  rules  for  forming  the  Society  and  direct- 
ing the  method  of  procedure  were  approved.  They 
are  as  follows : 

1.  That  the  election  of  members,  after  100  shall 
have  subscribed,  shall  be  by  Ballot. 

2.  That  a  President,  Vice-President,  two  Secretaries, 
a  Treasurer,  a  Curator  and  Register  be  chosen  out  of 
their  members. 

3.  That  a  Standing  Committee,  annually  elected, 
of  twenty-one  members,  be  appointed  to  meet  an  hour 
before  the  members  of  the  Society,  to  order  all  matters 
relating  to  the  economy  of  the  Society,  five  whereof 
shall  make  a  quorum,  and  all  members  that  come  to 
have  voices. 

4.  That  all  the  officers  of  the  Society  shall  be  chosen 
by  Ballot  on  the  second  Thursday  in  November,  yearly, 
and  as  often  as  any  vacancy  shall  happen. 

5.  That  in  case  the  President  and  Vice-President 
shall  be  both  absent  from  any  meeting,  the  members 
then  present,  being  seven  in  number,  may  appoint  one 
of  their  number  to  be  chairman  for  that  time,  with  the 
same  power  as  the  President  or  Vice-President  would 
have  had,  were  they  present. 

6.  That  the  President,  Vice-President,  or  Chairman 
shall  regulate  debates,  state  and  put  questions,  call  for 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         15 

Reports  and  Accounts,  and  see  to  the  execution  of  the 
Statutes. 

7.  That  the  business  of  the  Secretaries,  one  for 
home  affairs,  and  one  for  correspondence,  shall  be  to 
note  down  in  writing  the  orders  and  material  passages 
of  the  meetings,  take  care  of  the  Books  and  Papers  of 
the  Society,  direct  the  Register  in  making  entries  in  the 
Register  and  Journal  Books,  draw  up  all  such  letters 
as  shall  be  ordered  to  be  written  in  the  name  of  the 
Society,  and  which  shall  be  approved  of  at  one  of  the 
meetings,  and  give  notice  of  members  and  officers  to  be 
elected. 

8.  That  the  Treasurer  shall  receive  all  the  Society's 
money,  and  pay  sums  under  forty  shillings  by  order  of 
the  Standing  Committee,  and  all  sums  exceeding  forty 
shillings  by  order  of  the  Society.  That  all  bills  for 
charges  of  experiments  shall  be  signed  by  the  persons 
appointed  to  attend  the  making  them,  and  that  the 
accounts  of  the  Treasurer  shall  be  audited  by  the 
Standing  Committee  four  times  in  a  year,  and  once  in 
a  year  by  the  Society. 

9.  When  experiments  shall  be  ordered  to  be  made 
in  Dublin  at  the  charge  of  the  Society,  the  Curator 
shall  prepare  the  instruments  and  materials ;  and  one 
or  more  members  shall  be  appointed  to  be  assistants  of 
these  experiments,  who,  together  with  the  Curator,  are 
to  attend  the  making  thereof,  and  shall  in  due  time 
report  the  same  in  writing  to  the  Society. 

10.  When  experiments  are  to  be  made  in  the 
country,  proper  instructions  shall  be  sent  to  correspon- 
dents for  making  those  experiments  with  care  and 
exactness. 

1 1 .  A  Register  shall  be  kept  of  all  experiments 
made  by  order  of  the  Society,  and  communicated  from 
their  correspondents,  and  observations  made  of  their 


1 6  A    HISTORY  OF 

agreement   or  disagreement  with   experiments   of  the 
like  nature  made  in  other  places. 

12.  That  whatever  Statute  or  Standing  Order  shall 
be  proposed  to  be  made  or  repealed,  the  making  or 
repealing  thereof  shall  be  twice  voted,  and  at  two 
several  meetings. 

13.  That  the  Society  hold  a  correspondence  with 
other  Societies  and  private  persons. 

14.  That  all  the  works,  journals,  and  transactions 
which  shall  for  the  future  be  published  by  other 
Societies  and  private  persons,  which  shall  contain  any 
useful  improvement  or  discovery  in  Nature  or  Art,  be 
purchased,  by  the  order  of  and  at  the  charge  of  the 
Society. 

15.  That  the  Ordinary  Meetings  of  the  Society  be 
held  once  a  fortnight,  at  such  time  and  place  as  the 
Society  shall  appoint,  where  none  shall  be  present  but 
the  members,  without  the  leave  of  the  Society. 

16.  That  a  Committee  of  Arts  shall  sit  once  a 
fortnight  in  such  weeks  wherein  the  Society  do  not 
meet,  to  which  Committee  all  members  may  come  at 
pleasure,  and  may  admit  artists,  tradesmen,  and  husband- 
men, to  assist  and  inform  the  members,  in  such  Arts 
and  improvements  as  shall  be  thought  useful,  and  fit 
to  be  encouraged  and  propagated  in  this  kingdom. 

17.  That  it  be  the  business  of  the  Committee  of 
Arts,  particularly  to  enquire  into  the  state  of  Husbandry 
and  the  several  mechanic  Arts  in  this  kingdom,  to 
find  out  wherein  they  fall  short  of  the  Arts  of  other 
countries,  to  consider  what  foreign  improvements  may 
be  introduced  here,  or  new  inventions  set  on  foot, 
by  what  means  and  at  what  expense  this  may  be  done. 

18.  That  models  of  the  instruments  of  every  Art 
be  procured,  more  especially  of  such  instruments 
which  are  made    use  of   in  other  countries,  and  not 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        17 

known  here,  and  of  such  complicated  engines,  whose 
use  and  formation  cannot  easily  be  discovered  by  the 
figure  thereof. 

19.  That  every  member  of  this  Society,  at  his 
admission,  be  desired  to  choose  some  particular  subject, 
either  in  Natural  History,  or  in  Husbandry,  Agri- 
culture, or  Gardening,  or  some  species  of  Manufacture, 
or  other  branch  of  improvement,  and  make  it  his 
business,  by  reading  what  had  been  printed  on  that 
subject,  by  conversing  with  them  who  made  it  their 
profession,  or  by  making  his  own  experiments,  to 
make  himself  master  thereof,  and  to  report  in  writing, 
the  best  account  they  can  get  by  experiment  or 
enquiry  relating  thereunto. 

20.  To  the  end  that  all  members  may  be  fully 
informed  of  all  particulars  relating  to  any  Art  or 
Manufacture  which  shall  be  proposed  to  be  improved, 
proper  queries  shall  be  drawn  up,  and  transmitted  to 
such  persons  and  places,  who  shall  be  thought  most 
likely  to  give  the  best  account  thereof,  and  that  all 
answers  to  such  questions,  when  well  considered  and 
approved  of,  be  printed  for  the  use  of  the  public,  in 
order  that  the  skill,  manner  of  work,  and  the  instru- 
ments made  use  of  in  other  countries,  or  in  some 
parts  of  this  kingdom  only,  may  be  transferred  and 
set  up  in  other  places,  where  they  are  not  known, 
or  improved  in  such  manner  as  they  are  capable  of. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1732,  two  additional 
rules  were  added  : — 

2 1 .  When  any  Officers  are  to  be  elected  : — let 
there  be  got  ready  as  many  balls  as  there  are  members 
present,  three  whereof  shall  be  of  a  different  colour 
from  the  rest ;  put  them  all  into  a  box  or  cup,  and 
shake  them.  Let  the  box  be  put  on  some  height,  and 
every  member  take  out  one.     They  that  take  out  the 

B 


1 8  A    HISTORY    OF 

three  coloured  balls  are  to  agree  in  the  nomination 
of  candidates  for  offices  vacant  or  expiring.  These 
candidates  are  to  be  voted  for  by  ballot,  by  the  rest 
of  the  present  members,  and  if  any  should  not  have 
two-thirds  of  the  voices  present,  let  there  be  a  new 
drawing  for  nominees,  in  order  to  choose  new  candi- 
dates to  be  balloted  for,  and  so  proceed  until  the 
respective  vacancy  of  Officers  are  filled. 

22.  That  no  Statute  or  Rule  of  this  Society  be 
made  or  repealed  from  the  first  of  May  till  the  first 
of  November  in  any  year. 

The  nineteenth  of  these  Rules,  namely,  that  as  to 
each  member  choosing  some  particular  subject  either 
in  husbandry  or  manufacture,  and  making  himself 
master  of  it,  was  of  great  importance,  and  was  loyally 
carried  out,  many  Essays  on  various  subjects  being  con- 
tributed to  the  proceedings. 

The  bill  due  to  Rhames  for  printing  now  amounted 
to  j£i2,  ioj.  3^/.  Richard  Gunne  of  Capel  street  was 
employed  as  stationer  to  the  Society. 

The  next  year  opened  with  experiments  as  to 
methods  of  cleansing  corn,  and  clover  grass  seed,  and 
reference  to  a  committee  to  draw  up  short  instructions, 
by  way  of  question  and  answer,  for  the  use  of  charity 
schools.  The  Society  also  interested  itself  in  distri- 
buting copies  of  Slater's  Culture  of  Flax,  received  from 
the  Linen  Board,  and  in  the  growing  of  saffron. 

At  this  time  there  existed  great  cider  plantations 
at  Castle  Hyde,  at  Mr.  Crotty's  and  Mr.  Hill's,  near 
Fermoy,  and  at  Curryglass.  Colonel  Barry  of  Rath- 
cormack,  and  the  owner  of  Waterpark,  co.  Waterford, 
cultivated  apples  extensively,  while  near  Lismore  were 
many  noted  orchards.  From  its  inception,  the  Dublin 
Society  interested  itself  in  cider  and  its  manufacture, 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         19 

and  succeeding  pages  will  show  how  earnestly  it  strove 
to  develop  this  branch  of  industry,  as  the  climate  and 
soil  of  the  south  of  Ireland  seemed  most  favourable 
for  raising  good  cider  apples. 

Another  step  taken  was  to  have  a  catalogue  drawn 
up  of  all  books  of  husbandry  and  mechanic  arts,  in 
English,  French,  Greek,  and  Latin ;  also  to  ascertain 
what  books  in  foreign  languages  gave  the  best  account 
of  same,  as  practised  in  France,  Flanders,  Holland, 
Germany,  Poland,  and  Italy.  A  very  practical  sug- 
gestion was  also  made  and  carried  out,  namely,  that 
letters  should  be  sent  to  correspondents  in  the  country 
to  engage  them  to  form  local  societies  in  the  principal 
towns  and  cities,  for  the  promotion  of  husbandry  and 
agriculture,  which  might  establish  communications 
with  the  Dublin  Society.  A  set  of  Maps  of  Ireland, 
published  by  Grierson,  was  ordered  to  be  purchased. 
There  is  a  reference  to  these  maps  in  Dean  Swift's 
correspondence,  in  a  letter  of  25th  December  1734, 
from  the  Rev.  Thomas  Sheridan  to  Swift.1 

On  the  3rd  of  February  1732,  a  letter  from  Mr. 
William  Colles,  of  Kilkenny,  was  read,  which  informed 
the  Society  that  close  to  that  city  was  a  quarry  of  excellent 
black  marble,  in  which,  together  with  some  mills  on 
the  river,  he  had  secured  an  interest.  He  had  tried  ex- 
periments, and,  as  a  result,  he  had  now  ten  saws  moved 
by  water  power,  working  night  and  day,  which  sawed 
the  marble  truly.  An  engine  ground  the  marble  with 
sand,  to  fit  it  for  polishing,  and  Mr.  Colles  added 
that  he  employed  thirty  hands  in  turning  out  chimney 
pieces,  tables,  mortars,  tombstones,  &c.  He  had  also 
brought  to  perfection  the  boring  of  marble  pipes, 
which  served  to  convey  water  underground  and  from 
the  tops  of  houses.     The  firm  had  executed  an  order 

1  Correspondence,  ed.  by  F.  E.  Ball,  v.  121. 


2o  A   HISTORY   OF 

for  a  set  of  these  at  Mr.  Sterne  Tighe's  in  Usher's 
quay,  Dublin.  Enterprise  such  as  this,  and  the  success 
that  crowned  Mr.  Colles'  efforts,  were  welcomed  by 
the  Society,  and  every  encouragement  was  given  to 
any  persons  who  might  be  willing  to  extend  the  industry 
in  Irish  marble. 

The  following  members  were  invited  to  formulate 
queries  on  the  several  subjects  assigned  to  them  : — 
The  Bishop  of  Down  (Dr.  Francis  Hutchinson), 
"Bogs;  Rev.  Dr.  Kearney,  Manures;  H.  Boyd,  Coals ; 
William  Hoey,  Lead  and  Copper ;  Rev.  Dr.  Jackson, 
Ploughing  and  Harrowing.  Dr.  Hutchinson  was  a 
native  of  Derby,  and  on  his  election  to  the  see  of 
Down  he  settled  in  Lisburn.  During  his  episcopate 
a  clergyman  was  first  appointed  to  minister  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Rathlin  Island,  numbering  about  500, 
and  a  Raghlin  Church  Catechism,  with  Irish  and 
English  in  parallel  columns,  was  printed  for  their  use. 
Why  the  Bishop  should  have  been  asked  to  take  up 
the  subject  of  Bogs  is  not  clear,  but  as  he  had  written 
on  employment  of  the  poor,  and  published  a  statement 
of  the  case  of  the  Island  of  Rathlin,  he  may  have  had 
special  knowledge.  In  passing,  it  may  be  remarked 
that  two  other  bishops  of  the  Irish  Church  dealt  with  the 
subject  of  bogs.  Archbishop  King  wrote  a  discourse 
concerning  the  "  Bogs  and  Loughs  of  Ireland,"  and 
Ware  says  that  Theophilus  Bolton,  archbishop  of 
Cashel,  was  an  improver  of  land  by  draining  large  and 
useless  bogs,  and  turning  them  into  pasture  and  tillage. 

Though  the  Society  was  only  a  short  time  in  exist- 
ence, the  matter  of  its  applying  for  a  Royal  Charter 
was  taken  up  in  February  1732,  and  a  copy  of  the 
Royal  Society's  Charter  was  ordered  to  be  procured  as 
a  precedent. 

Dr.  Stephens  read  before  the  Society  an  account  of 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        21 

the  Roman  inscriptions  lately  found  in  Graham's  Dyke 
in  the  west  of  Scotland,  a  subject  which  does  not  appear 
to  have  come  quite  within  the  scope  of  the  proceedings. 
A  paper  of  more  interest  to  Ireland  was  one  dealing 
with  Colonel  Prittie's  silver  mines  in  the  county  of  Tip- 
perary,  which  had  been  leased  to  an  English  company. 
The  account  of  them  was  copied  into  the  minute  book. 

When  the  summer  recess  approached,  Dr.  Stephens 
was  directed  to  summon  the  Society  to  meet  at  Anne's 
coffee  house  on  any  extraordinary  occasion.  Later 
in  the  year,  Dr.  Stephens  presented  the  Society  with  a 
manuscript  of  Sir  William  Petty  as  to  making  woollen 
cloth,  and  an  account  of  Bees 1  was  read  before  it. 

In  the  winter,  a  number  of  new  ploughs,  for  which 
one  John  Nummys  had  a  patent,  were  imported,  and 
the  members  were  invited  to  attend  a  special  trial  of 
them  in  the  Phoenix  Park. 

On  the  9th  of  November  1732  appears  a  systematic 
account  of  the  ballot  held  for  election  of  officers.  The 
Standing  Committee  of  twenty-one  being  present,  three 
gilded  balls  and  eighteen  others  were  put  into  a  dish, 
and,  being  placed  on  high,  were  drawn,  the  gilded  ones  by 
Alderman  Kane,  Captain  Cobbe,  and  Mr.  Dobbs,  who, 
retiring  into  another  room,  after  some  time  returned, 
and  proposed  the  Lord-Lieutenant  as  president,  the 
Primate  as  vice-president,  Anthony  Sheppard  treasurer, 
Rev.  Dr.  Whetcombe,  secretary  for  domestic  affairs, 
Mr.  Prior  secretary  for  foreign  affairs,  and  Mr.  William 
Maple  curator  and  registrar,  all  of  whom  were  separ- 
ately balloted  for  and  elected. 

The  implements,  models,  cider  and  flax  mills,  the 
property  of  the  Society,  had  by  this  time  accumulated 

1  Instructions  for  Managing  Bees,  drawn  up  and  published  by 
order  of  the  Dublin  Society,  is  among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets,  1733, 
cxi.  5. 


22  A   HISTORY   OF 

to  such  an  extent,  that  application  was  made  to  the 
Lords  Justices  for  accommodation  in  one  or  two  of  the 
vaults  under  the  Parliament  House,  where  they  might 
be  viewed  by  agriculturists,  &c.  This  is  the  earliest 
instance  recorded,  in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland,  of  the 
formation  of  an  Agricultural  Museum.  The  exhibition 
was  opened  on  the  22nd  of  February  1733. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1733,  a  report  on 
collieries  at  Ballycastle,1  and  on  some  minerals  from 
the  volcano  in  Kerry,2  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
members.  The  question  of  Hop  culture3  also  came 
before  them,  and  a  sum  of  £5  was  voted  to  Mr. 
Hatfield  for  a  journey  to  the  Hop  country  in  England, 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  best  mode  of 
managing  hops,  with  a  view  to  his  giving  instructions 
on  his  return.  As  possibly  a  result  of  these  inquiries, 
hops  from  Farnham  were  planted  in  1739  in  the 
Society's  field.  The  encouragement  of  tillage  was  a 
subject  of  such  anxious  care  to  the  Society,  that  the 
Secretary  was  directed  to  open  communications  with 
the  Society  formed  in  North  Britain,  to  ascertain 
its  views  and  mode  of  proceeding.  Attention  was 
also  being  directed  to  paper  manufacture,  earthen, 
iron,  and  glass  ware,  salt,  hemp,  and  dyeing  stuffs. 
The  earliest  notice  of  anything  connecting  the  Society 
with  the  fishing  industry  occurs  on  the  1st  of  November 

1  Haliday  Pamphlets,  cxi.  No.  3.  Ballycastle  Collieries  set  in  their 
proper  light,  with  answers  to  several  objections  against  the  benefits 
that  may  arise  to  the  Kingdom  thereby.     (Geo.  Faulkner,  I733-) 

2  Smith,  in  his  History  of  Kerry  (p.  220),  in  mentioning  the  castles 
of  Lick  and  Dune,  near  Ballybunion,  speaks  of  what  was  termed  a 
Volcano,  which  burst  out  on  the  high  cliffs  between  these  castles, 
some  fourteen  years  previously.  He  considered  it  an  accidental 
burning  of  combustible  matter  on  the  external  surface  of  the  cliff,  in 
the  composition  of  which  were  pyrite,  sulphur,  and  iron  ore. 

a  There  is  a  pamphlet  entitled,  Instructions  for  Planting  and 
Managing  Hops,  issued  by  the  Dublin  Society,  among  the  Haliday 
Collection  (1733,  cxi.  No.  4). 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        23 

1733,  when  a  paper  on  the  destruction  of  fisheries  by 
trawling  was  read.  It  may  be  remarked  here  that  in 
February  1738  the  Bishop  of  Down  presented  the  Society 
with  a  new  Treatise  on  Fisheries. 

In  Pue's  Occurrences  of  the  24th  of  February  1733, 
the  Society  made  its  first  appearance  in  the  public  press, 
with  a  notice  as  to  its  intention  of  publishing  from 
time  to  time  instructions  in  Husbandry.  As  char- 
acteristic of  the  methods  pursued,  and  showing  the 
care  and  thought  voluntarily  bestowed  on  the  affairs 
of  the  Society  by  its  working  members,  it  will  be  of 
interest  to  reproduce  the  article  : — 

"The  Dublin  Society,  intending  to  publish  instructions 
in  several  branches  of  Husbandry,  desire  gentlemen  and 
farmers  in  the  country  will  be  pleased  to  communicate  to 
the  Society  any  useful  improvement  they  know  or  practice 
in  any  part  of  Husbandry,  by  letter  directed  to  Anthony 
Sheppard,  jun.,  Esq.  in  Dublin.  And  whereas  it  has  been 
found  upon  frequent  trials,  that  the  new  invented  plow, 
lately  brought  from  England,  plows  lay  and  stubble  ground 
very  well  with  half  the  number  of  cattle  required  for  the 
common  plow,  when  it  is  managed  by  a  plowman  who 
knows  the  right  way  of  using  it,  but  has  sometimes  not 
answered  expectation  from  want  of  skill  in  the  person  who 
held  it.  This  is  to  give  notice  that  if  gentlemen  who  have 
got  the  new  plow,  will  send  their  plowmen  to  Dublin,  and 
direct  them  to  Mr.  Thomas  Prior,  at  Mr.  Gunn's,  book- 
seller in  Caple  St.,  care  shall  be  taken  to  have  them 
instructed  gratis^  in  two  or  three  days  at  most,  the  right 
way  of  using  the  said  plow,  by  persons  well  skilled,  who 
live  near  Dublin." 

Following  up  this  practice,  a  further  article,  (on 
this  occasion),  as  to  the  culture  of  flax,  appeared  on 
the  10th  of  April  in  the  same  year. 

"The  Dublin  Society  has  ordered  the  following  account 
of  extraordinary  produce   of  flax  seed   to  be   published,  in 


24  A    HISTORY    OF 

order  to  let  people  see  what  increase  of  profit  they  may 
expect,  if  they  sow  their  flax  seed  thin,  and  manage  their 
ground  and  flax  in  the  proper  manner.  Philip  Ward,  living 
within  two  small  miles  of  Belturbet,  co.  Cavan,  sowed  last 
May  two  bushels  and  half  a  peck  of  flax  seed  on  one 
plantation  acre,  and  had  a  return  of  22  bushels  clean  good 
seed,  and  above  2  bushels  light  seed.  He  sowed  it  as  corn 
is  usually  sown. 

"  The  Society  is  fully  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  this  relation, 
and  recommend  those  about  to  sow,  to  sow  flax  seed  thin — 
about  2  J  bushels  to  a  plantation  acre  ;  plow  the  land  well  ; 
harrow  fine  before  sowing  ;  seed  to  be  very  clean  ;  destroy 
all  weeds  ;  not  to  pull  the  flax  until  the  seed  turns  brown, 
and  stack  it  after. 


"  The  Society  desire  gentlemen  in  the  country  will  be 
pleased  to  communicate  to  them  (directing  to  Anthony 
Sheppard,  jun.,  Esq.)  what  success  or  improvements  they 
meet  in  this  or  any  other  part  of  Husbandry." 

Rhames  published  in  1734  a  list  of  the  Members 
of  the  Society  for  1733,1  which  is  as  follows.  It 
shows  the  state  of  the  membership  at  the  end  of  the 
third  year  of  its  existence.  Some  of  the  members 
to  whose  names  numbers  have  been  affixed,  will  be 
found  subsequently  specially  noticed. 

Lionel,   Duke  of   Dorset,  L.L.,  Lord  Boyne. 

Presideiit.  Henry  Boyle,  Speaker  h.c.  (i). 

Hugh,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  Rt.  Hon.  Francis  Burton. 

Primate,  Vice-President.  Hon.  Humphry  Butler. 

Lord  Viscount  Allen.  Hon.  Thomas  Butler. 

Hon.  John  Allen.  John  Baldwin. 

Robert  Allen,  Secretary  to  the  James  Barry. 

Commissio7iers.  Arundel  Best. 

Stephen  Allen,  M.D.  Nathaniel  Bland,  LL.D. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allynet,  F.T.C.D.  David  Bindon. 

Benedict  Arthur.  Francis  Bindon  (2). 

William  Aston.  Thomas  Bolton,  M.D. 


Haliday  Pamphlets,  1734,  cxvi.  No.  15. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


25 


Edward  Bond. 

Hugh  Boyde. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bradford. 

Henry  Brook  (3). 

John  Brown,  Westport. 

John  Brown,  Dublin. 

James  Bryan. 

John  Bourk. 

Thomas  Burgh  (4). 

James  Brennan,  m.d. 

Richard  Buckworth. 

Joseph  Bury. 

William  Bury. 

Colonel  James  Butler,  co.  Tip- 
perary. 

Theophilus,  Archbishop  of 
Cashel. 

Earl  of  Cavan. 

John,  Bishop  of  Clogher. 

Lord  Castledurrow. 

Rt.  Hon.  Thomas  Carter, Master 
of  the  Rolls  [1731-1754]. 

Rt.  Hon.  Marmaduke  Cog- 
hill. 

Rt.  Hon.  William  Conolly. 

Rt.  Hon.  Sir  Edward  Crofton, 
Bart. 

Hon.  Thomas  Coote. 

Rev.  Caleb  Cartwright. 

David  Chaigneau. 

John  Coldbeck. 

Samuel  Card. 

Nathaniel  Clements. 

Captain  William  Cobbe. 

John  Coddington. 

James  Coghill,  ll.d. 

Rev.  Francis  Corbet. 

Thomas  Corker. 

Mr.  Coughlan. 

Rev.  Dean  Cottrel. 

Sir  Richard  Cox,  Bart.  (5). 

John  Cramer. 

Baldwin  Crow. 

Sir  Maurice  Crosby,  Bart. 

Michael  Cuffe. 

John,  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

Francis,  Bishop  of  Down  and 
Connor. 

Henry,  Bishop  of  Dromore. 

Robert  Dallway. 


Rev.  Richard  Daniel,  Dean  of 

Down. 
John  Darner. 
Joseph  Darner. 
Ephraim  Dawson. 
Rev.  Dr.  Delany  (6). 
Edward  Dering. 
John  Despard. 
John  Digby. 
Arthur  Dillon. 
Arthur  Dobbs. 
Rev.  Richard  Dobbs. 
William  Dobbs. 
Sir  Compton  Domvill,  Bart. 
Rev.  Dean  Anthony  Dopping. 
Rev.  Robert  Downs. 
Robert,  Bishop  of  Elphin. 
Richard  Edgworth. 
Dr.  John  Elwood. 
Eyre  Evans. 
Benjamin  Everard. 
Colonel  John  Eyre. 
John  Fitzgerald. 
Alderman  Humphry  French  (7). 
John  Folliot. 
Sir  William  Fowns,  Bart. 
Rev.  William  French. 
Arthur  French. 
Lord  Viscount  Gormanstown. 
Rt.  Hon.  William  Graham. 
Luke  Gardiner. 
Rev.  Dr.  Claudius  Gilbert. 
Rev.  Mr.  Gibson,  F.T.C.D. 
Mr.  Goodwin. 
Sir  Arthur  Gore,  Bart. 
Arthur  Gore  of  Mayo. 
Arthur  Gore  of  Tenelick. 
William  Gore. 
Rev.  John  Graham. 
Godfrey  Green. 
Thomas  Green. 
Earl  of  Halifax. 
Hon.  Henry  Hamilton. 
Charles  Hamilton. 
Alexander  Hamilton. 
William  Handcock. 
Wentworth  Harman. 
William  Harrison. 
Joseph  Harrison. 
William  Hawkins. 


26 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Arthur  Hill. 

William  Hoey. 

George  Holmes. 

Toby  Hall. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinson,  Dean  of 

Dromore. 
Earl  of  Inchiquin. 
Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Jackson. 
Rev.  Daniel  Jackson. 
Rev.  John  Jebb. 
Earl  of  Kerry. 
Charles,  Bishop  of  Kildare. 
Robert,  Bishop  of  Killala. 
Josiah,  Bishop  of  Kilmore. 
Lord  Kingsland. 
Sir  Henry  King,  Bart. 
Alderman  Nathaniel  Kane. 
Rev.  Dr.  John  Kearney. 
Patrick  Kelly. 
William  Kennedy. 
Counsellor  Ker. 
Charles  King. 
Dennis  King. 
Rev.  Mr.  King,  F.T.C.D. 
Edward  Knatchbull. 
Thomas  Knox. 
Colonel  S.  L.  Legonier. 
Francis  Lehunte,  M.D. 
Thomas  Lehunte. 
Rev.  George  Lesley. 
Sir  Richard  Levinge,  Bart. 
Nicholas  Loftus. 
Francis  Lucas. 
Peter  Ludlow. 
Colley  Lyons. 
Thomas  Lyndsay. 
Arthur,  Bishop  of  Meath. 
Viscount  Mount  Cashell. 
Viscount  Molesworth. 
Chief  Baron  Marlay  [1730-1741, 

C.J.K.B.  1741-1751]. 
Alderman  John  Macarroll. 
Alexander  Macnaghten,  M.D. 
Rev.  Dr.  Madden. 
Thomas  Madden,  M.D. 
Edward  Madden. 
Robert  Magill. 
James  McManus. 
William  Maple,  Registe?: 
Isaac  Manley. 


Robert  Marshall. 

William  Maynard. 

Captain  John  Maule. 

George  Mathew. 

John  Maxwell. 

Alderman  Edward  Mead. 

Robert  Meredith. 

Rev.  Dean  Meredith. 

Thomas  Medlicot. 

Sir  Richard  Mead,  Bart. 

Rev.  Edward  Molloy. 

Sir  Daniel  Molineaux,  Bart. 

William  Monsell. 

Charles  Monk. 

Charles  Moore. 

Stephen  Moore. 

Mark  Anthony  Morgan. 

Viscount  Nettervill. 

James  Lenox  Napper. 

Richard  Nedham. 

William  Newenham. 

Christopher  Nicholson. 

David  Nixon. 

Earl  of  Orrery  (8). 

Rev.  J.  Obins,  F.T.C.D. 

Henry  O'Hara. 

Colonel  Robert  Oliver. 

Lord  Percivall. 

Rt.  Hon.  Benjamin  Parry. 

Lt. -General  Pearce. 

Sir  Thomas  Prendergast,  Bart. 

Rev.  Stackpole  Perry. 

Robert  Percival. 

Rev.  Dean  Percival. 

Ambrose  Philips  (9). 

David  Power. 

John  Pratt. 

Colonel  Henry  Prittie. 

Nar.  Charles  Proby. 

Thomas  Prior,  Secretary. 

Nicholas,  Bishop  of  Raphoe. 

Abel  Ram. 

Robert  Rochfort. 

John  Rochfort. 

Robert  Roberts. 

Christopher  Rogers. 

Robert  Ross. 

Henry  Rose. 

Colonel  Richbell. 

Hercules  Rowley. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


27 


William  Rowley. 

H.  L.  Rowley. 

George  Rye. 

Lord  Southwell. 

Hon.  Hayes  St.  Leger. 

Rev.  Dr.  St.  George. 

Robert  Sandford. 

Rev.  Dr.  Sheridan  (10). 

Anthony  Sheppard,  junr., 
Treasurer. 

Henry  Singleton,  Prime  Ser- 
jeant. 

William  Smith,  Headborough, 
co.  Waterford. 

Alderman  James  Somervill. 

William  Sprigg. 

Colonel  Richard  St.  George. 

John  Stothard. 

John  Stratford. 

Colonel  Edward  Stratford. 

William  Stephens,  M.D.,  Secre- 
tary. 

Walter  Stephens. 

Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Stewart. 

Rev.  Dr.  Archibald  Stewart. 

Alexander  Stewart. 

Christopher  Swift. 

Rt.  Hon.  Richard  Tighe. 

Rt.  Hon.  James  Tynte. 

Edward  Taylor. 

Rev.  Dean  Robert  Taylor. 


William  Taylor. 

Thomas  Taylor. 

Berkley  Taylor. 

Thomas  Tennison. 

Colonel  Frederick  Trench. 

Frederick  Trench,  B.L. 

Thomas  Trotter,  LL.D. 

John  Vandeleur. 

George  Vaughan. 

John  Vernon. 

Christopher  Usher. 

Lord  Windham,  Lord  Chan- 
cellor of  Ireland  [1726-1736]. 

Hon.  Baron  Wainwright. 

Hon.  Justice  Ward. 

James  Wallace. 

Jacob  Walton. 

Richard  Warburton,  Garry- 
hinch. 

Richard  Warburton,  Donny- 
carny. 

Richard  Westby. 

Warner  Westenra. 

William  Westby. 

Rev.  Dr.  John  Whetcombe. 

James  Whitshed. 

Colonel  Samuel  Whitshed. 

Godfrey  Wills. 

Richard  Wingfield. 

Benjamin  Woodward. 

Rev.  Dr.  John  Wynne. 


In  all  267  members. 

1.  Henry  Boyle,  who  was  born  in  1682,  was  m.p.  for  co. 
Cork.  In  1733  he  was  made  a  Privy  Councillor,  and  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Exchequer,  and  finally  Speaker  of  the  Irish  House 
of  Commons,  which  post  Boyle  resigned  in  1756,  when  he 
was  created  Earl  of  Shannon.  Lord  Burlington  and  Cork 
(whose  daughter  was  his  second  wife)  entrusted  to  him  the 
management  of  his  estates  in  Ireland,  the  value  of  which 
became  enhanced,  and  Boyle  promoted  extensive  improve- 
ments in  the  district.     He  died  in  1764. 

2.  Francis  Bindon,  of  Cloony,  co.  Clare,  portrait  painter, 
a  man  of  high  social  position.  He  painted  several  portraits  of 
Dean  Swift,  the  best  known  being  one  executed  in  1735  for 


28  A   HISTORY   OF 

Lord  Howth,  which  is  now  at  Howth  Castle  ;  and  another 
executed  in  1738,  for  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  St.  Patrick's, 
now  at  the  Deanery.  A  bust  portrait  of  the  Dean,  in  the 
National  Gallery,  Dublin,  has  been  ascribed  to  Bindon.  He 
also  painted  Provost  Baldwin,  Primate  Hugh  Boulter,  and 
Archbishop  Cobbe.  In  addition,  Bindon  practised  as  an 
architect  :  his  chief  architectural  works  were  mansions  for 
Lord  Milltown,  Lord  Bessborough,  and  Sir  William  Fownes. 
He  died  in  1765. 

3.  Henry  Brooke,  who  is  well  known  as  the  writer  of 
the  Fool  of  Quality,  and  the  tragedy  of  Gustavus  Vasa,  had 
more  substantial  claims  to  membership  of  the  Society.  To 
aid  in  obtaining  Parliamentary  grants  for  Inland  Navigation, 
he  published  the  Interests  of  Ireland.  In  1760  he  became 
secretary  to  an  association  in  Dublin  for  registering  pro- 
posals of  national  utility.  Brooke  was  the  first  conductor  of 
the  Freeman's  Journal,  which  was  established  in  1763.  He 
was  born  in  1703,  and  died  in  1783. 

4.  Thomas  Burgh  (or  Bourgh),  overseer  of  Fortifications 
and  Buildings  1700-1730.  He  published  in  1J24.  J  Method 
to  determine  Areas.  Burgh  was  asked  to  prepare  plans  for  the 
new  Parliament  House  in  Dublin,  but  Sir  Edward  Pearce, 
who  succeeded  him,  appears  in  all  official  documents  as  its 
designer. 

5.  Sir  Richard  Cox,  second  baronet,  succeeded  his 
grandfather,  Sir  Richard  Cox  (lord  chancellor),  who  died 
3  May  1733.  He  established  a  linen  manufactory  at 
Dunmanway,  and  was  writer  of  the  letter  that  appeared  in 
1749,  addressed  to  Thomas  Prior,  "  showing  from  experience 
a  sure  method  to  establish  the  Linen  Manufacture,  and  the 
beneficial  effects  it  will  immediately  produce,"  the  author- 
ship of  which  has  been  attributed  to  his  grandfather. 

6.  Patrick  Delany,  born  at  Athy  about  the  year  1685, 
became  a  Fellow  of  Trinity  College  in  1709.  When  Dean 
Swift  came  to  reside  in  Dublin,  Delany  became  one  of  his 
most  intimate  friends,  and  they  held  the  same  views  in 
politics.     Swift  said  of  him  that  he  was  "  the  most  eminent 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY        29 

preacher  we  have."  He  was  successively  Rector  of  St. 
John's,  Dublin,  Chancellor  of  Christ  Church,  and  Chancellor 
of  St.  Patrick's,  finally  being  appointed  in  1744  to  the 
Deanery  of  Down.  Delany  published  a  vindication  of  Swift 
and  his  circle,  in  reply  to  Lord  Orrery's  insinuations,  which 
is  said  to  contain  the  only  extant  account  of  the  great  Dean 
by  one  who  had  been  acquainted  with  him  when  his 
intellect  was  in  its  fullest  vigour.  Delany  was  author  of 
Revelation  examined  with  candour,  a  performance  on  which  he 
was  said  to  set  a  high  value,  and  of  a  Life  of  David,  King  of 
Israel,  and  his  Reflections  on  Polygamy  excited  much  criticism. 
Delany  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Mary  Granville,  Mrs. 
Pendarves,  whose  well-known  Correspondence  gives  such 
charming  glimpses  of  their  happy  domestic  life  and  sur- 
roundings at  Delville,  Glasnevin,  and  of  society  in  Dublin 
between  1 740  and  1770.  The  Dean  of  Down  died  at  Bath 
in  1768,  and  lies  buried  at  Glasnevin. 

7.  Humphry  French,  born  in  1680,  was  m.p.  for  Dublin 
1733-6,  and  Lord  Mayor  1732-3,  being  well  known  in  his 
day  as  the  "  good  Lord  Mayor."  He  reformed  a  number  of 
abuses,  and  when  candidate  for  the  representation  of  the 
city,  Dean  Swift  exerted  his  powerful  influence  on  his 
behalf,  always  appearing  to  regard  French  with  strong 
feelings  of  admiration.  One  of  the  Dean's  poems — a 
paraphrase  of  the  19th  Ode  of  the  Fourth  Book  of  Horace — 
addressed  to  Humphry  French,  concludes  as  follows  : 

"  This  the  sovereign  man  complete  ; 
Hero  :  patriot  :  glorious  :  free  : 
Rich  and  wise  :  and  good  and  great  : 
Generous  Humphry,  thou  art  he  !  " 

He  died  in  October  1736.  Swift  fully  intended  to  have 
written  his  biography,  and  in  a  letter  to  Geo.  Faulkner,  the 
printer,  begged  him  to  procure  particulars  of  his  life,  more 
especially  from  Mr.  Maple  (curator  and  registrar  of  the 
Dublin  Society),  who,  Swift  added,  was  French's  "most 
intimate  friend,  who  knew  him  best,  and  could  give  the 
most  just  character  of  himself  and  his  actions.  I  will, 
though  I  am  oppressed  with  age  and  infirmities,  stir  up  all 


3o  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  little  spirit  I  can  raise  to  give  the  public  an  account  of 
that  great  patriot  :  and  propose  him  as  an  example  to  all 
future  magistrates,  in  order  to  recommend  his  virtues  to 
this  most  miserable  kingdom." 

8.  John  Boyle,  5th  Earl  of  Orrery,  and  5th  Earl  of 
Cork,  born  1707  ;  a  friend  of  Swift,  Pope,  and  Johnson. 
His  Remarks  on  the  Life  and  Writings  of  Jonathan  Swifts  1 75 1, 
was  the  first  attempt  made  at  any  account  of  the  Dean,  who 
left  Orrery  a  portrait  and  some  silver  plate.  Though  they 
had  been  friends,  the  work  showed  malice,  and  it  is  thought 
that  some  contemptuous  remarks  of  Swift  were  repeated 
to  the  Earl.     He  died  in  1762. 

9.  Ambrose  Philips,  born  in  1675,  was  a  Fellow  of 
Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  and  a  member  of  Addison  and 
Steele's  circle.  His  poetical  Pastorals  and  tragedy  of  The 
Distressed  Mother  are  well  known.  On  his  friend,  Hugh 
Boulter,  becoming  Primate  of  Ireland  in  1 724,  he  brought 
Philips  over  with  him  as  secretary,  and  he  was  elected  m.p. 
for  Armagh.  In  1733  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  Irish 
Court  of  Prerogative,  and  died  in  1749. 

10.  Thomas  Sheridan,  born  in  1687,  was  a  schoolmaster, 
and  a  friend  of  Dean  Swift  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  in 
Dublin  as  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's.  At  Quilca,  co.  Cavan, 
Sheridan's  place,  Swift  planned  the  Drapier's  Letters,  and 
wrote  portion  of  Gulliver's  Travels.  Sheridan  was  generally 
believed  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  scholars  in  the  kingdom, 
and  he  published  editions  of  some  of  the  works  of  Persius, 
Juvenal,  and  Sophocles.     Sheridan  died  at  Rathfarnham  in 

1738- 

It  is  noteworthy  that  Dean  Swift,  who  was  so 
deeply  interested  in  everything  that  concerned  the  pro- 
sperity and  advancement  of  Ireland,  did  not  become 
a  member  of  the  Society,  though  many  of  its  prominent 
members  were  well  known  to  him,  some  of  them  indeed 
being  intimate  personal  friends.     Dr.  Elrington  Ball,  an 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY         31 

unrivalled  authority  where  anything  concerning  Swift 
is  concerned,  points  out  that  the  Dean  held  Anthony 
Sheppard,  jun.,  the  treasurer,  and  his  father,  in  con- 
tempt * ;  and  from  Swift's  well-known  habit  of  mind, 
especially  at  a  period  when  he  had  begun  to  fail,  he 
may  possibly  have  contracted  dislikes  also  to  others 
connected  with  the  Society.  Berkeley,  too,  who,  as 
will  be  seen,  helped  it  later  on  by  his  writings  and 
encouragement,  never  formally  joined  its  ranks. 

The  list  includes  the  names  of  twelve  members  of 
the  episcopal  bench,  and  thirty-four  clergymen  (in- 
cluding deans),  some  of  whom  were  subsequently 
elevated  to  the  episcopate  ;  of  sixteen  peers  and  several 
sons  of  peers,  five  members  of  the  judicial  bench,  in- 
cluding the  Lord  Chancellor  and  the  Master  of  the 
Rolls.  The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons  was 
also  a  member,  and  the  remaining  names  are  those  of 
baronets,  retired  army  officers,  country  gentlemen, 
barristers,  medical  men,  Fellows  of  Trinity  College, 
and  men  holding  high  positions  in  the  world  of  com- 
merce. Thus  all  that  was  best  in  Dublin  society,  and 
in  the  Ireland  of  the  day  generally,  united  in  a  common 
and  patriotic  effort  to  improve  the  status  of  their 
country,  and  we  shall  soon  see  how  marked  an  im- 
provement the  labours  of  the  Society  effected  in  many 
different  directions. 

During  the  year  1734,  the  Society  appears  to  have 
brought  itself  in  touch  with  Holland  and  with  Dutch 
methods.  Mr.  Robert  Ross,  of  Rostrevor,  a  member, 
was  in  Holland,  when  he  was  requested  to  purchase 
Jacob  Leupold's  Laws  of  Mechanics,  and  the  five 
volumes  of  Dutch  Laws,  which  he  brought  back  with 

1  Swift's  Correspondence,  vol.  vi.  6.  In  a  letter  to  Thomas  Sheridan, 
9th  April  1737,  he  says:  "The  old  hunks  Shepherd  has  buried  his 
only  son^  a  young  hunks  come  to  age." 


32  A   HISTORY   OF 

him.  These  will  be  found  in  the  catalogue  of  books 
belonging  to  the  Society  reproduced  at  pp.  170-2.  A 
Mr.  Teddyman  was  employed  to  translate  the  Dutch 
mill  book.  A  number  of  madder  sets  were  also 
ordered  from  Holland,  and  a  model  of  a  Dutch  mill 
for  fining  flax  was  to  be  made.  With  a  view  to 
encouraging  the  import  of  good  grass  and  garden 
seeds,  the  Society  offered  to  lend  ^150  on  good 
security,  this  being  the  first  occasion  on  which  the 
system  of  loan  and  bounties,  so  characteristic  of  its 
later  working,  began  to  be  tried. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draw  up  heads  of 
a  treatise  on  the  present  state  of  the  coin  in  Ireland, 
and  the  inconvenience  resulting  to  trade  from  the  want 
of  small  coin. 

Sir  William  Parsons  sent  up  from  Birr  what  he 
called  a  "  terrier,"  an  instrument  for  pulling  up  small 
trees  by  their  roots ;  promising  that  a  scoop  spade  for 
throwing  up  with  ease  and  expedition  strong  roots 
of  wild  parsnips  and  other  weeds  would  follow.  Sir 
William  had  already  favoured  the  Society  with  a  plan 
and  account  of  his  biangular  harrow.  Thus,  we  see  that 
nearly  two  centuries  ago,  the  noble  house  of  Rosse  had 
already  given  evidence  of  the  inventive  genius  which 
has  made  the  name  of  Parsons  famous,  and  also  had 
exhibited  that  anxiety  for  the  success  of  Irish  methods 
of  husbandry  and  agriculture  which  has  been  evinced 
in  a  marked  degree  by  successive  generations. 

George  Berkeley,  the  illustrious  Bishop  of  Cloyne, 
was  an  intimate  friend  of  both  Prior  and  Madden,  and 
he  sought  to  help  them  in  their  efforts  to  stimulate  the 
industries  of  the  country  by  the  publication  of  his 
Querist,  which  appeared  anonymously  in  the  year  1735. 
The  volume  was  edited  by  Dr.  Madden,  and  Mr. 
Lecky  remarks  that  very  pregnant  hints  on  industrial 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        33 

development  are  to  be  found  in  it,  while  it  anticipates 
many  of  the  conclusions  of  Adam  Smith. 

Under  date  of  November  11,  1736,  at  the  annual 
election  of  officers,  the  Rev.  Gabriel  Jacques  Maturin, 
who  had  joined  the  Society  in  1734,  was  elected  secre- 
tary in  the  room  of  Dr.  Stephens.  He  was  born  at 
Utrecht,  son  of  Pierre,  and  grandson  of  Gabriel  Maturin, 
a  Huguenot,  who  fled  to  Holland,  from  the  persecution 
of  Louis  XIV,  and  thence  came  to  Dublin,  where  his 
son  was  educated.  Maturin  became  Dean  of  Kildare 
in  1737,  and  on  November  29,  1745,  was  installed  Dean 
of  St  Patrick's  in  succession  to  Swift.  Maturin  died  in 
the  following  year. 


34  A   HISTORY    OF 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    "WEEKLY    OBSERVATIONS"    AND    GENERAL 
HISTORY   OF   THE   SOCIETY.     (1736-1750) 

An  important  step  was  taken,  on  the  2nd  of  December 
1736,  when  the  Society  decided  on  publishing  weekly 
in  the  Dublin  News  Letter,  a  paper  on  some  useful  sub- 
ject, which  soon  became  known  as  the  Dublin  Society's 
"  Weekly  Observations."  The  Society  arranged  to  take 
500  copies  at  half  a  guinea  per  week.  The  papers  were 
communicated  to  other  journals,  as  they  appear  in 
Pue's  Occurrences  and  in  Faulkner's  Dublin  Journal. 
On  the  nth  of  December  the  following  statement 
appeared  in  the  former : 

"  Whereas  the  Dublin  Society  do  intend  to  begin 
in  January  to  publish  their  observations  on  Husbandry 
and  other  useful  arts,  which  are  to  be  inserted  by  their 
order  in  this  paper  weekly,  that  they  may  at  the 
cheapest  rate  fall  into  more  hands,  and  that  their  in- 
structions to  Husbandmen  and  others  may  become 
more  useful  by  being  more  universal :  By  this  method 
the  public  will  be  furnished  with  the  best  pieces  on 
agriculture  &c,  at  a  trifling  expense,  and  by  getting 
them  in  small  portions,  they  will  insensibly  be  led  into 
a  knowledge  which  otherwise,  by  the  expense,  want  of 
time  or  proper  books,  they  would  be  ignorant  of. 
Such  gentlemen  as  live  in  the  country  and  are  not 
already  supplied  with  this  paper,  and  who  are  willing 
to  encourage   so  useful  a   work,  are  desired  to   send 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        3$ 

notice  thereof  by  the  beginning  of  January  next,  and 
they  shall  constantly  be  supplied  with  the  same ;  also 
with  the  best  collection  of  news,  both  foreign  and 
domestic." 

The  Society  printed  a  further  statement  on  the  8th 
of  January  1737  : — "The  gentlemen  who  by  a  volun- 
tary association  formed  themselves  into  a  Society  pretty 
well  known  at  present  by  the  name  of  the  Dublin 
Society,  having  already  given  the  public  some  general 
account  of  the  design  that  first  brought  them  together, 
and  which  they  ever  since  have  unweariedly  pursued  : 
it  will  be  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  this  Paper,  to 
inform  the  reader  of  the  particular  reasons  which  have 
now  engaged  them  to  give  their  instructions  a  new 
form,  and  to  endeavour  the  farther  improvement  of 
husbandry  and  other  useful  arts  by  observations."  It 
goes  on  to  say  "  that  separate  Papers,  where  the 
several  errors  and  deficiencies  in  our  present  manage- 
ment will  be  considered  singly  and  therefore  more  dis- 
tinctly, seem  to  tally  exactly  with  our  wants,  and 
afford  the  likeliest  prospect  of  success.  To  these  ad- 
vantages must  be  added  those  which  will  accrue  from 
the  easier  distribution  of  them.  Pamphlets  fall  into 
few  hands,  but  these  shorter  essays  will  reach  every 
reader  in  the  kingdom.  Gentlemen  of  fortune,  con- 
versant with  books,  cannot  be  at  a  loss  for  directions. 
They  can  peruse  the  discoveries  of  Science  and  make 
experiments.  The  poorer  sort,  husbandman  and  manu- 
facturer, are  the  proper  objects  of  instruction.  The 
object  of  the  Society  is  to  direct  the  industry  of  common 
artists,  to  bring  practical  and  useful  knowledge  from 
libraries  and  closets  to  public  view.  This  they  hope 
will  be  understood  as  an  invitation  to  all  who  truly 
love  their  country,  to  communicate  to  the  Society 
experiments    or    observations  —  any    loose    hints,   and 


36  A   HISTORY   OF 

whatever  else  may  contribute  to  the  perfection  of 
these  papers.' ' 

There  is  a  minute  of  the  20th  of  January  1737, 
to  the  effect  that  a  copy  of  every  paper  printed  by 
the  Society  is  to  be  written  in  a  book  to  be  pro- 
vided for  that  purpose.  It  may  be  as  well  here  to 
group  together  the  various  papers  which  appeared 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Society  from  this  time  down 
to  April  1740,  when,  on  the  starting  of  Dr.  Madden's 
premium  system,  they  ceased  to  be  issued. 

One  of  the  earliest  numbers  has  a  list  of  commodi- 
ties imported  yearly,  which  on  an  average  in  money 
value  amounted  to  ^507,270.  This  calculation  was 
made  in  order  to  direct  public  attention  to  those 
articles  which  would  be  most  likely  to  remunerate 
producers.     The  succeeding  numbers  were  as  follows  : 

15th  Jan.  1737.  An  Essay  on  the  natural  ad- 
vantages of  Ireland  and  the  non-use  of  them.  Every- 
thing is  imported,  and,  in  no  way  trusting  to  our 
own  growth,  we  are  dependent  on  foreign  countries. 
Half  the  wealth  yearly  drained  out  of  this  kingdom 
might,  with  proper  management,  be  kept  in  our  own 
hands. 

5th  Feb.  An  Essay  advocating  the  promotion  of 
spinning.  Also  one  on  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from 
owners  living  on  their  estates,  and  promoting  husbandry 
and  manufactures. 

1 2th  Feb.  Irish  beef,  hides,  tallow,  and  butter 
will  always  be  wanted  in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe, 
and  will  always  find  a  market.  Wool  is  another 
valuable  commodity.  More  of  the  necessaries  of  life 
might  be  procured  by  our  encouraging  tillage. 

1 9th  Feb.  A  letter  from  a  correspondent : — Facility 
of  export,  certainty  of  demand,  and  cheapness  of 
materials    give    a    preference    to    some    manufactures, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        37 

and  consequently  advantage  to  those  countries  which 
are  most  generally  engaged  in  them.  Of  this  kind  is 
linen,  the  staple  manufacture  of  Ireland.  Wool  is  the 
genuine  English  staple.  Every  lover  of  his  country 
should  be  engaged  to  promote  the  linen  trade. 

26th  Feb.  Instructions  as  to  linen,  choice  of  soil 
for  flax. 

Subsequent  letters  dealt  with  the  dressing  and  till- 
ing of  the  ground,  choice  and  quality  of  seed  for 
flax,  and  as  to  its  stacking.  In  April  appeared 
letters  on  flooding  in  places  bordering  the  sea  or  on 
rivers ;  high  tides ;  trenching  and  embanking ;  and  on 
flooding  of  low  flat  lands.  In  May,  the  raising  of 
hops  in  bogs  claimed  attention ;  then  came  road- 
making,  and  the  manufacture  of  cider.  In  October, 
appeared  a  letter  on  the  importance  of  letting  land 
to  husbandmen,  and  tenements  to  manufacturers, 
showing  that  a  landed  manufacturer  suffers  as  a  bad 
farmer.  In  November,  the  subject  of  flax-dressing 
was  returned  to,  and  throughout  January  and  February 
1738,  breaking,  scutching,  cleansing,  fining,  and  hack- 
ling were  dealt  with,  some  of  the  machines  used  being 
figured.  Next  came  malt  and  brewing,  and  on  the  28th 
of  October  a  series  of  articles  on  tillage  was  begun.  They 
bore  on  the  culture  of  rye  grass  and  clover,  on  hay  and 
seed,  and  one  letter  sought  to  remove  certain  prejudices 
against  tillage.  In  January  1739,  the  linen  manu- 
facture was  again  brought  forward.  It  was  declared 
not  to  be  flourishing  in  this  country,  and  it  was  said 
that  different  measures  would  have  to  be  pursued 
to  keep  it  alive. 

Richard  Reilly,  Cork  hill,  printer  to  the  Society, 
announced  an  edition  of  the   Weekly  Observations?  at 

1  See  Dublin  Society 's  Weekly  Observations,  17 '36- 1737  :  Dublin, 
1763  (in  the  National  Library). 


3  8  A   HISTORY   OF 

is.  ^\d. ;  also  pictures  of  the  machines  recommended, 
neatly  engraved  on  copper. 

In  January  1737,  Lord  Trimlest own  communicated 
an  account  of  his  new  three-coulter  plough,  which 
ploughed  the  earth  very  finely.  He  also  sent  up  the 
plough  for  trial,  with  his  own  ploughman,  when  it  was 
tried  in  the  Phoenix  park,  and  approved.  This  practice 
of  making  trial  in  the  Park  of  agricultural  implements 
and  machinery  connected  with  scientific  husbandry  and 
inventions  was  subsequently  frequently  adopted.  Some- 
times members  interested  went  down  to  the  country 
to  view  trials,  and  there  is  a  record  of  Mr.  Prior 
and  Mr.  Dobbs  having  gone  to  Leixlip  in  December 
1738,  to  see  at  work  a  drain  plough,  which  is  fully 
described.  They  recommended  that  a  similar  plough 
should  be  procured  for  the  Society. 

Mr.  Arbuckle  was  thanked  in  October  1737, 
for  a  poem,  addressed  to  the  Dublin  Society.  He 
was  asked  to  print  it,  and  the  Society  agreed  to  take 
20c  copies.  This  recalls  Abraham  Cowley's  Ode 
to  the  Royal  Society,  on  the  granting  of  the  Royal 
Charter  in  1662.  The  letters  of  "  Hibernicus " 
(Francis  Hutcheson),  were  edited  in  1725,  and  the 
edition  was  dedicated  to  Richard,  Viscount  Molesworth, 
by  James  Arbuckle,  a  Scotchman  who  held  a  post  in 
the  Quit  Rent  Office,  Dublin.  His  will  was  proved 
in  the  Diocesan  Court  of  Dublin  in  1744.  A  poem, 
entitled  Snuff,  by  Arbuckle,  was  published  in  17 19 
in  Edinburgh. 

There  is  in  the  King's  Inns  Library,  Dublin,  a 
copy  of  his  verses  addressed  to  the  Dublin  Society 
with  the  following  title  page  : — 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY        39 

A    POEM 

INSCRIBED  TO  THE  DUBLIN  SOCIETY 


Hanc  olim  veteres  vitam  coluere  Sabini ; 

Hanc  Remus,  et  f rater.     Sifortis  Etmria  crevit , 

Scilicet  et  rerum  /acta  est  pule herrima  Roma. 

Virgil. 


By    Mr.    ARBUCKLE 


Dublin.     Printed  by  R.  Reilly  for  George  Ewing  at  the 
Angel  and  Bible  in  Dame  St.     mdccxxxvii. 


The  verses  are  as  follows  : — 

When  Rome  was  rising  into  Pouur  and  Fame, 
And  all  the  wondering  World  reverd  her  Name, 
Her  generous  sons,  the  Boast  of  Human  Race, 
Thought  Pleasure  criminal,  and  Ease  Disgrace. 
The  highest  joy  a  Roman  Soul  could  move, 
Was  to  defend  their  Country,  or  improve. 

Equally  pleased,  in  Intervals  of  War, 

To  hold  the  Plough,  as  grace  the  Victor  Car, 

They  deemed  their  work  with  Conquest  but  begun, 

Arid  tilVd  the  Provinces  their  Arms  had  won. 

Rightly  they  estimated  Things,  and  knew, 

To  cultivate  was  more  than  to  subdue. 


40  A   HISTORY   OF 

Thus  Quinctius,  with  three  victories  yet  wartn, 
Retreats  in  Triumph  to  his  humble  Farm. 
And  thus  stern  Cato,  on  his  spade  reclind, 
Conversed  with  Nature,  and  improved  his  mind. 
For,  in  that  age  of  uncorrupted  Hearts, 
The  rural  shades  were  Nurseries  of  Arts, 
And  bred,  though  now  it  scarce  will  gain  Belief, 
The  Senator,  the  Patriot,  and  the  Chief 
The  Praise  to  these  sublime  Examples  due, 
Descends,  at  last,  Hibernians  sons,  to  Tou, 
Who,  in  an  age  of  sickening  Virtue,  strive 
The  antient  Arts  and  Spirit  to  revive  ; 
Those  Arts  by  Nature's  God  inspired,  in  aid 
Ev'n  of  the  wondrous  Works  Himself  had  made, 
With  impious  Arms  while  other  Nations  claim 
Empires  not  theirs,  and  purchase  unjust  Fame. 

Or  else  compeWd  by  Force,  with  force  oppose 
The  fell  Invader,  and  the  Hosts  of  Foes  ; 
Or  anxious  watch  those  fluctuating  Things, 
The  Views  and  Passions  of  ambitious  Kings. 
And,  as  contending  Powers  by  Turns  prevail, 
Adjust  the  Balance,  or  incline  the  Scale  ; 
Be  thine,  Hibernia,  thine  the  happier  Toil, 
To  turn  the  Glebe,  t*  enrich  the  laboured  soil ; 
To  rouse  with  Art  the  vegetable  Powers, 
And  catch  the  virtues  of  the  vernal  Showers ; 
With  skilful  Hands  to  help  our  Parent  Earth 
To  give  her  comely  offspring,  Plenty,  Birth, 
And  to  the  neighbouring  Realms  make  thine  become 
What  once  was  Egypt  to  imperial  Rome. 

Happy  the  Patriots,  who  with  generous  Zeal 

Devote  their  Labours  to  the  Public  Weal. 

To  them  th9  industrious  Hand  shall  yearly  raise 

Successive  Harvests  of  immortal  Praise. 

Avaunt  Ambition  !     Let  thy  sons  no  more 

Boast  their  vain  Triumphs  stamped  on  shining  Ore. 

Know  thou,  and  all  the  World's  great  Troublers  know, 

That  'tis  but  Earth's  vile  dross  subsides  below. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        41 

From  her  fair  Bosom  those  true  Riches  spring, 

That  Happiness,  or  Fame  to  mortals  bring. 

By  these  are  nourished,  and  from  these  have  Birth 

The  living  Statues  of  the  Gods,  on  Earth. 

And  Heaven  thy  Inscription  gives — and  thus  we  read  ; 

"  To  bless  Mankind  is  to  be  bless'd  indeed" 

Hail  Industry  !  Parent  of  Joy  and  Health, 

Great  source  of  Commerce,  Splendour,  Pow'r,  and  Wealth. 

At  thy  approach,  the  Graces,  newly  born, 

Revisit  Earth,  and  Plenty  fills  her  Horn  ; 

Through  Virtues1  Banks  her  stream  fair  Freedom  pours  ; 

And  gay  Delight  points  to  the  smiling  Hours. 

Amidst  them  sparkling  Mirth  asserts  a  Place, 

And  all  the  beauteous  Family  of  Peace. 

Around  in  pairs,  the  blooming  Virgins  flock  : 

One  brings  the  Flax,  and  one  adjusts  the  Rock. 

Heaven  guides  the  Spindle,  as  it  downward  tends; 

And  on  the  Thread  a  Nation's  fate  depends. 

Begin,  ye  Nymphs,  your  glorious  Task  begin, 

The  Happiness  of  Crowds  unborn  to  spin. 

To  future  Times  so  shall  Hibernia  tell, 

In  virtue  how  her  daughters  did  excel. 

How  their  soft  Hands  confessed  the  wond'rous  Pow'r 

From  rotten  weeds  to  deck  the  Nuptial  Bowfr  ; 

To  grace  the  Warrior's  Tent  ;  the  Board  of  Kings  ; 

And  add  to  Britain  s  Naval  Thunder  wings  ; 

Nay  more,  transmit  to  each  succeeding  age 

The  works  of  Boyle,  and  Milton's  sacred  Page. 

Fir'd  with  the  Prospect,  the  glad  Realm  prepares 
To  these  pursuits  to  bend  her  future  Cares, 
But  first  she  bids,  like  a  repentant  son, 
Her  old  companions  from  her  sight  be  gone  ; 
Once  tempting  Sirens,  but  whom  now  she  knows 
Sad  authors  of  her  Follies,  and  her  Woes  ; 
A  hi? ring  Brood,  that  long  disgraced  her  Door, 
The  ground  encumbered,  and  consumed  her  store. 
Fond  Superstition,  who  perversely  pays 
Heaven  back  its  gifts,  instead  of  manly  Praise, 
Leads  on,  but  slowly  leads,  the  lazy  Train, 
Averse  to  Toil,  yet  grasping  still  at  gain. 


42  A   HISTORY   OF 

There  yawning  Sloth  into  a  corner  steals. 
With  Poverty,  her  daughter,  at  her  Heels. 
Fantastic  Pride,  of  high  extraction,  fain 
Would  be  excused,  and  sues,  but  sues  in  vain. 
The  same  the  Doom  of  Luxury  and  Waste, 
Who  fly  from  Care,  but  to  Destruction  haste. 
Envy  and  Discontent,  and  sudden  Spleen 
Move  off  the  last,  and  close  the  wretched  Scene. 

Thus  if  thy  endeavours  of  the  good  and  wise 
Can  ought  avail  to  make  a  Nation  rise^ 
Soon  shall  Hibernia  see  her  broken  state, 
Repair  d  by  Arts  and  Industry,  grow  great. 

A  little  later,  on  an  occasion  when  Dr.  Francis 
Hutchinson,  bishop  of  Down,  was  in  the  chair,  he  is 
noted  as  having  recommended  to  the  Society  the  "  care 
of  the  English  tongue."  It  will  be  remembered  that 
soon  after  its  foundation,  the  Royal  Society  appointed  a 
committee  to  consider  the  improvement  of  the  English 
tongue.  The  Bishop  wrote  an  English  Grammar,  and 
dwelt  on  the  many  advantages  of  a  good  language  to 
any  nation.  He  may  have  had  in  mind  a  project  like 
Swift's  for  the  improvement  of  the  English  tongue 
(Prose  Works,  xi.  5).  As  shown  by  his  work  on 
Ancient  Historians,  he  also  took  a  great  interest  in  the 
Irish  language  and  history,  and  published  a  Church 
Catechism  in  Irish.  An  Excellent  New  Ballad  (at- 
tributed to  Swift),  printed  for  T.  Harkin,  opposite 
Crane  lane,  1725-6,  a  copy  of  which  is  in  Trinity 
College  Library,  has  the  following  allusion  to  his 
work  in  these  fields  : 

I'll  tell  you  a  story,  a  story  most  merry, 
Of  a  B[ishop]  from  Ed[munds]  1  but  not  Canterbery, 
Who  for  his  great  parts,  and  the  books  he  has  written, 
Outdoes  all  the  Bpshops]  ere  sent  us  from  Britain. 

1  In  1692  Hutchinson  had  been  appointed  perpetual  curate  of  St. 
James',  Bury  St.  Edmunds. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        43 

When  first  he  came  over  to  bless  this  poor  Nation, 
And  found  us  a  people  without  education, 
Full  sore  did  it  grieve  him,  and  therefore  did  he, 
Resolve  to  reform  us,  and  that  speedily. 

And  'cause  we  can't  read,  nor  yet  understand, 
The  Language  that's  spoken  in  old  England, 
First  taught  a  Catechize  wrote  in  our  own, 
In  an  easy  new  method,  before  never  known. 

In  February  1738,  the  Society  had  the  satisfaction 
of  learning  that  by  the  aid  of  its  screw  pump,  Mr. 
Barclay,  "  the  Quaker,"  had  cleared  of  all  water  a  ship 
stranded  on  the  North  Bull,  by  which  means,  the 
vessel,  which  would  otherwise  have  been  lost,  was 
saved. 

In  October,  Mr.  Prior  informed  the  members  that 
Mr.  Arthur  Dobbs  had  discovered  by  experiment  that 
the  polygon  stones  of  the  Giant's  Causeway,  when  put 
into  a  smith's  forge,  ran  into  glass,  and  that  he  had 
brought  to  town  some  stones  on  which  Mr.  Maple 
was  to  make  further  experiments,  by  mixing  other 
ingredients  with  them. 

Mr.  Steel  produced  a  model  of  a  machine  with 
horizontal  sails,  which  turned  with  any  wind,  with 
application  to  a  corn  mill  and  also  to  a  ship,  to  make 
it  move  against  wind  and  tide.  He  was  asked  to  buy 
a  small  Norway  yawl,  to  make  trial  by  means  of  his 
sails  and  paddles. 

In  October  1739,  the  Society  took  in  hand  its  own 
better  regulation.  Several  members  had  withdrawn, 
and  neglected  or  refused  to  pay  their  annual  sub- 
scriptions, whereby  the  Society  suffered  in  income. 
The  deficiency  had  become  so  great  that  the  funds 
were  unequal  to  making  useful  experiments,  procuring 
the  best  implements,  &c.     It  had  become  necessary  to 


44  A    HISTORY   OF 

fix  a  set  day  for  arrears,  and  those  who  did  not  dis- 
charge their  liabilities  by  the  ist  of  March  1740  were 
to  be  considered  as  no  longer  members.  Meantime, 
private  notices  were  to  be  sent,  and  public  ones  pub- 
lished in  the  papers.  After  the  ist  of  March,  a  list 
composed  only  of  members  who  had  paid  up  to  date 
was  to  be  printed.  A  notice  from  the  Society  appeared 
in  Pue's  Occurrences  of  November  8,  1740,  to  the 
effect  that  the  number  of  members  was  not  to  exceed 
100;  no  person  to  be  looked  on  as  a  member  who 
did  not  attend  on  the  following  Thursday  at  the 
Parliament  House,  to  pay  arrears,  if  due.  The  first 
Thursday  in  the  months  of  November,  December, 
and  March  were  to  be  the  fixed  days  for  election  of 
members.  In  November  came  on  the  question  of  the 
better  division  of  the  business,  and  assigning  to  members 
the  share  in  it  that  might  be  agreeable  to  each  worker. 
Besides  the  standing  committee  of  21,  it  was  decided 
that  several  committees  were  to  be  appointed,  each  for  a 
particular  purpose,  and  twenty  or  thirty  members  dis- 
posed to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  various  committees 
were  thought  to  be  a  sufficient  number  to  serve  on  them. 
Four,  consisting  of  seven  members  each,  were  suggested. 
1, Correspondence — on  which  Lord  Abercorn,the  Bishop 
of  Kiidare,  Dean  Maturin,  Mr.  Ross,  Mr.  Prior, 
Dr.  Weld,  and  Dr.  Wynne  were  elected.  2,  Experi- 
ments— Bishop  of  Clonfert,  Sir  Thomas  Prendergast, 
Mr.  Prior,  Dean  Maturin,  Mr.  Maple,  Rev.  Mr. 
Percival.  3,  Publication — Bishop  of  Kilmore,  Mr. 
Robert  Ross,  Mr.  Prior,  Dean  Maturin,  Archdeacon 
Theophilus  Brocas,  Dean  Hutchinson,  Dr.  Weld.  4, 
Accounts — Dr.  Wynne,  Arthur  Dobbs,  Mr.  Fox,  Dean 
Dopping,  Bishop  of  Kiidare,  Bishop  of  Clonfert,  Mr. 
Cramer.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Weld  (mentioned  above), 
minister  of  a  Baptist  congregation  in  Eustace  street, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        45 

who  was  recently  elected,  was  son  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel 
Weld,  a  friend  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  which  accounts  for 
his  son,  grandson,  and  great-grandson  being  named 
Isaac.  He  resided  at  Harold's  Cross,  Dublin,  and 
married  Anne,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Darby,  dying 
in  1775. 

A  short  time  before  Weld's  election,  Robert  Jocelyn, 
attorney-general,  had  become  a  member  of  the  Society. 
He  was  son  of  Thomas  Jocelyn,  and  grandson  of  Sir 
Robert  Jocelyn,  bart.,  of  Hertfordshire.  Jocelyn  was 
called  to  the  Irish  Bar  in  1706,  and  became  m.p.  for 
Granard  in  1725.  He  was  appointed  Lord  Chancellor 
in  1739,  soon  being  created  Baron  Newport,  and 
in  1755,  Viscount  Jocelyn.  His  lordship  died  in 
London  in  1756,  aged  68.  He  had  literary  and 
antiquarian  tastes,  and  took  the  keenest  interest  in 
everything  Irish.  Jocelyn's  son  and  successor  was 
created  Earl  of  Roden.  Viscount  Jocelyn,  in  1747, 
during  his  term  of  office  as  Lord  Chancellor,  was 
elected  president  of  the  Physico-Historical  Society,  and 
Smith,  the  historian  of  Kerry,  mentions  his  noble 
collection  of  manuscripts  relating  to  Ireland.  About 
1 74 1  he  took  a  lease  of  Mount  Merrion,  near  Dublin, 
and,  whenever  possible,  it  was  his  delight  to  retire 
thither,  wandering  over  the  property,  and  entertaining 
his  friends.1 

Early  in  1744,  a  society,  which  in  certain  of  its 
objects  was  somewhat  akin  to  the  Dublin  Society,  was 
formed,  and  met  for  the  first  time,  on  the  14th  of  April 
in  that  year,  in  the  Lords'  committee  room  of  the 
Parliament  House.  It  was  known  as  the  Physico- 
Historical  Society,  formed  to  promote  enquiries  into 
the  ancient  and  present  state  of  the  counties  of  Ireland. 
The  minute  book,  the  last  date  in  which  is  the  22nd 

1  History  of  County  Dublin^  F.  E.  Ball,  ii.  p.  86. 


46  A   HISTORY   OF 

of  March  1752,  is  preserved  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 
Lord  Southwell  was  its  first  president,  and  the  member- 
ship included  James  Ware,  Thomas  Prior,  Walter 
Harris,  The  Bishops  of  Dromore,  Cork,  and  Clonfert, 
Dr.  John  Rutty,  Dr.  John  Lyon,1  James  Simon,2  Lord 
Strangford,  and  Richard  Pococke,  most  of  whom  were 
members  of  the  Dublin  Society.  In  1747,  the  Lord 
Chancellor  (Robert  Jocelyn,  lord  Newport)  was 
elected  president,  and  in  the  following  year  Martin 
Folkes,  president  of  the  Royal  Society,  became  a 
member.  The  first  business  was  to  collect  materials 
for  a  History  of  the  City  and  of  the  County  of  Dublin, 
and  Walter  Harris  undertook  the  former.  Dr.  Samuel 
Madden  offered  ^10  towards  paying  itinerant  persons 
to  travel  and  collect  observations  on  the  various  counties. 
The  Histories  of  Fermanagh  and  Monaghan  were 
offered  to  Madden,  and  the  Rev.  Philip  Skelton.  Dr. 
Charles  Smith  undertook  Waterford,  and  Dr.  Rutty, 
Dublin  county.  James  Simon's  ^Account  of  Irish  Coins, 
as  also  Smith's  Cork,  were  published  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Society;  and  in  1752,  Smith  was  engaged  on 
his  History  of  Kerry  for  the  same  Society.  On  the  14th 
of  February  1754,  a  note  appears  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Dublin  Society  that  Smith's  Kerry  was  to  be  read  by 
a  committee,  with  a  view  to  its  publication  by  the 
Society,  under  whose  auspices  the  work  subsequently 
appeared. 

At   the  election   of   officers  held   on   the    14th  of 
November  1745,  Philip  Stanhope,  earl  of  Chesterfield, 

1  He  had  charge  of  Swift  in  his  last  illness,  and  was  a  witness  to 
the  Dean's  will.  Lyon  was  librarian  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and 
compiled  a  catalogue  of  the  MSS.  He  was  also  secretary  to  Swift's 
Hospital. 

2  For  a  short  time,  in  1748,  he  acted  as  secretary.  Between  175 1 
and  1756  he  appears  to  have  been  secretary  to  the  Incorporated 
Society.  James  Simon  was  a  wine  merchant  in  Fleet  street,  and  is 
well  known  as  author  of  the  valuable  work  on  Irish  Coins. 


PHILIP,  EARL  OF  CHESTERFIELD 
{From  a  Mezzotint  by  J.   Brooks) 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        47 

was  elected  president.  In  Chesterfield  the  Society  had  a 
true  and  appreciative  friend,  who  did  all  in  his  power 
to  further  its  useful  work,  and  who  fully  acknowledged 
the  benefits  conferred  on  Ireland  by  its  beneficent  and 
disinterested  labours.  He  was  born  in  1694,  and,  from 
the  time  of  his  entry  on  public  life,  he  was  known  as  a 
brilliant  politician,  wit,  and  letter-writer.  Although  only 
a  short  time  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  to  his  good 
government  may  be  attributed  the  fact  that  the  country 
was  peaceful  during  the  rebellion  in  Scotland.  He 
aided  all  efforts  for  promoting  its  prosperity,  and 
undertook  public  works  at  a  time  when  distress  was 
prevalent.  Early  in  1746,  the  Society  applied  to  the 
Government  for  a  grant  to  help  it  in  carrying  out 
its  various  projects,  when  His  Excellency  wrote  to 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle  in  these  terms : 

"  The  Dublin  Society  is  really  a  very  useful  estab- 
lishment. It  consists  of  many  considerable  people,  and 
has  been  kept  up  hitherto  by  voluntary  subscriptions. 
They  give  premiums  for  the  improvement  of  lands, 
for  plantations,  for  manufactures.  They  furnish  many 
materials  for  those  improvements  in  the  poorer  and 
less  cultivated  parts  of  this  kingdom,  and  have 
certainly  done  a  great  deal  of  good.  The  bounty  they 
apply  for  to  His  Majesty  is  five  hundred  pounds  a 
year,  which,  in  my  humble  opinion,  would  be  properly 
bestowed."  * 

On  the  3rd  of  April  appears  a  minute  to  the  effect  that 
His  Excellency  had  showed  Mr.  Prior  a  King's  letter  or 
warrant  for  ^500  a  year,  during  pleasure,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Society.  It  was  not,  however,  until  the  8th  of 
May  that  the  Letter  was  officially  communicated.  By  it, 
which  bore  date  the  26th  of  March  1 746,  the  Society  was 
placed  on  the  Civil  Establishment  of  Ireland,  for  that 

1  Chesterfield's  Letters,  ed.  by  John  Bradshaw,  1892,  ii.  795 


48  A   HISTORY   OF 

annual  sum,  "  to  be  disposed  of  by  them  in  such  manner 
and  for  the  like  uses  and  purposes  as  their  own  voluntary 
subscriptions  are  applied."  Lord  Chesterfield,  in  a  letter 
written  on  the  6th  of  May  1747,  to  Mr.  Prior,1  pays 
the  Society  the  following  well-deserved  compliment : — 
"  They  have  done  more  good  to  Ireland,  with  regard 
to  arts  and  industry,  than  all  the  laws  that  could  have 
been  formed  ;  for,  unfortunately,  there  is  a  perverse- 
ness  in  our  natures  which  prompts  us  to  resist  autho- 
rity, though  otherwise  inclined  enough  to  do  the  thing, 
if  left  to  our  choice.  Invitation,  example,  and  fashion, 
with  some  premiums  attending  them,  are,  I  am  con- 
vinced, the  only  methods  of  bringing  people  in  Ireland 
to  do  what  they  ought  do ;  and  that  is  the  plan  of 
your  Society." 

The  Lord  Lieutenant's  warrant  was  dated  4th 
April,  1746,  and  payment  was  to  commence  on  the 
preceding  Lady  Day.  Official  fees  cost  the  Society 
£19,  6s.  \\\L 

In  1769,  as  a  mark  of  gratitude  to  Lord  Chester- 
field, who  had  been  influential  in  obtaining  the  Society's 
charter,  and  also  the  grant  of  ^500  a  year,  to  aid  its 
designs,  it  was  proposed  to  place  his  bust  in  white 
marble  in  the  meeting  room.  Van  Nost,  the  sculptor, 
was  entrusted  with  the  commission,  and  was  paid  $$ 
guineas  for  his  work.  The  bust  now  stands  in  the 
reception  room  in  Leinster  House.  Lord  Chesterfield 
wrote  a  very  handsome  acknowledgment  of  the  honour 
the  Society  had  done  him. 

In  June  1746,  William  Telfier  of  Glasgow  produced 
a  machine  for  measuring  the  true  run  of  a  ship  at  sea, 
and  a  committee  recommended  that  it  should  be  made 
trial  of  in  the  river  along  the  North  Wall,  at  high  water 
on  the  2  5th  of  June.      1760  yards  were  measured  on  the 

1  Chesterfield's  Letters,  ed.  by  John  Bradshaw,  1892,  ii.  817. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        49 

quay,  and  the  Ballast  Office  boat  made  an  expedition 
with  the  machine  fixed  to  the  rudder,  the  index  being 
set  at  the  last  degree  of  the  circle  50  degrees.  At  the 
end  of  a  mile,  the  index  had  moved  16  degrees.  The 
machine  was  contrived  so  that  the  index  went  round 
50  degrees  while  the  ship  moved  a  league.  The  com- 
mittee tested  going  with  and  against  the  tide ;  with 
the  tide,  the  boat  sailed  a  mile,  while  the  index  moved 
1 5  degrees ;  against  it,  the  index  moved  1 8  degrees  in 
a  mile,  so  that  there  were  more  revolutions  of  the  wheel 
in  going  against  the  tide,  and  fewer  in  going  with  it. 
A  further  trial  of  the  machine  was  made  in  July,  when 
the  committee  decided  that,  for  want  of  trials  at  sea, 
they  could  form  no  judgment  of  its  use  when  the 
weather  was  stormy.  Telfier  was  advised  to  bring  it  to 
the  Admiralty  in  England,  where  proper  experiments 
could  be  made,  and  the  Secretary  was  directed  to  draw 
up  a  certificate  of  the  success  of  the  trial  here,  Telfier's 
instrument  appearing  to  answer  better  than  the  log-line. 
It  might  be  supposed  that  a  Glasgow  man  could  have 
had  similar  trials  on  the  Clyde ;  and  it  must  be  taken 
as  a  special  tribute  to  the  position  now  occupied  by  the 
Dublin  Society  that  a  Scotchman  was  anxious  to  bring 
out  his  invention  under  its  auspices. 

The  volume  containing  the  minutes  between  the 
1  oth  of  July  1746  and  the  3rd  of  May  1750  is  un- 
fortunately not  now  forthcoming.1  As  it,  probably, 
contained  a  record  of  the  negotiations  which  led  up  to 
the  granting  of  the  charter,  the  story  of  that  important 
event  in  the  history  of  the  Society  has  necessarily  to  be 
omitted  here.     (See  p.  75.) 

The  newspapers  of  the  day  have  to  be  fallen  back 
on  for  supplying  a  few  details  as  to  the  ordinary  work 
of  the  Society.     The  practice  was  once  more  adopted 

1  This  volume  has  been  missing  for  nearly  a  century. 

D 


5o  A    HISTORY   OF 

of  printing  useful  suggestions  in  the  form  of  letters. 
"  How  to  make  Bread  without  barm ;  also  for  pre- 
serving a  large  stock  of  the  barm,"  was  the  title  of 
one  which  appeared  in  1746. 

During  the  year  1749,  occurs  the  first  mention  of 
John  Nost  or  Van  Nost,  who  afterwards  developed  so 
remarkable  a  genius  for  sculpture.  To  show  his  skill 
in  modelling,  he  presented  to  the  Society  a  bust  in 
clay,  from  which  he  was  asked  to  carve  a  bust  in 
Italian  statuary  marble.  Van  Nost,  who  had  come  from 
London,  where  he  was  born,  was  then  residing  in 
Jervis  street,  where  he  exhibited  models  in  plaster. 
He  executed  for  the  Friendly  Brothers  of  St.  Patrick 
a  statue  of  William,  lord  Blakeney,  the  defender  of 
Minorca,  which  once  stood  in  Sackville  street,  but  is  no 
longer  among  the  public  statues  of  Dublin.  Van  Nost 
also  executed  the  equestrian  statue  of  King  George  II, 
now  in  St.  Stephen's  Green.     He  died  in  1780. 

On  2 1st  March  1749,  the  Society  published  the 
following  notice — "  The  Dublin  Society  takes  this 
opportunity  to  inform  the  public  that  they  have  en- 
gaged Mr.  John  Cam  (a  Quaker),  well  skilled  in 
English  husbandry,  and  making  ploughs  and  carts  in 
the  best  manner,  to  attend  gentlemen  and  farmers  in 
the  country,  as  an  itinerant  husbandman,  to  advise 
them  in  the  right  way  of  ploughing  and  managing 
their  land  for  the  growth  of  corn,.  He  will  carry  with 
him  some  ploughs  of  his  own  making,  &x.  Said  Cam 
will  set  out  from  Dublin  on  Monday  27th,  and  will  go 
to  Navan,  and  so  proceed  to  the  rest  of  co.  Meath, 
and  the  counties  of  Kildare,  Carlow,  Kilkenny,  &c, 
where  he  may  meet  growers  of  corn,  and  instruct 
them  in  the  right  way  of  tillage,  and  thereby  save 
labour,  expense,  and  time.  .  .  .  "  A  letter  of  recom- 
mendation  will    be    given    him    from    the   Society   to 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        51 

gentlemen  of  the  country,  and  they  are  desired  to  give 
him  a  fair  opportunity  of  showing  his  skill." 

The  Society  also  printed  recipes  for  sheep-rot,  and 
recommended  The  Country  Gentleman  and  Shepherds 
Sure  Guide,  by  William  Ellis,  Gaddesden,  Hertford- 
shire, then  being  printed  by  George  Faulkner. 

From  its  start,  the  Society  ever  evinced  a  warm 
interest  in  the  question  of  employment  for  the  people, 
and  on  the  29th  of  July  1749  was  printed  on  its 
behalf  a  list  of  commodities  imported  into  Ireland, 
consisting  of  such  kinds  as  might  be  raised  or  manu- 
factured in  the  country,  as  rated  at  the  Custom  House, 
taken  at  an  average  for  the  three  years  1744-46.  It 
was  designed  to  show  how  much  might  be  done  at 
home  which  would  afford  employment. 

Another  notice  appeared  on  the  9th  of  December, 
which  advocated  a  method  of  feeding  calves  with  a 
mixture  of  hay  water  and  a  little  milk,  whereby  four 
or  five  calves  might  be  reared  in  one  season  with  the 
milk  of  one  cow  only;  and  on  the  8th  of  May  1750 
the  Society  communicated  to  the  public  a  letter  on  a 
method  of  transplanting  rape. 


52  A    HISTORY    OF 


CHAPTER   IV 

DR.    MADDEN'S   AND   THE   SOCIETY'S   PREMIUM 
SYSTEMS.     (1739-1790) 

A  great  stimulus  and  impetus  were  now  about  to 
be  given  to  the  working  of  the  Society,  through  the 
public  spirit  and  generosity  of  one  of  its  leading  spirits. 
Samuel  Madden,  d.d.,  son  of  John  Madden,  m.d., 
was  born  in  Dublin  in  1686.  His  mother,  Mary 
Molyneux,  was  sister  of  William  and  Sir  Thomas 
Molyneux.  He  succeeded  to  the  family  estates  in 
Fermanagh  in  1703,  and  resided  at  Manor  Water- 
house  in  that  county.  Madden  was  ordained,  and 
became  rector  of  Galloon,  and  subsequently  of  Drum- 
mully,  which  was  a  family  living;  and  in  1729  the 
well-known  Philip  Skelton  became  his  curate,  and 
tutor  to  Dr.  Madden's  children. 

On  the  1 2th  of  April  1733,  Dr.  Madden  became 
a  member  of  the  Society.  In  1730  he  had  propounded 
a  scheme  for  the  encouragement  of  learning  by  a 
system  of  premiums,  contributing  largely  himself. 
This  was  adopted  by  the  University,  and  the  details 
are  fully  explained  in  a  Proposal  for  the  General  En- 
couragement of  Learning  in  Dublin  College,  173 1 .  His 
Reflections  and  Resolutions  proper  for  the  Gentlemen  of 
Ireland  as  to  their  conduct  for  the  service  of  their  country 
was  printed  in  Dublin  in  1738.  This  work  was  re- 
printed in  1 8 1 6  by  Thomas  Pleasants,  but  without  the 
original  preface,  the  existence  of  which  was  denied  by 
the  editor.     The  backward  condition  of  the  country 


7JZ). 


SAMUEL  MADDEN,  D.D. 
{From  a  Mezzotint  by  Charles  Spooner) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        53 

was  ascribed  to  the  extravagance  and  idleness  of  the 
people,  and  a  recommendation  was  made  that  the  farm- 
ing population  should  be  taught  by  instructors  who 
should  travel  through  the  country.  He  advocated  a 
system  of  premiums  (earning  for  himself  the  sobriquet 
of  "  Premium  "  Madden),  which  he  brought  under  the 
notice  of  the  Dublin  Society,  and  in  1739  printed  a 
Letter  to  the  Dublin  Society  on  the  improving  their 
Fund :  and  the  Manufactures,  Tillage,  i$c.  in  Ireland} 
Dr.  Johnson,  who  is  said  to  have  helped  him  in  his 
poem  entitled  "  Boulter's  Monument,"  declared  that 
Madden's  was  a  name  that  Ireland  ought  to  honour. 
He  also  appears  to  have  been  on  friendly  terms  with 
Swift,  and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Physico-Historical 
Society,  under  whose  auspices  he  undertook,  but  did 
not  finish,  a  history  of  the  County  of  Fermanagh. 
Largely  through  Dr.  Madden's  influence,  the  Charter 
of  the  Dublin  Society  was  granted.  He  died  on  the 
31st  of  December  1765.  The  Royal  Dublin  Society 
is  in  possession  of  a  white  marble  bust,  by  Van  Nost, 
of  one  who  did  so  much  to  foster  and  encourage  its 
beginnings. 

Madden,  finding  at  the  end  of  seven  or  eight  years, 
that  the  funds  of  the  Society  were  totally  inadequate 
to  the  projects  it  had  in  view,  and  to  carrying  out  the 
ends  for  which  the  Society  had  been  formed,  penned  his 
momentous  Letter  to  the  Dublin  Society  on  the  improv- 
ing their  Fund,  which  was  published  anonymously 
in  1739.  In  it,  he  considered  the  necessity  of  the 
fund  being  augmented,  and  the  best  means  for  con- 
tributing to  that  end  ;  then,  on  this  being  accomplished, 
the  nature  of  the  methods  to  be  adopted  ;  lastly,  the 
special  purposes  to  which  the  increased  fund  should 
be    applied.      Madden    advocated    the    application    to 

1  Haliday  Pamphlets,  1739,  cxliv.  3. 


54  A   HISTORY   OF 

persons  of  fortune  for  contributions,  and  also  the  pro- 
curing of  a  charter  of  incorporation  for  the  Society, 
with  statutes  which  would  regulate  its  proceedings,  on 
the  model  of  the  Royal  Society.  He  urged  the  en- 
couragement of  certain  manufactures,  the  importing  of 
which  caused  the  country  very  serious  loss.  Thus, 
the  loss  on  earthenware  was  £5000  yearly;  hardware 
and  cutlery,  £10,000;  saltpetre  and  gunpowder, 
£4000;  threadbone  lace,  £8000;  paper,  £4000; 
sugar,  £6500  ;  salt,  £25,000  ;  corn,  in  time  of  dearth, 
£100,000.  Madden  further  proposed  that  the  Society 
should  "  take  and  improve  a  reasonable  number  of 
acres  in  different  soils  and  places  near  Dublin,  as  an 
experimental  farm  for  all  points  of  husbandry,"  and 
he  specially  pointed  out  the  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  encouraging  the  fine  arts.  The  Letter  concluded 
with  an  offer  of  £130  a  year  for  two  years — £30  to 
be  devoted  to  experiments  in  agriculture  and  garden- 
ing ;  £50  to  the  best  annual  invention  in  any  of  the 
liberal  or  manual  arts;  £25  for  the  best  picture,  and 
£25  for  the  best  statue  produced  in  Ireland.  The 
voting  on  these  several  premiums  was  to  be  by  ballot, 
by  a  majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present. 
He  further  undertook  that  the  writer  would  continue 
his  subscription  until  other  larger  contributions  could 
be  raised,  and  would  pay  it  for  life  when  £500  was 
procured,  "  provided  the  Society  apply  his  little  fund 
to  the  views  they  are  directed  to  with  their  usual 
activity  and  prudence."  Copies  of  the  minutes  of  the 
next  few  months,  dealing  with  the  inauguration  of  the 
Premium  Fund,  which  soon  amounted  to  £500  a  year, 
will  explain  the  course  pursued  by  the  Society  in  ad- 
ministering it. 

"  1739,  Dec.  13 — Dr.  Samuel  Madden's  generous 
proposal  to  enlarge  the  plan  and  fund  of  the  Society 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        55 

was  this  day  laid  before  the  Board  by  Mr.  Prior ; 
ordered  that  the  same  be  considered  at  the  next  Board. 
Dec.  20 — The  Secretaries  reported,  that  Rev.  Dr. 
Madden  having  settled  ^130  per  annum  during  his 
life,  and  having  obtained  a  subscription  of  near  £500 
per  annum  for  the  encouragement  of  sundry  arts,  ex- 
periments, and  several  manufactures  not  yet  brought  to 
perfection  in  this  kingdom  :  Ordered  that  a  Committee 
be  appointed  to  consider  what  manufactures  are  fit  or 
necessary  to  be  encouraged  with  regard  to  the  said 
funds  :  Resolved,  that  the  persons  present  be  of  the  said 
Committee,  and  that  all  members  have  voices.  Feb. 
14,  1740 — Present,  Bishop  of  Dromore,  Bishop  of 
Clonfert  (in  the  chair),  Arthur  Dobbs,  Dr.  Weld, 
Colley  Lyons,  Archdeacon  Brocas,  Dean  Copping,  Mr. 
Prior.  This  day  the  Board  agreed  to  publish  an  ad- 
vertisement proposing  premiums  to  be  given  to  such 
persons  who  shall  make  improvements  in  any  useful 
arts  or  manufacture,  and  mentioning  Dr.  Samuel 
Madden's  proposal  for  encouraging  new  inventions  in 
architecture,  and  painting,  and  statuary  in  this  kingdom. 
Rev.  Dr.  Madden,  having  now  reported  that  the  sub- 
scriptions obtained  by  him  for  promoting  arts  and 
manufactures  do  amount  to  near  ^900  per  annum, 
including  his  own,  and  as  he  is  going  to  the  country, 
he  desires  to  leave  the  subscription  roll  with  the  Society  : 
Ordered  that  Dr.  Madden  be  desired  to  leave  the  said 
subscription  roll  with  the  Secretary,  Mr.  Prior,  for  the 
use  of  the  Board.  May  8,  1740 — Ordered  that  the 
advertisement  hereunto  annexed  be  published  in  the 
newspapers : — "  The  Dublin  Society,  in  order  to  pro- 
mote such  useful  arts  and  manufactures  as  have  not 
hitherto  been  introduced,  or  are  not  yet  brought  to  per- 
fection in  this  kingdom,  give  notice  that  they  intend  to 
encourage,  by  premiums,  annual  contributions,  or  other 


S6  A    HISTORY   OF 

methods,  any  persons  who  are  well  skilled  in  such  arts 
and  manufactures,  and  will  carry  them  on  in  the  best 
and  most  skilful  manner.  To  carry  on  this  design, 
they  desire  that  gentlemen  and  others  who  are  con- 
versant with  husbandry,  trade  or  manufactures,  and 
wish  well  to  their  country,  will  favour  them  with  their 
company  and  advice,  that  they  may  be  better  enabled 
to  judge  what  improvements  are  proper  to  be  en- 
couraged, what  encouragements  are  convenient,  and  in 
what  manner  they  may  be  best  applied  for  the  benefit 
of  the  public.  A  Committee  for  that  purpose  will 
attend  at  the  Parliament  House  every  Thursday  at  one 
o'clock."  May  29,  1740 — Ordered  that  an  advertise- 
ment be  printed  proposing  rewards  to  be  given  to 
such  persons  who  shall  produce  in  Dublin  next  winter, 
the  best  hops,  flax-seed,  flax,  cider,  earthenware,  thread, 
malt  liquor,  lace,  in  their  several  kinds,  according  as 
they  are  set  down  in  a  paper  agreed  to.  June  1 9th — 
Ordered  :  that  the  advertisements  to  be  printed,  for 
giving  rewards,  be  revised  and  altered  by  Dean  Maturin, 
Mr.  Ross,  Mr.  Prior,  and  when  the  same  is  prepared 
that  it  be  printed,  taking  notice  therein  of  many  other 
articles  which  the  Society  design  to  give  rewards  for 
the  next  year.  Nov.  20  —  Ordered :  that  Dean 
Maturin,  Mr.  Ross,  Mr.  Prior,  Dr.  Weld,  Dr.  Wynne, 
be  a  Committee  to  take  into  consideration  the  collect- 
ing of  the  subscriptions  to  Dr.  Madden's  scheme,  and 
the  premiums  that  may  be  proper  to  be  given  this  year, 
and  that  they  meet  on  Wednesday  next  at  Mr.  Prior's 
house,  at  3  o'clock.  Ordered  :  that  the  several  schemes 
of  such  as  expect  encouragement,  for  their  improve- 
ments or  inventions,  be  laid  before  them." 

At  a  meeting  held  on  the  15  th  of  January  1741, 
claimants  attended,  and  exhibited  specimens  of  their 
handiwork,  which  were  the  earliest  the  Society  had  to 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        57 

decide  on.  They  included  Spanish  leather  made  with 
birch  bark,  lamp-black,  blue  and  white  earthenware, 
spinning  cotton,  twilled  stockings,  Bologna  crape, 
engines  for  scutching  flax,  and  a  new  instrument  for 
surveying  land  with  expedition.  The  paintings  in- 
cluded four  in  water-colours  of  the  Giant's  Causeway, 
by  Susanna  Drury  (engraved  in  1744),  landscapes  by 
Rosse,  Tudor,  and  Kiverly,  and  a  cattle  piece,  by 
Ashton.  Among  the  sculptures  were  a  chimneypiece, 
with  boys ;  stud  of  horses  in  a  frame ;  and  Hercules 
slaying  a  lion  (in  clay).  It  was  determined  that  none  of 
the  statuary  or  sculpture  deserved  a  premium,  but  a 
prize  of  ^25  was  voted  to  Miss  Drury  for  her  views  of 
the  Causeway.  None  of  the  inventions  were  allowed 
premiums,  some  not  being  considered  inventions  at  all, 
and  the  remainder  not  being  of  any  importance. 

In  February,  a  premium  was  granted  to  Henry 
MacClery,  of  Waringstown,  for  flowered  damask  napkins 
made  by  him  in  a  loom,  and  in  May  a  sum  of  ^50 
was  voted  to  him.  A  sum  of  £25  was  given  to  Michael 
Beans  for  twilled  ribbed  stockings,  which  included  £  1 8 
given  him  for  a  frame.  Both  these  men  entered  into 
an  engagement  to  carry  on  the  manufacture  for  seven 
years,  and  to  instruct  weavers  and  stocking-weavers 
recommended  by  the  Society. 

In  June  1741,  the  premium  list  stood  as  follows: 

Henry  MacClery,  damask  linen,  £jo.  (He  had 
produced  a  piece  of  damask  with  Lord  Howth's 
arms,  worked  by  a  boy  instructed  by  him.) 

John  Roche,  Usher  street,  buttons,  buckles,  &c, 

£so. 

Benj.  Whitton,  Carlow,  scythes  and  shears,  £20. 
Alexander    Atkinson,    instruments    for    spinning, 

weaving,  and  cutting  fustians,  £16. 
Mr.  Gent,  Kilkenny,  fining  flax,  £25. 


58  A   HISTORY   OF 

Charles    Monaghan    and    Denis    Davis,    improving 

ploughs,  £5. 
Eliz.  Roberts  and  Mary  Thornbald,  bone  lace,  ^10. 
Robert  Baker,  imitation  Brussels  lace,  ^10. 

Premiums  were  ordered  to  be  announced  for  wheat, 
barley,  hops,  (Irish  growth),  cider,  breaking  up  ground, 
sowing  land  with  wheat,  sowing  with  barley,  sowing 
with  turnips,  for  manuring  the  greatest  quantity  of  land 
with  marl ;  with  lime,  with  limestone,  gravel  and  sand  ; 
the  largest  quantity  of  wheat  off  one  acre ;  greatest 
number  of  fruit  trees  raised  in  nurseries ;  timber  trees 
in  'ditto ;  and  for  planting  the  greatest  quantity  of 
timber  in  groves  or  hedge  rows.  Watson  was  to  print 
in  his  Almanac  the  premiums  to  be  offered  for  174 1-2. 

Several  members  of  the  Society  and  a  number  of 
brewers  attended  at  the  market  house,  Thomas  street, 
on  the  2 1  st  of  December,  to  adjudicate  on  hops,  when 
twenty-two  candidates  presented  themselves.  The  first 
premium  was  awarded  to  Humphrey  Jones  of  Mullin- 
abro,  co.  Kilkenny ;  and  the  second  to  Edward  Bolton, 
Brazil,  co.  Dublin.  The  next  in  order  of  merit  were 
Anthony  Atkinson,  King's  co. ;  Mr.  Lee,  Wexford  ; 
and  Samuel  Ealy,  Ross,  co.  Wexford.  Matthew 
Yelverton  of  Portland,  co.  Tipperary,  won  ^10,  for 
having  sowed  the  greatest  quantity  of  land  with 
turnips.  On  the  19th  of  September  1741,  £10  pre- 
mium was  won  by  Isaiah  Yeates,  Booterstown,  co. 
Dublin,  for  the  best  barrel  of  wheat  produced  at  the 
market  house.  To  mark  the  importance  attached  to 
such  competitions,  the  Lord  Mayor  was  present,  and 
three  bakers,  specially  requested,  attended  and  assisted 
in  the  examination  of  the  wheat.  2200  barrels  of  it 
were  sold  on  that  day,  and  it  was  observed  that  all 
the  corn  at  the  market  looked  better  and  cleaner  than 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        59 

it  generally  looked.  From  this,  it  is  evident  that  the 
methods  employed  by  the  Society  in  instruction  &c, 
had  begun  to  bear  fruit.  It  may  be  observed  that 
notices  as  to  Dr.  Madden's  premiums  appeared  distinct 
from  those  issued  on  behalf  of  the  Society. 

On  the  5  th  of  December  1741,  a  letter  to  a 
member  of  the  Dublin  Society  on  the  manner  of  scoring 
and  crimping  cod  and  other  large  fish,  as  practised  in 
Holland  and  England,  appeared  in  Pue's  Occurrences. 

When  Dr.  Madden's  premiums  for  inventions  were 
adjudicated  on  in  February  1742,  Francis  Place  won 
^30  for  an  engine  for  beetling  linen  cloth ;  and  John 
Mooney,  King's  county,  ^20,  for  a  surveying  instru- 
ment. In  sculpture,  Mr.  Houghton  was  awarded  ^15 
for  his  story  of  Orpheus^  and  Mr.  Ranalow  £10  for 
another  piece. 

A  notice  as  to  premiums  for  wheat,  hops,  breaking 
up  of  ground,  cider,  and  planting  trees,  which  were  to 
be  decided  by  competition,  appeared  in  Pue's  Occur- 
rences of  the  2nd  of  March  1742  ;  claims,  affidavits, 
&c,  were  to  be  sent  to  Robert  Ross,  Stafford  street, 
treasurer ;  Dean  Maturin,  Grafton  street,  or  Thomas 
Prior,  Bolton  street,  secretaries.  It  was  also  announced 
that  the  Society  would  publish  the  names  of  subscribers 
to  the  premium  fund,  "  so  that  the  public  might  be 
particularly  informed  to  whom  they  are  obliged." 
A  list  of  subscribers  appeared,  and  the  net  produce  of 
the  fund  for  premiums  amounted  to  ^593,  i$s.  6d. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  the  following  premiums 
were  distributed — for  sowing  the  greatest  quantity  of 
land,  Denis  McMahon,  Clonina,  near  Ennis;  for  the 
best  pound  of  thread  for  lace,  the  Misses  Maclean, 
Markethill,  co.  Armagh,  £6 ;  Edward  Kershaw, 
Dublin,  got  ^10  for  fustian;  and  Richard  Hogarth, 
Chamber  street,  Dublin,  £5  for  a  Turkey  carpet. 


60  A   HISTORY   OF 

On  the  17th  of  June,  the  premiums  for  timber 
trees  in  nurseries  were  announced,  when  it  was  as- 
certained that  the  following  persons  had  planted — 

John  Magrath,  Ross,  co.  Wexford  .  490,600  timber  trees 

Oliver  Anketell,  Anketell's  grove  .  61,750             „ 

Mrs.  Mary  Norton,  Arbour  hill  .  28,000  elms 

Charles  Shelly,  Rathcoffey       .  .  27,838  timber  trees 

Archibald  Noble,  co.  Fermanagh  .  25,920           „ 

Pole  Cosby,  Stradbally    .          .  .  13,835            „ 

Mary  Norton          .          .          .  .15,138  fruit  trees 

A  letter  appeared  in  Pue's  Occurrences  on  the 
14th  of  December  as  to  the  crop  of  wheat,  for  which 
Mr.  Yelverton  got  a  premium.  On  application  of  the 
secretaries,  he  supplied  all  details,  and  his  crop  was 
believed  to  have  exceeded  every  other  crop  heard  of  in 
the  kingdom,1  being  618  stone  11^  lbs.,  the  produce  of 
one  acre. 

At  the  end  of  this  year,  1742,  the  number  of 
members  of  the  Society  stood  at  98,  exclusive  of  the 
Dukes  of  Devonshire  and  Dorset,  honorary  members, 
and  on  the  6th  of  January  1743,  the  number  of  100 
was  reached. 

The  year  1743  opened  with  a  very  gratifying 
tribute  to  the  work  of  the  Society,  and  to  the  estima- 
tion in  which  its  labours  were  held,  even  by  a  section  of 
society  which  might  not  be  expected  to  be  in  sympathy 
with  its  aims  and  objects.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Charitable  Musical  Society,  held  at  the  Bull's  Head, 
Fishamble  street,  Alderman  Walker  and  others  were 
deputed  to  attend  and  inform  the  Dublin  Society  that 

1  Arthur  Young  (Tour,  ii.  230),  mentions  this  famous  crop,  which 
he  says  had  been  written  of  in  all  the  books  on  Husbandry  in  Europe, 
but  nobody  believed  in  it.  Young  explains  that  Yelverton  himself 
was  deceived ;  for,  having  selected  and  marked  out  an  acre  in  a 
thirty-acre  field,  his  labourers,  aware  of  his  intention,  secretly  put  into 
it  many  stocks  from  adjacent  parts  of  the  field. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        61 

that  body  had  resolved  to  place  the  profit  of  their 
fund,  with  the  profits  of  a  play,  at  the  disposal  of 
the  Society,  for  the  encouragement  of  husbandry 
and  agriculture.  The  Society  accepted  the  trust  with 
hearty  thanks.  In  pursuance  of  the  resolution  of  the 
Musical  Society,  it  was  announced  that  on  the  22nd  of 
February  Love  makes  a  Man,  or  the  Fop's  Fortune  would 
be  produced  at  the  Theatre  Royal,  Aungier  street. 

During  this  year  ^50  were  granted  to  Maurice 
Uniacke,  Woodhouse,  co.  Waterford,  for  the  greatest 
number  of  timber  trees  (152,640)  planted.  Thomas 
Bacon  was  appointed  printer  to  the  Society  in  the  room 
of  Reilly,  deceased. 

On  the  2 1  st  of  April  1743  were  adjudicated  Dr. 
Madden's  premiums  for  sculpture,  &c,  when  Mr. 
Houghton  won  £25  for  his  "St.  Paul  preaching  at 
Athens."  The  other  piece  presented  was  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  Deluge  by  John  Matthews,  Temple 
Bar.  A  prize  of  ^10  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Van 
Beaver,  World's  End,1  for  his  "  Feast  of  Bacchus," 
and  £10  to  Mr.  Joseph  Tudor  for  a  painting. 

Great  attention  was  paid  to  draining  and  reclaiming 
bog,  and  John  Baggot,  Nurney,  co.  Kildare,  won  £30 
for  the  former  process,  and  Joseph  Fuller,  Grangemore, 
co.  Westmeath,  £20  for  the  latter. 

In  1744,  George  Thwaites  and  Wm.  Brereton 
took  first  and  second  places  respectively  as  brewers 
who  made  use  of  the  largest  quantity  of  Irish  hops  in 
the  year  1743. 

Dr.  Madden's  premiums  for  lace,  &c,  were  granted 
as  follows :  Anne  Casey,  "  Black  Horse,"  Plunket 
street,  £10  for  bone  lace ;  Elizabeth  Roberts,  Lazer's 
hill,    £5.    Anne    Page,    Castle    street,    £10    for  best 

1  World's  End  lane  was  subsequently  called  Mabbot  street,  and 
from  1876  Montgomery  street. 


62  A   HISTORY   OF 

imitation  Brussels  lace ;  Mrs.  Baker  and  Miss  Ray- 
mond obtained  second  prize,  £5.  Catherine  Plunket, 
"  Horse  Shoe,"  Thomas  street,  for  best  edging,  £5  ; 
Mary  Casey,  £2  ;  Catherine  Ricks  (or  Riggs),  "  Crown 
and  Glove,"  George's  lane,  £2  ;  Esther  Haycock,  Or- 
mond  quay,  £10  for  best  piece  of  embroidery;  David 
Davis,  Marlborough  street,  £10  for  best  piece  of  black 
velvet;  John  Daly,  Crooked  Staff,1  £10  for  dyeing 
black  cloth;  Thomas  Dun,  Chamber  street,  £10  for 
dyeing  scarlet  cloth.  Messrs.  Wilson,  Sharp  &  co., 
were  awarded  £2$  for  making  the  greatest  quantity 
of  salt  fit  for  curing  fish.  This  firm  made  450  tons 
at  Belfast  on  the  5th  of  May  1744.  A  notice  appeared 
in  Pue's  Occurrences  that  salt  made  at  Glenarm  had 
been  inspected  by  the  Bakers'  and  Coopers'  Com- 
panies, and  that  it  was  found  to  be  stronger  and 
cleaner  than  French  salt. 

The  next  industry  that  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  Society  was  that  of  brewing,  and  on  the  21st  of 
March  1745,  a  party  of  members  and  experts  met  at 
the  Custom  House  coffee-house,  for  ale  tasting.  A  sum 
of  £6  was  awarded  to  Thos.  Byrne,  sign  of  "Brow  of 
the  Hill,"  Sycamore  alley,  for  the  best  barrel  of  ale 
made  of  Irish  malt — in  this  case  it  was  of  Wicklow 
barley  ;  £4.  to  Laurence  Casey.  For  ale  brewed  with 
English  malt,  Daniel  O'Brien,  New  street,  was  granted 
£6  ;  Thomas  Gladwell  got  £4.. 

An  offer  of  £5  each  was  made  by  Mr.  John  Darner, 
Shroneen,  co.  Tipperary,  to  two  masters  of  ships  who 
would  bring  from  Newfoundland  a  barrel  of  cones  of 
black  spruce,  with  the  branches  and  cones  on ;  and  £5 
each  to  two  masters  who  would  bring  from  Norway 
two  barrels  of  cones  of  red  deal.  These  were  to  be  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Dublin  Society. 

1  Now  Ardee  street,  in  the  Coombe. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        63 

Premiums  now  began  to  be  offered  for  such  articles 
of  domestic  consumption  as  blackberry,  currant,  elder- 
berry, and  gooseberry  wine. 

Dr.  Madden  by  no  means  restricted  his  bounty  in 
the  manner  indicated  in  his  original  plan,  and  he  is 
found  offering  £20  for  the  best  stallion  imported  in 
1744,  which  was  won  by  Thomas  Place,  Barrack  street. 
The  horse  cost  £S1^  lSs-  £12  were  awarded  to  Edward 
Sims  for  bulls  and  heifers. 

In  the  various  objects  of  the  bounty  of  the  Society, 
nothing  that  might  tend  to  the  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity appears  to  have  been  forgotten,  and  the  housing 
question  was  even  then  acute.  In  May  1745,  plans  for 
building  houses  with  two  to  eight  rooms  on  a  floor 
were  examined,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Castle,  the 
eminent  architect,  when  the  prize  was  awarded  to 
George  Ensor,  clerk  in  a  surveyor's  office. 

Hats  were  the  subject  of  further  competition,  and 
Thomas  Champion,  of  Meath  street,  won  £6  ;  second 
place  was  given  to  Mr.  Parvisol,  Skinner's  row,  and 
third  to  Mr.  Boyton.  Even  the  killing  of  rats  was  not 
deemed  beneath  the  notice  of  the  Society,  and  Michael 
Nedley  was  awarded  a  prize  for  having  killed  1300. 
On  30th  May  1745,  the  city  of  Kilkenny  was  given 
£10  for  having  cleared  itself  of  beggars  by  affording 
employment  to  the  poor.  About  100  of  the  poor 
were  supplied  with  work,  they  being  usefully  employed 
in  cleansing  the  streets.  It  is  refreshing  to  read  of  a 
community  which  in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth 
century  had  such  enlightened  views  on  employment, 
and  on  keeping  a  town  clean. 

Nearly  five  pages  of  the  minute  book  are  occu- 
pied with  particulars  as  to  the  premiums  agreed  on 
for  the  current  year.  They  include  prizes  for  sowing 
land,  reclaiming,  manuring,  planting  trees,  grass,  broad 


64  A   HISTORY   OF 

cloth,  hops,  saffron,  madder,  fustian,  brewing  ale,  cider, 
worsted,  salt,  beaver  hats,  drawing.  Dr.  Madden's 
premiums  include  awards  for  damask,  velvet,  lace, 
silkwork,  stallions,  bulls,  heifers,  tapestry,  fish,  paint- 
ings, and  sculpture. 

Several  children  under  fifteen  years  of  age  attended 
in  March  1746  to  compete  for  premiums  in  drawing, 
when  Jane  Tudor  won  £5  for  her  work  in  black  and 
white,  after  Raphael  and  Titian.  Soon  after,  first 
prize  for  best  buff  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Fombally,1  and 
second  to  Mr.  Gibal.  It  will  be  observed  how  fre- 
quently names  of  Huguenot  traders  and  artisans  in 
Dublin  occur  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Society. 

A  new  and  strange  subject  next  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  Society — namely  the  collection  of 
rags  in  the  city.  It  was  computed  that  about 
5000  lbs.  weight  of  rags  were  gathered  weekly  in  the 
city  and  county,  to  supply  the  paper  mills  near  Dublin, 
which  employed  a  large  number  of  hands.  The 
greatest  quantity  was  sold  to  Thomas  Slater,  Temple- 
ogue  mills,  to  Robert  Randal  of  Newbridge,  and 
to  Michael  McDaniel  (or  McDonnell)  of  Tallaght. 
In  1747,  on  the  adjudication  of  premiums  for  the 
best  writing  and  printing  paper,  the  above  named 
firms  took  rank  in  the  order  mentioned.  In  175 1, 
the  competition  for  bounties  for  rag  gathering  was 
adjudicated  on  by  certain  papermakers,  when  there 
were  182  claimants,  and  rags  to  the  amount  of  ^2086 
were  purchased,  on  which  the  Society  distributed  a 
sum  of  j£34,  1 5-*.  &d.  An  announcement  was  made 
that  the  paper  manufacturers  were  now  sufficiently 
supplied  with  material,  and  that  they  purposed  to  im- 
prove further  in  the  quality  of  paper  made  by  them. 

1  A  corruption  of  the  name  Fonvielle,  that  of  a  Huguenot  family, 
from  which  Fumbally's  lane,  off  New  street,  was  named. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        6S 

In  1748,  in  the  adjudications  on  Tapestry,  John 
Van  Beaver,  (for  his  historical  piece,  "  Meleager  and 
the  Boar "),  John  Paulet,  and  Daniel  Reyly  took 
places. 

During  the  years  1749  and  1750,  premiums  for 
planting  trees  were  won  by  Colonel  Hugh  Maguire, 
Tempo,  and  Oliver  Anketell,  Anketell's  Grove ;  for 
cider  trees,  Martin  Kennedy,  Oranmore,  co.  Galway,  and 
Edward  Dally,  Brohall,  King's  co. ;  for  draining  bogs, 
Phillip  Reilly,  Derraugh,  co.  Longford  :  for  making 
bog  profitable,  Rev.  Thomas  Hemsworth,  Abbeyville, 
co.  Tipperary;  for  reclaiming  coarse  mountain  land, 
John  Smith,  Violetstown,  co.  Westmeath,  and  William 
Mulhall,  Ireland's  Grove,  Queen's  co, ;  for  using 
most  oxen  in  ploughing,  John  Keating,  Shanballyduff. 
For  building  the  most  complete  mills  for  making 
white  paper,  &c,  Joseph  Sexton,  Limerick,  got  ^40 
premium;  Michael  McDonnell,  Tallaght,  £2$  ;  Daniel 
Blow,  Belfast,  £20 ;  William  Slater,  Rathfarnham, 
£15;  for  green  glassware,  Rupert  Barber,  £20. 
^10  were  granted  to  Messrs.  Perry  &  Malone  for 
specimens  of  printing  with  letters  of  their  own 
making. 

In  January  1750,  John  Paterson,  Pill  lane,  scale- 
maker,  produced  before  the  Society  an  artificial  tree 
made  of  iron,  furnished  with  fruit  and  branches,  to 
hold  candles,  which  was  designed  for  a  dessert  table ; 
for  his  ingenuity  in  devising  and  carrying  out  this 
work  the  Society  gave  him  a  premium. 

A  sum  of  £6  was  granted  to  Robert  Horan,  co. 
Limerick,  for  best  cider,  made  from  Kachagea  apples, 
and  ^4  to  Dr.  Hearn,  for  cider  made  from  golden 
pippins.  John  Sturdy,  Capel  St.,  described  as  a  painter, 
obtained  a  prize  of  four  guineas  for  enamelled  watch- 
plates,     Rupert   Barber,  who  had   erected   at   Lazer's. 

E 


66  A   HISTORY   OF 

hill1  a  glasshouse  for  making  vials  and  green  glass- 
ware, laid  some  specimens  before  the  Society,  when  he 
obtained  a  grant  of  ^20  for  his  encouragement,  such 
ware  having  hitherto  been  altogether  imported  from 
abroad.2 

In  175 1,  the  Madden  premium  of  ^10  for 
tapestry — a  flower  piece,  a  Neptune,  and  a  Trophy — 
was  awarded  to  Richard  Paulet. 

For  most  fish  caught,  cured,  and  made  marketable, 
John  Lyne,  Ardgroom,  co.  Cork,  and  John  Flynn, 
Dungarvan,  obtained  ^15  and  ^10  respectively.  At 
this  time  there  is  a  note  in  the  minute  book  that  Dublin 
was  supplied  with  fat  mutton  from  Tipperary  chiefly, 
the  reason  being  that  as  so  much  land  near  the  city 
was  sowed  with  turnips,  there  was  no  room  for  grazing. 

Richard  Mathewson,  of  Ballsbridge  mills,  obtained 
two  guineas  as  the  first  manufacturer  in  this  kingdom 
of  the  blue  paper  called  "  sugar  loaf." 

£12  each  were  granted  to  Henry  Wrixon,  Glenfield, 
co.  Cork,  and  Wills  Crofts,  Churchtown,  co.  Cork, 
for  manuring  most  land  with  lime ;  and  Arthur  Max- 
well, Castlehill,  co.  Down,  got  a  prize  for  manuring 
land  with  sea  shells  or  sand. 

On  the  Art  side,  William  Thompson,  who  served 
under  Mr.  Bindon,  painter,  produced  a  Madonna,  with 
twenty  figures,  from  an  Italian  print,  which  was  highly 
approved. 

Dr.  Madden's  premium  of  ^50  to  the  author  who 
should  write  and  print  the  best  written  book  in  the  year 
1750  was  awarded  to  Rev.  Samuel  Pullein,  for  two  pieces 

1  Now  Townsend  st.  A  hospital  for  pilgrims  going  to  the  shrine 
of  St.  James,  the  patron  of  lepers,  or  lazars,  is  said  to  have  been 
founded  here. 

2  Rupert  Barber  was  a  son  of  Swift's  friend,  Mrs.  Barber ;  he 
was  a  portrait  painter  and  author  of  a  volume  of  poems,  and  is  fre- 
quently mentioned  by  Mrs.  Delany. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY        67 

translated  from  the  Latin  of  Vida — Game  of  Chess,1 
and  Silkworm.  This  was  adjudicated  on  by  the  Provost 
and  Senior  Fellows  of  Trinity  College.  A  pamphlet  by 
Pullein,  Hints  for  promotion  of  Silkworm  Cultivation, 
is  among  the  Haliday  collection,  1750,  ccxxxiii.  9. 

A  sum  of  £12  was  awarded  to  Joseph  Miller, 
James*  St.,  Dublin,  for  tanning  hides  with  tormentil2 
roots,  and  some  good  boots  made  from  the  skins  were 
produced.  It  was  recommended  to  gentlemen  resid- 
ing in  places  where  tormentil  abounded,  to  encourage 
the  poor  people  around  to  gather  the  roots,  for  which 
they  would  be  paid  by  Miller  and  others  at  the  rate  of 
3 j.  6d.  per  cwt.,  cut,  dry  and  clean. 

For  best  imitation  Brussels  or  Mechlin  lace,  ^8  were 
voted  to  Mrs.  Mihil,  Peter  street,  "  whose  work  ex- 
ceeded any  ever  produced  before."  Mrs.  Eliza  de 
Glatigny  produced  a  piece  of  lace  made  on  catgut, 
equal  to  Mechlin,  an  art  in  which  she  gave  instruction. 

The  premiums  for  paper  were  adjudicated  on  by 
booksellers  specially  requested  to  attend  for  the  purpose, 
when  Sexton  of  Limerick  and  Slator  of  Dublin,  as  on 
a  previous  occasion,  gained  them. 

The  premiums  for  collecting  linen  rags  continued 
to  be  distributed,  and  in  1752  a  sum  of  ^10  was  re- 
ported as  having  been  expended  in  Limerick,  and  ^10 
in  Belfast.  Philip  Troye  won  a  prize  for  Tapestry, 
and  Richard  Paulet  one  for  a  figure  of  FalstafF,  in  the 
same  material.     Children   were  also   being   taught   to 

1  Scacchia  ludus  written  by  Marcus  Hieron.  Vida,  translated  into 
English  verse.  This,  and  Vida's  two  books  on  Silkworms,  trans- 
lated into  English  verse,  with  the  original  Latin  on  the  opposite 
page,  and  a  few  observations  on  Vida's  Precepts,  were  advertised  in 
the  newspapers  of  the  day.  Vida,  an  excellent  Latin  poet,  flourished 
in  the  time  of  Leo  the  Tenth. 

2  From  tormentum,  pain,  as  said  to  be  useful  in  allaying  the 
toothache.  Order  Rosacea,  which  is  often  included  under  Potentilla. 
It  is  common  in  heathy  or  waste  places  in  Europe. 


68  A   HISTORY   OF 

spin  worsted  the  "  long  way  of  the  staple/'  when  294 
girl  pupils  attended,  fifty  women  being  employed  as 
teachers. 

The  year  1753  was  remarkable  for  a  paucity  of 
claimants  in  some  of  the  branches  in  which  premiums 
were  offered.  Osiers,  willows,  and  apple  trees  failed  to 
find  competitors,  while  no  claims  were  sent  in  for  Dr. 
Madden' s  premiums  for  mares,  and  for  ^20  offered 
for  importing  a  jackass  from  Spain  or  Portugal. 
Edward  Walsh,  Dolphin's  Barn,  Anthony  Grayson, 
Mark's  alley,  and  Francis  Ozier,  Dame  street,  were 
prizemen  in  flowered  velvet  and  silks ;  and  Henry 
Delamain,  of  the  Strand,  in  earthenware.  Nicholas 
Planchard,  a  French  refugee,  won  two  guineas  for  best 
dyed  pressed  black  cloth.  Matthew  Querk,  Kilkenny, 
took  ^10  for  the  best  eight  pairs  of  blankets,  and  .£12 
were  awarded  to  Rev.  George  Ormsby,  Bellvoir,  co. 
Sligo,  for  draining  bog.  In  1754,  the  premium  for 
sowing  most  land  with  acorns  or  other  timber  seeds 
was  won  by  Lewis  Roberts,  Old  Conna  Hill  (now 
represented  by  Captain  J.  Lewis  Riall,  a  vice-president, 
no  less  active  in  promoting  the  interests  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society,  and  the  objects  for  which  it  was 
founded),  and  by  William  Tighe ;  those  for  osiers  and 
willows  by  Henry  Waring,  Waringsford,  co.  Down, 
who  planted  73,820;  and  by  David  Oldis,  Bally- 
lanagan,  co.  Tipperary,  who  planted  53,169.  The 
prizes  for  best  cider  were  awarded  to  Lancelot  Crosbie, 
co.  Kerry,  and  Samuel  Raymond,  Ballylongford,  co. 
Kerry.  Premiums  were  offered  for  planting  most 
timber  trees  in  woods  or  clumps,  when  Lord  Kenmare 
came  first  with  70,500  planted  at  Killarney  and  Kil- 
beheny;  the  Rev.  R.  N.  Gifford,  Woodstock,  co. 
Galway,  obtained  a  premium  for  857  apple  trees. 

The  list  of  premiums  for  the  year  1766  occupies 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        69 

26  pages  in  manuscript  in  the  minute  book,  and  it  is 
thought  well  to  reproduce  it  as  showing  the  immense 
number  of  objects  that  came  under  the  Society's  care, 
and  the  varied  interests  represented.   (Appendix  No.  II.) 

At  this  time,  ^50  were  offered  for  a  Natural  History 
of  any  County,  and  a  prize  was  to  be  awarded  to  any 
practical  farmer  who  would  write  a  Farmer's  Monthly 
Calendar.  Dr.  Rutty's  Natural  History  of  County 
Dublin  obtained  the  £50  premium. 

A  memorial  was  presented  to  the  Society  by 
Nicholas  William  Brady,1  gold  and  silver  thread  manu- 
facturer, setting  forth  that  in  1757  he  had  been  brought 
over  from  London  by  Robert  Calderwood,  since  de- 
ceased, after  whose  death  the  manufacture  came  to  a 
stand-still,  and  his  workmen  were  in  distress.  Brady 
had  himself  certain  machinery,  and  he  begged  the 
Society  to  help  in  establishing  him  in  trade,  but  the 
request  was  refused.  Another  memorial  came  from 
Edmond  Blood,  bell  founder,  who  asserted  that  he  was 
the  only  qualified  one  in  the  kingdom.  He  had  cast 
bells  weighing  from  6  to  70  lbs.,  and  so  had  been  the 
means  of  preventing  their  being  imported. 

James  Hamilton's  new  and  easy  method  for  sea 
fishing  near  the  shore,  which  had  been  exhibited  and 
worked  at  the  Rotunda  Gardens,  was  much  com- 
mended, and  a  sum  of  £40  was  granted  to  him  for 
making  a  machine. 

In  July  1772,  4000  copies  of  Sleaters  Newspaper, 
with  lists  of  the  Society's  premiums,  were  purchased 
for  distribution  throughout  the  kingdom. 

The  deep-sea  fisheries  again  claimed  attention,  and 
a  sum  of  £40  was  awarded  to  Patrick  Gumley,  master 
of  the  "  John  "  of  Skerries,  who,  with  seven  sailors, 

1  Grandfather  of  Sir   Maziere   Brady,  bart.,  lord   chancellor  of 
Ireland. 


70  A   HISTORY   OF 

tried  fishing  off  the  north-west  coast.  The  voyage 
lasted  from  30th  April  to  3rd  July  1773,  during  which 
period  1392  ling  and  82  cod  were  caught.  Similar 
prizes  were  given  to  other  Skerries  men,  who  appear 
often  to  have  been  pioneers  in  developing  the  untried 
fishing  ground  of  the  north-west  coast.  During  the 
years  1776  and  1777,  premiums  for  curing  fish  on  this 
coast  were  awarded.  In  1774,  a  resolution  was  passed 
to  defend  all  fishermen  prosecuted  with  vexatious  law 
suits,  for  watching  and  drawing  their  seins  (or  nets) 
ashore,  provided  complaints  were  properly  laid  before 
the  Society.  In  July  178 1,  a  sum  of  ^200  was  rate- 
ably  divided  among  a  large  number  of  claimants,  for 
consuming,  in  the  cure  of  fish  on  the  north-west  coast, 
home-made  imported  salt,  at  10s.  per  ton,  on  the 
amount  of  salt.  At  the  same  time,  Gardiner  Boggs 
and  Andrew  Moore,  received  premiums  for  694  and 
100  barrels  of  herrings  respectively,  taken  on  the 
north-west  coast,  and  exported  to  foreign  parts.  Next 
year,  Boggs  was  able  to  show  that  the  larger  number 
(860)  for  which  he  had  claimed  had  been  actually  sold 
in  the  island  of  Antigua,  when  allowance  for  the  whole 
was  made  him.  Moore  having  later  on  proved  that 
the  178  barrels  for  which  he  had  originally  claimed 
were  actually  sold  in  Jamaica,  he  having  received  sales 
account  from  Bell  and  La  Touche,  his  factors  there, 
full  allowance  was  also  made  to  him.  Fifteen  guineas 
were  also  paid  to  Thomas  Gregg,  being  a  premium 
on  210  barrels  of  herrings,  which  had  been  taken  on 
the  north-west  coast,  and  cured  with  bay  or  other 
foreign  salt.  These  had  been  exported  to  the  island 
of  St.  Kitts,  in  the  ship  Elinor,  which  was  captured  by 
an  American  privateer,  and  Gregg  concluded  that  the 
cargo  was  disposed  of  in  foreign  parts.  In  1782,  ^50 
were  paid  to  Messrs.  Chambers,  Hope,  and  Glen,  of 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        71 

Londonderry,  for  having  similarly  exported  herrings 
which  were  sold  in  the  island  of  Jamaica. 

The  work  of  the  Society  in  the  north-west  of  Ire- 
land closely  resembled  that  of  the  present  day  carried 
out  by  the  Congested  Districts  Board.  In  1783,  ,£100 
were  advanced  to  Alexander  Young,  inspector  of  fisheries 
in  the  Killybegs  district,  towards  erecting  perches  and 
affixing  buoys  in  Ballyweel  Harbour,  and  for  building 
quays  at  which  to  land  the  fish.  It  was  suggested  that 
Lord  Conyngham's  bequest  should  be  utilised  for  this 
purpose.  In  the  previous  year,  £100  had  been  be- 
queathed by  him  to  the  Society,  which  it  was  deter- 
mined should  be  appropriated  to  the  extension  of  the 
Killybegs  fishery.  Under  the  direction  of  the  Right 
Hon.  William  Conyngham,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  take  into  consideration  the  present  state  of  the 
Fisheries  and  Fishery  Laws  of  Ireland.  In  1784, 
premiums  were  offered  for  the  destruction  of  seals  on 
the  north-west  coast,  at  the  rate  of  is.  for  each,  when 
a  sum  of  ^39,  4-f.  was  divided  between  Messrs.  John 
Barrett  and  co.,  James  Scanlon  and  co.,  and  Messrs. 
Davit  and  O'Cannon,  for  392  seals  destroyed.  In 
1799,  Dr.  Lanigan,  the  Society's  librarian,  was  em- 
ployed in  making  such  translations  from  the  French 
of  works  on  Fisheries  as  might  be  directed  by  General 
Vallancey  and  Dr.  R.  Kirwan. 

In  May  1774,  there  is  a  note  as  to  the  existence  of 
an  old  by-law,  which  provided  that  anyone  possessing 
^500  a  year  in  landed  property  or  ^10,000  personal 
estate,  should  be  precluded  from  receiving  money 
premiums  :  their  claims  were  to  be  recognised  by  means 
of  medals. 

At  this  period,  the  Society  was  devoting  much 
attention  to  small  and  poor  renters  of  land,  and  offer- 
ing small  prizes  with  a  view  to  encouraging  them  in 


-j2  A   HISTORY   OF 

their  efforts.  No  less  than  42  pages,  ]of  the  minute 
book  for  July  and  August  are  occupied  with  lists  of 
such  renters  in  the  various  counties,  when  a  sum  of 
^960  was  distributed  among  them.  Arthur  Young 
says  that  this  design  was  meritorious,  but  that  abuses 
and  deceptions  were  numerous. 

Captain  Francis  Blake  of  Galway  informed  the 
Society  that  he  had  discovered  that  sea  wrack  or  weed 
might  be  made  into  good  kelp,  without  drying  and 
saving.  A  great  quantity  was  thrown  up  on  the  shore 
at  Galway,  which  he  burnt  while  wet,  a  process  that 
enhanced  the  value  and  reduced  the  price.  He  prayed 
aid  towards  erecting  a  furnace,  but  the  Society  was 
unable  to  help  him,  as  the  Linen  Board  was  the  autho- 
rity to  which  application  should  have  been  made. 

The  premium  of  ^200  for  establishing  a  new 
brewery  in  the  province  of  Ulster  in  1780  was  granted 
to  Edward  and  Nicholas  Peers,  Lisburn,  who  brewed 
115  barrels  of  ale. 

In  178 1,  premiums  to  the  amount  of  ^250  were 
awarded  to  Robert  Brooke,  the  Hon.  Baron  Hamilton, 
and  others,  for  cotton,  velvets,  velveteens,  fustians, 
&c. ;  and  William  Allen,  of  Coleraine,  was  granted 
£60  for  having  tanned  hides  on  Dr.  MacBride's 
method  (see  p.  144).  Allen's  memorial  contained 
full  information  as  to  his  experiments. 

Premiums  were  offered  in  1782  for  white  cottons, 
Marseilles  quilting,  and  corded  dimity,  when  Messrs. 
J.  G.  Kennedy  and  William  Nicholson,  skilled  in  such 
manufactures,  assisted  the  Society  in  determining  them. 
Samuel  Lapham,  William  Summers,  William  Browne, 
and  Messrs.  Joy,  McCabe,  and  McCraken  were  awarded 
prizes.  A  gold  medal  was  voted  to  Richard  Reynell, 
Reynella,  co.  Westmeath,  for  having  planted  a  very 
large  number  of  cedars    of   Lebanon,    Newfoundland 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        73 

spruce  fir  and  two-thorned  acacia.  A  foreign  firm, 
(Beaune  and  co.  of  Brussels,  who  manufactured  super- 
fine cloth  at  Amersfort,  in  Utrecht),  made  overtures 
to  the  Society,  sending  over  samples  and  proposing, 
if  encouraged,  to  come  over  to  Ireland  and  exercise 
their  art  for  the  benefit  of  the  kingdom.  Nothing 
appears  to  have  been  done  ;  in  the  \  matter.  David 
Bosquet,  probably  a  Huguenot,  laid  before  the  Society 
samples  of  sheet  lead  and'  copper' rolled  by  him  at  his 
mills  on  the  Dodder,  and  the  Society  agreed  that  he 
was  worthy  of  every  encouragement. 

A  premium  was  granted  in  1785  to  Messrs.  Chamney 
and  co.,  for  bringing  to  Dublin,  by  the  Grand  Canal, 
a  boat  loaded  with  twenty  tons  of  potatoes  for  sale 
they  being  of  the  growth  of  the  year  1784. 

In  1786,  premiums  for  planting  trees  were  awarded, 
among  others,  to  Francis  Madden,  for  240,000  ;  George 
Cottingham,  for  121,000;  and  to  Robert  Power,  for 
102,000.  A  very  large  number  of  premiums,  in  sums 
varying  from  £1  to  ^18,  were  awarded  to  claimants 
who  had  planted  beans  within  four  miles  of  Dublin. 
To  show  the  increase  in  acreage  and  trees,  the  following 
particulars  are  given  in  one  of  the  Society's  publications. 
In  1784,  plantations  on  only  90  acres  were  claimed 
for,  when  the  premiums  amounted  to  ^468.  In  1788, 
the  acreage  had  risen  to  9664,  and  the  amount  of 
money  distributed  was  ^4876.  Between  the  years  1766 
and  1806,  premiums  for  planting  amounted  to  ^18,460, 
and  (exclusive  of  60  nurseries)  the  number  of  trees 
planted,  for  which  premiums  were  granted,  was 
55,137,000.  A  sum  of  ^6000  was  also  paid  for 
such  trees  as  poplars,  quicks,  sallows,  willows,  and 
Scotch  firs. 

In  February  1787,  the  Society  took  a  new  depar- 
ture in  instructing  the'  Committee  of  Agriculture  to 


74  A   HISTORY   OF 

consider  the  propriety  of  offering  premiums  for  planting 
and  enclosing  old  Danish  forts,  mounds,  raths,  motes, 
and  churchyards.  It  was  recommended  ;  and  is.  per 
perch,  running  measure,  was  the  rate  fixed  on.  Twenty 
shillings  per  acre  were  to  be  awarded  for  every  acre 
planted  with  2000  forest  trees,  and  ^ioo  were  to  be 
expended  in  this  class.  When  claims  were  adjudicated 
on,  those  of  Messrs.  Richard  Warburton,  Andrew 
Walsh,  John  Augustus  levers,  and  William  Spaight 
were  allowed.  They  had  each  enclosed  between  twenty 
and  thirty  perches  of  old  forts,  and  Mr.  Warburton 
had  planted  his  enclosure  with  forest  trees.  In  1790, 
sums  varying  from  £2  to  £19  were  awarded  to  sixteen 
persons  in  the  counties  of  Antrim,  Cavan,  Carlow, 
Clare,  Galway,  Kilkenny,  Meath,  Tyrone,  Wexford, 
and  Wicklow,  for  enclosing  and  planting,  &c.  Lord 
Dillon  headed  the  list  with  three  acres  planted,  and 
131  perches  enclosed. 

A  premium  of  £44,  12s.  6d.  was  awarded  to 
Messrs.  Richard  Williams  &  co.,  of  Dublin,  being  at 
the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  on  the  value  of  plate  glass 
(^446,  4_r.  $d.)  manufactured  and  sold  by  them, 
which  was  superior  to  similar  glass  imported.  A  sum 
°f  LSS->  Is-  ^d.  was  rateably  divided  between  the  same 
firm  and  Thomas  Chebsey  &  co.  for  flint  glass 
manufactured  and  sold  by  them.  William  Penrose 
won  ^50  for  glass  made  in  Waterford ;  and  John 
Smilie  and  co.  and  Benjamin  Edwards  a  similar  sum 
for  glass  made  in  Belfast. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        75 


CHAPTER   V 

THE   SOCIETY'S   CHARTER,   AND   ITS   FURTHER 
PROGRESS.     (1750-1767) 

So  far  back  as  the  year  1739,  Dr.  Madden  had  advo- 
cated the  procuring  of  a  Royal  Charter  by  the  Society ; 
the  matter  was  not,  however,  taken  up  in  earnest  until 
1748,  when,  on  the  15th  of  September,  we  find  Lord 
Chesterfield,1  who  was  always  a  firm  friend,  writing  to 
him  in  terms  that  indicated  his  fear  lest  incorporation 
might  possibly  be  injurious  to  its  best  interests.  "  The 
Dublin  Society,"  he  said,  "  has  hitherto  gone  on  ex- 
tremely well,  and  done  infinite  good  ;  why  ?  Because 
that,  not  being  a  permanent  incorporated  Society,  and 
having  no  employments  to  dispose  of,  and  depending 
only  for  their  existence  on  their  own  good  behaviour, 
it  was  not  a  theatre  for  jobbers  to  show  their  skill 
upon  ;  but,  when  once  established  by  Charter,  the  very 
advantages  which  are  expected  from,  and  which,  I 
believe,  will  attend  that  Charter,  I  fear  may  prove  fatal. 
It  may  then  become  an  object  of  party,  and  parliamen- 
tary views  (for  you  know  how  low  they  stoop)  ;  in 
which  case  it  will  become  subservient  to  the  worst, 
instead  of  the  best  designs.  Remember  the  Linen 
Board,  where  the  paltry  dividend  of  a  little  flax  seed 
was  become  the  seed  of  jobs,  which  indeed  produced 
one  hundredfold.  However,  I  submit  my  fears  to 
your  hopes ;  and  will  do  all  that  I  can  to  promote 
that  Charter,  which  you,  who,  I  am  sure,  have  con- 

1  Letters,  ed.  John  Bradshaw,  1892,  ii.  887. 


76 


A   HISTORY   OF 


sidered  it  in  every  light,  seem  so  desirous  of."  In  a 
subsequent  letter,1  Chesterfield  informed  Madden  that 
he  saw  reason  to  promote  the  scheme,  adding  that  the 
draft  of  the  Charter  shown  to  him  seemed  "  to  have  all 
the  provisions  in  it  that  human  prudence  can  make 
against  human  iniquity."  On  the  2nd  of  April  1750, 
the  Charter 2  incorporating  "  the  Dublin  Society  for 
promoting  Husbandry  and  other  useful  Arts  in  Ire- 
land "  was  granted  ;  and  on  the  3rd  of  May,  in  the 
Parliament  House,  the  first  election  of  members  under 
the  new  constitution  was  held. 


List  of  Members  Named  in  the  Charter3 


William,  Earl  of  Harrington, 
Lord  Lieutenant,  Pi-esident. 

William,  Duke  of  Devonshire. 

Lionel  Cranfield,  Duke  of 
Dorset. 

Philip  Dormer,  Earl  of  Chester- 
field. 

George,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 
Primate,  Vice-President. 

Robert,  Lord  Newport,  Lord 
Chancellor  of  Ireland. 

Charles,  Archbishop  of  Dublin7 
Vice-President. 

James,  Earl  of  Kildare,  Vice- 
President. 

John,  Earl  of  Grandison,  Vice- 
President. 

Wills,  Viscount  Hillsborough. 

Humphrey,  Viscount  Lanes- 
borough,  Vice-President. 

Robert,  Bishop  of  Clogher. 

Charles,  Lord  Tullamore. 

Richard,  Lord  Mornington. 


Henry  Boyle,  Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer. 

Sir  Arthur  Gore,  Vice-President. 

Sir  Thomas  Taylor,  Vice-Presi- 
dent. 

Hercules  Langford  Rowley. 

John  Maxwell. 

Thomas  Butler. 

Thomas  Tennison. 

Robert  Downes,  JYeast/rer. 

Thomas  Prior,  Secretary. 

Arthur  Jones  Nevill. 

John  Putland. 

Thomas  Waite. 

Alexander  McAuley. 

William  Maple,  Registrar. 

Samuel  Hutchinson,  Dean  of 
Dromore. 

Richard  Pococke,  Archdeacon 
of  Dublin  (1). 

John  Kearney,  D.D. 

John  Wynne,  D.D.,  Secretary. 


1  Letters,  ii.  897. 

2  On  the  2 1st  of  January  1836,  Mr.  William  Watson,  Temple- 
street,  sent  to  the  Society  the  original  warrant  of  King  George  II,  to- 
the  then  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  for  granting  the  Charter,  which: 
he  had  lately  found  among  some  of  his  family  papers.  It  is  now  iru 
the  National  Library. 

3  Haliday  Pamphlets,  ccxxix.  2. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY 


77 


Members  elected  since  the  date  of  the  Charter, 
most  of  whom  were  members  of  the  late  voluntary 
Society. 


William,  Earl  of  Blessington. 

Charles,  Lord  Boyle. 

William  Bristow. 

Thomas  Adderly. 

Oliver  Anketell. 

Henry  Brownrigg. 

John  Bury. 

William  Bury. 

John  Blumfield. 

Arthur,  Archbishop  of  Cashel. 

John,  Bishop  of  Clonfert. 

Jemmett,  Bishop  of  Cork. 

Rt.  Hon.  William  Conolly. 

Sir  Samuel  Cooke,  Bart. 

Sir  Richard  Cox,  Bart. 

Robert  Callaghan. 

Colombine  Lee  Carre. 

Shapland  Carew. 

Michael  Chamberlain. 

Richard  Castles  (2). 

Rev.  Charles  Coote. 

William,  Bishop  of  Derry. 

Capt.  Theophilus  Desbrisay  (3). 

William  Henry  Dawson. 

Arthur  Dobbs. 

Anthony  Dopping. 

William  Deane. 

Michael  Dally. 

John  Dawson. 

Alderman  James  Dunn. 

George  Evans. 

William  Forward. 

Dr.  John  Ferral. 

Lord  Gormanstown. 

Joseph  Gascoygne. 

John  Grogan. 

Barth.  William  Gilbert. 

Charles  Hamilton. 

Rev.  Sir  Philip  Hoby,  Bart. 

Ralph  Howard. 

Rev.  Daniel  Jackson. 

Colonel  Nicholas  Loftus. 

Robert  Longfield. 

Rev.  Dr.  George  Leslie. 


James  Digges  La  Touche  (4). 
Richard  Levinge. 
Dr.  Thomas  Lloyd. 
Viscount  Massereene. 
Bishop  of  Meath. 
Hon.  Baron  Mountney. 
Sir  Capel  Molyneux,  Bart. 
Sir  Charles  Moore,  Bart. 
Charles  Monck. 
Henry  Monck. 
John  Macarrell. 
James  McManus. 
Hervey  Morres. 
Aland  Mason. 
Marc  Anthony  Morgan. 
Dr.  Barthw.  Mosse  (5). 
John  Magill. 
Edward  Nicholson. 
David  Nixon. 
Edward  Noy. 
Earl  of  Orrery. 
Rev.  Dr.  Obins. 
Colonel  Joshua  Paul. 
Rev.  Keene  Percival. 
Lord  Rawdon. 

Brigr.-General    Edward    Rich- 
bell. 
John  Rochfort. 
Robert  Roberts. 
Lewis  Roberts. 
Robert  Ross. 
Viscount  Strangford. 
Colonel  Robert  Sandford. 
James  Smith. 
Enoch  Sterne. 
James  Stopford. 
John  Stratford. 

William  Stewart,  of  Killymoon. 
Richard  Supple. 
William  Tighe. 
Rev.  Holt  Truell. 
George  Vaughan. 
John  Wade. 
Rev.  John  Wynne,  junr. 


7  8  A   HISTORY    OF 

Several  of  these  members  have  been  already  noticed, 
and  many  of  them  are  so  well  known  as  to  require  no 
remark  in  this  narrative.  A  few,  however,  deserve 
especial  mention,  as  having  been  regular  attendants  at 
the  meetings  of  the  Society,  and  as  working  on  various 
committees. 

(i)  Richard  Pococke  (who  was  at  this  time  Arch- 
deacon of  Dublin)  was  a  native  of  Hampshire.  He  was 
chaplain  to  Lord  Chesterfield,  and  Bishop  of  Ossory  1756 
to  1765,  when  he  was  translated  to  Meath,  a  see  which  he 
held  for  a  very  short  time,  dying  almost  immediately  after 
his  translation.  Pococke  was  a  great  traveller,  and  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  Travels  in  the  East.  His  Tour  in 
Ireland  in  1 752  was  edited  by  the  late  Rev.  Professor  G. 
T.  Stokes.  He  collected  fossils,  stones,  minerals,  &c,  and 
bequeathed  his  collection,  as  well  as  one  of  coins  and  medals, 
to  the  British  Museum.  Pococke  was  a  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society. 

(2)  Richard  Castles,  or  Castle  x  (as  he  himself  wished  to 
be  called),  whose  real  name  was  de  Richardi,  as  appears 
by  his  will,  was  a  native  of  Saxony,  and  an  architect  by 
profession,  who  settled  in  Ireland  under  the  patronage  of 
Sir  Gustavus  Hume,  bart.,  and  was  the  first  to  introduce 
here  the  Palladian  style.  He  is  said  to  have  arrived  in  the 
country  about  1727,  and  his  principal  works  include  the 
Printing  House  and  Dining  Hall,  Trinity  College;  Leinster 
House,  Kildare  street,  and  Tyrone  House,  Marlborough 
street,  all  dating  between  1734  and  1 745,  as  well  as  several 
other  mansions  in  Dublin.  He  designed  Powerscourt 
House,  co.  Wicklow  ;  Ballyhaise,  co.  Cavan  (one  of  the 
most  remarkable  of  his  works)  ;  Hazlewood,  and  Summer- 
hill,  "  which  in  his  own  day  was  considered  his  master- 
piece." In  conjunction  with  Bindon,  Castle  erected  Lord 
Aldborough's  mansion  at  Belan,  co.  Kildare,  and  Russ- 
borough,  co.  Wicklow,  for  Lord  Milltown.     He  published 

1  "  Richard  Castle,  Architect,"  by  T.  U.  SzdWer,  Journal  R.  S.  A.  /., 
xli.  241. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        79 

an  Essay  towards  supplying  the  City  of  Dublin  zvith  Water. 
Castle  died  at  Carton  in  175 1,  and  is  buried  at  Maynooth. 

(3)  Theophile  Desbrisay,  "  Captain  of  Halberdiers  of 
Ireland,"  b.  1693,  married  Madelaine,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Jacques  Daubussarques,  a  Huguenot  resident  of  Portarling- 
ton.  Desbrisay,  who  was  agent  for  Huguenot  regiments, 
had  a  military  office  in  Cork  hill,  and  in  1746  resided  in 
Frapper  lane.1  He,  who  died  in  1772,  and  his  wife,  were 
buried  in  the  French  Nonconformist  cemetery  in  Stephen's 
Green. 

(4)  James  Digges  La  Touche  (son  of  David  Digges  La 
Touche,  banker,  of  Dublin),  sided  with  Charles  Lucas, 
when  that  patriot  started  his  campaign  against  the  Board  of 
Aldermen.  They  became  opponents,  however,  when  La 
Touche  and  he  both  decided  to  contest  the  representation 
of  Dublin  in  1745,  and  Lucas  afterwards  accused  him  of 
trying  to  injure  certain  branches  of  Irish  trade.  La  Touche 
published  Papers  concerning  the  late  Disputes  between  the 
Commons  and  Aldermen  of  Dublin,  1 746  ;  and  Collections  of 
Cases,  &c,  and  Proceedings  in  Parliament  relating  to  Insolvent 
Debtors,  Customs  and  Excises,  Admiralty  Courts,  and  the  valu- 
able liberties  of  the  citizens,  1757. 

(5)  Bartholomew  Mosse  was  born  at  Maryborough  in 
1 7 12.  In  the  year  1745  he  founded  a  Hospital  for 
lying-in  women  in  George's  lane,  which  was  the  first  of 
its  kind  in  the  British  Islands.  The  foundation  stone  of 
the  Rotunda  Lying-in  Hospital,  designed  by  Castle,  was 
laid  in  175 1,  and  that  institution,  conducted  by  Dr.  Mosse, 
was  opened  in  1 757.  Mosse  died  in  1759.  A  memoir  of 
him  will  be  found  in  the  Dublin  Journal  of  Medical  Science, 
vol.  ii. 

A  little  later,  a  seal  for  the  use  of  the  Society  was 
ordered  to  be  prepared,  the  design  to  be  Minerva  with 
a  cornucopia  ;  motto,  Nostri  plena  laboris?    On  the  8  th 

1  Now  Beresford  street  (N.  King  street). 

2  Virgil's  sEneid,  I.  460. 


8o  A   HISTORY   OF 

of  November  1750,  the  annual  election  of  officers 
took  place,  when  William,  Earl  of  Harrington,  lord 
lieutenant,  became  president ;  George,  Archbishop  of 
Armagh ;  Charles,  Archbishop  of  Dublin ;  James, 
Earl  of  Kildare ;  John,  Earl  of  Grandison ;  Hum- 
phrey, Viscount  Lanesborough ;  Sir  Arthur  Gore ; 
and  Sir  Thomas  Taylor  —  vice-presidents ;  Robert 
Downes,  treasurer;  Dr.  John  Wynne  and  Thomas 
Prior,  secretaries ;  William  Maple,  registrar ;  and 
William  Hawker,  clerk.  The  most  remarkable  name 
in  this  list  is  that  of  Primate  George  Stone,  who 
had  been  Vice-President  for  some  years  previously, 
As  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Litton  Falkiner,1  the  office  at 
this  period  was  much  more  political  than  ecclesiastical, 
and  Stone's  appointment  was  due  to  his  known  aptitude 
for  the  management  of  affairs.  He  was  an  able  states- 
man and  parliamentarian,  and  as  such  his  connection 
with  the  Dublin  Society  was  of  great  importance  to 
its  interests. 

On  the  21st  October  175 1,  the  Society  sustained  a 
severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Thomas  Prior,  who  for 
twenty  years  had  laboured  incessantly  in  its  behalf, 
and  who  had  acted  as  Secretary  from  its  commence- 
ment. The  newspapers  stated  that  he  died  after  a 
tedious  and  severe  illness,  and  on  the  25  th  of  October, 
"  the  corpse  of  that  great  and  good  man "  was  de- 
posited in  the  church  of  Rathdowney,  Queen's  county. 
Faulkner's  Dublin  Journal  contained  a  most  apprecia- 
tive notice  of  his  useful  and  beneficent  life  and  labours. 
At  the  meeting  held  on  the  31st  of  October,  the 
Bishop  of  Meath  (Henry  Maule),  moved  that  a  monu- 
ment be  raised  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Prior,  and 
subscriptions  were  to  be  invited.     The  commission  was 

1  Essays  Relating  to  Ireland  (Archbishop  Stone),  ed.  E.  Dowden, 
1909. 


PRIOR  MONUMENT,  CHRIST  CHURCH,  DUBLIN 
(/.    Van  A"ost) 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        81 

entrusted  to  Van  Nost,  but  it  was  not  until  the  15th 
of  January  1756,  that  the  monument  neared  comple- 
tion, and  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Christ  Church 
Cathedral,  in  which  it  was  proposed  to  erect  it,  were 
asked  to  assign  it  a  suitable  position.  It  was  put  up  in 
the  nave,  where  it  remained  for  more  than  a  century. 
In  1870,  on  the  restoration  of  the  Cathedral  by  Mr. 
Henry  Roe,  the  monument  was  removed  to  the  crypt. 
The  Council  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  deeming  it 
undesirable  that  a  memorial  of  so  much  interest  should 
remain  in  obscurity,  sought  permission  to  have  it  re- 
stored to  the  body  of  the  church.  This  was  granted, 
and  in  1890  the  expenditure  of  a  sum  of  £60  was 
authorised  by  the  Society  for  its  restoration,  and  removal 
to  the  south  porch,  where  the  monument  is  still  placed. 
The  Society's  minute  book  shows  that  Van  Nost  was 
paid  150  guineas  for  the  monument,  and  30  guineas 
for  its  erection.  Berkeley,  who  penned  the  elegant 
inscription l  on  the  monument,  styled  his  friend 
"  Societatis  Dubliniensis,  auctor,  institutor,  curator." 
On  a  scroll  in  the  hand  of  one  of  the  figures  are 
the  following  words — "  This  monument  was  erected 
to  Thomas  Prior,  Esq.,  at  the  charge  of  several 
persons,  who  contributed  to  honour  the  memory  of 
that  worthy  patriot,  to  whom  his  veracity,  actions  and 
unwearied  endeavours  in  the  service  of  his  country 
have  raised  a  monument  more  lasting  than  marble." 
The  following  is  the  inscription  to  Prior's  memory  in 
Rathdowney  Church  : — 2 

Sacred   to    the   memory  of   Thomas   Prior,  Esq., 
who  spent  a   long   life   in    unwearied    endeavours    to 

1  hiscriptions,  &*c,  Christ  Church  Cathedral,  Rev.  John  Finlayson, 
1878. 

2  "Preservation  Memorials  of  the  Dead,"  Journal,  191 1,  vol.  viii., 
No.  4,  p.  425. 

F 


82  A   HISTORY   OF 

promote  the  welfare  of  his  native  country.  Every 
manufacture,  every  branch  of  Husbandry  will  declare 
this  truth.  Every  useful  Institution  will  lament  its 
Friend  and  Benefactor.  He  died  alas !  too  soon  for 
Ireland.     October  the  21st,  175 1,  aged  70. 

In  June  1752,  the  Society  was  called  on  to  take 
into  consideration  a  Bill  exhibited  against  it  by  Charles, 
archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  Richard  Levinge,  surviving 
executors  of  the  will  of  Sir  Richard  Levinge,  bart., 
deceased,  which  had  been  filed  in  Chancery  on  the  1st 
of  April.  Sir  Richard  had  bequeathed  to  them  ^2000 
on  trust  to  lay  it  out  at  interest,  and  pay  the  accruing 
profits  for  a  period  of  twenty-one  years  to  the  trea- 
surer for  the  time  being  of  the  Dublin  Society,  to  be 
disposed  of  yearly  in  premiums,  as  the  Society  should 
think  proper,  for  the  encouragement  of  husbandry 
in  Ireland.  At  the  expiration  of  that  term,  or  if 
the  Dublin  Society  should,  for  three  years  together, 
cease  to  act,  or  discontinue  its  proceedings,  then  the 
principal  sum  was  to  go  to  the  younger  children  of 
testator's  nephew.  He  appointed  the  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  Richard  Levinge,  and  Thomas  Prior,  executors. 
The  testator  died  in  1747,  and  from  that  date,  until 
his  own  death  in  175  1,  Prior  managed  everything.  It 
was  ordered,  under  a  decree  of  the  Lord  Chancellor  of 
the  4th  of  July  1758,  that  the  £2000  should  be  paid 
into  the  hands  of  Thomas  Stopford,  one  of  the  Masters 
in  Chancery,  to  be  by  him  laid  out  at  interest,  to  the 
uses  in  the  will  of  Sir  Richard  Levinge.  On  the  8  th 
of  July  1756,  the  money  had  been  mortgaged  to  the 
Viscountess  Allen.  The  testator,  Sir  R.  Levinge,  2nd 
baronet,  was  son  of  Sir  Richard,  1st  baronet,  and  he 
married  Isabella,  daughter  of  Sir  Arthur  Rawdon,  bart. 

Among  those  who  had  joined  the  Society  within 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        83 

the  previous  three  or  four  years  were  Dr.  Isaac  Mann 
and  George  Faulkner.  The  former,  who  was  born  in 
Norwich  in  17 10,  came  over  to  Ireland  as  tutor  to  the 
son  of  Robert  Jocelyn,  afterwards  Lord  Newport  and 
Lord  Chancellor,  to  whom  he  was  chaplain.  Mann 
was  incumbent  of  St.  Matthew's,  Ringsend,  and  Arch- 
deacon of  Dublin,  and  in  1772  he  was  appointed 
Bishop  of  Cork. 

Faulkner,  born  in  Dublin  in  1699,  who  became  a 
printer  and  publisher  of  note,  was  satirised  by  Foote, 
as  "  Peter  Paragraph."  He  was  Swift's  printer,  and 
on  one  occasion  underwent  imprisonment  in  Newgate 
for  publishing  a  pamphlet  by  Bishop  Hort.  He  was 
vain  and  fussy,  and  delighted  in  offering  splendid 
entertainments  to  talented  authors  and  men  of  rank. 
During  his  vice-royalty,  Lord  Chesterfield  became  on 
intimate  terms  with  Faulkner,  professing  high  esteem 
for  the  printer,  whose  work  was  in  every  way  credit- 
able to  the  character  of  the  Dublin  printing  of  the  day. 
Faulkner  died  in  1775.  A  bust  of  Dean  Swift,  which 
he  had  intended  should  be  placed  in  a  niche  in  front  of 
his  house  in  Essex  street,  was  presented  by  his  nephew 
and  successor  in  the  business  to  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral, 
where  it  is  placed  near  Swift's  monument.  For  many 
interesting  particulars  with  regard  to  Faulkner  and  his 
circle,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Gilbert's  History  of 
Dublin,  vol.  ii.  p.  30. 

Certain  rules,  which  were  approved  in  November 
1756,  were  laid  down  for  the  better  government  of 
the  Dublin  Society.  Among  them  was  one  to  the  effect 
that  no  instrument  or  printed  book,  its  property,  was 
to  be  lent  to  anyone  without  order.  From  the  1st  of 
November  in  that  year,  the  annual  subscription  was  to 
be  two  guineas,  and  each  person  was  to  pay  an  admis- 
sion fee  of  two  guineas  ;  twenty  guineas  to  be  the  com- 


84  A   HISTORY   OF 

position  for  life  membership.     In  the  ballot,  two  nega- 
tives in  seven  were  to  exclude,  and  so  on  in  proportion. 

A  curious  entry  occurs  about  this  time,  namely, 
that  a  crown  would  be  paid  at  the  Prerogative  Office 
for  each  separate  intimation  of  a  legacy  being  left  to 
the  Society.  It  was  not,  however,  until  the  year  1772 
that  a  legacy  was  bequeathed  (see  p.  149). 

In  April  1759,  Thomas  Butler,  of  Balmoola,  co. 
Wicklow,  miner  and  smelter,  produced  Lapis  calami- 
naris x  discovered  and  raised  by  him  at  Rosses,  co.  Sligo, 
and  also  some  brass  wrought  by  him  :  on  the  affidavits 
produced  in  support  of  his  claim,  the  Society  voted 
him  ^15.  Some  mention  is  made  of  the  Society's 
Osiery  in  Wexford,  but  no  further  particulars  appear. 

The  Interest  of  Ireland,  a  volume  written  by  Henry 
Brooke,  was  proposed  as  deserving  the  premium  offered 
for  the  best  work  on  Agriculture.  It  was  ordered  to 
be  read,  and  was  recommended. 

In  November  1760,  John  Putland,  treasurer,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Wynne,  secretary,  and  William  Maple,  regis- 
trar, were  asked  to  accept  gold  medals,  "  in  grateful 
acknowledgment  of  the  advantages  the  Society  had 
received  from  their  kind  and  assiduous  attention  to 
its  useful  purposes." 

A  sum  of  ;£ioo  was  lent  to  Anthony  Crouset,  of 
Cork,  on  security,  for  the  cultivation  of  white  mulberry 
trees,  and  for  carrying  on  the  manufacture  of  raw  silk. 

When  King  George  the  Second,  the  sovereign 
under  whom  the  Society  had  been  originally  founded, 
and  who  had  granted  the  charter,  died  in  October 
1760,  and  King  George  the  Third  ascended  the 
throne,  the  Society  presented  to  His  Majesty  an 
address  which  will  be  found  copied  into  the  minute 
book.     Anthony  Foster  (1),  Dr.   Constantine  Barbor 

1  Calamine  stone  is  an  ore  of  the  metal  zinc. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY        85 

(2),  Simon  Luttrell  of  Luttrellstown  (3),  Sir  Robert 
Deane,  bart.  (4),  and  the  Bishop  of  Waterford  (Dr. 
Richard  Chevenix,  Lord  Chesterfield's  friend)  had  now 
become  members.  The  two  last-named  were  constant 
in  their  attendance,  and  frequently  presided  at  the 
meetings. 

1.  Anthony  Foster,  chief  baron,  from  whom  the  magni- 
ficent avenue  opening  off  Stillorgan  road,  Dublin,  is  named, 
built  the  mansion  known  as  Merville,  which  stands  in  the 
angle  formed  by  the  main  road  and  the  avenue.  The 
Chief  Baron  was  a  friend  of  Mrs.  Delany,  and  formed  one 
of  the  brilliant  circle  in  which  she  moved.  "  He  was  one 
of  the  first  persons  of  position  in  Ireland  to  interest  himself 
in  a  practical  manner  in  the  improvement  of  agriculture  and 
the  development  of  Irish  industries." *  Arthur  Young 
visited  him  at  Collon,  co.  Louth,  where  his  operations  "  as 
a  prince  of  improvers "  exceeded  anything  Young  could 
have  imagined.  He  helped  in  amending  the  laws  as  to  the 
linen  manufacture.  Foster  had  been  m.p.  for  Dunleer, 
and  afterwards  for  the  county  of  Louth,  and  was  father  of 
the  last  Speaker  of  the  Irish  House  of  Commons. 

2.  Dr.  Constantine  Barbor,  sch.  Trin.  Coll.  Dub.  1732, 
was  King's  Professor  of  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmacy  in 
1749,  and  in  1754  President  of  the  College  of  Physicians, 
an  office  to  which  he  was  again  elected  in  1764  and  I7°9« 
He  also  became  physician  to  the  Blue  Coat  Hospital,  in 
succession  to  Dr.  Richard  Weld,  on  the  death  of  the  latter 
in  1755.  Barbor  died  in  1783.  In  a  poem  descriptive  of 
the  Medical  Faculty  in  Dublin  published  by  John  Gilborne, 
m.d.,  in  1755,  the  following  lines  are  devoted  to  him  : — 

"  Wise  Barbor  can  prolong  the  days  of  youth, 
By  maxims  founded  on  undoubted  Truth  : 
With  pharmaceutic  art  he  plainly  shows 
How  to  prepare,  preserve,  compound  and  chuse 
Drugs  and  materials  medical,  that  will 
All  indications  curative  fulfil." 

1  History  of  Co.  Dublin,  F.  E.  Ball,  ii.  78. 


86  A   HISTORY   OF 

3.  Simon  Luttrell  was  created  Baron  Irnham  and  Earl 
of  Carhampton,  and  became  father-in-law  of  Henry,  Duke 
of  Cumberland,  George  the  Third's  brother.  He  was  m.p. 
for  various  English  constituencies,  and  on  one  occasion  he 
was  returned  to  Parliament  with  no  less  than  three  of  his 
sons.  At  one  time  he  resided  a  great  deal  at  Luttrellstown, 
which  was  visited,  during  his  tour  in  Ireland  in  1776,  by- 
Arthur  Young,  who  enters  fully  into  the  system  of  cultiva- 
tion pursued  by  Lord  Carhampton.1 

4.  Sir  Robert  Deane,  bart.,  a  privy  councillor,  was 
father  of  the  first  Lord  Muskerry.  He  had  a  charming 
seat  at  Dromore,  near  Mallow,  co.  Cork,  and  owned  con- 
siderable property.  He  subsequently  became  a  Vice- 
President  of  the  Society. 

There  is  a  note  that  on  the  29th  of  January  1761 
John  Tickell  was  balloted  for,  but  not  chosen,  which 
appears  to  be  the  first  instance  in  the  history  of  the 
Society  of  a  candidate  being  rejected.  He  was  son  of 
Thomas  Tickell  of  Glasnevin. 

The  minute  books  between  the  13th  of  August 
176 1  and  the  6th  of  March  1766  are  not  forthcoming, 
but  the  gap  is  partially  supplied  by  the  printed  volumes 
of  Proceedings ,  which  commence  on  the  15th  of  March 
1764.  These,  while  evidently  transcripts  of  the  ori- 
ginal minute  books,  do  not,  for  a  considerable  time, 
give  the  names  of  members  attending  the  meetings. 
The  newspapers  of  the  period  help  to  supply  further 
particulars. 

In  the  year  1761,  the  first  parliamentary  grant  was 
made  to  the  Dublin  Society  by  the  Irish  House  of 
Commons,  and  amounted  to  the  sum  of  ^12,000.  It 
was  given  "  to  promote  and  encourage  agriculture,  arts, 
and  manufactures."  In  1763,  1765,  and  1769,^10,000 
were  granted,  and  each  year  there  was  a  most  careful 

1  History  of  Co.  Dublin,  F.  E.  Ball,  iv.  17-19. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        87 

calculation  and   allotment  of  the   amounts  to   be  set 
apart  for  particular  branches  of  the  Society's  work. 

A  sum  of  ^500  was  allocated  in  1765,  for  dis- 
tribution in  sums  of  ^5  each,  to  discharged  soldiers 
and  sailors,  who  had  served  the  King  outside  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  and  who  took  farms  of  5  acres 
to  20  acres  in  extent,  on  leases  for  lives,  in  Munster, 
Leinster,  and  Connaught.  Candidates  for  these  pre- 
miums should  have  been  for  one  entire  year  settled  on 
the  farms. 


88  A   HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   VI 

HOMES   OF   THE   SOCIETY 

As  will  have  been  seen,  the  earliest  meetings  of  the 
Society  were  held  in  the  Philosophical  Society's  rooms 
in  Trinity  College,  and  in  the  Parliament  House,  while 
one  meeting  is  noted  as  having  been  held  on  the  19th 
of  April  1739,  at  the  Society's  "ground,"  and  a  few 
subsequent  meetings,  up  to  the  8th  of  June,  took  place 
in  its  "  House."  These  premises  in  Mecklenburgh 
street,  which  were  taken  for  the  purposes  of  a  Botanic 
Garden,  were  abandoned  by  1740  (see  p.  186). 
Though  a  table,  chairs,  cloth,  &c.  appear  to  have  been 
ordered  for  fitting  up  the  rooms,  the  Society  in  a  short 
time  resumed  its  meetings  in  the  Parliament  House. 
Finding  this  increasingly  inconvenient,  especially  in 
view  of  the  numerous  properties  and  accessories  which 
were  beginning  to  accumulate,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  look  for  suitable  premises,  and  in  December 
1756,  a  report  was  made  that  such  had  been  found  in 
Shaw's  court,  off  Dame  street,  now  partly  included 
in  the  site  of  the  Commercial  Buildings.  The  neces- 
sary legal  arrangements  having  been  concluded,  the 
Society  met  for  the  last  time  in  the  Parliament  House 
on  the  3rd  of  February  1757,  and  the  first  meeting  in 
its  new  home  was  held  on  the  10th  of  February,  the  Earl 
of  Lanesborough,  vice-president,  occupying  the  chair, 
and  twelve  members  being  present.  Part  of  the  busi- 
ness transacted  at  this  meeting  had  reference  to  a 
method  communicated  by  Mr.  Bermingham,  of  Ros- 


SOCIETY'S  ESCRITOIRE,  1753 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        89 

common,  for  preventing  labourers  from  imposing  on 
their  employers,  into  which  method  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  enquire.  Special  oilcloth  and  stair-carpet- 
ing were  ordered  for  the  new  house,  and  a  map  of 
Ireland  was  to  be  hung  in  the  Board-room.  The 
Society  was  already  in  possession  of  an  escritoire,  as  a 
minute  of  the  15th  of  February  1753,  ordered  that 
one  to  be  used  for  keeping  books  and  papers  should 
be  purchased ;  and  the  words  "  This  belongs  to  the 
Dublin  Society  "  were  to  be  inlaid  in  large  letters  in 
front.  This  venerable  piece  of  furniture,  which  must 
have  disappeared  a  great  number  of  years  ago,  was 
recovered  some  time  since,  being  purchased  by  the 
Society  for  a  sum  of  £  1 1  from  a  LifFey  street  dealer ; 
and  it  is  now  placed  in  the  Council  room.  The  date 
"  1753  "  appears  after  the  words  ordered  to  be  inlaid. 
For  the  first  time,  on  the  25th  of  January  1759,  the 
minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  were  signed  by  the 
chairman,  Humphrey,  1st  Earl  of  Lanesborough,  a 
zealous  supporter  of  the  Society,  and  one  of  the  most 
regular  attendants  at  its  meetings. 

By  the  year  176 1,  the  Society's  house  in  Shaw's 
court  was  found  to  be  inconvenient,  and,  as  the  tenure 
by  which  it  was  held  was  unsatisfactory,  it  was  resolved 
to  look  for  more  suitable  premises  or  for  building 
ground.  Sir  William  Yorke's  house  in  William  street 
was  favourably  reported  on,  but  the  Bishop  of  Derry 
stepped  in  and  purchased  it  before  the  Society  could 
take  steps  in  the  matter.  Sir  Capel  Molyneux's  man- 
sion in  Peter  street,  Lord  Antrim's  house  in  Dawson 
street,  and  ground  on  which  the  old  Theatre  in 
Aungier  street  stood,  were  inspected.  Finally,  a  plot 
of  ground  on  the  west  side  of  Grafton  street,  adjoin- 
ing the  house  of  the  Navigation  Board,  was  decided  on 
as  suitable,  and  on  the   23rd   of  January   1766,  Mr. 


9o  A   HISTORY   OF 

Myers *  was  ordered  to  prepare  plans  and  estimates. 
A  consideration  of  £1600  was  paid,  and  the  rent 
was  ^32,  5/.  During  October  and  November  1767, 
the  meetings  were  held  in  the  great  room  over  the 
gateway  in  Trinity  College,  and  later,  in  the  Parlia- 
ment House.  On  the  3rd  of  December  1767,  the 
Society  met  for  the  first  time  in  its  new  premises. 

The  Gentleman's  Magazine  for  1786  (vol.  Jan. -June, 
p.  217)  contains  the  following  notice  of  the  place: — 

"  This  [is  a]  view  (see  opposite  page)  of  a  house  erected 
in  Dublin  for  the  use  of  the  Dublin  Society  and  the  Com- 
pany for  carrying  on  the  Inland  Navigation  from  our  city 
to  the  river  Shannon,  commonly  called  the  Grand  Canal 
Company.  .  .  .  This  edifice  stands  upon  the  ground 
formerly  occupied  by  the  late  Earl  of  Mornington  in 
Grafton  street,  opposite  the  house  of  the  Provost  of  Trinity 
College.  The  building  [on  the  left]  is  that  which  apper- 
tains to  the  Dublin  Society,  whose  room  upon  the  second 
floor  from  the  street  is  about  40  feet  long,  and  20  wide, 
and  near  20  feet  high  ;  fitted  up  all  round  with  three  sets 
of  mahogany  glasses  rising  one  above  the  other  ;  a  hand- 
some gilt  and  ornamented  chair  for  the  presiding  member  ; 2 
decorated  with  an  elegant  fretted  stucco  ceiling,  and  ac- 
commodated with  two  fireplaces,  with  chimneypieces  of 
Irish  marble.  On  each  side  of  these  fireplaces  is  a  large 
white  marble  bust  of  one  of  the  original  promoters 3  of 
the  Society,  which  was  instituted  for  the  encouragement 
of  agriculture  and  useful  arts,  and  whereof  the  President 
and  Vice-President  of  the  London  Society  for  Encourage- 
ment of  Arts  are  standing  honorary  members.     Over  the 

1  Christopher  Myers  was  architect  of  Trinity  College  Chapel,  and 
a  man  eminent  in  his  profession.  He  was  father  of  Lieut. -Col.  Myers, 
a  distinguished  officer,  who  was  created  a  baronet,  and  died  at  Myers- 
ville,  now  Wynberg,  in  1789. 

2  This  chair,  which  is  still  in  use,  was  designed  by  James  Mannin, 
master  of  the  school  for  ornamental  drawing,  and  carved  in  1767, 
by  Richard  Cranfield.     {Diet.  Irish  Artists,  W.  G.  Strickland,  i.  219.) 

3  These  were  Prior  and  Madden.  The  busts  were  executed  in 
1 75 1  by  John  Van  Nost. 


PRESIDENT'S  CHAIR,  1767 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        91 

meeting  room  is  a  library  and  repository  for  mechanical 
models,  save  those  relative  to  husbandry,  which  are  de- 
posited in  another  place  belonging  to  the  Society. 

"The  rest  of  the  building  consists  of  the  necessary  offices 
and  the  apartments  of  the  Assistant  Secretary.  Behind 
the  house  are  the  Society's  drawing  schools,  where  children 
of  indigent  persons  are  educated  in  the  arts  of  drawing, 
in  architecture,  ornament,  and  the  human  figure. 

"  The  other  building  [on  the  right]  appertained  to  the 
Canal  Company,  but  now  belongs  to  the  newly  established 
Royal  Irish  Society  [The  Royal  Irish  Academy],  and  is 
similar  in  design  to  the  Dublin  Society's  House  ;  but  the 
meeting  room  is  not  finished  with  equal  elegance,  although 
of  the  same  dimensions." 

^2200  were  paid  in  the  first  instance  to  Myers, 
and  a  sum  of  £27 Sy  l^s-  2^-  additional  was  voted 
for  the  new  academies  for  drawing.  Another  room 
(for  casts  from  the  antique  and  busts),  to  adjoin  the 
schools  and  to  be  over  a  stable  which  was  to  be 
built  in  the  rear  (the  gateway  and  passage  leading  to 
which  still  exist),  was  to  be  provided.  On  the  site  of 
the  house  itself  have  since  been  erected  the  houses  now 
known  as  Nos.  1 1 2  and  1 1 3  Grafton  street.  In  the 
early  part  of  1 7  8 1 ,  a  warehouse  in  Poolbeg  street,  with 
its  appurtenances,  which  belonged  to  the  Trustees  of 
the  Linen  Manufacture,  was  lent  to  the  Society  (on 
condition  of  the  ground  rent  being  paid),  as  a  temporary 
repository  for  implements  of  husbandry  brought  from 
England,  for  which  a  sum  of  ^273,  ijs.  2d.  was  paid, 
it  being  the  intention  of  the  Society  to  supply  them  to 
the  public.  The  Linen  Trustees'  interest  in  the  pre- 
mises was  subsequently  vested  in  the  Dublin  Society  by 
the  Act  21  and  22  Geo.  Ill,  c.  35,  and  in  connection 
with  this,  the  Right  Hon.  John  Foster  reported  that 
he  had  engaged  (as  he  had  been  requested),  Thomas 
Dawson,  an  English  farmer,  to  come  over,  at  a  salary 


92  A    HISTORY   OF 

of  £70  a  year,  to  instruct  such  as  might  desire  to  im- 
prove the  mode  of  agriculture  in  the  kingdom.  Public 
notices  were  printed  in  Faulkner  s  Journal  and  Saunders* s 
News-Letter,  that  persons  anxious  for  instruction  should 
apply  to  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Society,  who 
would  arrange  the  times  for  Dawson's  attendance — 12s. 
per  week  to  be  paid  for  each  week  of  his  engagement, 
together  with  his  expenses. 

It  became  necessary  to  extend  the  Poolbeg  street 
concerns,  and  a  favourable  opportunity  presented  itself 
when  Mr.  Edward  Laurence,  in  consideration  of  a 
sum  of  £800,  sold  his  interest  in  some  ground  and 
houses  adjoining,  for  which  rent  was  paid  to  Mr. 
William  Morris.  In  1786,  a  further  extension  became 
desirable,  and  a  portion  of  ground  opening  into 
Hawkins  street,  with  another  portion  opening  into 
Poolbeg  street,  which  had  buildings  erected  on  it,  was 
taken  from  Mr.  Thomas  Acton.  A  fine  of  £885  was 
paid,  and  a  small  terminable  rent  incurred,  while  a 
sum  of  £2700  was  expended  on  the  new  buildings  and 
the  works  which  were  being  carried  out  there.  Soon  it 
was  found  that  the  work  of  the  Factory  would  be 
furthered  by  the  addition  of  a  house  and  piece  of 
ground  on  the  north  side  of  Poolbeg  street  in  posses- 
sion of  Mr.  William  Chapman,  of  which  the  Society 
decided  to  take  a  lease,  paying  ,£250  for  his  interest. 
In  January  1788,  the  new  premises  being  in  a  forward 
state,  Mr.  Peter  de  Gree  was  directed  to  execute  an 
emblematical  painting  for  the  Society's  meeting  room 
in  Hawkins  street,  which,  when  finished,  was  highly 
approved.  This  painting  is  in  monochrome,  and  still 
hangs  on  the  Society's  walls  in  Leinster  House. 

It  now  appeared  that  the  purpose  for  which  the 
Factory  in  Poolbeg  street  and  Hawkins  street  was 
originally  intended    had  been  answered  by  the  exten- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        93 

sive  sale  of  implements  of  husbandry,  so  the  Society 
resolved  to  give  up  the  Factory  business,  and  the  build- 
ings erected  for  it  were  to  be  devoted  to  the  following 
purposes  : — As  a  repository  for  every  implement  of 
husbandry,  and  for  the  reception  of  the  Society's  books 
on  husbandry,  natural  history,  and  mechanics ;  also 
for  specimens  of  minerals,  fossils,  &c.  Next,  as  a 
place  for  receiving  such  implements  of  husbandry  and 
machines  as  any  craftsman  might  send  for  sale,  which 
were  to  be  sold  for  the  owners  by  the  superintendent. 
Mr.  John  Brien,  registrar  and  collector,  was  to  reside 
on  the  premises,  to  regulate  delivery  of  goods  ;  to  keep 
the  books,  &c,  and  to  see  that  the  apartments  were 
in  order,  for  which  he  was  to  have  a  salary  of  ^30  a 
year,  with  allowances.  A  room  was  fitted  up  for  a 
model  maker,  who  was  to  repair  and  keep  in  order 
the  models,  and  who  was  also  to  make  new  ones  when 
directed.  In  1784,  the  premises  in  Poolbeg  street 
had  been  insured  for  ^2000,  and  the  Grafton  street 
house,  furniture,  &c,  together  with  the  drawing 
schools  in  the  rear,  for  ^2500. 

It  now  became  the  practice,  instead  of  bestowing 
money  premiums,  to  deliver  implements  of  husbandry 
from  the  Factory  in  Poolbeg  street  to  prize  winners, 
in  value  up  to  the  amount  awarded  them.  When  the 
repository  became  ready  for  the  reception  of  imple- 
ments, a  form  of  advertisement  for  the  newspapers  was 
drawn  up.  The  institution  was  intended  not  only  to 
facilitate  sales  of  useful  machines,  but  also  to  give 
ingenious  workmen  an  opportunity  of  making  them- 
selves known,  and  to  bring  into  competition  the 
various  productions  of  agricultural  artisans  in  the 
kingdom.  In  1795,  Sir  John  Sinclair,  on  behalf  of 
the  Board  of  Agriculture,  London,  offered  to  have 
anyone  deputed  by  the  Dublin  Society  instructed  gratis 


94  A   HISTORY   OF 

by  the  celebrated  Mr.  Elkington  in  the  art  of  draining 
land.  The  committee  did  not,  however,  then  send 
anyone,  in  view  of  the  likelihood  of  Elkingtcn's 
coming  here  himself,  which  he  afterwards  did. 

In  March  1796,  the  Society  notified  its  intention  of 
giving  up  the  Grafton  street  premises,  and  advertise- 
ments for  proposals  for  their  purchase  were  to  be  in- 
serted in  the  daily  papers.  The  offer  of  James  Blacker, 
Parliament  street,  and  Ambrose  Moore,  Dame  street, 
to  purchase  them  for  ^3000  fine  and  payment  of  the 
ground  rent  was  accepted.  From  the  nth  of  August 
in  that  year  the  Society  met  at  the  repository,  Hawkins 
street,  whither  also  the  drawing  schools  were  moved. 
The  two  chimneypieces  which  stood  in  the  meeting 
room  in  Grafton  street  were  taken  down  and  put  up 
in  the  new  premises.  They  were  not  found  among 
the  debris  after  the  fire  at  the  Theatre  Royal,  which 
at  a  later  period  occupied  the  Hawkins  street  site. 

In  1800,  at  an  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  Society, 
the  Wide  Street  Commissioners  were  requested  to 
complete  the  purchase  of  all  the  ground  and  houses 
on  the  east  side  of  Hawkins  street,  and  in  Poolbeg 
street,  lately  valued,  as  the  Society  proposed  to  become 
tenants  of  these,  together  with  the  premises  in  their 
possession  held  under  the  Bishop  of  Raphoe.  It  was 
proposed  to  assign  the  leases  to  the  Commissioners, 
the  Society  taking  one  lease  of  the  whole  in  perpetuity, 
at  a  rent  of  ^391,  ys.  6d.  The  Society  also  requested 
a  valuation  of  ground  on  the  south  side  of  their 
holdings  at  the  rear  of  Townsend  street.  All  this  was 
effected,  and  the  Society  had  then  at  its  command, 
for  carrying  out  its  objects,  extensive  premises  in  a 
very  central  part  of  the  city,  while  still  further  accom- 
modation was  found  in  the  Fleet  Market  (Hawkins 
street),  where  in  1802  premises  were  purchased.     From 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY        95 

a  report  of  the  Committee  of  Economy,  dated  nth  of 
August  1803,  it  appeared  that  works  unfinished  in 
Hawkins  Street  would  cost  ^571,  is.  $d.  In  the  class 
of  works  not  begun,  but  estimated  for  to  Parliament, 
the  drawing  school  estimate  amounted  to  £1667,  and 
that  for  the  gallery  to  £1145,  10/. 

The  Building  Committee  advertised  in  1 8 1 3  for 
tenders  for  the  erection  of  a  library,  board-room,  &c, 
and  for  a  proper  entrance  at  the  south  front  of  the 
Hawkins  street  house.  The  master  of  the  architectural 
school  prepared  a  ground  plan  and  elevation,  and  ^2000 
were  reserved  for  these  works,  while  in  the  next  year 
another  sum  of  ^2000  was  reserved  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. At  the  same  time,  a  sum  of  over  ^1100  was 
voted  for  completing  the  exhibition  room.  Soon, 
however,  the  Kildare  street  premises  came  into  the 
market,  and  were  purchased  by  the  Society,  which  met 
in  Hawkins  street  for  the  last  time  on  the  25  th  of 
May  1 8 15. 

The  theatre  and  connected  buildings  fronting  Pool- 
beg  street  were  at  this  time  held  under  a  renewable 
lease  from  Margaret  Hawkins,  representative  of  William 
Hawkins,  at  a  rent  of  ten  guineas  a  year,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  premises  under  a  renewable  lease  made 
to  the  Society  by  the  Wide  Street  Commissioners,  at  a 
rent  of  ^600  a  year,  which  was  then  vested  in  Trinity 
College.  The  Society  for  the  Suppression  of  Mendicity 
had  occupied  portion  of  the  premises  for  a  time,  for  the 
purposes  of  that  institution,  paying  ^300  a  year  rent, 
and  mendicants  were  accommodated  there.  In  18 19, 
the  Guild  of  Merchants  agreed  to  purchase  the  labora- 
tory lot  for  £900,  but  afterwards  declined  to  carry 
out  its  agreement.  It  was  decided  that  the  proceeds 
of  any  sale  of  the  Hawkins  street  premises  should  be 
devoted    to   completing    the   buildings    and    necessary 


96  A   HISTORY   OF 

accommodation  in  Kildare  street,  but,  as  will  be  seen, 
nothing  was  derived  from  their  disposal.  In  August 
1820,  Henry  Harris,  lessee  of  the  Theatre  Royal, 
made  a  proposal.  Considering  the  expense  he  would 
be  put  to  in  converting  the  place  into  a  theatre,  he 
found  that  he  could  not  afford  to  pay  any  purchase 
money,  but  was  willing  to  take  an  assignment  at  a  rent 
of  £610  a  year,  to  which  the  premises  were  subject. 
This  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  Society  freed  itself 
from  further  liability  with  regard  to  a  place  that  was 
ill  contrived,  and  which,  from  damp,  was  not  suited 
for  the  purposes  of  the  Society,  which  expended  a  vast 
sum  in  trying  to  make  the  premises  meet  all  require- 
ments. On  the  disposal  of  the  place  to  Harris,  a 
bill  was  filed  in  Chancery  on  the  18th  of  August 
1820,  by  the  Society  of  Irish  Artists  against  the 
Dublin  Society  and  Henry  Harris,  for  an  injunction, 
restraining  them,  as  the  exhibition  room  was  in  use  for 
exhibiting  their  works.  The  plaintiffs  in  the  suit  were 
Thomas  C.  Thompson,  Charles  Robinson,  T.  J.  Mul- 
vany,  William  B.  Taylor,  Joseph  Peacock,  John  Banim, 
and  William  Mossop,  but  it  does  not  appear  to  have 
come  to  anything. 

Some  account  of  the  Hawkins  street  premises  at 
the  time  of  their  being  given  up  has  been  preserved,1 
from  which  it  appears  that  the  front  and  sides  of  the 
completed  buildings  of  the  Society  included  a  quad- 
rangular area,  97  feet  in  length.  The  facade  to 
Hawkins  street  was  of  hewn  granite,  with  a  centre 
and  two  wings,  each  of  two  stories,  with  Doric  pilasters, 
without  bases,  and  the  centre  ended  in  an  attic  story 
above  the  entablature.  The  door  was  of  the  Doric 
order,  and  in  a  niche  above  was  a  figure  of  Minerva, 
with  a  cornucopia ;  on  the  shield  at  her  feet  was  an 

1  Whitelaw  and  Walsh's  History  of  Dublin,  ii.  957. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY        97 

Irish  harp,  with  the  motto,  Nostri  plena  laboris.1  In 
the  interior  was  a  broad  room,  39  by  25  feet,  lofty, 
well-lighted,  and  richly  ornamented,  with  a  square 
lantern.  There  were  two  spacious  apartments  for  the 
Leskean  museum  and  the  gallery  for  Irish  speci- 
mens. Then  a  noble  and  well-proportioned  gallery, 
90  by  30  feet,  well  lighted  by  three  elegant  lanterns, 
round  which  were  disposed  the  Society's  busts  and 
statues,  the  group  of  Laocoon  ending  the  vista.  Off 
this  were  the  drawing  schools.  The  library  occupied 
three  rooms.  The  exhibition  room  was  lofty  and 
spacious,  the  light  being  so  disposed  from  the  roof 
as  to  display  the  paintings  to  the  best  effect,  and,  next 
to  the  Louvre,  it  was  considered  the  finest  of  its  kind 
in  Europe.  In  the  rear  of  the  quadrangular  court 
were  the  chemical  laboratory  and  the  lecture-room, 
around  which  was  a  gallery  with  seating  accommodation 
for  eight  hundred  people. 

It  had  been  suggested  that  a  new  front  might  be 
erected  on  the  south  side  of  the  building,  to  corre- 
spond with  Trinity  College,  as  the  origin  of  a  fine 
square,  into  which  eight  streets  would  lead,  and  in  the 
centre  of  which  might  be  erected  the  Wellington 
trophy.2  The  Society's  house  would  then  not  only 
have  been  near  the  most  central  but  also  the  most 
ornamental  part  of  the  metropolis.  It  was  said  that 
a  sum  of  over  ^60,000  had  been  expended  on  the 
Hawkins  street  buildings,  and  the  account  concludes 

1  When  the  Theatre  Royal  was  burned,  almost  the  only  part 
left  standing  was  the  stone  facade,  which  had  been  erected  by  the 
Dublin  Society.  The  figure  of  Minerva  (or  Hibernia),  by  E.  Smyth, 
which  occupied  a  niche  over  the  entrance,  was  removed,  and  placed 
on  the  old  gateway  of  Leinster  House.  It  is  now  in  the  colonnade, 
outside  the  door  of  the  theatre. 

2  There  was  some  idea  of  erecting  the  trophy  in  commemoration 
of  Wellington's  victories  in  the  open  space  where  the  Crampton 
memorial  now  stands 


9  8  A   HISTORY   OF 

as  follows  : — "  This  large  edifice  is  now  abandoned,  its 
collections  removed  to  an  inconvenient  distance,  and 
crowded  into  ill-adapted  rooms.  The  Society,  having 
expended  vast  sums  to  render  one  house  unfit  for 
any  other  purpose,  have  purchased  another  which  no 
money  will  render  suitable — a  splendid  edifice  well 
calculated  for  the  mansion  house  of  the  Lord  Mayor, 
but  ill-adapted  indeed  for  the  residence  of  science  and 
philosophy." 

LEINSTER    HOUSE 

In  ancient  times  portion  of  Kildare  street  and  Kil- 
dare  place,  together  with  part  of  St.  Stephen's  Green, 
formed  what  was  known  as  the  Mensons'  or  Mynchens' 
fields,  which  were  the  property  of  the  Nunnery  of  St. 
Mary  del  Hogges,  founded  for  elderly  nuns  of  the 
better  classes,  known  as  Mynchens.1  The  district,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  was  called 
the  Molesworth  fields,  having  been  acquired  by  that 
family,  to  which  belonged  Robert,  John,  and  Richard, 
first,  second,  and  third  Viscounts  Molesworth ;  the 
first  distinguished  by  his  writings  in  defence  of  liberty, 
the  second  as  a  successful  ambassador,  and  the  third 
as  a  warrior  who  served  in  all  the  campaigns  in 
Flanders.  An  Act  of  Parliament,  passed  in  1725,  en- 
abled the  Molesworth  family  to  make  leases  of  certain 
portions  unbuilt  on,  including  the  site  of  Kildare 
House — the  present  Leinster  House. 

Soon  after  succeeding  to  the  title  in  1744,  James 
FitzGerald,  twentieth  Earl  of  Kildare,  decided  on 
erecting  a  town  house  on  this  part  of  the  Molesworth 
fields,  which  he  had  purchased  from  the  third  Lord 
Molesworth    for  ^1000.      He  commissioned  Richard 

1  Minch,  a  nun.     The  nunnery  at  Littlemore  is  still  called  the 
Minchery. 


g  J 

H     1 


Sib 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


99 


Castle,  the  eminent  architect,  to  furnish  plans,  and  the 
foundation  stone  of  Lord  Kildare's  new  mansion  was 
laid  in  1745,  inscribed  as  follows  : — 

Domum 

CUJUS    HIC    LAPIS    FUNDAMEN 

IN    AGRO    MOLESWORTHIANA 

EXTRUI    CURAVIT 

JACOBUS 

COMES    KILDARIAE    VICESIMUS 

ANNO    DOMINI    MDCCXXXXV 

HINC    DISCAS, 

QUICUNQUE    TEMPORUM    INFORTUNIO 

IN    RUINAS    TAM    MAGNIFICAE    DOMUS 

INCIDERIS, 

QUANTUS    ILLE    FUIT,    QUI    EXTRUXIT 

QUAMQUE    CADUCA    SINT    OMNIA 

CUM    TALIA    TALIUM    VIRORUM 

MONUMENTA 

CASIBUS    SUPERESSE    NON    VALEANT 


RICHARDO    CASTELLO,    ARCH.1 

The  site  of  his  new  house  was  supposed  to  lie  far 
from  the  fashionable  quarter  of  Dublin,  but  to  one 
who  suggested  this  to  him,  Kildare  replied  that  the 
fashion  would  follow  in  whatever  direction  he  led. 
Time  amply  justified  his  prophecy,  as  within  a  few 
years  the  immediate  neighbourhood  began  to  be  ex- 
tensively built  over.  Lord  Kildare  married,  in  1746, 
Lady  Emily  Lennox,  sister  of  the  then  Duke  of 
Richmond,  a  celebrated  beauty,  by  whom  he  had  seven- 

1  The  house,  of  which  this  stone  is  the  foundation,  James,  twentieth 
Earl  of  Kildare,  caused  to  be  erected  in  the  Molesworth  field,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1745.  Hence  learn,  when  in  some  unhappy  time 
you  chance  on  the  ruins  of  so  magnificent  a  house,  how  great  was 
he  who  erected  it,  and  how  perishable  are  all  things,  when  such 
monuments  of  such  men  cannot  survive  adversity.  Richard  Castle, 
architect. 


ioo  A   HISTORY   OF 

teen  children,  of  whom  the  fifth  son  was  Lord  Edward 
FitzGerald,  the  noble-hearted  and  ill-fated  enthusiast 
who  sacrificed  his  life  for  his  patriotic  principles. 
Lord  Kildare  was  a  resident  nobleman,  and  spent  his 
time  between  Dublin,  where  he  took  his  full  share  in 
the  House  of  Lords'  debates  and  work,  and  his  country 
seat  of  Carton,  which  he  greatly  improved  and  enlarged. 
He  took  an  independent  tone  in  opposing  Ministers 
on  the  Money  Bill  in  1753,  and  acquired  great  popu- 
larity on  the  occasion  by  his  public-spirited  conduct. 
In  1 76 1,  Kildare  obtained  a  step  in  the  peerage  by 
being  created  Marquis  of  Kildare,  and  in  1766  he 
became  Duke  of  Leinster,  by  which  name  what  was 
originally  called  Kildare  House  has  since  been  known. 
The  Duke  died  in  1773,  at  the  comparatively  early  age 
of  fifty-one,  and  lies  buried  in  Christ  Church  Cathedral. 

A  narrow  lane  connected  St.  Stephen's  Green  with 
the  present  Nassau  street  ;  this  was  called  Coote 
street,  a  name  which  was  changed  to  Kildare  street  on 
Kildare  House  being  erected,  when  the  lane  was  also 
widened.  The  house  was  approached  through  a  grand 
gateway  of  rustic  masonry,  leading  to  a  spacious  court. 

Though  the  account  of  Leinster  House,  written 
by  James  Malton  in  1794,  has  been  given  at  length 
by  Gilbert  in  his  History  of  Dublin  (iii.  282),  and  by 
Mr.  T.  U.  Sadleir,  in  his  article  on  the  mansion,  in 
the  Records  of  the  Georgian  Society  (iv.  57),  to  which 
this  chapter  owes  much,  it  seems  quite  impossible 
to  omit  it  here,  so  comprehensive  and  descriptive  is 
the  account,  although  it  be  not  written  in  classic 
English : — 

"  Leinster  House,  the  town  residence  of  His  Grace 
the  Duke  of  Leinster,  is  the  most  stately  private 
edifice  in  the  city.  Pleasantly  situated  at  the  south- 
east extremity  of  the  town,  commanding  prospects  few 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      101 

places  can  exhibit,  and  possessing  advantages  few  city 
fabrics  can  obtain  by  extent  of  ground  both  in  front 
and  rear ;  in  front,  laid  out  in  a  spacious  courtyard  ; 
the  ground  in  the  rear  made  a  beautiful  lawn,  with  a 
handsome  shrubbery  on  each  side  screening  the  ad- 
jacent houses  from  view  ;  enjoying  in  the  tumult  of  a 
noisy  metropolis  all  the  retirement  of  the  country.  A 
dwarf  wall  which  divides  the  lawn  from  the  street 
extends  almost  the  entire  side  of  a  handsome  square, 
called  Merrion  square.  The  form  of  the  building  is  a 
rectangle,  140  feet  long  by  70  feet  deep,  with  a  cir- 
cular bow  in  the  middle  of  the  north  end,  rising  two 
stories.  Adjoining  the  west  front,  which  is  the 
principal,  are  short  Doric  colonnades  communicating 
to  the  offices,  making  on  the  whole  an  extent  of  210 
feet,  the  width  of  the  courtyard.  The  court  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  high  stone  wall  ornamented  with  rusti- 
cated piers,  which,  after  proceeding  parallel  with  the 
ends  of  the  building  as  far  as  a  gateway  on  the  western 
side  and  another  opposite  it,  the  court  being  uniform, 
it  takes  a  circular  sweep  from  one  gate  to  the  other,  but 
broken  in  the  middle  by  a  large  and  handsome  gateway 
directly  fronting  the  house,  communicating  to  the 
street,  and  exhibits  there  a  plain  but  not  inelegant 
rusticated  front.  The  house,  or  rather  the  gateway 
of  the  courtyard,  is  in  Kildare  street — so  named  from 
one  of  the  titles  of  His  Grace,  who  is  Marquis  of 
Kildare — and  is  the  termination  of  a  broad,  genteel 
street  called  Molesworth  street.  The  garden  front 
has  not  much  architectural  embellishment :  it  is  plain 
but  pleasing,  with  a  broad  area  before  it  the  whole 
length  of  the  front,  in  order  to  obtain  light  to  offices 
in  an  under  story,  but  which  received  none  to  the 
west,  to  the  courtyard.  From  the  middle  of  the 
front,   on   a  level  with  the  ground  floor,  a  handsome 


102  A   HISTORY   OF 

double  flight  of  steps  extends  across  the  area  to  the 
lawn.  The  greater  part  of  the  building  is  of  native 
stone  (quarried  at  Ardbraccan,  in  the  county  of  Meath), 
but  the  west  front,  and  all  the  ornamental  parts 
throughout,  are  of  Portland.  South  of  the  building 
are  commodious  offices  and  stables.  The  inside  of 
this  mansion  in  every  respect  corresponds  with  the 
grandeur  of  its  external  appearance.  The  hall  is  lofty, 
rising  two  stories,  ornamented  with  three-quarter 
columns  of  the  Doric  Order,  and  an  enriched  entab- 
lature ;  the  ceiling  is  adorned  with  stucco  ornaments 
on  coloured  grounds;  and  the  whole  is  embellished 
with  many  rich  and  tasty  ornaments.  To  the  right  of 
the  hall  are  the  family  apartments ;  the  whole  con- 
venient, beautifully  ornamented,  and  elegantly  fur- 
nished. Overlooking  the  lawn  is  the  great  dining 
parlour,1  and  adjoining  it,  at  the  north  end,  is  an 
elegant  long  room,2  the  whole  depth  of  the  house, 
24  feet  wide,  called  the  supper  room,  adorned  with 
sixteen  fluted  Ionic  columns  supporting  a  rich  ceiling. 
Over  the  supper  room  is  the  picture  gallery,3  of  the 
same  dimensions,  containing  many  fint  paintings  by 
the  first  masters,  with  other  ornaments  chosen  and  dis- 
played with  great  elegance.  The  ceiling  is  arched  and 
highly  enriched,  and  painted  with  designs  by  Mr. 
Wyatt.  The  most  distinguished  pictures  are  —  a 
Student  drawing  from  a  bust,  by  Rembrandt ; 4  "  The 
Rape  of  Europa,"  by  Claude  Lorraine  ;  the  "  Triumph 
of  Amphitrite,"  by  Luca  Giordano ;  two  capital 
pictures  by  Rubens,  and  two  wives  by  Van  Dyck ; 
dogs  killing  a  stag;  a. fine  picture  of  St.  Catherine;  a 
landscape,  by  Barret ;  with  many  others. 

1  Now  the  council-room.  2  Now  the  conversation-room. 

3  For  a  number  of  years  used  as  the  Society's  library.     Now  the 
reception-room. 

4  This  is  a  mistake  :  the  picture  is  not  one  of  Rembrandt's. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      103 

"  In  the  bow,  in  the  middle  of  one  side,  is  a  fine 
marble  statue ;  an  Adonis,  executed  by  Poncet  [now 
in  the  National  Gallery  of  Ireland];  a  fine  bust  of 
Niobe,  and  of  Apollo,  placed  one  on  each  side.  In 
the  windows  of  the  bow  are  some  specimens  of 
modern  stained  glass  by  Jervis  [Thomas  Jarvis]. 

"  Several  of  the  apartments  on  this  floor  are  en- 
riched with  superb  gildings,  and  elegantly  furnished 
with  white  damask.  From  the  windows  of  the  attic 
story  to  the  east  are  most  delightful  prospects  over 
the  Bay  of  Dublin,  which,  for  three  miles,  is  divided 
by  that  great  work,  the  South  Wall,  with  a  beautiful 
lighthouse  at  the  termination.  The  sea,  for  a  con- 
siderable extent  bounds  the  horizon,  and  every  vessel 
coming  in  and  going  out  of  the  bay  must  pass  in  dis- 
tinct view.  To  the  left  is  seen  the  beautiful  pro- 
montory of  Howth,  the  charming  low  grounds  of 
Marino,  and  Sheds  of  Clontarf;  to  the  right  the 
pleasing  village  and  seats  of  the  Black  Rock,  the  re- 
mote grounds  and  hills  of  Dalkey,  and  the  Sugar 
Loaves,  backed  by  the  extensive  mountains  of  Wicklow 
which  most  picturesquely  close  the  view.  The  finish- 
ing of  the  picture  gallery,  and  making  several  improve- 
ments at  the  north  end  of  the  house,  were  reserved  to 
display  the  taste  of  the  present  possessor,  William 
Robert,  Duke  of  Leinster,  whose  excellent  judgment 
therein  is  eminently  conspicuous,  as  well  as  in  many 
other  instances,  at  His  Grace's  country  residence,  at 
Carton,  near  Dublin ;  and  all  evince  his  patriotism 
and  refined  enjoyment  of  a  domestic  life." 

It  has  been  stated  that  Leinster  House  served  as 
a  model  for  the  White  House  at  Washington,  the 
official  residence  of  the  President  of  the  United  States.1 

1  It   was   designed   by   James    Hoban,  an    Irish   architect,  who 
settled  at  Charleston,  U.S.A.     See  Ceiitury  Magazine,  1884,  p.  803. 


io4  A   HISTORY   OF 

One  of  the  finest  features  in  the  interior  is  the  hall, 
which  is  unusually  lofty  and  well  proportioned,  and 
forms  a  stately  entrance  to  what  was  the  largest  and 
most  magnificent  of  the  town  houses  of  our  Irish 
nobility.  The  ceiling  is  beautifully  decorated,  and 
the  first  floor  is  reached  from  an  inner  hall  by  a  flight 
of  white  stone  stairs  which  branch  into  two  divisions 
from  a  landing.  The  mantelpieces  in  the  dining- 
room  and  drawing-rooms  were  removed  to  Carton. 
Those  that  remain  are  beautiful,  the  mantelpiece  and 
the  grate  in  the  small  hall  leading  to  the  lawn  entrance 
being  considered  specially  worthy  of  notice.  The 
registrar's  office,  formerly  the  study,  has  a  splendid 
mantelpiece,  and  is  a  well  proportioned,  highly  orna- 
mented apartment. 

It  was  concerning  the  acquisition  of  this  palace,  that, 
on  the  14th  of  November  1 8 14,  a  committee  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society  sat  to  deliberate.  It  consisted  of  the 
Right  Hon.  John  Claudius  Beresford,  Jeremiah  D'Olier, 
P.  Digges  La  Touche,  John  L.  Foster,  Henry  Arabin, 
Nicholas  P.  Leader,  John  Pomeroy,  and  Richard 
Verschoyle ;  who  found  that  the  premises  would  be 
disposed  of  for  £10,000,  and  a  yearly  rent  of  £600, 
or  they  would  be  sold  rent  free  for  £20,000.  It  was 
thought  at  this  time  that  part  of  the  ground  might 
advantageously  be  let  for  building,  and  that  the  Society 
would  obtain  a  good  price  for  the  concerns  in  Hawkins 
street.  The  former  suggestion  was  never  carried  out, 
and  in  the  latter  expectation  the  Society  was  grievously 
disappointed.  An  agreement  was  entered  into  with 
Augustus  Frederick,  fourth  Duke  of  Leinster,  for  the 
sale  of  his  interest  for  £10,000,  with  £600  yearly 
rent,  which  was  ratified  by  the  Society  on  the  14th 
of  December  18 14,  it  having  previously  been  submitted 
to  the  Government.     On  the  19th  of  January  18 15,  it 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      105 

appeared  that  ^5000  had  been  paid  to  the  Duke,  and 
possession  had  been  delivered  to  Mr.  Wilson  on  behalf 
of  the  Society.  The  premises  and  ground  on  which 
stood  that  part  of  Kildare  street  and  Leinster  street 
that  led  from  Leinster  House  to  the  house  of  Mr. 
Hamilton  Rowan  in  Leinster  street,  were  held  under 
a  fee  farm  lease  from  the  Molesworth  family,  subject 
to  £150  a  year.  Some  of  the  ground  which  had  been 
built  on  was  held  under  leases  from  the  Duke,  which 
produced  £64  a  year  above  the  head  rent,  and  it  was 
thought  advantageous  to  purchase  this  profit  rent  from 
his  Grace  for  a  sum  of  ^1000. 

A  select  committee,  of  which  Francis  Johnston, 
Alderman  Thorp,  and  Mr.  Gandon  were  members, 
was  appointed  to  decide  on  necessary  alterations  in 
the  house,  and  Mr.  Baker,  master  of  the  architectural 
school,  was  engaged  to  superintend  repairs  and  altera- 
tions. The  premises  were  insured  up  to  ^20,000. 
The  committee  recommended  that  the  picture  gallery 
should  be  used  as  the  library,  and  that  six  rooms  on 
the  first  floor  should  be  assigned  to  the  department  of 
natural  history.  On  the  ground  floor,  the  ball-room 
was  to  be  the  bust-room  ;  the  dining-room  the  board- 
room ;  and  other  rooms  were  assigned  for  newspapers, 
the  secretary's  office,  as  well  as  committee  and  house- 
keeper's rooms.  It  was  finally  arranged,  however, 
that  on  the  ground  floor,  No.  1  in  a  certain  plan 
was  to  be  the  board-room ;  2,  conversation-room ; 
3,  ante-room  ;  4,  secretary's  office  and  committee 
room  ;  5,  housekeeper's  room  ;  6  and  7,  model 
rooms.  On  the  first  floor,  the  gallery  was  to  be  the 
library,  and  rooms  nos.  2  to  7,  museums.  Up  to 
^600  was  to  be  spent  on  the  house  and  concerns,  and 
enquiries  were  set  on  foot  as  to  the  best  mode  of 
erecting  a  laboratory  and  theatre,  with  apparatus  rooms 


106  A   HISTORY    OF 

for  the  professors.  A  gallery  for  busts,  with  school 
and  modelling  rooms  adjacent,  and  a  gallery  for  ex- 
hibition of  pictures,  were  also  necessary.  It  was  sug- 
gested that  the  out-building  called  the  kitchen  might 
be  converted  into  a  laboratory  and  theatre,  and  that  the 
other  buildings  might  be  placed  adjacent,  with  entrances 
from  the  house,  and  outside  entrances  for  the  public 
by  the  colonnade.  The  lawn  in  the  rear  was  unoccupied, 
and  Lord  Fitzwilliam  leased  it  to  the  Society  at  ^300 
a  year.  The  Merrion  square  boundary  of  the  lawn 
was  a  sunk  fence,  and  in  1834-5,  £200  were  expended 
in  lowering  the  parapet  wall  and  erecting  an  iron 
railing,  which  protected  the  fence  from  being  a  re- 
ceptacle for  nuisances. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Society  in  Hawkins  street 
was  held  on  the  25th  of  May  18 15,  though  the  com- 
mittees still  continued  to  meet  there ;  and  it  met  for 
the  first  time  in  Leinster  House  on  the  1st  of  June 
1 8 15,  Lord  Frankfort  de  Montmorency  in  the  chair, 
and  a  large  number  of  members  attending.  A  marble 
bust  of  himself  was  offered  to  the  Right  Hon.  J.  C. 
Beresford,  lord  mayor,  for  his  successful  exertions  in 
the  removal  of  the  Society  from  Hawkins  street  to 
Kildare  street,  but  his  lordship  declined  the  honour. 

A  sum  of  X4000  was  to  be  set  apart  to  complete 
the  necessary  accommodation  in  Leinster  House,  and 
a  further  sum  of  ^2000  was  voted. 

Having  now  a  proper  site  on  which  to  erect  it, 
and  in  consideration  of  King  George  the  Second  having 
granted  to  the  Society  its  charter,  the  Corporation,  in 
November  18 15,  was  requested  to  consent  to  the 
removal  of  the  statue  of  that  monarch  from  St. 
Stephen's  Green  to  Kildare  street,  but  the  Commis- 
sioners of  the  Green  declined  to  acquiesce  in  the 
proposal. 


£2536 

16 

7 

524 

6 

0 

3040 

8 

4 

104 

13 

0 

£62o6 

3 

11 

THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      107 

Up  to  the  30th  of  May  1 8 1 6,  the  following  amounts 
were  expended  on  the  house  and  new  buildings  : 

Repairs 
Furniture 
New  buildings 
Superintendent 


In  1 8 19,  a  resolution  was  passed  that  all  sums  re- 
ceived on  the  admission  of  members  were  to  be  invested 
in  Government  stock,  so  as  to  create  a  fund  for  fining 
down  the  rent  due  to  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  which  was 
finally  extinguished  long  before  the  premises  became 
Crown  property.  In  July  1835,  ^1200  were  allocated 
out  of  this  admission  fee  fund  towards  the  construc- 
tion of  an  exhibition  room.  Representations  were 
made  to  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  as  to  the 
success  of  the  exhibition  of  manufactures  held  on 
the  Society's  premises  during  the  last  two  years,  and 
the  want  of  proper  accommodation  both  in  reference 
to  the  convenience  of  the  public,  and  the  satisfactory 
placing  of  exhibits.  It  was  hoped  that  the  Govern- 
ment might  grant  a  similar  sum,  an  expectation  which 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  realised. 


io8  A    HISTORY    OF 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE   DRAWING   SCHOOLS 

The  precise  period  at  which  the  original  drawing 
school  of  the  Society  was  opened  is  not  now  known, 
as  the  volume  of  minutes  in  which  it  would  have 
been  recorded  is  not  forthcoming,  but  it  may  pro- 
bably be  assigned  to  the  years  1742-46. 

Mr.  Prior  laid  before  Lord  Chesterfield,  in  1746, 
a  report  on  the  Society's  work  in  the  field  of  fine 
arts,  and  submitted  a  plan  for  an  academy. 

On  the  1 2th  of  March  1748,  the  Society  communi- 
cated to  the  press  a  statement,  that  on  the  competition 
for  the  Madden  premium  of  ^15  for  the  best  drawing 
by  boys  or  girls  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  eighteen 
candidates  attended,  who  produced  drawings,  which 
were  hung,  numbered,  round  two  large  rooms  in  the 
Parliament  House.  The  boys  were  directed  to  sit 
round  two  tables,  on  which  were  placed  busts,  which 
they  were  directed  to  draw  before  the  Society ;  this 
task  they  readily  performed  in  an  hour's  time.  Most 
of  the  drawings  were  excellent,  and  the  candidates 
placed  in  the  first  rank  got  two  guineas,  and  those 
in  the  second  one  guinea.  On  the  5th  of  November, 
a  similar  plan  was  adopted,  when  the  newspapers  re- 
ported that  "  as  this  day's  entertainment  had  all  the 
appearance  of  a  foreign  academy  for  drawing,  it  is 
hoped  it  will  lay  the  foundation  of  establishing  such  an 
academy  among  ourselves." 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       109 

Eight  boys  who  obtained  premiums  for  drawing 
in  1747  were  pupils  of  Mr.  Robert  West's  academy, 
in  George's  lane.  In  1749,  it  was  announced  that  the 
Madden  premiums  for  drawing  were  secured  princi- 
pally by  his  pupils.  The  Society  had  already  arranged 
for  his  instructing  a  certain  number  under  its  auspices, 
eventually  taking  over  the  school  itself.  West,  who 
was  born  in  Waterford,  had  studied  under  Boucher  and 
Vanloo  on  the  continent.  On  the  27  th  of  May,  on  ad- 
judication of  the  Madden  premiums,  twenty-eight  boys 
presented  themselves  and  produced  specimens.  They 
had  been  employed  for  two  months  in  drawing  from 
the  round  copies  of  bustoes,  group  figures,  as  well 
as  subjects  from  the  life,  "  a  lusty  naked  man  "  being 
placed  on  the  middle  of  a  large  table,  when  the  boys 
were  placed  on  seats  all  round  so  as  to  draw  the 
figure  in  different  attitudes.  £16  were  distributed  in 
sums  varying  from  is,  6d.  to  one  guinea.  "  They 
improve  every  day  in  their  skill,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  several  good  geniuses  for  drawing  will  in  time 
appear,  much  to  the  credit  of  this  little  academy, 
who  perform  so  well  beyond  all  expectations."  On 
the  adjudication  in  February  1750,  thirty  candidates 
appeared,  when  the  boys  were  directed  to  draw  "  the 
face  of  a  remarkable  man,  Hugh  Roberts,  which  most 
of  them  did  off-hand  very  well." 

From  the  year  1750,  a  good  deal  of  attention  was 
paid  to  the  drawing  school,  as  it  will  have  been  seen 
that  the  Society  was  determined  to  cultivate  this  art 
among  the  young  people  of  the  city  to  the  utmost 
of  its  power.  In  May  of  that  year,  there  is  a  note  that 
Van  Nost,  the  sculptor,  had  taken  as  apprentice 
Patrick  Cunningham,  who  received  his  earliest  in- 
struction under  the  auspices  of  the  Society,  for  which 
he  subsequently  executed  several  commissions.     Such 


no  A   HISTORY   OF 

is  the  first  notice  of  this  Irish  sculptor  who  attained 
to  considerable  eminence  in  his  art.  Before  November 
1750,  the  Society  had  provided  an  academy  for  draw- 
ing in  Shaw's  court,  which  laid  the  foundation  of 
a  School  of  Art  that  reflected  much  honour  on  it,  and 
which  produced  so  many  artists  who  attained  dis- 
tinction in  sculpture,  portrait  and  landscape  painting. 

In  1752,  the  following  distinguished  artists  are 
found  adjudicating  on  the  competitions,  in  which  they 
showed  much  interest — Bindon,  Lee,  Drury,  and  Van 
Nost.  On  this  occasion  James  Forester  took  first 
place,  and  in  the  following  year,  John  Dixon  was  first, 
when  Patrick  Cunningham  was  also  among  the  com- 
petitors. Pue's  Occurrences  of  the  7th  of  August  1753 
remarked  that  the  art  of  drawing  had  within  a  few 
years  (by  the  encouragement  of  the  Dublin  Society) 
made  great  progress  in  the  city,  "  so  that  we  may  hope 
to  see  most  of  the  great  men  who  have  been  orna- 
ments of  their  country  immortalised  in  the  works  of 
our  young  artists."  Pue's  Occurrences,  on  the  26th  of 
January  1754,  called  attention  to  its  work  in  this  direc- 
tion, and  speaks  of  "  that  patriot  body,  the  Dublin 
Society,  whose  labours  were  attended  with  even  more 
than  the  wished-for  success,  which  is  every  day  apparent 
in  their  academy  for  drawing  founded  in  Shaw's  court, 
Dame  street,  under  the  direction  and  care  of  that 
ingenious  gentleman  and  useful  member  of  society, 
Mr.  West."  Again,  in  February,  attention  was  called 
to  a  great  variety  of  handsome  drawings  which  were 
produced  to  the  Dublin  Society  by  boys  under  sixteen, 
among  which  was  a  beautiful  head  of  the  Duchess  of 
Cleveland  in  crayons.  They  also  produced  several 
modellings  in  clay,  one  of  which  was  a  bust  of  George, 
Prince  of  Wales,  by  Mr.  Van  Nost's  sister ;  and  a 
whole-length  figure  from  life,  in  plaster  of  Paris,  of 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      in 

Master  Cox,  son  to  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  by  one 
of  Mr.  Van  Nost's  apprentices ;  "  from  which  it  is 
evident  how  great  a  progress  the  Polite  Arts  are 
making  in  this  Kingdom,  to  the  immortal  honour 
of  that  patriot  body,  the  Dublin  Society,  who  have 
been  their  chief  encouragers." 

Agreements  were  concluded  with  persons  who 
consented  to  act  as  models  for  the  boys,  and  the 
Madden  premium  for  1754  (£15)  was  bestowed  on 
Patrick  Cunningham  for  a  group  in  white  marble,  of 
boys  playing  with  a  basket  of  flowers.  Cranfield,  of 
Cope  street,  won  the  Madden  prize  of  1755,  f°r  two 
basso  relievos — a  Sleeping  Beauty  and  a  small  landscape 
with  beasts.  In  1756,  Mr.  Mannin  agreed,  for  £25  a 
year,  to  teach  the  art  of  drawing  foliage,  &c,  for  two 
years,  to  two  boys  who  were  to  be  recommended  by 
the  Society. 

When  the  Society  entered  on  their  new  premises 
in  Shaw's  court  (p.  88),  in  1757,  four  rooms  were 
assigned  to  Mr.  West,  and  one  room  to  Mr.  Mannin 
(a  Frenchman),  the  drawing  masters,  and  the  stable  at 
the  back  was  fitted  up  in  October  1758,  so  that  the 
boys  might  use  it  as  a  drawing  academy.  It  was  also 
used  for  keeping  the  collection  of  plaster  busts  and 
casts  which  was  being  formed  by  the  Society.  Lord 
Duncannon,  who  was  abroad,  had  interested  himself  in 
procuring  some  of  them  that  were  required.  A  sum, 
not  to  exceed  ^20,  was  to  be  allowed  for  a  living 
model,  who  was  to  sit  twice  a  week  for  a  year.  At  this 
period,  Robert  West  had  charge  of  the  figure  drawing. 
Thomas  Ivory,  who  was  responsible  for  the  design  of 
the  Blue  Coat  Hospital,  Dublin,1  taught  architectural 

1  His  designs  for  it  were  of  exceptional  excellence,  both  from  an 
artistic  and  technical  point  of  view,  but  it  was  found  too  costly  to 
carry  them  fully  out.    They  are  now  in  the  British  Museum.    Another 


ii2  A   HISTORY   OF 

drawing  :  and  the  pupils  were  instructed  in  ornament 
by  James  Mannin.  The  Recollections  of  John  O'Keefe, 
the  dramatist,  who  studied  in  the  school,  contains  a 
vivid  picture  of  the  drawing  academy.  He  says  that  it 
was  frequently  visited  by  members  of  the  Society,  the 
Lord  Lieutenant,  and  some  of  the  nobility.  In  his 
day,  the  students'  text-book  was  the  Preceptor,  by 
Robert  Dodsley,  published  in  1748. 

Joseph  Fenn,  described  as  Professor  in  Nantes 
University,  brought  before  the  Society  in  1764  a  plan 
of  instruction  for  the  schools,  which  was  approved  by 
it  four  years  later.  It  will  be  found  embodied  in  his 
work  entitled  Instructions  given  in  the  Drawing  School 
established  by  the  Dublin  Society  .  .  .  1768.  Mr. 
W.  G.  Strickland,  in  his  Dictionary  of  Irish  Artists, 
ii.  583,  gives  an  interesting  account  of  the  Fenn 
episode,  and  remarks  that  his  ambitious  and  varied 
programme  seems  never  to  have  been  carried  out, 
or  even  attempted. 

Joseph  Wilton,  sculptor,  of  Charing  Cross,  London, 
wrote  in  June  1757,  that  several  cases  of  busts,  &c, 
which  had  cost  £219,  15/.,  had  been  packed  and 
put  on  board  vessels  for  transit  to  the  Society. 
John  Crawley,  one  of  Van  Nost's  apprentices,  and 
a  Madden  prizeman,  petitioned  to  be  sent  abroad, 
and  ^80  were  agreed  to  be  paid  by  instalments  to 
Dr.  Pococke,  the  bishop  of  Ossory,  with  a  view  to 
Crawley's  receiving  instruction  on  the  continent.  In 
May  1 76 1,  Matthew  William  Peters,  another  pupil, 
asked  for  ^30,  to  be  expended  on  his  being  sent  to 
Italy,    for    his    improvement   in   the    art   of  painting. 

fine  work  of  Ivory,  was  Newcomen  House,  opposite  the  Upper  Castle 
gate,  now  used  as  offices  by  the  Corporation  of  Dublin.  Ivory  had 
been  master  of  the  architectural  drawing  school  from  1759,  and  died 
in  1786. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      113 

Peters  returned  to  Dublin  in  1766.  Patrick  Cunning- 
ham was  paid  for  moulding  and  casting  figures  of 
a  Roman  Slave,  a  Venus,  and  a  Dolphin,  and  in  1760, 
ten  guineas  for  a  statue  of  King  George.  To  enable 
him  to  carry  on  business  as  a  statuary,  £20  were 
granted  to  him,  on  bond.  The  following  advertise- 
ment appeared  in  Faulkner's  Journal,  at  the  time  of 
his  setting  up  business  in  July  1758  :  "Patrick  Cun- 
ningham, apprentice  to  Van  Nost,  by  agreement  with 
the  Dublin  Society,  opens  a  yard  and  shop  for  statuary 
in  William  street.  As  he  is  the  first  native  that  has 
been  bred  to  that  business,  he  humbly  hopes  for  the 
favour  of  the  public."  The  year  after,  he  was  granted 
£30  by  the  Society  to  purchase  at  Van  Nost's  auction 
such  moulds  and  models  as  might  be  useful  in  his 
business. 

Late  in  1767,  or  very  early  in  1768,  the  Society 
having  moved  to  their  new  premises  in  Grafton  street, 
the  drawing  schools  were  accommodated  in  the  back 
of  the  house,  the  gateway  and  entrance  to  which  still 
remain  (see  p.  91).  Here  they  were  situated  until 
1796,  when  the  Society  moved  to  Poolbeg  street. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1767,  the  question  of 
the  continuance  of  the  school  for  figure  drawing  was 
raised,  and,  on  a  full  discussion  of  the  matter,  the 
opinion  of  the  following  artists  was  invited — Messrs. 
Bertrand,  Carver,  Collins,  Ennis,  Fisher,  Hunter, 
Reiley  and  Sheehan,  as  also  Richard  Cranfield,  carver, 
Simon  Vierpyle,1  carver  in  statuary,  James  Madden, 
seal   cutter,  Nathaniel   Murray,   engraver,  and   James 

1  Vierpyle  was  probably  of  Dutch  origin.  He  was  brought  over 
from  Italy  by  Lord  Charlemont  for  work  at  his  mansion  of  Marino, 
Clontarf,  specially  for  the  Casino  there.  He  copied  in  terra  cotta 
a  large  number  of  busts  of  Roman  Emperors,  &c,  at  the  Capitol  and 
in  the  Vatican,  which  in  1868  were  presented  by  the  last  Earl  of 
Charlemont  to  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 

H 


1 14  A    HISTORY   OF 

Wilder,  landscape  painter.  At  a  very  large  meeting 
held  on  the  5th  of  March,  the  motion  as  to  its  being 
suppressed  was  negatived.  £$  were  voted  in  payment 
for  the  following  books  ordered  for  the  use  of  the 
scholars  attending  Mr.  Thomas  Ivory's  classes  in  the 
architectural  school — Gibb's  Architecture ;  Loudon's 
Art  of  Building  ;  Hopper' s  Architecture  ;  Halfpenny's 
Builder  s  Assistant ;  Price's  British  Carpenter  ;  Jesuits 
Perspective. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  the  Madden  premiums  were 
awarded  as  follows — 10  guineas  to  George  Mullins  for 
the  best  original  landscape  in  oils ;  5  guineas  to  James 
Mannin  for  the  next  best;  and  10  guineas  to  Mary 
Hunter,  for  the  best  original  full-length  portrait  in 
oils,  life  size.  A  silver  medal  was  granted  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Campbell,  author  of  a  pamphlet  entitled  Essay  on 
Perfecting  the  Fine  Arts  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
which  was  inscribed  to  the  Dublin  Society.  In  March 
1769,  Van  Nost  represented  that  a  poor  country  boy 
named  William  Graham,  aged  sixteen  years,  who  was 
his  apprentice,  displayed  great  genius  in  sculpture  and 
the  fine  arts,  when  ^10  were  granted  for  his  mainten- 
ance and  clothing.  In  1770,  Graham  exhibited  a  bas- 
relief  in  marble,  but  nothing  is  known  of  his  subse- 
quent career. 

In  November  1780,  the  Duke  of  Leinster  laid 
before  the  Society  a  certificate  signed  by  the  following 
artists,  namely :  Hugh  D.  Hamilton,  Richard  Cran- 
field,  William  Ashford,  Charles  Robertson,  and  Walter 
Robertson,  adjudging  silver  medals  to  the  undernamed 
boys,  whose  works  were  of  great  merit : — landscape — 
1,  William  Hartwell ;  2,  John  Mannin;  3,  John 
Lacam  ;  ornament — 1,  Chr.  Connor;  2,  William  Dartis; 
3,  William  Gumley.  Premiums  for  figure  drawing 
were  awarded  to — 1,  Peter  Hoey ;    2,  Henry  Stoker 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      115 

(from  the  round) ;  3,  Matthew  Hunter  (from  the 
flat)  ;  ornament  drawing — William  Hartwell ;  land- 
scape— Robert  Connor  ;  ornament — John  McCready. 
Drawing  in  architecture — Robert  Connor,  plans  and 
elevations  ;  Hoban,  stairs,  roof,  &c. ;  William  Guinness, 
practical  geometry.  With  regard  to  these  and  many 
other  pupils  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  it  must  not 
be  supposed  that  all  became  artists,  as  a  large  number 
of  them,  on  leaving  the  schools,  entered  on  business 
careers  or  became  artisans.  Colonel  Burton,  Mr.  Cald- 
well, Alexander  Montgomery,  Captain  Burgh,  the 
Bishop  of  Killaloe,  Mr.  Braughall,  Morgan  Crofton, 
Messrs.  Ford,  Wallis,  Trant,  Ladaveze,  and  Major 
Waring  were  appointed  members  of  a  committee  to 
superintend  the  Society's  drawing  schools  for  one 
year. 

In  1 7  8 1 ,  Frederick  Prussia  Plowman,  who  had  been 
educated  in  the  Society's  drawing  schools,  laid  before 
it  several  copies  of  paintings  executed  by  him  under 
the  inspection  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  which  were 
highly  approved.  The  Society  subscribed  two  guineas 
for  a  cast  of  the  statue  of  Hercules,  to  be  executed  by 
James  Hoskins,  Westminster,  for  the  use  of  the  schools. 

In  November  1782,  the  silver  medals  in  the  art 
schools  were  awarded  as  follows : — Matthew  Hunter, 
portraits  from  nature ;  John  Mulvany,  drawings  from 
the  round ;  John  O'Keely,  drawings  from  the  flat ; 
Martin  Shee  and  John  Mulvany  were  specially  recom- 
mended for  landscape  drawings.  John  Babington  was 
declared  entitled  to  a  medal  for  ornament  drawing ; 
Henry  Seguin  won  that  for  plans  and  elevations.  In 
1783,  Martin  Shee  won  the  medal  for  portrait  painting. 
In  November  1786,  the  progress  of  the  drawing 
schools  appears  to  have  given  much  satisfaction  to  the 
superintending    committee.      Several    drawings    from 


n6  A   HISTORY   OF 

life,  executed  by  Martin  Shee,  portrait  painter,  who 
resided  in  Dame  street,  and  who  had  received  his  art 
education  in  the  schools,  under  Robert  L.  West,  were 
laid  before  the  Society,  when  a  silver  palette,  with  suit- 
able inscription,  was  presented  to  him,  in  testimony  of 
its  approbation.  Shee,  afterwards  Sir  Martin  Archer 
Shee,  and  President  of  the  Royal  Academy,  was  born 
in  Dublin.  In  1788,  he  went  to  London,  where  he 
had  a  number  of  sitters  drawn  from  the  best  classes, 
and,  being  a  man  of  considerable  culture,  he  had  access 
to  the  most  cultivated  society  in  the  capital.  Shee 
published  some  poems,  and  to  his  work  as  painter  and 
poet,  Byron  alludes  in  English  Bards  and  Scotch 
Reviewers — 

"  And  here  let  Shee  and  Genius  find  a  place 
Whose  pen  and  pencil  yield  an  equal  grace." 

Shee's  Life  was  written  by  his  son. 

A  figure  taken  from  a  book  entitled  The  Sorrows 
of  Werter,  finished  in  the  new  stipple  engraving,  exe- 
cuted by  Henry  Seguin.  who  had  received  his  art 
education  in  the  Society's  school,  was  laid  before  it, 
and  greatly  commended.  In  May  1785,  this  artist 
requested  that  the  Society  should  subscribe  to  a  work 
in  preparation,  entitled  The  School  of  Fencing,  which 
was  to  contain  fifty  folio  copperplates,  the  engravings 
to  be  executed  by  him.  To  encourage  so  promising 
an  artist,  and  to  excite  emulation  in  the  schools,  his 
request  was  acceded  to,  but  the  work  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  published.  Soon  after,  a  sum  of  £j,  y. 
was  paid  to  Michael  Angelo  Pergolesi  for  publications 
of  ornamental  designs  in  the  Etruscan  and  grotesque 
style,  for  the  use  of  the  schools. 

The  architectural  school  sustained  a  great  loss  in 
December  1786  by  the  death  of  Thomas  Ivory,  who 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      117 

had  for  so  many  years  successfully  conducted  it. 
Henry  Aaron  Baker  was  appointed  to  succeed  him. 

As  it  is  of  interest  to  learn  the  titles  of  text-books 
in  use  at  this  time,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  following 
were  ordered  to  be  purchased  for  the  architectural 
drawing  school,  viz.  Gibb's  Rules  of  Architecture, 
Sir  William  Chambers'  Treatise  on  Architecture,  Pal- 
ladio's  Works,  Richardson's  Ceilings  and  Chimney- 
Pieces.  Two  marble  figures,  a  Venus  de  Medici  and  a 
Dancing  Faun,  were  presented  by  Joseph  Henry,  Esqr. 
At  this  time,  the  Society  was  in  possession  of  the 
following  statues  and  busts — The  Listener,  Boxers, 
Venus  aux  belles  Jesses,  Alexander  s  Head,  Apollo  of 
Belvedere,  Antinous,  Flora,  Laocoons  Head,  River  God's 
Head,  Commodus,  and  Ariadne,  which  were  removed  to 
a  more  commodious  apartment  to  give  students  a 
better  opportunity  of  copying  them. 

When  Mr.  de  Gree  *  died  in  1789,  Mr.  Beranger 
exhibited  several  of  his  drawings,  which  in  Mr.  West's 
opinion  were  likely  to  be  of  great  use  in  the  schools, 
and  they  were  purchased  for  five  guineas.  In 
November  1790,  David  La  Touche,  Esqr.,  presented 
an  excellent  cast  of  the  Laocoon,  from  the  original 
work  at  Rome,  which  was  placed  in  the  repository, 
Hawkins  street.  In  1791,  William  Ashford's  collec- 
tion of  statues,  models,  casts,  &c.  was  sold  to  the 
Society  for  £91. 

The  Society  having  in  the  year  1796  removed  to 
premises  in  Poolbeg  street,  the  drawing  schools  were 
established  there,  and  schools  for  the  living  figure 
having  been  prepared,  the  Dublin  artists  were  invited 
to  choose  a  committee,  to  act  as  directors,  each  to  take 
charge  of  the  Living  academy  for  four  weeks.     The 

1  Peter  de  Gree,  a  native  of  Antwerp,  who  came  to  Dublin  about 
1 78 1,  and  painted  pictures  for  Mr.  La  Touche. 


n8  A   HISTORY   OF 

following  were  chosen — Hunter,  Ashford,  Chinnery, 
Cuming,  Robinson,  Waldron,  O'Neil,  Smyth,  and  West. 
In  1800,  Henry  Brocas  became  master  of  the  ornament 
school  in  the  room  of  William  Waldron. 

On  the  1st  of  May  1800,  it  was  arranged  that  the 
figure  school  was  to  be  continued  on  its  then  footing, 
but  that  the  other  two  schools  were  to  be  consolidated, 
under  the  name  of  the  engraving  and  ornament  draw- 
ing school,  under  one  master,  and  that  Messrs.  Waldron 
and  Baker  were  to  be  pensioned.  The  committee  of 
fine  arts,  in  consequence  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Chin- 
nery, secretary  to  the  Society  of  Artists,  recommended 
that,  instead  of  premiums,  the  sum  intended  for  them 
should  be  expended  in  purchasing  the  works  of  Irish 
artists  that  possessed  merit,  which  might  remain  in  their 
exhibition  room,  as  the  property  of  the  Society,  for 
the  benefit  and  emulation  of  young  students.  One 
hundred  guineas  were  to  be  allotted  for  the  purpose. 
In  accordance  with  this  recommendation,  Attention,  by 
George  Chinnery,  a  landscape  by  Wm.  Ashford,1  and 
a  Portrait  of  a  Student,  by  Wm.  Cuming,  were  pur- 
chased at  the  Exhibition  of  Irish  Artists,  held  in  the 
Parliament  House  in  July  1801.  The  committee 
regretted  being  unable  to  buy  Ashford's  fine  picture 
of  a  Land  Storm,  at  ninety  guineas.  It  was  resolved 
that,  on  the  recommendation  of  governors  of  the  re- 
spective institutions,  the  boys  of  the  Blue  Coat  Hospital 
and  the  Hibernian  Marine  School 2  were  to  be  in- 
structed in  the  schools. 

1  Ashford  was  born  in  Birmingham  in  1746.  He  came  to  Ireland 
in  1764,  and  practised  landscape  painting.  Ashford  was  patronised 
by  Lord  Fitzwilliam,  and  made  many  paintings  and  drawings  of 
Mount  Merrion,  five  of  which  are  now  in  the  Fitzwilliam  Museum, 
Cambridge. 

2  For  children  of  decayed  seamen  ;  at  that  time  located  on  Sir 
John  Rogerson's  quay. 


MEDAL  AWARDED  TO  GEORGE  PETRIE  IN  THE  ART  SCHOOL 


/f 


V^ 


\ 


MEDAL  OF  THE  FARMING  SOCIETY 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      119 

George  Petrie  took  a  first-class  premium  for  a  group 
of  figures  in  the  year  1805,  and  a  couple  of  years  after 
this,  while  still  a  student,  he  asked  that  a  landscape 
painted  by  him  should  be  hung  in  the  Society's  ex- 
hibition room.  The  former  is  the  first  mention  in  the 
minutes  of  this  distinguished  artist,  archaeologist,  and 
man  of  letters.  George,  son  of  James  Petrie,  artist, 
was  born  in  Dublin  in  1789.  He  painted  landscapes  in 
Kerry,  Wicklow,  and  other  parts  of  Ireland,  and  illus- 
trated Cromwell's  Excursions  in  Ireland.  In  addition  to 
his  artistic  talent,  Petrie  was  a  cultivated  man  of  letters, 
learned  in  Irish  antiquities  and  ecclesiastical  architec- 
ture, and  a  musician.  From  1833  t0  ^46,  ne  was 
employed  on  the  Ordnance  Survey  of  Ireland.  His 
Essay  on  the  History  and  Antiquities  of  Tara  Hill 
gained  him  the  gold  medal  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  which  also  bestowed  a  similar  distinction 
on  him  for  his  Essay  on  the  Origin  and  Uses  of  the 
Round  Towers  of  Ireland,  which  was  published  in  1845 
as  the  Ecclesiastical  Architecture  of  Ireland.  Petrie's 
Ancient  Music  of  Ireland  appeared  in  1855.  This 
talented  man  died  in  1866,  and  a  very  charming  and 
appreciative  memoir  of  him  was  written  by  his  friend, 
Dr.  William  Stokes,  which  contains  a  list  of  works 
illustrated  by  Petrie. 

The  Beggar  Woman  and  Child,  by  George  Gratton, 
who  was  educated  in  the  schools,  was  purchased  in 
1807,  for  100  guineas,  in  recognition  of  the  artist's 
distinguished  merit,  and  to  enable  him  to  go  to  London. 
He  was  to  have  the  picture  framed,  and  had  per- 
mission to  have  it  exhibited  in  London.  This  picture 
now  hangs  on  the  wall  near  the  door  of  the  conver- 
sation-room, at  the  foot  of  the  staircase  in  Leinster 
House. 

Martin  Cregan  obtained  a  medal  for  drawing  from 


120  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  round ;  l  and,  to  enable  him  to  go  to  London,  fifty 
guineas  were  paid  to  Robert  L.  West2  for  a  portrait 
of  the  Right  Hon.  John  Foster,  a  vice-president.  A 
little  prior  to  this,  Andrew  R.  Twigg,  a  late  student  of 
the  Society's  schools,  presented  a  full-length  portrait  of 
General  Vallancey,  for  which  the  General  sat  to  him. 
It  was  offered  "  as  a  first  fruits  of  his  academic  studies, 
in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  deemed  worthy  of  a  place 
in  the  new  board-room."  Fifty  guineas  were  voted 
to  Twigg,  that  he  might  journey  to  London  to  study 
the  works  of  eminent  artists. 

On  June  20,  1805,  a  letter  was  read  from  Caleb 
Whitefoord,  chairman  of  a  committee  of  subscribers 
(who  were  members  of  the  Society  for  the  Encourage- 
ment of  Arts,  Manufactures,  and  Commerce,  London), 
to  a  fund  being  raised  for  James  Barry,  artist,  "  who 
has  enriched  this  island  by  his  productions ;  and  whose 
works  would  have  done  honour  to  the  most  polished  and 
enlightened  ages  of  antiquity."  Barry  was  represented  as 
having  had  long  and  painful  struggles  with  adversity  and 
privation,  while  his  independence  of  character  concealed 
the  fact.  The  members  of  the  Dublin  Society  were 
invited  to  subscribe  towards  providing  an  honourable 
ease  for  the  remainder  of  his  days,  and  an  annuity  of 
;£i2o  per  annum  was  secured  to  him.     Barry  was  born 

1  Martin  Cregan,  born  in  1788,  practised  painting  both  in  Dublin 
and  London.  He  was  a  foundation  member  of  the  Royal  Hibernian 
Academy,  and  for  years  its  President.  Cregan  died  in  1870.  The 
National  Gallery,  Dublin,  possesses  a  copy  made  by  him  of  Reynolds' 
"  Master  Crewe." 

2  Son  of  Francis  R.  West.  On  his  father's  death  in  1809,  he 
succeeded  him  as  master  of  the  school,  a  post  which  he  held  until 
1845.  In  that  year  he  was  granted  a  pension  by  the  Treasury,  and 
he  died  in  1849.  His  memorial  stated  that  he  had  thirty-five  years' 
service,  and  that  his  grandfather,  father,  and  himself  had  served  the 
Society  during  a  period  of  ninety-five  years.  R.  L.  West  painted 
portraits  and  historical  subjects,  and  in  1808  exhibited  in  the  Royal 
Academy  a  subject  from  Gray's  Elegy. 


THE    ROYAL    DUBLIN    SOCIETY       121 

in  Cork  in  1741,  and  studied  in  the  Dublin  school 
under  West.  He  first  attracted  notice  in  1763,  when 
he  came  to  Dublin,  by  his  "  Conversion  by  St.  Patrick 
of  the  King  of  Cashel,"  which  procured  him  the 
patronage  of  Edmund  Burke,  who  introduced  him  to 
Reynolds;  and  in  1764  he  went  to  London.  Barry 
also  painted  "  Adam  and  Eve  "  (now  in  the  collection 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  Arts) ;  "  Cymbeline  "  (in  the 
collection  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society) ;  "Jupiter  and 
Juno,"  and  "  Lear  and  Cordelia."  Between  the  years 
1777  and  1782,  Barry  decorated  with  a  series  of  paint- 
ings, illustrative  of  human  culture,  the  great  room  of 
the  Society  of  Arts,  for  which  he  received  250  guineas 
and  a  gold  medal.1  He  had  a  quarrelsome  temper, 
and  was  unhappy  in  his  dealings  with  those  around 
him.  Barry  died  in  1806,  and  lies  buried  in  the  crypt 
of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral. 

The  plans  for  drawing  schools,  which  were  to  be 
erected  in  the  new  premises  in  Poolbeg  street  at  a  cost 
of  £1871,  had  been  approved  in  April  1806,  and  the 
building  was  to  be  proceeded  with  without  delay. 

In  May  1808,  on  behalf  of  Faithful  Christopher 
Pack,  a  number  of  artists  signed  a  statement  to  the 
effect  that  the  art  of  painting  as  practised  by  Titian 
and  the  Bassanos2  had  been  lost  for  200  years,  and  that 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Pack's  master,  after  numberless 
experiments,  had  failed  to  discover  it.  Pack  now 
claimed  to  have  done  so,  and  he  copied  a  Venetian 
picture  said  to  be  by  Titian.     The  artists  believed  the 

1  See  an  account  of  these  pictures,  by  Barry,  published  in  1783. 
In  the  History  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Arts,  by  Sir  H.  T.  Wood,  1913, 
pp.  70-9,  will  be  found  a  very  full  account  of  them. 

2  Tiziano  Vecelli,  commonly  called  Titian — the  greatest  painter  of 
the  Venetian  school.  The  North  Italian  family  of  Da  Ponte,  known 
as  the  Bassani,  from  Bassano,  the  city  in  which  they  lived,  were 
among  the  famous  painters  of  the  sixteenth  century. 


122  A    HISTORY   OF 

method  to  be  the  same  as  that  practised  by  the  Vene- 
tian school,  and  as  Pack  was  now  old  and  feeble,  they 
thought  that  "  by  having  command  of  his  invaluable 
art,  the  Irish  school  will  more  than  vie  with  those  of 
other  nations. "  It  will  be  of  interest  to  add  the  names 
of  the  artists  who  signed  this  statement.  They  were 
— Hugh  Hamilton,  Wm.  Ashford,  John  Comerford, 
Robert  L.  West,  William  Cuming,  Jonathan  Fisher, 
Henry  Graham,  Samuel  Burton,  Charles  Robertson, 
William  Woodburn,  Andrew  R.  Twigg,  Graves  Cham- 
ney  Archer,  George  Meade,  James  Petrie,  George 
Petrie,  Samuel  Woodhouse,  John  C.  Hone,  William 
Chalmers.1 

A  large  number  of  pages  of  the  printed  Proceedings 
of  the  year  1809  are  occupied  with  a  report  and 
recommendations  of  the  committee  of  fine  arts  (of 
which  James  Gandon  was  a  member)  on  the  drawing 
schools.  As  the  resolutions  and  recommendations  are 
of  interest  and  importance  in  view  of  the  future  de- 
velopment of  the  schools,  it  may  be  well  to  summarise 
them  briefly : — 

1.  It  was  necessary  to  have  able  masters  and  good 
models,  as  a  number  of  young  artisans  and  manu- 
facturers attend.  The  Society  is  tolerably  rich  in 
casts  from  the  antique,  and  at  small  expense  the 
ornament  and  architectural  schools  may  be  supplied. 
2.  The  number  of  scholars  is  considerable  and  in- 
creasing. 3.  Boys  are  irregular  in  attendance,  and 
remiss  in  application,  displaying  a  want  of  energy. 
4.  The  number  on  the  foundation  in  each  school 
should  be  limited  to  forty.  5.  They  should  be  allowed 
on  the  foundation  for  three  years  only.    6.  Regular  lists 

1  Mr.  Strickland  remarks  that  notwithstanding  the  encomiums 
of  the  artists,  the  Dublin  Society  did  not  appear  to  have  been  much 
impressed  with  Pack's  discoveries.     {Diet.  Irish  Artists.) 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY       123 

and  accounts  should  be  kept.  7.  The  premium  system 
to  be  remodelled.  8.  Money  premiums  to  be  given 
up.  Instead,  books  on  geometry,  &c,  and  portfolios, 
with  the  stamp  of  the  Society  and  inscription,  to  be 
substituted.  9.  Artists  of  repute  might  be  appointed 
professors  or  visitors.  10.  Good  drawings  for  sale  are 
wanted.  11.  Catalogue  of  paintings  and  drawings  to 
be  made  out.  12.  Really  good  pictures  by  ancient 
masters  to  be  purchased  ;  £200  to  be  spent  on  furnish- 
ing the  ornament  and  architectural  schools  with  good 
drawings  and  engravings.  13.  In  future,  all  models 
to  be  provided  at  the  Society's  expense.  14.  The 
Committee  to  use  the  funds  most  advantageously  for 
the  benefit  of  the  schools.  15.  The  masters'  salaries 
to  be  increased.  16.  The  new  figure  master  to  be 
the  best  possible,  and  advertised  for  in  England,  if 
necessary.  17.  As  the  figure  school  is  for  the  higher 
branches  of  art,  none  to  be  admitted  to  it  without  a 
probationary  drawing.  18.  This  school  must  be  raised 
to  importance,  and  made  capable  of  attaining  the 
highest  walks.  19.  A  living  figure  to  be  ready  to  sit 
nearly  all  the  year  round.  20.  Lectures  on  the  theory 
and  practice  of  painting,  and  the  anatomy  of  bone  and 
muscle,  to  come  later.  21.  A  school  of  engraving  to 
be  constituted  later.  22.  Instructions  in  modelling 
and  sculpture  to  be  given.  23.  A  school  for  females 
to  be  a  subject  for  future  consideration.  24.  Boys 
under  13  not  to  be  admitted  to  the  architectural  school. 
25.  Pupils  in  the  architectural  school  to  be  instructed 
in  the  principles  of  practical  geometry,  and  how  to  draw 
by  scale.  266.  A  higher  school  of  architecture  might 
be  instituted,  wherein  perspective  might  be  fully 
taught,  and  private  pupils  admitted  on  payment.  27. 
The  same  might  be  made  to  apply  to  the  other  two 
schools.     28.  A  room  for  the  continual  exhibition  of 


i24  A    HISTORY   OF 

pictures,  &c,  for  sale,  to  be  provided.  It  was  added 
that  £700  a  year  might  be  approved  of  for  salaries 
and  expenses.  English  candidates  for  the  post  of 
master  of  the  figure  school  were  to  be  permitted  to  draw 
from  the  figure  of  Antinous  in  the  Royal  Academy. 

In  December  1809,  George  Gratton's  works,  Race 
of  Hippomenes  and  Atalanta,  and  Antinous  were  pur- 
chased by  the  Society  for  100  guineas.  In  181 1, 
Solomon  Williams,  portrait  painter,  was  allowed  the 
use  of  the  drawing  school  for  the  purpose  of  painting 
a  picture  on  a  very  large  scale.1 

With  a  view  to  establishing  a  school  for  modelling 
and  sculpture,  Edward  Smyth,  sculptor,  was  employed 
on  a  probationary  term  of  six  months,  and  later  he  was 
appointed  master  of  the  school,  at  a  salary  of  50  guineas 
a  year.  He,  however,  died  before  the  end  of  18 12, 
when  his  son,  John  Smyth,  took  up  the  work,  and  in 
November  18 13,  he  was  placed,  as  to  salary,  on  a 
footing  with  the  other  masters. 

In  1 8 13,  ,£100  were  spent  in  completing  the 
pedestals  in  the  statue  gallery,  the  walls  were  coloured, 
and  the  long  gallery  was  finished.  The  Society  of 
Artists  was  allowed  the  use  of  the  school-room  three 
days  in  the  week,  from  7  to  9  o'clock  a.m.,  for  the 
study  of  the  human  figure.  On  the  9th  of  February 
1 8 15,  the  roof  of  the  drawing  school  was  found  to 
have  been  injured  by  the  late  great  storm. 

Certain  resolutions  were  drawn  up  in  November 
1 8 13,  for  reference  to  the  Committee  of  Fine  Arts  for 
report.  The  masters'  salaries  were  to  be  advanced, 
and  a  number  of  professional  artists  (which  included 
the    names    of    Comerford,    Gandon,    Gratton,    Kirk, 

1  During  this  year,  Williams  exhibited  portraits  of  the  Duke  of 
Cumberland  and  Dr.  Troy  ;  also  an  altarpiece,  "  Taking  down  from 
the  Cross."  It  was  probably  for  the  painting  of  the  last-named  work 
that  he  obtained  permission  to  use  the  school. 


THE    ROYAL    DUBLIN    SOCIETY      125 

Mossop,  Mulvany,  and  Williams),  with  the  four  draw- 
ing masters,  were  to  be  invited  to  assist  in  selecting 
works  of  art  and  old  paintings  for  the  gallery.  Proper 
apartments  were  to  be  provided  for  the  life  school. 
A  gallery  of  marbles  and  casts,  drawings  and  etchings, 
was  to  be  formed,  and  a  fund  was  to  be  appropriated 
yearly  for  the  acquisition  of  "  Old  Masters."  Govern- 
ment was  to  be  requested  on  public  days  to  guard 
the  main  entrance,  and  commissioned  officers  were 
to  be  admitted  to  the  landscape  and  perspective 
schools,  with  a  view  to  qualifying  as  civil  and  military 
engineers. 

The  committee  reported  against  most  of  the  re- 
solutions, as  having  been  drawn  up  without  accurate 
knowledge,  while  many  of  them  had  been  acted  on  as 
rules  for  years.  The  resolutions  implied  that  the 
schools  were  intended  solely  for  forming  artists  and 
painters,  whereas  they  were  for  those  employed  in  arts, 
science,  and  manufactures.  The  regulations  which  had 
been  already  drawn  up  were  arrived  at,  the  committee 
said,  on  mature  advice  and  deliberation  with  artists,  the 
Royal  Academy,  and  the  British  Institution.  The  9th 
resolution  would  abrogate  the  gratuitous  instruction, 
which  already  occupied  most  serious  attention  ;  many 
youths  of  promise  might  be  kept  away,  and  it  would 
create  invidious  distinctions. 

In  18 15,  the  Hibernian  Society  of  Artists  and 
other  Dublin  artists,  presented  a  memorial  to  the 
Society,  and  on  the  report  of  the  committee  ap- 
pointed to  consider  it,  a  general  committee  from  among 
the  artists  was  nominated  to  manage  the  annual 
exhibition. 

The  use  of  the  exhibition  room  in  Hawkins  street 
was  granted  in  1 815- 16- 17- 19,  for  united  exhibitions 
of  artists'  works. 


i26  A   HISTORY   OF 

The  committee  included  Kirk  (i),  Mossop  (2), 
and  George  Petrie. 

1.  Thomas  Kirk  was  born  at  Newry  in  1777.  He 
early  settled  in  Dublin,  and  worked  chiefly  on  busts  and 
relief  on  mantelpieces.  Kirk  executed  the  colossal  statue  of 
Nelson  for  the  column  in  Sackville  street,  and  a  statue  of 
King  George  the  Fourth  for  the  Linen  Hall,  which  now 
stands  on  the  staircase  landing  in  Leinster  House.  Many 
of  his  busts  adorn  the  College  of  Surgeons,  Leinster  House, 
and  the  library  of  Trinity  College. 

2.  William  Mossop,  whose  real  name  was  Browne, 
assumed  that  of  his  mother's  second  husband.  He  was 
born  in  1751,  dying  in  Jan.  1805.  Mossop  acquired  a  great 
reputation  as  a  medallist,  and  engraved  some  of  the  finest 
medals  and  coins  of  the  pre-Union  period.  A  list  of  his 
works  (which  includes  a  medal  of  the  Dublin  Society,  1800), 
will  be  found  in  Gilbert's  History  of  Dublin,  vol.  ii., 
appendix  vii.  His  son,  William  Stephen  Mossop,  also 
achieved  distinction  in  this  art,  and  a  list  of  his  medals  will 
be  found  in  appendix  viii.  of  the  same  volume. 

In  the  year  1 8 1 8  Bartholomew  Watkins  l  took  first 
premium  in  the  landscape  school. 

During  the  years  1 8 13—18 19  (inclusive),  it  was 
found  that  314  boys  had  received  instruction  in  the 
figure  school,  which,  founded  in  1759,  had  then  existed 
for  sixty  years.  It  was  a  means  of  improvement  for 
engravers  in  wood  and  copper,  for  herald  painters,  en- 
gravers in  cameo  and  intaglio,  die  sinkers,  and  sculptors. 

Five  hundred  and  five  pupils  were  admitted  to  the 
school  of  ornament  during  the  same  period  of  seven 
years ;  and  the  course  of  instruction  pursued  in  it  was 
of  incalculable  benefit  to  sculptors  in  stone,  wood, 
metal,  to  glass  workers,  chasers,  silversmiths,  calico 
printers,  pattern-drawers,  paper-stainers,  embroiderers, 

1  Uncle  of  B.   Colles  Watkins,  the  artist.     Starting  as  an  artist, 
Bartholomew  Watkins  became  later  a  picture  cleaner  and  dealer. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY       127 

jewellers,  fancy  workers,  damask,  carpet,  and  silk 
weavers,  stucco  men,  cabinetmakers,  upholsterers,  and 
carpenters.  The  training  of  boys  and  girls  in  the 
arts  connected  with  industry  was  a  chief  object  of  the 
Society,  which  took  a  leading  part  in  promoting 
technical  education. 

In  the  architectural  school,  from  30  to  25  pupils 
attended  each  year.  During  the  time  of  Mr.  Henry 
A.  Baker,  who  had  served  as  master  for  a  period  of 
thirty-three  years,  there  was  not  a  working  tradesman  or 
mechanic  in  the  building  line  in  Dublin  and  the  chief 
towns  in  Ireland,  who,  during  his  apprenticeship,  had 
not  received  instruction  in  it.  Even  the  rapid  improve- 
ment noticeable  in  shop  fronts  and  the  ornamental  parts 
of  private  houses  during  the  period  were  attributed  to 
the  skill  acquired  by  artisans  educated  in  the  school. 

From  1 8 1 3  to  181 9,  pupils  to  the  number  of  139 
were  admitted  to  the  modelling  school,  which  had 
already  produced  Behnes,1  the  sculptor,  of  London. 

From  June  18 17  to  November  18 19,  3982  persons 
visited  the  casts  from  the  Elgin  Marbles,  which  had 
been  purchased  in  18 16  for  £210. 

Mr.  Thomas  Pleasants,  a  warm  friend  of  the 
Society,  who  died  on  the  1st  of  March  18 18,  be- 
queathed to  the  Society  a  number  of  valuable  paint- 
ings (see  p.  236). 

In  February  1823,  a  plan  was  devised  for  altering 
the  stable  and  coachhouses  at  Leinster  House,  which, 
at  a  cost  of  £1500,  would  have  given  a  new  bust 
gallery  and  drawing  schools.  In  addition,  £500  would 
have  been  necessary  so  as  to  adapt  the  new  premises 

1  William  Behnes,  sculptor,  was  a  member  of  a  Hanoverian  family 
that  settled  in  Dublin  for  a  time ;  he  distinguished  himself  in  the  schools 
here,  and,  between  1820  and  1840,  his  reputation  stood  very  high. 
He  executed  busts  of  celebrities,  among  them,  Lyndhurst,  Clarkson, 
and  Macready,  and  his  statuette  of  Lady  Godiva  was  much  admired. 


128  A   HISTORY   OF 

for  the  reception  of  the  students.  The  plan,  however, 
was  not  adopted. 

In  1823,  some  specimens  of  sculpture  by  John 
Hogan,  Cork,  "  a  very  young  artist,"  were  purchased 
for  ^25,  as  an  encouragement;  they  included  legs, 
arms,  &c,  which  are  now  in  the  National  Museum. 
In  1829,  a  gold  medal  was  voted  to  Hogan  for  his 
Dead  Christ,  then  being  exhibited  in  the  Royal  Irish 
Institution,  College  street.  Hogan  was  born  in 
Tallow  in  1800,  but  his  family  soon  settling  in  Cork, 
he  worked  at  an  anatomy  school  in  that  city.  In 
1824  he  went  to  Rome,  where  he  remained  until  1849, 
and  his  Drunken  Faun,  executed  there,  was  admired 
by  Thorwaldsen.  Among  his  most  celebrated  statues 
are  those  of  Bishop  Brinkley  at  Cloyne ;  of  Daniel 
O'Connell  and  Thomas  Drummond,  in  the  City  Hall, 
Dublin,  and  of  Thomas  Osborne  Davis,  in  Mount 
Jerome  Cemetery.     Hogan  died  in  1858. 

In  May  1823,  a  sum  of  ^1000,  together  with  the 
amount  of  the  legacy  bequeathed  to  the  Society  by 
Major-General  White,1  was  voted,  to  be  expended  in 
erecting  drawing  schools  and  a  gallery  for  casts  from 
the  antique. 

A  year  later,  Mr.  Henry  Hamilton,  who  was  then 
in  Rome,  procured  and  presented  to  the  schools  a 
mould  from  the  Apollo  Belvedere. 

About  this  time,  two  pupils  of  the  modelling  school 
— Constantine  Panormo  and  John  Gallagher — began 
to  distinguish  themselves,  and  to  exhibit  signs  of  ex- 
ceptional talent.  At  the  end  of  1823,  it  was  arranged 
that  they  were  to  be  sent  to  London  as  pupils  to 
Mr.  Behnes,  for  two  years,  at  ^60  a  year  each.  He 
wrote  to  the  Society  "  on  behalf  of  these  two  young 

1  By  his  will,  proved  in  the  Prerogative  Court  in  1822,  Major- 
General  Sir  Henry  White,  K.C.B.,  bequeathed  .£500  to  the  Society. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      129 

geniuses  of  Dublin,"  whose  group  of  St.  Michael  and 
the  Fallen  Angel,  and  a  bust  from  life,  respectively, 
had  been  awarded  silver  medals.  In  July  1825, 
Behnes  announced  that  Panormo  had  been  awarded 
a  large  silver  medal  by  the  Sociey  of  Arts,  for  his 
model  of  the  Fallen  Giant.  Soon  after,  it  was  re- 
solved to  give  both  pupils  a  third  year  under  Behnes, 
for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  the  art  of  carving  in 
marble,  preparatory  to  their  being  sent  to  Rome  for  a 
final  course  of  study.  In  1827,  two  original  group 
designs  by  Panormo  and  Gallagher1  were  sent  over 
to  the  Society,  as  well  as  two  marble  busts  from  the 
antique — their  first  essays  in  the  art  of  sculpture. 
Both  students  were  sent  to  Rome  for  two  years,  at  a 
charge  of  ^100  a  year  each  while  there,  and  ^60 
travelling  expenses.  Their  early  works  in  clay  and 
marble  are  still  preserved  by  the  Society.  The  new 
buildings  were  completed  in  March  1827,  and  the 
committee  of  fine  arts  was  authorised  to  move  the 
schools  into  them. 

In  April  1829,  James  Christopher  Timbrell,  a  pupil, 
presented  a  print,  entitled  The  Scotch  Fisher,  being  his 
first  lithographic  production.  On  one  occasion,  when 
presenting  the  gold  medals  at  the  Royal  Academy,  Sir 
Martin  Archer  Shee  complimented  Henry  Timbrell, 
sculptor,  a  former  pupil,  and  brother  of  J.C.  Timbrell,  far 
beyond  any  of  the  other  competitors,  for  his  sculpture. 

A  menagerie  was  opened  in  Great  Brunswick  street, 
in  April  1830,  when  the  most  competent  pupils 
were  sent  to  it,  to  make  models  or  drawings  from 
the  life  of  the  celebrated  lion,  "Wallace."  At  the 
close  of  this  year,  the  exhibition  of  pupils'  drawings 
was    visited    by   Their    Excellencies,    the    Duke    and 

1  One  of  these  is  a  group  of  Adam  and  Eve  over  AbeVs  Body — the 
other,  Theseus  Slaying  a  Ce?itaur. 


i3o  A   HISTORY    OF 

Duchess  of  Northumberland,  who  also  spent  some 
time  in  one  of  the  schools,  which  was  then  in  full 
work.  In  1832,  a  similar  visit  was  paid  by  the 
Marquis  of  Anglesey  and  the  Ladies  Paget. 

On  the  9th  of  June  1836,  was  announced  the  death 
of  Henry  Aaron  Baker,  who  for  a  period  of  forty-nine 
years  had  guided  the  architectural  school. 

In  the  silver  trade,  the  modelling  school  was 
found  especially  useful.  A  splendid  piece  of  plate 
was  executed  by  Tear,  who  had  been  brought  up  in 
the  schools,  for  Lord  Combermere,  when  commander 
of  the  forces  (to  the  order  of  Messrs.  Law).  This 
was  taken  to  London  for  exhibition.  Another  piece 
of  plate,  executed  by  Percy,  also  of  the  schools,  (to 
the  order  of  West  &  Son),  was  a  gift  to  Lord  Manners, 
lord  chancellor,  from  the  Bar. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  some  noted  artists  and 
sculptors  who  received  their  education  in  the  Society's 
schools,  up  to  the  year  1836,  taken  from  the  report 
of  the  select  committee  on  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
made  in  that  year. 

Historical  and  Portrait  Painters 

Henry  Tresham,  R.A.  (1).  Robt.  L.  West. 

Matthew  Wm.  Peters,  R.A.  George  Gratton. 

James  Barry,  R.A.  Charles  C.  Ingham. 

Jacob  Ennis.  Thomas  Foster. 
Sir  M.  A.  Shee,  P.R.A. 

Portrait  Painters 

Hugh  D.  Hamilton  (2).  Thomas  C.  Thompson. 

Somerville  Pope  (after-  Andrew  R.  Twigg. 

wards  Pope-Stevens).  Richard  Rothwell. 
William  Cuming. 

Landscape  Painters 

William  Ashford.  George  Barret,  R.A.  (3). 

Thomas  Roberts.  Henry  Brooke. 

T.  Sautelle  Roberts.  Robert  Carver. 

Thomas  Pope-Stevens.  John  Killaly  (civil  engineer). 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       131 


Figure  and  Landscape  Painters 

Thos.  James  Mulvany  (4).  Wm.  B.  Sarsfield  Taylor. 

John  George  Mulvany.  John  Moreau. 

Marine  Painter 
Joseph  F.  Ellis. 

Miniature  Painters 

John  Comerford.  Edward  Jones. 

Thomas  Robinson.  Buck  (?  Frederick). 

Wm.  J.  Cooke.  Andrew  Dunn. 

Sculptors 

John  Hickey.  Constantine  Panormo. 

Edward  Smyth.  John  Gallagher. 

John  Smyth.  Thomas  Kirk. 
William  Behnes. 

Many  names  eminent  in  Irish  art  are  not  included 
in  this  list,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  some  of  those 
mentioned  were  educated  in  the  schools.  Several  of 
them  have  already  been  noticed  in  these  pages,  and,  in 
addition,  the  following  are  worthy  of  some  mention. 

1.  Henry  Tresham,  one  of  our  most  eminent  Irish 
painters,  who  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1749,  received  his  art 
education  in  the  Dublin  schools  under  Ennis  and  Robert 
West.  He  accompanied  his  patron,  Lord  Cawdor,  to  Rome, 
and  remained  on  the  continent  for  fourteen  years.  His 
work  was  modelled  on  the  Roman  school,  and  he  chiefly 
painted  subjects  from  scriptural,  English,  and  Roman 
history.     Tresham  died  in  18 14. 

2.  Hugh  Douglas  Hamilton  was  born  in  Dublin  in 
1739,  anc^  studied  in  the  schools  under  Robert  West  and 
James  Mannin.  He  excelled  in  crayon  drawing.  His 
portrait  of  the  Right  Hon.  John  Foster,  last  Speaker  of 
the  Irish  House  of  Commons,  is  in  possession  of  the 
Corporation  of  Dublin,  and  that  of  "  Dean  Kirwan  preach- 
ing"  is   now   in   England.     Hamilton  died   in   Dublin    in 


132 


A   HISTORY   OF 


1808.  (For  a  very  full  account  of  him  and  his  works,  both 
in  oils  and  crayons,  see  an  article  by  Mr.  W.  G.  Strickland 
in  the  annual  volume  of  the  Walpole  Society,  1812-1813.) 

3.  George  Barret,  who  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1728, 
and  died  in  1784,  studied  here  under  West.  He  painted 
many  landscapes  for  Lord  Powerscourt,  and  the  Dukes  of 
Buccleuch  and  Portland  possess  many  examples  of  his  work. 
The  Society's  collection  includes  some  specimens. 

4.  Thomas  James  Mulvany  and  his  brother,  John 
George  Mulvany,  were  among  the  first  fourteen  Academi- 
cians elected  to  the  Royal  Hibernian  Academy  on  its 
foundation  in  1823.  George  F.  Mulvany,  son  of  the  first 
named,  was  the  first  Director  of  the  National  Gallery  of 
Ireland. 

On  the  31st  of  May  1838,  John  Papworth  of 
Dublin,  a.r.h.a.,  was  appointed  master  of  the  school 
of  architecture,  and  Henry  Brocas,  master  of  the 
school  of  landscape  and  ornament.  In  1840,  Con- 
stantine  Panormo  succeeded  John  Smyth  as  master 
of  the  school  of  modelling.  He  was  son  of 
Edward  Smyth,  former  master,  and  is  well  known 
as  having  executed  the  figures  on  the  General  Post 
Office,  Dublin. 

Earl  de  Grey,  lord  lieutenant,  presided  at  the  dis- 
tribution of  prizes  to  the  pupils  in  the  drawing  school 
in  December  1842,  on  which  occasion  Mr.  Isaac  Weld, 
honorary  secretary,  delivered  a  long  speech,  in  which 
he  detailed  the  history  of  the  Society,  dealing  especi- 
ally with  the  drawing  and  modelling  schools,  and 
noticing  the  many  distinguished  artists  and  sculptors 
who  had  received  their  early  training  in  them.  These 
meetings  became  annual,  and  one  of  the  secretaries  or 
vice-presidents  generally  discoursed  on  the  schools. 
Their  orations  are  marked  by  eloquence  and  scholarship, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      133 

some  of  them  dealing  with  ancient  art,  and  others 
with  the  continental  schools ;  they  contain  a  vast  fund 
of  information,  and  the  series  of  addresses,  as  con- 
tained in  the  Proceedings,  is  well  worth  perusal.  In 
1843,  when  Earl  de  Grey  again  presided,  Mr.  Lundy 
E.  Foot  spoke  learnedly  and  eloquently  on  the  low 
state  of  the  fine  arts  in  Ireland  150  years  previously, 
illustrating  his  remarks ;  and  he  then  proceeded  to 
establish  the  Society's  claim  to  have  been  the  nursing 
mother  of  a  great  deal  of  the  Irish  talent  since  em- 
ployed in  their  cultivation.  On  another  occasion,  Mr. 
Henry  McManus  delivered  an  address  on  the  origin 
and  utility  of  schools  of  design. 

The  Royal  Irish  Art  Union  presented  to  the  Society 
the  original  cast  of  The  Youth  at  the  Stream,  by  J.  H. 
Foley,  a  former  student,  a  work  that  had  acquired  for 
him  a  considerable  reputation  at  the  national  competi- 
tion held  in  1844  in  Westminster  Hall. 

John  Henry  Foley  was  born  in  Dublin  in  18 1 8,  and  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  entered  the  Society's  drawing  schools,  gaining 
first  prizes  in  them.  He  went  to  London  in  1834,  becom- 
ing a  student  of  the  Royal  Academy,  and  in  1839  exhibited 
The  Death  of  Abel  and  Innocence^  sculptures  which  at  once 
attracted  attention.  Foley  executed  the  statue  of  Hampden, 
now  in  the  entrance  corridor  of  the  House  of  Commons. 
His  great  equestrian  statues  of  Lord  Canning,  Lord  Hardinge, 
and  Sir  James  Outram  are  much  admired,  and  the  figures  of 
Burke  and  Goldsmith,  which  stand  outside  Trinity  College, 
Dublin,  show  that  Foley's  was  a  master  hand.  He  also 
executed  the  statue  of  Father  Mathew  now  in  Cork,  Lord 
Gough's  equestrian  statue  in  the  Phcenix  Park,  Dublin,  and 
those  of  Grattan,  Faraday,  and  Reynolds.  Foley  bequeathed 
his  models  to  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.     He  died  in  1874. 

In  1 849  the  Government  determined  to  establish  a 
school  of  design.     A  representative  of  the  Board  of 


i34  A   HISTORY   OF 

Trade  attended  in  May  of  that  year,  and  on  his 
reporting  that  the  schools  were  suitable,  it  was  resolved 
that  the  new  gallery,  once  the  drawing  schools,  should 
be  appropriated  to  the  purposes  of  the  Government, 
as  the  school  of  design  was  to  be  in  connection  with 
the  Society.  The  drawing  schools  were  to  be  the 
basis  for  this  school,  which  was  specially  intended  for 
artisans,  and  was  to  be  open  five  evenings  in  the  week, 
under  the  superintendence  of  a  head  master,  to  be 
appointed  by  the  Board  of  Trade.  The  masters  were 
to  be  appointed  by  the  fine  arts  committee,  in  which 
was  vested  the  general  government  of  the  school. 
The  drawing  and  modelling  schools  were  to  be  con- 
solidated into  one  department  as  "  The  Government 
School  of  Design  in  connection  with  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society."  It  was  opened  on  the  ist  of  October  1849, 
Mr.  Henry  McManus  being  appointed  head  master,  with 
the  masters  of  the  four  schools  as  assistants.  Three 
hundred  and  six  pupils  attended  at  the  opening. 

In  June  1852,  Panormo  died,  and  J.  R.  Kirk, 
a.r.h.a.,  succeeded  him  as  master  of  the  modelling 
school. 

In  February  i860,  Messrs.  Charles  E.  Bagot  and 
Charles  Leech,  executors  of  Captain  George  Archibald 
Taylor,  of  Mespil  parade,  Dublin,  submitted  a  plan 
for  endowment  of  prizes  for  the  encouragement  of  art 
students  in  Ireland,  in  conformity  with  the  terms  of 
his  will.  The  Master  in  Chancery  sanctioned  the 
Society  taking  charge  of  the  trust,  believing  it  to  be 
eminently  suitable  for  the  purpose,  and  Captain 
Taylor's  executors  were  thanked  for  selecting  the 
Society  as  the  medium  for  carrying  the  trusts  into 
execution.  In  connection  with  this,  an  annual  Exhi- 
bition of  pupils'  works  sent  in  for  competition  was 
inaugurated,    the  judges  being   Catterson   Smith,    re- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      135 

presenting  the  Royal  Hibernian  Academy,  Sir  George 
Hodson  the  National  Gallery,  and  R.  J.  Macrory  the 
Society.  Thirteen  works  were  sent  in,  when  William 
McEvoy  was  awarded  £7  for  the  best  landscape  in 
oils ;  Annie  C.  White  a  similar  sum  for  the  best  archi- 
tectural drawing — Interior  of  St.  Paul's  ;  Mary  Alment 
and  Henry  Crowley  obtaining  lesser  prizes  for  their 
landscapes.  The  administration  of  this  trust  still 
remains  in  the  hands  of  the  Society,  and  in  recent 
years  many  artists  of  repute  were,  in  their  student 
days,  winners  of  Taylor  art  scholarships  or  prizes. 

From  1749  to  1849,  when  fees  were  first  paid,  all 
students  were  admitted  free  to  the  schools.  From 
1854,  when  the  grant  was  withdrawn,  and  the  func- 
tions of  the  Board  of  Trade  devolved  on  the  Science 
and  Art  Department,  all  schools  of  art  were  to  be 
self-supporting. 

The  Society's  control  over  the  schools  ceased  in 
1878,  when,  with  other  sections  under  its  superin- 
tendence, they  were  placed  under  the  Science  and  Art 
Department. 


136  A   HISTORY    OF 


CHAPTER   VIII 

EXPERIMENTS   IN   AGRICULTURE,   AND   GENERAL 
PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  SOCIETY.     (1764-1780) 

Notwithstanding  the  premium  system,  and  the 
efforts  of  the  Dublin  Society  through  its  members  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  agriculture  and  hus- 
bandry in  Ireland  were  in  a  declining  condition  about  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Faulkner's  Dublin 
Journal  of  the  17th  of  October  1752,  spoke  of  the 
great  neglect  of  tillage,  and  complained  that  our  best 
lands  were  being  devoted  to  the  grazing  and  feeding 
of  stock,  for  the  supply  of  our  enemies  and  rivals  in 
trade,  whilst  the  poor  inhabitants  were  obliged  to  go 
abroad  for  work.  It  was  remarkable  that  in  times  of 
scarcity,  "  the  sourest  and  most  fusty  corn  and  flour 
were  imported  from  Europe,  and  even  from  our  Ameri- 
can colonies."  On  the  18th  of  June  1754,  the  same 
Journal  apologised  for  leaving  out  many  advertise- 
ments, so  that  the  list  of  premiums  to  be  awarded  in 
the  ensuing  year  might  be  printed,  averring  that,  as 
the  generosity,  care,  and  diligence  of  the  Dublin  Society 
contributed  more  to  the  welfare  of  the  nation  than  all 
other  Societies  whatever,  the  people  at  large  would 
derive  more  benefit  from  such  a  course  being  taken. 
Two  columns  very  closely  printed,  containing  lists  of 
premiums,  follow. 

The   Society,    taking   all   circumstances   into   con- 
sideration,   decided   on    appointing    a   man   skilled    in 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      137 

agriculture  to  carry  out  experiments,  and  instruct 
others  in  the  art  of  husbandry.  The  name  of  John 
Wynn  Baker  appears  for  the  first  time  in  the  Pro- 
ceedings in  the  year  1764.  He  did  a  great  deal  for 
the  Society  on  its  agricultural  side,  and  obtained  no 
small  reputation  for  the  thoroughness  with  which  he 
performed  his  duties,  being  frequently  mentioned  in 
complimentary  terms  during  his  tenure  of  office. 
Baker  was  an  Englishman  and  a  member  of  the 
Agricultural  Society  of  the  Hundred  of  Salford, 
Lancashire.  The  missing  minute  book  would  no 
doubt  give  a  full  explanation  of  his  initial  position, 
but  when  first  mentioned  he  had  leave  to  resign  as  an 
honorary  member;  he  was,  however,  requested  to 
attend  the  meetings  when  convenient ;  and  a  sum  of 
£100  was  voted  for  his  expenses  in  the  cultivation 
of  cabbages,  turnips,  &c,  and  for  his  remuneration. 
In  his  Experiments  in  Agriculture,  1765  (Haliday 
Pamphlets),  Baker  says  that  in  1762  he  addressed 
an  anonymous  pamphlet — Hints  on  Husbandry — to 
the  Dublin  Society.  "  Encouraged  by  people  who 
knew  me  to  be  the  author,  I,  in  1763,  took  my  present 
farm  (Loughlinstown,  near  Celbridge).  In  1764,  I 
printed  a  short  epitome  of  my  plan.  The  Dublin 
Society,  always  attentive  to  what  appears  to  be  to  the 
advantage  of  the  public,  adopted  it,  and  gave  me  en- 
couragement." Next  year  he  was  reported  to  have 
made  experiments  in  agriculture  with  great  skill  and 
accuracy,  and  to  have  discharged  the  trust  reposed  in 
him  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Society.  He  was  then 
voted  £200,  and  500  copies  of  his  special  report  were 
printed. 

Soon  after,  Baker  conceived  a  plan  for  educating 
youths  in  husbandry,  which,  to  a  small  extent,  was 
afterwards  carried  out.     They  were  to  be  apprenticed 


138  A   HISTORY    OF 

to  farmers  of  repute  in  various  counties ;  but  at  first, 
Baker  was  to  take  upon  him  the  instruction  of  five 
boys,  for  whom  ^I2a  year  for  their  food  and  clothing 
were  to  be  paid.  Two  of  them  were  to  be  instructed 
in  the  manufacture  of  agricultural  implements.  Baker's 
pupils  were  to  be  selected  from  inmates  of  the  Found- 
ling Hospital,1  and  1500  copies  of  his  scheme  were 
printed.  Yet  another  year  elapsed,  when  it  was 
resolved  that  his  experiments  were  to  be  extended, 
and,  with  this  object  in  view,  a  further  grant  of  £200 
was  made  to  him.  The  implements  of  husbandry 
manufactured  by  him  at  Loughlinstown  (which  was 
afterwards  renamed  Wynnsfleld),  where  the  school  of 
agriculture  was  situated,  were  sold,  and  he  was  allowed 
a  premium  on  the  amount.  At  the  end  of  1768  the 
value  of  implements  disposed  of  during  the  year 
amounted  to  ^501,  $s.  At  this  period,  agricultural 
implements  were  few,  and  of  a  most  inferior  kind, 
mainly  consisting  of  the  plough,  harrow,  flail,  sickle, 
reaping  hook,  and  scythes :  "  the  quarter  of  a  century 
immediately  following  1760,  is  memorable  in  our  agri- 
cultural annals  for  the  introduction  of  various  impor- 
tant improvements."  Many  subsequent  grants  of 
^100  were  made  to  Baker  for  his  encouragement,  and 
in  payment  of  necessary  expenses.  In  December  1769, 
at  a  very  crowded  meeting  of  the  Society,  a  sum  of 
^300  was  proposed  as  a  fixed  yearly  salary  for  carry- 
ing out  his  experiments,  and  for  affording  instruction 
and  advice  to  persons  applying  to  him  ;  he  was  also 
to   have    10   per    cent,   on    sales    of   implements,    the 

1  The  first  stone  of  this  building  was  laid  in  1704.  It  stood  at 
the  west  end  of  James'  St.,  on  a  site  granted  by  the  city  (now  occu- 
pied by  South  Dublin  Union  Workhouse),  and  was  originally  intended 
for  aged  and  infirm  poor.  Under  Act  of  Parliament,  it  became  in 
1730  a  Foundling  Hospital  and  Workhouse,  where  children  were 
taught  trades. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       139 

total  amount  of  this  source  of   profit  not  to  exceed 
£200  in  any  year. 

Baker  was  author  of  Hints  for  Improvement  oj 
Agriculture  by  Experiments,  which  was  much  approved, 
and  the  Society  specially  requested  him  to  experiment 
on  the  culture  of  rape  as  food  for  cattle,  &x.  He 
also  compiled  an  abridgment  of  Arthur  Young's  two 
works,  Six  Months  Tour  through  the  Northern  Counties 
of  England,  and  Six  Months  Tour  through  the  Southern 
Counties  of  England,  3000  copies  of  which  were  ordered 
to  be  printed  at  an  expense  not  exceeding  ^70.  Baker 
wrote  a  treatise  entitled  Practical  Agriculture  epitomised 
and  adapted  to  the  Tenantry  of  Ireland,  with  considera- 
tions on  the  Dublin  Society  s  list  of  Premiums  for 
Husbandry}  In  177 1 ,  £300  were  given  him  to  estab- 
lish a  regular  factory  for  implements,  to  build  offices, 
&c.  Next  year,  as  the  beneficial  nature  of  his  work 
became  more  apparent,  Baker  was  asked  to  make  a 
tour  through  the  provinces,  with  a  view  to  his  finding 
out  what  improvements  might  be  made  in  agricul- 
tural systems,  and  reporting.  Baker  died  on  the  22  nd 
of  August  1775,  and  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Society 
appointed  any  successor  to  carry  on  the  special  work 
in  which  he  was  engaged.  From  his  will,  which  was 
proved  by  his  daughter,  Sarah  Baker,  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember 1775,  ne  seems  to  have  had  another  farm,  in  the 
county  of  Meath.  Possibly,  this  account  of  Baker's 
work  and  connection  with  the  Society  has  been  given  at 
too  great  length,  but  it  seems  fitting  that  prominence 
should  be  afforded  to  the  enlightened  policy  of  the 
Society ;  and  the  story  of  John  Wynn  Baker  shows  in 

1  Among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets  (1765,  cccxxiii.  3)  will  be  found 
this  work,  and  also  his  Experiments,  Plan  for  Instructing  Youth  in 
Husbandry ,  Description  of  Instruments  of  Husbandry,  and  Considera- 
tions on  the  Exportation  of  Corn. 


i4o  A   HISTORY   OF 

a  remarkable  manner  what  care  and  discrimination 
were  evinced  in  carrying  out  its  plans  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  more  scientific  methods  in  agriculture. 

Arthur  Young  (Tour,  i.  20)  speaks  of  visiting 
Baker's  farm,  and  it  is  only  right  to  say  that  he  con- 
sidered, with  all  Baker's  exertions,  he  had  not  answered 
the  expectations  formed  about  him.  Young  says  that 
he  needed  capital  for  getting  the  farm  into  order,  and 
that  he  ought  not  to  have  been  employed  in  making 
experiments.  What  the  Society  really  wanted  was  a  farm 
cultivated  as  experience  in  England  and  elsewhere  had 
shown  that  it  should  be.  As  an  example  for  Irish 
farmers,  the  land  should  have  been  in  a  mountainous 
tract,  with  some  bog  and  tolerable  soil.  Arthur  Young, 
frequently  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  was  born  at 
Bradford  in  1741,  and  is  one  of  the  highest  autho- 
rities on  the  social  and  agricultural  condition  of  Ireland 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  He 
managed  Lord  Kingsborough's  estates  in  Cork  for 
some  time,  and  the  famous  Tour  in  Ireland,  published 
in  1780,  reviews  the  general  condition  of  the  country, 
dealing  with  farming,  wages,  rent,  public  works,  &c. 
Young  died  in  1820. 

In  the  sister  country  of  England,  though  agricul- 
ture was  not  included  in  the  original  scheme  of  the 
Society  of  Arts  (founded  in  1754),  for  some  fifty 
years  from  the  year  1758,  it  occupied  probably  the 
first  place  in  the  premium  lists  of  that  Society.  In- 
deed, that  institution  became  the  most  important 
agricultural  society  in  the  kingdom. 

On  the  6th  of  March  1766,  the  Dublin  Society  con- 
firmed the  amendment  of  the  by-laws,  which  had  been 
agreed  to  at  a  general  meeting  in  November  1765. 
They  were  45  in  number,  and  included  provision  for 
the  election  of  officers  ;  prescribed  duties  of  presidents, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      14 1 

vice-presidents  or  chairman,  treasurer,  secretaries, 
registrar ;  laid  down  rules  as  to  the  drawing  masters, 
the  order  of  proceedings  of  the  Society,  election  of 
members,  and  granting  of  premiums  and  rewards. 

A  report  on  loans  was  subsequently  made,  when 
it  appeared  that  various  persons  were  indebted  to  the 
Society  in  the  sum  of  £2060,  Ss.  gd.9  and  that  bad 
debts  amounted  to  £344.  The  committee  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  loans  of  money  should  not  in 
future  be  granted. 

William  Sleater,  printer  and  publisher  of  the 
Public  Gazetteer,  proposed  to  print  all  the  Society's 
publications,  including  lists  of  premiums,  for  ^10  a 
year,  provided  the  Society  would  not  make  use  of 
any  other  newspaper.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and 
Faulkner  of  the  Journal  and  Dyton  of  the  Gazette 
were  notified  not  to  insert  in  future  any  of  the  Society's 
publications  without  further  directions. 

The  labours  and  methods  of  the  Society  must  have 
made  a  deep  impression  on  men  of  note  in  exalted 
stations,  for  in  December  1766,  Baron  Mountney,1 
when  going  as  judge  of  assize  in  the  ensuing  cir- 
cuits, offered  to  bring  with  him  copies  of  the  premium 
list,  for  distribution  through  the  country.  In  April 
1768,  Redmond  Morres,  k.c.,2  who  had  been 
appointed  to  sit  as  judge  in  the  last  circuit,  informed 
the  Society  that  he  had,  pursuant  to  their  request, 
viewed  the  manufacture  of  bone  lace  at  Castlebar, 
where  he  found  it  carried  on  with  great  spirit  and 
industry. 

1  Richard  Mountney,  baron  of  the  Exchequer,  a  distinguished 
scholar.  He  married  in  1759  the  Dowager  Countess  of  Mount 
Alexander. 

2  M.P.  for  Thomastown,  and  for  Dublin  (1773-1776);  father  of 
the  first  Viscount  Frankfort  de  Montmorency.  He  was  a  vice- 
president  of  the  Society. 


1 42  A   HISTORY    OF 

Among  those  who  had  recently  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  Society  were  Dr.  Thomas  Leland  (i),  Gorges  Edmond 
Howard  (2),  and  Hely  Hutchinson  (3).  Rev.  C.  Chais, 
minister  of  the  Walloon  Church  at  the  Hague,  Mr. 
Vavesseur,  secretary  to  the  Royal  Society  for  Agri- 
culture at  Rouen,  and  the  Lady  Arabella  Denny  (4)  had 
been  elected  honorary  members. 

1.  Thomas  Leland,  d.d.,  born  in  Dublin  in  1 722,  was 
a  pupil  of  Dr.  Sheridan.  He  became  a  Fellow  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  in  1746,  in  which  for  twenty  years  he  filled 
the  professorship  of  oratory.  Leland  has  been  spoken  of  as 
"the  eloquent  divine  of  whom  Parr  and  Johnson  speak 
with  enthusiasm,  and  who  carried  on  a  controversy  with  the 
redoubtable  Warburton."1  He  was  author  of  editions  and 
translations  of  Demosthenes,  of  a  Life  of  Philip  of  Mace  don,  and 
of  a  well-known  History  of  Ireland.  His  sermon  "  Love  of 
our  Country  "  is  in  the  Haliday  collection  (1782,  ccccxlv.  5). 
Leland  died  in  Dublin  in  August  1785. 

2.  Gorges  Edmond  Howard,  a  poet,  and  dramatic,  legal, 
and  political  writer,  was  also  educated  by  Sheridan.  He 
was  an  attorney  by  profession,  and  his  History  of  the  Irish 
Exchequer  did  for  Ireland  what  Madox's  History  of  the  Ex- 
chequer did  for  England.  Howard  also  wrote  on  Chancery, 
and  on  the  Revenue  and  Trade  of  Ireland.  His  miscel- 
laneous works  were  published  in  three  volumes  in  Dublin 
in  1782.  He  appears  to  have  been  registrar  to  the  com- 
missioners for  making  a  proper  street  and  approach  to  the 
Castle  about  1760.     Howard  died  in  1786. 

3.  The  Right  Hon.  John  Hely  Hutchinson  was  at  one 
time  prime  serjeant  at  law,  and  subsequently  became 
provost  of  Trinity  College  and  Secretary  of  State.  He 
was  also  m.p.  for  the  city  of  Cork.  Hely  Hutchinson 
never  obtained  Fellowship,  but  was  admitted  Provost  under 
letters  patent  of  King  George  III.  He  was  a  master  of 
oratory,  and  his  success  at  the  Bar  was  remarkable,  while 

1  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  by  W.  Macneile  Dixon. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      143 

he  enjoyed  a  considerable  reputation  as  a  statesman.  He 
erected  at  Palmerston  the  fine  mansion  which  is  now  in- 
corporated in  the  buildings  of  the  Stewart  Institute. 
Hutchinson's  wife  was  created  Baroness  Donoughmore, 
with  remainder  to  their  eldest  son,  who  was  afterwards 
created  an  Earl.  Hutchinson's  appointment  to  the  provost- 
ship  created  bitter  hostility,  and  he  was  attacked  in  Pran- 
ceriana^  a  series  of  scurrilous  letters  and  verses.  Hutchinson 
was  tyrannical  in  his  methods,  and  was  frequently  in  dispute 
with  other  members  of  the  College,  who  resented  his  high- 
handed proceedings.  He  successfully  managed  the  College 
estates,  and  built  the  Examination  Hall,  one  of  the  finest 
to  be  found  in  any  College.     The  Provost  died  in  1 794. 

4.  The  Lady  Arabella  Denny2  was  born  in  1707,  the 
second  daughter  of  Thomas  Fitzmaurice,  1st  Earl  of  Kerry, 
by  Anne,  only  daughter  of  Sir  William  Petty.  At  the  age 
of  twenty  she  married  Arthur  Denny,  m.p.  for  Kerry,  and 
was  left  a  widow  in  1 742,  from  which  time  she  devoted 
herself  to  works  of  benevolence  and  charity,  making  Dublin 
and  its  neighbourhood  her  residence.  Though  limited  in 
means,  Lady  Arabella  took  charge  of  infants  in  workhouses, 
of  sick  nurses,  &c,  and  looked  after  many  institutions.  She 
devoted  much  time  and  energy  to  checking  the  abuses  of 
the  Foundling  Hospital ;  but  the  Magdalen  Asylum  in 
Leeson  street,  which  was  opened  in  1767  in  a  house  belong- 
ing to  Sir  William  Cooper,  was  the  object  of  her  unceasing 
and  special  care.  Lady  Arabella  helped  the  Dublin  Society 
in  every  way  in  her  power,  and  was  often  mentioned  in  the 
minutes.  She  lived  for  years  at  Peafield  cliff,  now  known 
as  Lisaniskea,  Blackrock,  and  died  there  on  the  18th  of 
March  1792.  Her  name  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Life 
of  Lady  Huntingdon  and  in  Mrs.  Delany's  Correspondence. 

In    March     1768,    Richard    Woodward,    dean    of 
Clogher,  was  specially  thanked  for  his  public-spirited 

1  "  Prancero"  was  a  nickname  bestowed  on  the  Provost,  in  allusion 
to  a  riding  school  which  he  projected  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin. 

2  Account  of  the  Magdaleti  Chapel ',  Dublin,  its  Foundress,  &>c, 
by  A.  Peter,  1907. 


i44  A   HISTORY   OF 

and  ingenious  pamphlet,  An  Argument  in  Sup-port  of 
the  Right  of  the  Poor  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland  to  a 
Rational  Provision,  and  at  the  same  time  2000  copies 
of  the  Scheme  for  establishing  County  Poorhouses  in 
Ireland,  published  in  1766,  were  ordered  to  be  re- 
printed. 

Dr.  David  MacBride  1  had  been  bringing  to  perfec- 
tion a  new  mode  of  tanning,  much  easier  and  cheaper 
than  the  old  system.  There  are  many  notices  in  the 
minute  books  of  Dr.  MacBride's  method,  for  which 
the  Society  voted  him  a  silver  medal,  and  he  was 
elected  an  honorary  member.  Subsequently,  great 
satisfaction  was  expressed  at  a  Mr.  Laban's  success  in 
carrying  it  out.  MacBride's  New  Method  of  Tanning 
is  in  the  Haliday  collection  (1769,  cccxlvi.  8). 

In  June  1768,  a  sum  of  ^250  was  voted  for  the 
erection  of  a  Pharmacopoeia  Pauperum,  for  dispensing 
medicine  to  the  poor  of  Ireland,  according  to  a  plan  of 
John  Wade,  chemist. 

The  Society  arranged  that  the  money  voted  by 
Parliament  was  to  be  assigned  in  the  following  pro- 
portions to  the  various  industries : 


Silk 

£3800 

Gold  and  silver 

thread, 

Wool     . 

2500 

&c.       . 

£50 

Leather 

100 

Stamping  linens, 

&c. 

300 

Iron  and  Steel 

570 

Mixed  goods    . 

300 

Copper  and  brass 

100 

Oil  of  vitriol     . 

lOO 

Paper     . 

150 

Saltpetre 

iOO 

Glass 

200 

Phar.  Pauperum 

250 

Earthenware 

150 

In  1769,  a  prize  was  offered  for  the  best  plan  of  a 
county  gaol,  to  cost  from  £1000  to  £3000,  in  which 

1  Born  at  Ballymoney,  co.  Antrim,  1726  ;  died  in  Dublin,  1778  ;  a 
distinguished  physician,  who  published  many  important  medical 
works. 


SILVER  CAKE  BASKET,  AWARDED  AS  A  PREMIUM,  1772 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      145 

were  to  be  suitable  apartments  for  the  gaoler  and  his 
family.  The  building  was  to  be  one  for  the  detention 
of  criminals  and  debtors  of  both  sexes,  and  was  to  con- 
tain two  condemned  cells ;  it  was  to  include  a  house 
of  correction,  and  a  yard  in  which  prisoners  might  take 
the  air. 

A  sum  of  £100  was  granted  to  the  Rev.  Benjamin 
Domvile,1  to  be  laid  out  in  the  purchase  of  a  new  mill, 
and  implements  for  making  thread,  to  enable  Mrs.  Eliz. 
Madden  (widow  of  the  Rev.  John  Madden),  to  extend 
the  manufacture  of  thread  which  she  had  established  at 
Dungiven,  co.  Derry.  It  was  thought  that  encourage- 
ment extended  to  her  would  lessen  the  importation  of 
foreign  thread,  which  amounted  to  a  considerable 
quantity  each  year. 

Gold  medals  were  presented  to  Wentworth  Thewles, 
and  to  Robert  French,  of  Monivea,  for  reclaiming  bog  ; 2 
to  John  Darley  for  ditching ;  and  to  the  Rev.  Charles 
Coote,  dean  of  Kilmacduagh,  for  land  sown  with  turnips 
in  drills — for  feeding  cattle  in  the  Queen's  county ; 
and  a  silver  medal  was  awarded  to  John  Longfield,  of 
Longueville,  for  extensive  plantation.  A  piece  of  plate, 
in  the  form  of  a  pierced  silver  cake- basket,  of  Dublin 
manufacture  (hall  mark  1772,  John  Locker),  was  pre- 
sented by  the  Society  to  Lancelot  Sandes  for  reclaiming 
bog  in  the  Queen's  county  in  1769.  He  was  awarded 
a  premium  of  £25,  and  the  basket,  with  suitable  in- 
scription, was  perhaps  given  in  lieu  of  the  money.  In 
the  year  1 9 1 2  there  was  a  risk  of  this  being  sold  outside 

1  Rev.  Benjamin  Harrington,  dean  of  Armagh,  inherited  the  estate 
of  his  uncle,  Sir  Compton  Domvile,  at  Loughlinstown,  co.  Dublin,  on 
the  latters  decease  in  1768,  when  he  assumed  the  name  of  Domvile 
and  retired  from  the  deanery.     Ball's  Hist.  Co.  Dublin,  i.  93. 

2  Mr.  French  sent  an  account  of  his  reclamation  of  bog  in  a 
letter  to  the  Society  which  is  printed  in  full  in  Arthur  Young's 
Journal,  i.  369. 

K 


146  A   HISTORY   OF 

Ireland,  and  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
contributed  ^30  towards  its  purchase  for  the  National 
museum.  (Report  of  Mr.  Dudley  Westropp,  Museum 
Bulletin,  Sept.  191 2,  p.  8.) 

On  the  1st  of  March  1770,  certain  by-laws  as  to 
subscriptions  and  arrears  were  passed.  The  Society's 
collector  laid  before  it  an  account  of  the  subscriptions, 
which  in  March  1769  amounted  to  £228,  12s.  gd. 

In  1772,  Colonel  William  Burton  presented  to  the 
Society  a  chart  of  the  Shannon  from  the  sea  to 
Limerick,  executed  by  John  Cowan.  It  was  proposed 
that  £2$  should  be  given  to  Cowan,  when  he  should 
have  succeeded  in  taking  a  survey  and  chart  of  the 
river  above  Killaloe,  towards  its  source,  so  far  as  the 
Society  might  think  him  deserving  of  it. 

In  May  1772,  the  Dublin  Society  took  quite  a  new 
departure,  when  it  was  suggested  that  a  select  standing 
committee  should  be  appointed  to  enquire  into  the 
ancient  state  of  the  arts,  literature,  and  other  antiqui- 
ties of  this  kingdom  ;  and  to  examine  the  several  un- 
published manuscript  tracts  in  possession  of  the  Society, 
and  all  other  tracts  on  those  subjects,  of  which  the  com- 
mittee could  obtain  perusal.  The  committee  included 
the  president,  vice-presidents,  secretary,  treasurer ;  Lord 
Charlemont,  Lord  Moira,  the  Bishop  of  Derry,  the 
Speaker,  Dean  Woodward,  Dr.  Ireland,  Major  Val- 
lancey,  the  Marquis  of  Kildare,  and  Lord  Dartrey. 
Dr.  Ireland  and  Major  Vallancey  were  appointed 
secretaries.  The  Society  authorised  the  Chevalier 
Thomas  O'Gorman  to  apply  to  the  college  of  the  Lom- 
bards in  Paris,  and  to  other  learned  bodies,  for  copies  of 
any  ancient  manuscripts,  records,  &c,  illustrative  of  the 
history  and  antiquities  of  Ireland.  At  the  time,  Charles 
O'Neill  was  principal,  and  Lawrence  Kelly  prefect,  of 
the  Irish  community  of  the  college.     At   a  meeting 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      147 

held  there  on  the  nth  of  March  1773,  under  the  pre- 
sidency of  Arthur  Richard  Dillon,  archbishop  of  Nar- 
bonne,  to  which  all  Irish  gentlemen  resident  in  Paris 
were  invited,  a  select  committee  was  appointed,  which 
resulted  in  the  establishment  of  a  branch  in  Paris.  The 
Book  of  Leacan,  which  was  believed  to  have  been  lost 
during  a  season  of  turbulence,  while  in  possession  of 
Dublin  University,  or  to  have  been  brought  away  by  an 
Irish  clergyman,  who  had  prevailed  on  the  librarian  to 
lend  it  to  him,  and  who  was  suddenly  obliged  to  fly  to 
France,  was  stated  to  be  the  only  important  manu- 
script in  their  possession,  and  the  college  undertook 
that  a  copy  of  it  should  be  made.  Sir  John  Gilbert, 
in  his  History  of  Dublin  (iii.  235),  states  that,  in  Sep- 
tember 1787,  the  Book  of  Leacan  was  sent  through  the 
Abbe  Kearney,  of  Paris,  to  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  of 
which  institution  it  still  "  forms  one  of  the  chief  literary 
treasures,"  and  for  which  it  was  edited  in  facsimile  by 
Dr.  Atkinson.  It  was  also  hoped  to  open  correspond- 
ence with  colleges,  religious  houses,  and  libraries 
throughout  France.  In  his  History  of  Dublin,  Gilbert 
states  that  this  antiquarian  committee  of  the  Dublin 
Society  generally  met  in  Trinity  College  library,  and 
that  they  assembled  for  the  last  time  on  the  24th  of 
February  1774.  It  does  not  appear  to  have  accomplished 
anything  of  practical  value  during  its  short  existence. 

The  first  mention  of  Major  (afterwards  General) 
Charles  Vallancey,  of  the  French  family  de  la  Vallence, 
who  was  born  in  England  about  the  year  172 1,  has  been 
made  above.  He  must  have  become  a  member  of  the 
Society  between  1761  and  1764,  during  the  period  when 
the  minute  books  are  missing,  as  there  is  no  mention 
of  his  admission  in  those  now  extant.  He  was  in  the 
corps  of  Royal  Engineers,  and  first  came  to  Ireland  in 
1 76 1,  to  assist  in  a  military  survey,  from  which  time 


148  A    HISTORY    OF 

he  adopted  this  country  as  his  home.  The  history, 
philology,  and  antiquities  of  the  country  greatly  in- 
terested him.  The  General  published  Collectanea  de 
Rebus  Hibernicis  between  1770  and  1784;  Essay  on 
the  Irish  Language,  1772;  Grammar  (Irish),  1773; 
Vindication  of  the  Ancient  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  1786  ; 
Ancient  History  oj  Ireland  proved,  from  Sanscrit  books, 
1797.  He  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society 
in  1784.  It  must  be  admitted  that,  in  the  light  of 
modern  research,  most  of  the  theories  promulgated  by 
Vallancey  are  baseless,  and,  though  a  man  of  learning, 
he  allowed  himself  to  be  led  to  many  false  conclusions, 
and  often  wrote  in  a  silly  and  extravagant  strain.  As 
far  back  as  176 1,  a  new  piece  of  artillery  invented  by 
Vallancey,  which  it  was  thought  would  be  of  great 
service  in  field  and  garrison,  was  tried  in  the  Phoenix 
Park.  A  newspaper  of  the  day,  in  commenting  on 
the  trial,  remarked  "  that  the  Military  are  already 
obliged  to  this  gentleman  for  his  Essay  on  Fortification, 
and  the  public  for  his  treatise  on  the  Inland  Navigation 
of  the  Ancients  and  Moderns."  During  the  rebellion, 
he  furnished  the  Government  with  plans  for  the  defence 
of  Dublin. 

Vallancey  will  always  be  remembered  by  the  series 
of  Barony  Maps  which  he  copied  in  17  90-1,  in  Paris, 
for  the  British  Government.  The  originals  had 
been  compiled  from  the  Down  Survey  barony  maps 
between  1660  and  1678,  and  were  in  course  of  transit, 
in  17 10,  from  Dublin,  to  Sir  Wm.  Petty 's  son  and 
heir  in  London,  when  the  vessel  in  which  they  were 
being  brought  was  seized  by  a  French  privateer  cruising 
in  the  Channel.  The  maps  were  immediately  carried 
to  Paris,  and  deposited  in  the  Bibliotheque  du  Roi, 
where  they  have  ever  since  remained.  Vallancey's 
copies  are  in  the  Public  Record  Office  of  Ireland.     In 


GENERAL  CHARLES  VALLANCEY 
[From  an  oil  painting  by  Solomon   Williams) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      149 

February  18 12,  when  very  old  and  feeble,  Vallancey 
resigned  his  custody  of  the  Society's  nummarium,  and 
presented  to  it  any  coins  or  medals  which  were  his  own 
property,  when  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to 
him  for  his  successful  endeavours  at  all  times  to  pro- 
mote its  interests.  In  the  course  of  his  fifty  years' 
connection  with  the  Society,  he  must  have  devoted  an 
immense  amount  of  time  and  attention  to  its  affairs. 
Mr.  Isaac  Weld,  secretary,  in  giving  evidence  before  the 
Select  Committee  of  1836,  said  that  General  Vallancey 
"  was  always  on  the  spot,  and  was  a  sort  of  dictator  in 
the  Society/'  He  was  a  member  of  most  of  the 
committees,  working  indefatigably  on  each,  and  no  new 
movement  appears  to  have  originated,  as  to  which  his 
advice  was  not  sought  and  his  co-operation  invited. 
General  Vallancey  died  on  the  8th  of  August  18 12. 
There  is  a  portrait  of  him  by  Chinnery,  in  the  Royal 
Irish  Academy,  and  another  by  Solomon  Williams  in 
Leinster  House. 

In  1772,  the  Society  had  the  pleasant  experience 
of  receiving  a  legacy  under  a  will.  Henry  Jesse,  of 
Jessefield,  county  Tipperary,  bequeathed  to  it  ^300 
for  the  "  encouragement  of  agriculture."  Mr.  Jesse's 
will,  dated  1769,  was  proved  on  the  3rd  of  May  1770, 
by  John  Scott,  barrister,  the  executor. 

During  the  ensuing  year,  a  select  committee  of 
commerce  was  appointed,  which  issued  a  circular 
addressed  to  the  gentlemen  and  clergy  of  Ireland, 
with  26  queries  for  reply.  The  committee  subse- 
quently made  a  special  report  on  the  tanning  trade. 

About  this  time,  the  amount  of  arrears  due  in 
subscriptions  was  becoming  very  serious,  and  on  the  13th 
of  June  1782,  on  the  motion  of  the  Earl  of  Aldborough, 
it  was  resolved  that  a  circular  letter  be  sent  to  members 
in    arrear,   stating    that   in    consequence   of  the   great 


150  A   HISTORY   OF 

deficiency  in  the  funds,  the  Society  would  be  unable 
to  continue  the  premium  system.  They  were  to  be 
informed  that  on  payment  of  20  guineas  all  further 
claims  would  be  discharged,  and  they  were  to  be  con- 
sidered as  life  members.  In  case  of  non-payment, 
their  names  were  to  be  inserted  in  the  Dublin  and 
London  papers,  when  they  would  no  longer  be  con- 
sidered members  of  the  Society.  In  April  1792,  the 
collector  was  directed  to  inform  every  member  in 
arrear,  of  certain  clauses  in  an  Act  of  Parliament 
passed  in  the  last  session  (32  George  III,  ch.  14,  sees. 
5  and  6),  with  a  request  to  discharge  the  arrears.  By 
this  Act,  arrears  might  be  sued  for  by  civil  bill,  pro- 
vided that  if  they  did  not  exceed  sixteen  guineas,  and 
one-fourth  were  discharged  by  a  certain  day,  such 
payment  should  be  deemed  in  full  satisfaction.  Should 
any  defaulter  pay  twenty  guineas,  he  might  be 
deemed  a  life  member.  Any  money  so  paid  was 
to  be  applied  towards  the  purchase  of  a  cabinet  of 
mineralogy,  of  models  for  the  drawing  schools,  and  for 
the  establishment  of  a  Botanic  Garden.  In  November 
1793,  Mr.  Henry  Tisdall,  attorney,  having  taken  all 
necessary  steps  towards  getting  in  arrears,  but  without 
success,  was  directed  to  prepare  a  case  for  counsel,  to 
advise  that  further  steps  should  be  taken,  pursuant  to 
the  Act  of  Parliament.  Having  obtained  Mr.  Cald- 
beck's  opinion,  he  was  authorised  to  commence  pro- 
secutions against  defaulters.  Mr.  Caldbeck,  who  was 
a  member,  returned  his  fee,  begging  that  "  his  services 
might  be  accepted  as  a  small  mark  of  that  gratitude 
which  every  Irishman  owed  to  the  Society."  By  July 
1795,  a  bill  of  ^493  had  been  incurred  to  Mr.  Tisdall 
for  the  recovery  of  arrears.  They  amounted,  on  the 
1st  of  November  1794,  to  £3957,  Js.  3^. 

For  some  time,  the  attendance  of  members  at  the 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      151 

meetings  had  been  very  small,  on  some  occasions  only 
two  being  present.  Frequent  complaints  were  also 
made  of  the  vice-presidents  being  constantly  absent, 
important  business,  which  could  only  be  transacted 
when  one  of  them  was  in  the  chair,  having  to  be  held 
over,  and  the  meetings  proving  abortive.  From  the 
time  that  the  Society  proceeded  to  take  active  steps 
as  to  arrears  of  subscriptions,  a  period  of  decline 
seemed  to  set  in.  Ballots  had  to  be  postponed,  and,  in 
addition,  applications  for  membership  fell  off  consider- 
ably, while  many  members  retired  from  the  Society. 
A  great  improvement  in  every  respect  began  to  mani- 
fest itself  from  the  year  1800  onwards,  when  the 
attendance  became  more  satisfactory,  and  applications 
for  admission  to  the  Society  more  numerous. 

On  the  9th  of  December  1773,  Mr.  Agmondisham 
Vesey  moved  that,  as  a  mark  of  the  Society's  sense  of  Mr. 
Secretary  Blaquiere's  great  attachment  to  its  endeavours, 
a  gold  medal,  with  suitable  inscription,  should  be  pre- 
sented to  him.  On  the  vote,  this  motion  was  rejected 
— the  necessary  two-thirds  majority  not  having  been 
obtained.  On  the  27th  of  January  1774,  Mr.  Blaquiere 
was  elected  an  honorary  member,  and  in  1780,  on  pay- 
ment of  twenty  guineas,  he  became  a  life  member. 

John  Blaquiere,  born  in  1732,  was  son  of  a  French 
emigrant  who  settled  in  London.  He  acted  as  secretary 
of  legation  in  France  under  Lord  Harcourt,  177 1-2, 
and  when  Harcourt  became  lord  lieutenant  of  Ireland 
in  the  latter  year,  Blaquiere  went  with  him  as  chief 
secretary.  From  time  to  time,  he  represented  in  the 
Irish  Parliament,  Old  Leighlin,  Carlingford,  Charleville, 
and  Newtownards.  He  was  created  a  baronet  in  1784, 
and  Baron  De  Blaquiere  in  1 800.  Many  of  the  principal 
improvements  in  Dublin  in  his  time  were  carried  out 
under  his  fostering  care,  and  he  may  be  said  to  have 


152  A   HISTORY   OF 

enjoyed  a  larger  share  of  popular  regard  than  generally 
falls  to  the  lot  of  chief  secretaries.  Among  other 
things,  Blaquiere  was  in  favour  of  a  tax  on  absentee 
landlords.     He  died  at  Bray  in  1812. 

On  the  1 2th  of  June  1777,  Messrs.  Taylor  and 
Skinner  asked  the  Society  to  grant  them  200  guineas 
towards  publishing  a  large  map  which  was  to  be  con- 
structed by  connecting  the  several  roads  appearing  in 
the  work l  published  by  them,  into  a  continuous  map, 
on  a  scale  of  three  miles  to  an  inch.  After  some 
consideration,  their  request  was  acceded  to.  Messrs. 
Robert  Pool  and  John  C.  Cash,  who  had  both  been 
educated  in  the  Society's  drawing  schools,  laid  before 
it  their  plans  of  public  buildings  in  Dublin,  when  it 
was  decided  that  they  had  great  merit,  and  deserved 
patronage.  They  subsequently  sent  in  a  memorial 
praying  for  assistance  in  their  projected  work,  Eblana 
Depicta,  afterwards  published  as  "  Views  of  the  most 
remarkable  buildings  in  Dublin,"  1780. 

For  some  years,  Mr.  Morgan  Crofton  had  been 
frequently  employed  on  committees,  and  appears  to  have 
been  much  engaged  in  the  Society's  work.  Mr.  Abraham 
Wilkinson  2  was  another  member  whose  name  is  con- 
stantly met  with  in  the  Proceedings,  and  who  was  also 
very  active  in  carrying  out  the  Society's  objects.  The 
vice-presidents,  too,  especially  Mr.  John  Leigh  and 
Mr.  Sydenham  Singleton,  were  most  regular  in  their 
attendance. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1779,  it  was  found  that 
arrears  to  the  amount  of  ^4615,  19/.  6d.,  were  due 
by  the  members  up  to  the  previous  year.  A  by-law 
was  passed  in  November  1780  that  the  collector  was  to 

1  Maps  of  the  Roads  of  Ireland  Surveyed,  1777. 

2  Of  Bushy  Park,  co.  Dublin.     His  daughter  and  heiress,  Maria 
Wilkinson,  married  Sir  Robert  Shaw,  1st  bart. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      153 

attend  in  the  room  on  those  ballot  days  on  which  any 
sum  of  money  was  to  be  voted,  or  on  which  an  election 
of  officers  was  to  take  place,  so  that  it  might  be 
certified  who  were  incapacitated  from  voting  by  reason 
of  their  being  in  arrear.  Any  such  persons  were  to 
leave  the  room,  or  pay  the  amount  due. 

The  Society  at  this  time  was  engaged  in  forward- 
ing the  interests  of  the  cotton  manufacture.  A  sum 
of  ^35  was  paid  to  Robert  Brooke,  which  had  been 
expended  by  him  in  bringing  over  artisans  from  England 
for  carrying  it  on;  which  sum,  with  £53,  6s.  granted 
to  him  on  the  7  th  of  September  for  bringing  over 
thirteen  persons,  was  for  twenty  persons  out  of  thirty- 
nine  voted  for.  Subsequent  payments  were  made  for 
the  full  number.  The  Hon.  Baron  Hamilton  also 
presented  a  memorial,  stating  that  he  had  established 
a  cotton  manufacture  at  Balbriggan,  and  asking  aid  for 
bringing  over  six  persons  from  England,  skilled  in 
this  branch  of  industry,  which  was  agreed  to. 


54  A    HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE  SCHOOLS  OF  CHEMISTRY  AND   MINERALOGY 

(1786-1836) 

A  Scotchman  named  Donald  Stewart  was  in  1786 
employed  by  the  committee  of  agriculture  in  making 
searches  for  fossils  and  minerals,  along  the  banks  of  the 
Grand  Canal  and  in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  for  which 
he  was  paid  a  guinea  a  week  while  at  work.1  After  a 
time,  he  reported  in  writing  on  his  searches,  the  reports 
being  referred  to  a  special  committee,  in  whose  opinion 
his  observations  on  surveys  of  the  counties  of  Wick- 
low and  Wexford  were  valuable.  In  March  1787, 
Stewart  was  directed  to  go  to  the  northern  parts  of  the 
kingdom,  for  the  purpose  of  sending  to  Dublin  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  Fuller's  earth  from  pits  which  he  had 
discovered,  so  that  its  qualities  might  be  tested  by 
Dublin  manufacturers.  He  sent  up  above  3  cwt., 
which  was  divided  between  Messrs.  Rickey,  Parker,  and 
Rankin,  woollen  manufacturers.  In  March  1788,  he 
again  reported  on  the  counties  of  Wicklow,  W'exford, 
and  Waterford,  and  he  was  directed  to  make  a  tour 
through  the  county  of  Clare,  under  the  orders  of  Sir 
Lucius  O'Brien,  bart. 

In  1789,  the  committee  of  agriculture  reported 
that  the  different  clays  raised  from  a  pit  on  the  estate 
of  His  Excellency  the  Marquis  of  Buckingham,  in  the 
county  of  Clare,  might  be  of  great  use,    but   it  was 

1  A  report  on  mines  and  minerals  in  the  county  of  Dublin  will  be 
found  in  the  Statistical  Survey  of  that  county  (1800). 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      155 

necessary  that  larger  quantities  should  be  sent  up  for 
investigation.  This  clay  had  been  discovered  by 
Donald  Stewart.  In  1791,  Stewart  announced  that  he 
had  found  in  the  county  of  Waterford  a  very  valuable 
clay  fit  for  glasshouse  pots. 

When  making  a  tour  through  the  county  Longford 
in  1794,  he  found  several  valuable  quarries  of  flags, 
slates,  and  fine  variegated  marble,  on  the  estates  of  Lord 
Oxmantown  and  Mr.  Shuldham,  near  Ballymahon. 
During  this  year,  Stewart  was  directed  to  make  a  de- 
scriptive catalogue  of  the  minerals,  fossils,  clays,  &c,  dis- 
covered by  him,  and  deposited  with  the  Society,  and  to 
label  the  collection.  In  1 799,  he  proceeded  to  Banbridge 
to  search  for  coal,  and  he  had  to  experiment  for  mines 
on  the  estates  of  Morley  Saunders  and  F.  W.  Greene 
in  the  county  of  Wicklow.  On  one  occasion,  he  laid 
before  the  Society  samples  of  marble  raised  from  the 
quarries  of  the  Marquis  of  Hertford,  in  the  county 
of  Antrim,  which  was  said  to  be  of  excellent  quality  and 
to  bear  a  fine  polish.  He  was  also  paid  for  quarrying 
and  drawing  away  specimens  of  various  pillars  and 
marbles  from  the  Giant's  Causeway,  &c,  to  Port  Ballen- 
trae,  for  the  Society.  In  November  1797,  Stewart  was 
directed  to  go  to  the  island  of  Rathlin,  to  examine  if  it 
yielded  any  stratum  of  Terrass,  General  Vallancey 
having  informed  the  Society  that  some  of  that  sub- 
stance, equal  to  any  imported  from  Holland,  had  been 
found  there.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Joseph  Allen  informed 
the  Society  that  he  had  found  immense  quantities  of 
7  err  ass  and  Terra  Pozzuolana 1  at  Larne.  When 
Stewart  had  completed  a  good  deal  of  his  work,  Dr. 
Percival  was  invited  to  advise  as  to  the  arrangement 

1  Terrass  and  Pozzuolana  are  soft  ferruginous  tufas,  that  possess 
the  property  of  consolidating  when  mixed  with  a  portion  of  lime,  and 
employed  as  cement. 


156  A   HISTORY   OF 

of  the  minerals,  fossils,  &c,  at  the  repository,  in  con- 
junction with  him.     Stewart  died  in  181 1. 

Early  in  1792  a  committee  was  appointed  to  treat 
for  the  purchase  of  a  celebrated  cabinet  of  mineralogy 
called  the  Leskean  cabinet,  then  for  sale,  and  a  sum 
of  ^1200  was  voted  for  it,  but  in  all  it  cost  the 
Society  about  £i2$o.1  On  the  8th  of  November,  Dr. 
Richard  Kirwan,  who  had  negotiated  in  the  matter 
of  this  cabinet,  reported  that  it  was  then  lodged 
in  the  Hawkins  street  house,  with  a  collection  of 
shells  which  he  had  procured.  There  were  also 
lodged  there  an  herbarium,  and  a  botanical  collection. 
Nathaniel  Gottfried  Leske,  professor  of  natural  his- 
tory at  Marburg,  one  of  Werner's  most  distinguished 
pupils,  had  arranged  this  cabinet  museum,  1782-7, 
and  on  his  death  it  was  enlarged,  revised,  and  described 
by  Karsten,2  who  ranked  next  to  him  among  German 
mineralogists.  On  the  Society's  behalf,  Dr.  Kirwan 
subjected  it  to  a  rigorous  examination,  when  he 
rectified  any  errors.  The  cabinet  contributed  greatly 
to  the  diffusion  of  more  exact  knowledge  on  the 
subject  of  mineralogy  in  Ireland,  and  Dr.  Kirwan 
refers  to  it  in  his  work,  Elements  0}  Mineralogy. 

The  collection  was  divided  into  five  separate 
parts  : — 

1.  External  character  of  minerals. 

2.  Classification  of  minerals. 

3.  Earth's  internal  structure  (or  geological). 

4.  Mineralogical  geography. 

5.  Economical  mineralogy. 

1  Under  the  Act,  32  George  III,  c.  14  (1792),  it  was  provided  that 
all  subscription  money  in  arrear  recoverable  by  civil  bill  should  be 
applied  (among  other  things),  towards  the  purchase  of  a  cabinet  of 
minerals. 

2  Description  of  Minerals  in  the  Leskean  Museum,  by  D.  Ludwig 
Gustavus  Karsten,  translated  by  George  Mitchell,  is  among  the 
Haliday  pamphlets  (1798,  dccxli.  1).  It  occupies  667  pages,  includ- 
ing an  index. 


Dr.  RICHARD  KIRWAN,  f.r.s. 
(Royal  Irish  Academy} 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      157 

The  Leskean  cabinet  consisted  in  all  of  7331 
specimens,  and  was  pronounced  one  of  the  most 
perfect  monuments  of  mineralogical  ability  extant. 
William  Higgins  was  appointed  professor  of  chemistry 
and  mineralogy  to  the  Dublin  Society  in  June  1795, 
when  the  cabinet  was  placed  under  his  care.  It  was  de- 
posited in  a  spacious  apartment,  open  to  students,  and 
special  rules  regulating  admission  were  printed.  The 
chemical  laboratory  was  established,  and  Higgins  was 
instructed  to  make  experiments. 

In  1 8 15,  on  the  report  of  Giesecke,  professor  of 
mineralogy,  and  Thomas  Weaver,  an  authority  on  the 
same  science,  German  manuscripts  and  drawings,  con- 
cerning mineralogy,  geology,  and  mining,  the  property 
of  the  late  Dr.  Mitchell,  were  purchased  for  £100. 
They  had  originally  been  collected  with  a  view  to 
the  formation  of  a  mining  board,  long  a  project  of 
Dr.  Richard  Kirwan. 

During  the  next  year  it  was  considered  important 
to  establish  communication  between  the  Society's 
museum  and  the  Imperial  museum,  Vienna,  and 
Giesecke  was  directed  to  send  Baron  Schreiber,  the 
director,  in  accordance  with  his  expressed  desire,  speci- 
mens of  the  meteoric  stone  which  fell  in  Tipperary 
(see  p.  228),  and  to  thank  him  for  specimens  of  some 
that  fell  in  Moravia  and  Bohemia.  In  1829,  the 
committee  of  chemistry  recommended  that  the  Leskean 
cabinet  should  be  restored  and  completed  in  all  its 
parts,  and  a  more  suitable  apartment  provided  for  it, 
where  the  whole  cabinet  might  be  open  for  inspection 
by  the  public. 

In  April  1794,  it  had  been  found  necessary  to  pro- 
vide fitting  rooms  on  the  north  side  of  the  Poolbeg 
street  premises  for  the  due  arrangement  of  this 
valuable  collection,  together  with  accommodation  for 


158  A    HISTORY    OF 

the  drawing  schools,  and  ^800  were  expended  on  the 
additional  buildings.  When  Dr.  Kirwan  had  com- 
pleted his  examination  and  arrangement  of  the  museum, 
a  medal  of  Irish  gold,  with  a  suitable  inscription,  was 
presented  to  him.  In  1802,  he  was  asked  to  sit  to 
Hugh  D.  Hamilton  for  his  portrait,  which  was  to  be 
hung  in  the  museum,  in  acknowledgment  of  "  his 
eminent  services  and  indefatigable  labours  in  chemistry, 
mineralogy,  &c."  Fourteen  years  after,  120  guineas 
were  paid  to  Miss  Harriet  Hamilton  for  finishing  the 
portrait  commenced  by  her  father,  who  only  com- 
pleted the  painting  of  the  head.  This  portrait  now 
hangs  in  the  reception  room  in  Leinster  House.  The 
Royal  Irish  Academy  is  in  possession  of  another  and 
much  better  portrait.  Richard  Kirwan,  chemist  and 
natural  philosopher,  was  born  in  1733,  son  of  Martin 
Kirwan  of  Cregg,  co.  Galway.  He  was  a  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society,  and  corresponded  with  all  the  savants  of 
Europe.  His  Elements  of  Mineralogy  was  the  first 
systematic  treatise  on  the  subject  published  in  the  king- 
dom, and  his  papers  on  Chemical  ^Affinity  obtained  for 
him  the  Copley  Medal  of  the  Royal  Society.  Kirwan 
became  a  Doctor  of  Laws  of  Dublin  University  in 
1794,  and  was  elected  President  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  in  1799,  a  post  which  he  held  until  his 
death,  which  took  place  on  the  1st  of  January  18 12. 
He  was  buried  in  St.  George's,  Temple  street.  The 
Society  purchased  for  ^10  Kirwan's  "burning  glass," 
which  is  still  in  its  possession.  The  glass  is  illustrated 
on  the  opposite  page. 

Between  1795  an<^  1800,  a  sum  of  almost  ^2500  was 
expended  on  different  buildings  and  works  at  the  re- 
pository, and  when  in  the  latter  year  the  museum  was 
opened,  many  persons  sent  donations  of  shells,  specimens 
preserved    in    spirits,    beetles,   &c.     The    Royal    Irish 


DR.   R.   KIRWAN'S  "BURNING  GLASS" 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       159 

Academy  presented  a  collection  of  volcanic  specimens 
and  hard  woods,  to  be  annexed  to  the  Leskean  cabinet. 
In  1809,  it  was  reported  that  a  complete  and  scientific 
survey  of  mineral  productions  was  necessary,  and 
Richard  Griffith,  jun.,  was  recommended  as  eminently 
qualified  for  the  undertaking.  ^300  were  allocated 
in  1 8 16,  to  complete  the  systematic  part  of  the  collec- 
tion, so  as  to  include  specimens  of  all  known  species 
of  simple  minerals.  The  collection  was  then  deficient 
by  129  species  and  substances.  Major  Birch,  r.a.,  in 
18 17,  presented  to  the  museum  many  articles,  among 
them  Roman  remains  and  marbles  from  Cateja,  An- 
dalusia ;  from  Malta,  two  long  swords  used  by  the 
Knights,  and  part  of  the  coat  of  mail  of  the  Grand 
Master  Wignacourt,  16 1 5  ;  from  Egypt,  a  sarcophagus 
and  phallus,  and  idols  from  the  Great  Pyramid  ;  from 
Agrigentum,  porcelain  vases ;  also  an  antique  Irish 
vessel  from  a  bog  in  the  county  Roscommon,  and  a 
number  of  minerals.  Mr.  Gregory,  of  Coole,  sent 
specimens  of  marble  found  in  a  quarry  on  his  estate. 

For  some  time  the  Society  had  been  in  a  transition 
stage.  The  old  order  was  more  or  less  passing,  and  a 
new  set  of  circumstances  and  new  conditions  were 
being  developed.  With  the  advent  of  the  Farming 
Society,  as  to  which  more  will  be  said  in  another 
chapter,  the  Dublin  Society  abandoned  the  premium 
system,  which  had  so  much,  and  for  so  long  a  period, 
occupied  its  attention.  It  was  felt  that  the  time  had 
come  when  the  formation  of  schools  of  science,  in 
which  qualified  professors  might  lecture,  were,  under 
altered  conditions  in  the  country,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  example  and  precedent  set  in  such  matters  in 
England  and  Scotland,  more  likely  to  further  the 
purposes  for  which  the  Society  had  originally  been 
founded.     Accordingly,  on  the   establishment   of  the 


160  A   HISTORY    OF 

Botanic  Garden,  Dr.  Wade  had  been  appointed  pro- 
fessor and  lecturer.  A  sum  of  ^50  and  a  gold  medal 
were  offered  for  answering  at  a  public  examination  in 
Botany,  and  in  the  subject  of  vegetables  connected 
with  the  feeding  of  cattle ;  and  subsidiary  prizes  at  an 
examination  as  to  hay,  grasses,  &c.  These  prizes  were 
to  be  confined  exclusively  to  farmers,  their  sons,  ap- 
prentices, and  working  men.  At  the  same  time  it  was 
resolved  to  establish  a  veterinary  school  in  the  Hawkins 
street  premises,  for  the  purpose  of  helping  to  preserve 
the  health  of  cattle,  by  the  study  of  the  diseases  peculiar 
to  them.  In  this  department,  Mr.  Peall  and  Mr. 
Watts,  both  Englishmen,  were  appointed  respectively 
professor  and  lecturer,  and  assistant  and  practitioner. 
A  forge,  dissecting-room,  and  museum  were  provided. 
Boxes  for  invalid  horses  were  also  erected,  to  be 
used  for  clinical  lectures  and  cures  by  operation.  In 
addition  to  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  pigs,  &c,  poultry 
were  after  a  time  to  be  included.  Pending  the  erection 
of  suitable  buildings,  Mr.  Peall  was  allowed  to 
engage  temporary  premises  for  his  operations.  He 
died  in  1825,  and  the  veterinary  department  was  then 
given  up. 

In  the  year  1800,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  report  on  the  plan  of  the  London  Institution  for 
diffusing  knowledge,  which  reported  that  the  Dublin 
Society  had  taken  the  lead  of  it  and  all  other  like 
institutions  in  Europe  in  everything  except  philo- 
sophical lectures.  Accordingly,  a  suitable  room  was 
furnished  in  the  new  repository,  and  James  Lynch,  of 
Capel  street,  optician,  was  appointed  professor  and 
lecturer  in  hydraulics,  mechanics,  experimental  philo- 
sophy, &c.  He  delivered  three  public  courses  of  twenty- 
five  to  thirty  lectures  each,  in  the  year,  and  was  paid 
twenty-five  guineas  for  each  course.     The  committee 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       161 

furnished  a  general  syllabus  of  the  subjects  on  which 
he  lectured.  The  museum  was  open,  and  Mr.  William 
Higgins,  who  had  been  appointed  professor  and  lec- 
turer in  mineralogy,  conducted  his  lectures  in  that 
department. 

Between  May  1800  and  March  1804,  tne  Society 
expended  no  less  a  sum  than  ^17,841  on  buildings  at 
the  repository.  In  1800,  the  committee  of  chemistry 
and  mineralogy  offered  a  premium  of  £200  for  the 
best  geological  and  mineralogical  survey  of  the  county 
of  Dublin. 

The  Society  was  of  opinion  that  it  might  be  ad- 
vantageous to  bring  over  from  England  distinguished 
lecturers,  and  in  18 10,  the  Royal  Society  was  asked 
to  allow  Professor  Humphry  Davy  to  deliver  a  course 
of  lectures  on  electro-chemical  subjects,  which  he 
did;  500  guineas  were  paid  to  him,  and  337  persons 
attended  his  first  lecture.  Next  year,  he  gave  another 
set  of  lectures  on  chemical  philosophy,  and  repeated 
the  course  in  geological  science  that  he  had  read  before 
the  Royal  Institution.  Professor  Davy  was  also  asked 
to  superintend  the  construction  of  a  voltaic  battery 
of  large  plates.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  lectures,  the 
committee  of  chemistry  reported  that  the  total  amount 
received  for  admission  tickets  was  ^1101,  15/.  id., 
all  expenses  amounting  to  ^327,  15/.  id.,  which 
left  a  credit  balance  of  £773,  6s.  nd.  Out  of  this,  a 
sum  of  ^750  was  sent  to  Davy,  with  thanks  for  having 
"  materially  increased  the  spirit  of  philosophical  research 
in  Ireland."  In  a  reply,  dated  the  9th  of  December 
1 8 1 1 ,  Davy  said  that  he  was  proud  of  the  Society's 
opinion  that  his  lectures  would  be  useful  to  the  Irish 
public  ;  and  added  that  as  long  as  he  lived,  he  would 
remember  with  gratitude  the  attention,  candour,  and 
indulgence  of  his  audience. 

L 


1 62  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  1 8 12,  it  was  decided  to  appoint  a  professor 
of  chemistry,  and  a  professor  of  mineralogy  and 
geology ;  the  latter  to  have  a  salary  of  ^300  a  year. 
Mr.  Jameson,  professor  of  mineralogy  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Edinburgh,  was  appointed  to  the  post. 
Greater  care  was  now  to  be  taken  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  museum,  and  the  professor,  it  was 
thought,  would  find  himself  in  a  more  favourable 
position  for  making  geological  surveys  and  reports. 
A  time-table  for  lectures  was  also  permanently  fixed. 

A  mining  engineer,  competent  to  examine  mines 
and  open  collieries,  was  also  to  be  appointed.  He 
was  to  have  a  knowledge  of  levelling  and  surveying, 
and  to  be  prepared  to  visit  England  and  Scotland,  to 
bring  over  models  of  improved  machinery.  Richard 
Griffith,  jun.,  was  appointed  to  that  position  in  May 
1 812,  at  a  salary  of  £300  a  year  for  three  months 
spent  in  actual  survey  under  the  Society,  and  three 
months  in  preparing  reports,  maps,  sections,  &c, 
and  in  delivering  a  course  of  lectures.  .£500  was 
allocated  for  mining  purposes,  which  would  leave 
^200  for  contingent  expenses.  It  was  arranged  that 
he  was  to  put  himself  in  touch  with  proprietors 
of  mines  and  their  agents  in  Ireland,  so  as  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  a  minute  mineralogical  survey. 
He  was  also  to  make  himself  master  of  the  position 
of  the  several  coalfields  and  beds  of  coal,  as  well 
as  to  describe  machinery,  and  the  plan  of  work- 
ing mines,  and  to  suggest  improvements.  He  was 
expected  to  furnish  accurate  maps,  specifying  objects 
of  mineralogical  interest  in  the  country,  and  explana- 
tory sections  of  stratification,  and  was  also  to  deliver 
public  courses  of  lectures  on  the  geology  of  Ireland, 
and  the  application  of  machinery  to  mines.  As  a 
result  of  his  appointment,  Griffith  was  first  invited  to 


Sir  CHARLES  L.  GIESECKE 
{From  an  oil  painting  by  Sir  Henry  Raebum) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      163 

the  Queen's  county  and  to  Kilkenny :  Mr.  Gorges  of 
Kilbrew,  and  Mr.  West  of  Clontarf,  also  asked  him  to 
view  their  properties,  but  on  Kilbrew  he  reported  un- 
favourably. He  reported  on  the  coal  districts  of 
Kilkenny,  Queen's  county  and  Carlow,  and  stated  that 
he  was  making  a  geological  map  of  Ireland.  In  18 14, 
Griffith  visited  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  "  a  centre  of  ad- 
mirable management  in  coal-mining,  machinery,  &c."  ; 
here  his  attention  was  much  attracted  by  a  newly 
constructed  steam  carriage,  in  use  for  drawing  loaded 
waggons  along  railways  to  the  exclusion  of  horses ! 
He  thought  that  most  important  results  would  flow 
from  it. 

After  a  short  time,  the  professorship  of  mineralogy 
was  declared  vacant,  and  four  candidates  were  selected 
— Robert  Bakewell,  an  author  and  lecturer  in  London, 
Charles  Lewis  Giesecke,  Dr.  James  Miller,  a  Scotch- 
man, and  Thomas  Weaver,  who,  having  been  a  pupil 
of  Werner  at  a  mining  school  in  Freiberg,  Saxony, 
had  conducted  mining  operations  at  Cronebane,  Glen- 
dalough,  and  Luganure.  Giesecke  was  elected  by  a 
majority  of  46  over  Weaver,  and  on  the  27th  of 
January  18 14,  "he  was  introduced  by  the  vice- 
president  in  the  chair  to  the  Dublin  Society." 

Karl  Ludwig  Metzler,  who  afterwards  assumed  the 
name  of  Giesecke,  was  born  in  1761,  in  Augsburg,  and 
is  believed  to  have  been  educated  at  Gottingen,  under 
Blumenbach,  though  it  is  doubtful  whether  there  be 
not  confusion  in  this  particular  between  him  and  one 
of  his  brothers.  The  youth  and  early  manhood  of 
this  extraordinary  man  were  spent  amid  scenes  and 
occupations  far  removed  from  those  of  his  maturer 
years.  He  had  a  passion  for  the  stage,  especially  for 
music  and  the  opera,  and  for  a  time  he  was  an  actor, 
bringing   out    at    Vienna   a  translation    of  Hamlet,    a 


164  A    HISTORY    OF 

character  in  which  he  himself  appeared.  In  1786, 
Giesecke  is  found  editing  an  actor's  newspaper  in 
Regensberg,  and  from  1 79 1  to  1799,  he  wrote  a 
number  of  librettos  and  operas.  He  was  a  friend  of 
Schiller,  Klopstock,  and  Goethe,  with  whom  he  corre- 
sponded, and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  was  the 
original  of  With  elm  Meister.  He  was  also  associated 
with  Mozart,  and  there  is  no  doubt  he  had  a  large 
share  in  writing  the  libretto  of  the  Magic  Flute  ;  indeed, 
in  a  work  on  German  opera,  it  is  recorded  that  he 
stated  himself  as  responsible  for  the  whole  of  it,  except 
the  parts  of  Papageno  and  Papagena,  which  may  be 
attributed  to  Schikaneder,  a  musician  and  manager 
of  operatic  companies,  who  was  also  associated  with 
Mozart.  During  the  middle  and  at  the  close  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  Freemasonry  flourished  in  Vienna, 
where  Mozart  arrived  in  178 1,  and  both  he  and 
Giesecke  were  members  of  the  order.  Mozart  com- 
posed a  great  deal  of  Masonic  music,  but  by  far  his 
most  important  composition  in  this  line  was  the 
opera  of  the  Magic  Flute,  which  was  written  in  1791. 
It  is  understood  to  contain  sympathetic  allusions  to 
Freemasonry,  and,  under  cover  of  a  representation  of 
Egyptian  mysteries,  to  have  been  intended  as  a  glori- 
fication of  the  order  in  Austria. 

Giesecke  began  in  1794  the  serious  study  of 
mineralogy,  a  science  towards  which  he  had  always 
had  a  particular  inclination.  He  subsequently  travelled 
a  good  deal,  and  for  a  time  entered  the  Austrian 
service,  finally  settling  in  Copenhagen,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  school  of  mineralogy  and  became  a  dealer 
in  minerals.  In  1806,  the  King  of  Denmark  sent 
him  to  Greenland  to  study  mineralogy  and.  to  make 
charts,  &c.  In  that  country  Giesecke  underwent  great 
privations,  and,  returning  in  18 13,  he  found  his  way 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      165 

to  Edinburgh.  Particulars  of  his  discoveries  with 
regard  to  the  old  Norwegian  colonists  who  some 
900  years  previously  had  settled  on  the  east  coast  of 
Greenland,  were  afterwards  published  in  the  Transac- 
tions of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  vol.  xiv. ;  and  one 
of  his  charts  of  the  west  coast  of  Greenland  was  in 
the  museum  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  Before 
leaving  Greenland,  Giesecke  shipped  for  Copenhagen 
a  quantity  of  valuable  minerals,  which  were  captured 
by  a  French  privateer.  Being  recaptured  by  an  English 
frigate,  the  collection  was  brought  to  Leith,  where  it 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  Allan,  a  banker  of  Edinburgh. 
Giesecke  went  thither  in  pursuit  of  his  collection,  and 
became  a  warm  friend  of  Allan,  who  introduced  him 
to  Sir  George  Mackenzie,  whose  friendship  he  also 
gained.  Soon  after,  Giesecke  became  a  candidate  for 
the  professorship  of  mineralogy  in  the  Dublin  Society, 
to  which,  as  we  have  seen,  he  was  appointed. 

The  school  became  famous,  and  Mr.  Isaac  Weld, 
one  of  the  secretaries,  in  1 83 1,  spoke  of  its  head  as 
"  one  whose  superlative  attainments  in  the  science  were 
acknowledged  from  one  end  of  Europe  to  the  other." 
The  collection  of  minerals  in  the  museum  numbered 
30,000  specimens,  including  gieseckite.1  At  the  time 
of  his  appointment,  Giesecke  was  unable  to  lecture  in 
English,  but  undertook  to  devote  himself  to  its  study, 
which  he  did  with  such  success  that  in  a  short  time 
he  spoke  the  language  with  ease.  He  was  soon  able 
to  report  the  arrangement  of  the  Leskean  museum, 
and  of  his  own  Greenland  collection,  which  he  pre- 
sented to  the  Society.  On  22nd  May  18 17,  a  gold 
medal,  with  inscription,  was  presented  to  Sir  Charles 
Giesecke,   at    a    meeting    of    the    Society,    when    the 

1  Gieseckite  is  a  hydrous  silicate  of  aluminium  and  potassium  of  the 
mica  group,  named  after  Giesecke,  who  brought  it  from  Greenland. 


1 66  A   HISTORY   OF 

chairman  made  a  complimentary  speech.  The  medal 
cost  ^17,  9-f.  9^d.y  and  was  executed  by  William 
Mossop,  jun.  Giesecke  was  absent  from  this  country 
on  special  leave,  from  July  18 17  to  the  end  of  the 
summer  of  18 19,  when  the  cause  of  his  prolonged 
absence  was  fully  explained  in  a  report  of  the  com- 
mittee of  mineralogy.  Having  been  originally  em- 
ployed by  the  Danish  government  in  Greenland,  he 
was  compelled  to  go  over  to  Copenhagen  to  close  the 
business  relations  in  reference  to  his  commission  to  that 
country.  Serious  illness  overtook  him,  and  his  life 
was  despaired  of.  On  recovery,  he  had  to  visit  his 
native  Augsburg,  to  settle  private  affairs  before  taking 
up  his  permanent  residence  in  Ireland.  After  that,  he 
journeyed  to  Vienna,  to  present  specimens  obtained  in 
Greenland  for  the  Austrian  government.  Giesecke 
further  explained  in  his  report  that  he  had  been 
working  at  his  Lectures  on  the  Natural  History  of 
Greenland,  which  he  hoped  might  reflect  credit  on  the 
Society  whose  professor  he  had  become. 

In  August  1825,  Giesecke  undertook  a  mineralogical 
tour  in  Galway,  Mayo,  and  the  island  of  Achill,  and,  in 
1826,  through  Donegal.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
guineas  were  voted  to  him  for  the  latter  tour,  and  his 
reports  on  both  are  printed  in  the  Proceedings.  In 
1828,  he  went  through  Derry,  Antrim,  Tyrone,  and 
Down,  and  in  the  Proceedings,  vol.  lxvii.  app.  i.,  will  be 
found  a  report  on  the  scientific  results  of  this  journey. 
Sir  Charles  Giesecke,  k.d.  (as  he  was  generally  called 
from  1 8 16,  when  he  was  made  a  knight  of  the  Danish 
order  of  the  Dannebrog),  died  very  suddenly  on  the 
5th  of  March  1833.  The  museum  was  closed  for  a 
fortnight  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  his  memory.  The 
Society,  at  the  meeting  subsequent  to  his  death,  ex- 
pressed   its   high   sense   of  his  long-tried  talents  as  a 


MEDAL  AWARDED  TO  MR.  LEWIS  ROBERTS,  1765 


MEDAL  PRESENTED  TO  Sir  C.  L.  GIESECKE,  1817 
(  William  S.  Mo s sop) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      167 

scientific  professor,  and  of  his  amiable  manners  and 
character  as  a  gentleman.  Sir  Charles  Giesecke  was 
very  popular  in  Dublin,  and  a  tablet  to  his  memory, 
which  stands  on  the  staircase  wall  of  St.  George's 
Church,  states  that  "  he  was  beloved  as  a  friend  and 
sought  as  a  companion  by  all  who  knew  him."  His 
portrait  by  Sir  Henry  Raeburn — the  gift  in  18 17  of 
his  friend,  Sir  George  Mackenzie,  bart.,  to  the  Society 
— hangs  in  the  reception  room,  Leinster  House. 
There  are  two  small  autograph  albums  of  Giesecke's 
in  the  National  Museum,  Dublin,  which  began  to  be 
filled  by  his  friends  (many  of  them  eminent  scientific 
men)  in  178 1,  and  their  contributions  extend  to  about 
the  year  1829.  The  first  volume  is  inscribed  "Faut- 
oribus  amicisque  sacrum."  They  contain  original 
sentiments  and  verses,  with  quotations  in  Latin, 
French,  German,  English,  and  even  Hebrew ;  sketches 
in  pencil  and  water-colours,  and  silhouette  portraits. 
One  volume  was  presented  to  the  museum  by  the 
Misses  Hutton,  whose  father  was  Giesecke's  executor, 
and  the  other  came  from  the  collection  of  the  late 
Mr.  Thomas  H.  Longfield.  Very  full  particulars  of 
Giesecke's  career  will  be  found  in  an  article  in  the 
Dublin  University  Magazine ',  1834;  in  Mozart's 
Operas,  by  Edward  J.  Dent  (1913);  in  an  article  by 
Professor  K.  J.  V.  Steenstrup,  on  Giesecke's  minera- 
logical  journal  kept  in  Greenland,  together  with  a 
biographical  notice  of  Giesecke,  which  appeared  in 
the  Meddelelsen  om  Gronland,  Copenhagen,  19 10;  and 
in  a  paper  on  "  Mozart  and  some  of  his  Masonic 
Friends,"  by  H.  Bradley,  in  the  Ars  Quatuor  Corona- 
torum,  vol.  xxvi.  241. 

Dr.  Scouler,  professor  of  natural  history  in  the 
University  of  Glasgow,  succeeded  him  as  professor 
of  mineralogy  here.      Other   candidates   for   the   post 


1 68  A    HISTORY   OF 

included  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes,  lecturer  in  natural  his- 
tory, Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  G.  B.  Somerly,  of 
London. 

To  return  to  the  labours  of  the  mining  engineer. 
In  1 8 14,  he  reported  on  the  Leinster  coalfields,  which 
he  had  found  to  number  eight  beds.  The  Grand 
Canal  Company  and  the  owners  of  the  beds  had 
recently  made  over  two  hundred  trials  for  coal,  at  a 
cost  of  thousands  of  pounds,  in  districts  where,  on  a 
mere  inspection  of  the  map  and  sections,  it  was  clear 
that  no  coal  could  be  found.  Griffith  next  laid  before 
the  Society  his  geological  and  mining  survey  of  Con- 
naught,  and  then  directed  his  attention  to  the  Ulster 
coal  district,  where,  between  Emyvale  in  Monaghan 
and  Pettigo  in  Fermanagh  he  made  a  minute  survey, 
but  found  only  thin  beds  of  coal.  In  1827,  he  was 
engaged  on  a  general  geological  survey  of  Ireland, 
with  a  view  to  the  publication  of  a  memoir  and  map 
of  each  county,  following  the  Ordnance  Survey.  He 
examined  from  Slieve  Gallen  in  Derry,  south  to  Ennis- 
killen  and  Clogher,  where  were  found  some  thin  beds 
of  coal ;  and  he  also  reported  on  the  metallic  mines  of 
Leinster.  He  hoped  soon  to  report  on  Munster,  and 
had  found  Audley,  near  Crookhaven,  and  Ross  Island, 
Killarney,  among  the  most  promising  places  in  the 
British  Empire.  Soon  after,  Griffith  informed  the 
Society  that  there  was  no  part  of  Ireland,  in  the 
geological  examination  of  which  he  had  not  made  con- 
siderable progress.  "  The  chief  public  object  of  my 
life  is  to  complete  an  accurate  map,  geological  and 
descriptive,  of  Ireland."  Griffith  resigned  his  post 
on  being  appointed  a  Commissioner  of  valuation  of 
lands  in  Ireland,  but  stated  that  he  intended  to 
continue  his  researches  towards  the  completion  of  the 
geological  map. 


g* 


w 


^^'"•tHAfrO  (;)Hf  FIT 


Sir  RICHARD  GRIFFITH,  Bart. 
(Marble  Bust  by  Sir  Thomas  Fan-ell) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       169 

Sir  Richard  John  Griffith,  who  was  created  a 
baronet  in  1858,  was  born  in  1784,  and,  having 
served  a  short  time  in  the  army,  commenced  to  learn 
practical  mining  in  Cornwall.  He  was  always  in- 
terested in  agriculture,  and  in  the  subject  of  land 
valuation,  with  which  his  name  will  ever  be  associated 
in  Ireland.  He  studied  for  some  time  in  Edinburgh, 
and  on  returning  to  this  country  in  1808,  made  a 
survey  of  the  coalfields  of  Leinster.  Griffith  then 
became  engineer  to  the  Commission  on  Irish  Bogs, 
which  published  valuable  reports,  and  in  18 12  was 
appointed  mining  engineer  and  professor  of  geology 
to  the  Dublin  Society.  He  also  succeeded  Dr.  Richard 
Kirwan  as  government  inspector  of  mines  in  Ireland. 
Between  1822  and  1830,  it  is  said  that,  under  his 
superintendence,  some  250  miles  of  road  were  con- 
structed or  improved  in  the  wildest  and  most  inacces- 
sible parts  of  the  country.  In  1827,  Griffith  was 
appointed  Commissioner  of  Valuation  in  Ireland,  under 
the  Act  7th  George  IV,  a  post  which  he  held  until 
1868.  From  1850  to  1864,  he  acted  as  chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Public  Works.  So  great  was  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  this  remarkable  man,  that  there  was 
hardly  a  work  of  public  importance  undertaken  in 
this  country,  from  about  1830  until  his  retirement 
into  private  life,  on  which  he  was  not  asked  to  give 
his  opinion.  His  magnum  opus — the  Geological  Map 
of  Ireland — which  took  its  final  form  in  1855,  will 
always  remain  a  monument  of  his  industry  and  ability. 
Sir  Richard  Griffith  published  a  number  of  scientific 
works,  and  all  the  reports  made  by  him  during  his 
official  connection  with  the  Society  will  be  found  in 
the  printed  Proceedings.  A  marble  bust  of  him  stands 
in  the  reception-room  in  Leinster  House. 


170  A    HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   X 

THE   LIBRARY ;  AND   THE  STATISTICAL   SURVEYS 
OF   COUNTIES 

One  of  the  rules  for  the  government  of  the  Society, 
approved  in  December  173 1,  laid  down  that  all  the 
works,  journals,  and  transactions  which  should  be 
published  by  other  Societies  and  by  private  persons,  and 
which  might  contain  any  useful  improvement  or  dis- 
covery in  nature  or  art,  were  to  be  purchased.  Thus, 
at  the  earliest  possible  period,  was  the  formation  of  a 
Library  provided  for,  and  this  rule  governed  the 
purchase  of  books  for  more  than  a  century. 

The  earliest  catalogue  of  the  library  was  very 
technically  drawn  up  about  1735-6.  The  books 
included  in  it  were  in  English,  French,  Greek,  German, 
Low  Dutch,  Latin,  and  Spanish,  and  treat  of  Agriculture, 
Arithmetic,  Bridges,  Civil  Law,  Flax,  Farm  Build- 
ings, Hemp,  Husbandry,  Hydraulics,  Hydrotechnics, 
Machinery,  Metallurgy,  Mills,  Police,  Rural  Economy, 
Statistics,  and  Silk  Worms.  (Preface  to  catalogue, 
suppl.  1850,  by  Edward  R.  P.  Colles,  librarian.)  The 
library,  then  comprising  thirty-seven  volumes,  increased 
during  the  ensuing  sixty  years  to  2105,  and  the  follow- 
ing are  the  titles  of  the  books  as  they  appeared  in  the 
original  catalogue  : 

Folios. 

Theatrum    Machinarum  Generale,  by  Leopold   [Leupold], 
in  High  Dutch.     Leipzig,  1724. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       171 

Theatrum   Machinarum  Hydraulicarum,   by  do.,  in   High 

Dutch.     1724. 
Theatrum    Machinarum    Hydraulicarum,    by    do.    in    do. 

Tome  first.     Tome  second.      1724. 
Theatrum  Pontificiale,  by  do.  in  do.      1726. 
Theatrum  Staticum,  pars  prima,  by  do.  in  do.     1726. 
Theatrum  Arithmetico  Geometricum,  by  do.  in  do.      1726. 
Theatrum  Machinarium,  by  do.     1725. 
Traite  de  la  Police  de  France,  par  Mr.  De  la  Mare.     Am- 
sterdam, 1729.     Tome  premier.     Tome  second. 
The  Dutch  Placaats  or  Laws,  in  five  volumes  : 

Volume  1st,  by  Cau,  to  the  year  1 658. 

Vol.  2nd,  by  Cau,  to  the  year  1664. 

Vol.  3rd,  by  Simon  Van  Leeuwen,  to  the  year  1683. 

Vol.  4th,  by  Jacobus  Sibelius,  to  the  year  1700. 

Vol.  5th,  by  Paulus  Scheltus,  to  the  year  1720. 

Tables  or  titles  of  all  the  Placaats. 
Georgius  Agricola  de  Re  Metallica.     Basileae,  1657. 
Theatrum   Machinarum   Universale,  or   the   Great   Dutch 

Mill  Book,  with  Cults,  by  Van  Zyland  Schenk.     Amster. 

J734. 
The  Great  Dutch  Mill  Book,  part    1st,   1734;    part  2nd, 
1736,  by  Natrus,  Polly,  Vuuren,  and  Punt. 

Quartos. 

Machines  et  inventions  approuvees  par  L'Academy  Royale 

des  Sciences.      1735,  a  Paris.      Tome  premier.      Tome 

second.      Tome    troisieme.      Tome    quatrieme.      Tome 

cinquieme.     Tome  sixieme. 
Oeconomie  Generale  de  la  Campagne,  ou  nouvelle  Maison 

Rustich.    Par  Louis  Liger,  a  Paris.    1708.    Tome  premier. 

Tome  second. 
Govierno  Politico  de  Agricultura,  por  Lope  de  Deca.     En 

Madrid,  1618. 
Rei     Agrariae     auctores    legesque     Variae,    per     Goesium. 

Amstelodami,  1674. 
Tusser's  Husbandry. 

Octavos. 

Geoponicorum  sive  de  Re  Rustica.     Libri  Viginti.     Basso 
collectore,  Grasce  et  Latine.     Cantabrigiae,  1704. 


172  A   HISTORY   OF 

Varronis  Opera  omnia  cum  Notis.     Dordrecht,  1619. 
Jethro  TulPs  Horse  Hoeing  Husbandry.     Dublin,  1733. 
The  Practice  of  Farming  and   Husbandry,   by  W.   Ellis. 

Dublin,  1735. 
Tull's  Horse  Hoeing  Husbandry.     The  first  part.     Dublin, 

I73I- 

Slator's  Instructions  for  Cultivating  and  Raising  Flax  and 

Hemp.     Dublin,  1724. 
Instructions  for  Planting  white  Mulberryes  for  Silk  Worms. 

Paris,  1665. 

When  the  library  was  being  formed,  Dr.  Tennison, 
bishop  of  Ossory,  presented  a  number  of  books. 

In  1755,  the  Society  purchased,  for  a  sum  of  £500, 
the  collection  of  manuscripts  made  by  Walter  Harris, 
the  editor  of  Ware,  who  died  in  Henry  street,  Dublin, 
in  July  176 1  ;  and  an  obituary  notice,  in  mentioning  the 
purchase,  added,  that  "  from  it  some  excellent  history 
may  be  compiled."  Archbishop  King  had  cherished 
the  idea  of  writing  a  Church  History  of  Ireland,  and 
his  Collectanea  were  added  to  and  used  by  Harris. 
They  were  also  made  much  use  of  by  Archdall,  in 
compiling  his  Monasticon.  The  collection  consists  of 
seventeen  volumes  folio.  Eleven  of  them  contain 
deeds,  patents,  letters  (Irish  History,  1 170-1690). 
The  twelfth  deals  with  convents,  monasteries,  and  Irish 
ecclesiastical  affairs.  Another  volume  contains  transla- 
tions from  Stearne's  collection,  among  them  extracts 
from  the  Annals  of  Innisj alien.  The  contents  of  the 
remaining  volumes  are  of  a  miscellaneous  character. 
In  August  176 1,  Lord  Clanbrassil  applied  by  letter  to 
Dr.  Mann,  requesting  that  Harris'  collection  of  manu- 
scripts should  be  sent  to  Dr.  Warner x  in  England.    The 

1  Ferdinando  Warner,  LL.D.,  rector  of  St.  Michael's,  Queenhithe, 
a  man  of  great  ability  and  wide  learning.  He  wrote  a  History  of 
Ireland,  of  which  the  first  volume  only — to  1171 — was  published. 
While  gathering  materials  for  an  ecclesiastical  history,  he  came  to 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       173 

application  was  refused,  on  the  ground  that  sending 
the  documents  beyond  sea  would  be  inconsistent  with 
the  trust  reposed  in  the  Society  by  the  House  of 
Commons,  which  had  enabled  it  to  purchase  them. 
These  manuscripts  were  transferred  to  the  National 
Library  of  Ireland,  when  the  Society's  library  was 
taken  over  by  the  Government. 

In  March  1780,  £36,  14.S.  \\d.  were  paid  for  fifty- 
five  volumes  of  the  Encyclopedia,  and  Albert  Von 
Haller's  Bibliotheca  Botanic  a  (1771),  purchased  for 
the  library  at  Dr.  MacBride's  auction.  From  about 
the  year  1780,  the  library  received  a  good  deal  of 
attention.  A  number  of  valuable  books  were  pur- 
chased, both  on  the  continent  and  at  home,  and 
several  members,  qualified  by  their  literary  tastes  and 
attainments,  helped  by  their  experience  and  advice  in 
forming  a  remarkable  collection  of  works.  In  May, 
178 1,  a  sum  of  £238,  iij\  6d.  was  paid  to  Payne,  of 
Pall  Mall,  for  the  purchase  of  books  acquired  at  the 
sale  of  the  late  Mr.  Beauclerk's  collection  in  London. 
An  additional  sum  was  required  for  the  completion 
of  the  set  of  the  Flora  Danica,1  and  of  the  Encyclo- 
fiedie.  A  little  later,  Mr.  Conyngham,  who  has 
previously  been  mentioned  as  taking  a  deep  interest 
in  the  library,  when  in  Portugal,  was  requested  to 
purchase  some  scarce  volumes  to  the  amount  of 
^200.  Four  guineas  were  paid  for  two  volumes  of 
Iconology,  or  a  Collection  oj  Emblematical  Figures, 
"  a  scarce  and  valuable  work,"  published  in  London. 

Dublin,  where  he  consulted  manuscripts  in  Trinity  College,  Marsh's 
Library,  and  the  Record  Tower,  Dublin  Castle.  Warner's  History 
of  the  Rebellion,  a?id  Civil  War  in  Ireland,  which  appeared  in  1767, 
is  a  very  accurate  work. 

1  This  magnificent  work — /cones  Plantarum  Flora  Danicoe,  by 
George  Christian  Oeder,  and  others— was  issued  from  time  to  time 
between  1761  and  1883. 


174  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  1784,  Mr.  Conyngham  laid  before  the  Society 
a  catalogue  of  several  books  in  Dutch  and  other 
foreign  languages,  which  he  had  purchased  abroad 
for  the  Society,  they  being  scarce  and  valuable.  The 
secretary  was  authorised  to  employ  Mr.  Gabriel 
Beranger,  in  translating  the  titles  and  indexes. 

Beranger,  whose  family  were  French  Huguenots, 
was  born  at  Rotterdam  in  1729.  Coming  to  Dublin  in 
1750,  he  sold  prints  and  kept  an  artists'  warehouse  in 
South  Great  George's  street.  He  died  at  his  residence 
in  St.  Stephen's  Green  in  18 17,  aged  eighty-eight  years, 
and  was  buried  in  the  French  cemetery,  Peter  street. 
Beranger's  special  patrons  were  Colonel  Burton  Con- 
yngham and  General  Vallancey,  who  obtained  for  him 
the  post  of  ledger  clerk  in  the  Exchequer  Office. 
Beranger  made  a  number  of  sketches  of  antiquities  for 
Vallancey's  Collectanea,  and  a  series  of  these  sketches 
now  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  shows  the  appearance 
of  many  buildings  that  no  longer  exist.  He  will  always 
hold  a  high  place  in  the  history  of  Irish  art,  "  as  his 
accurate  and  beautiful  work  preserves  with  admirable 
fidelity  the  distinctive  features  of  many  Irish  architec- 
tural remains."  Sir  William  Wilde  wrote  a  memoir 
of  Beranger,1  with  a  full  account  of  his  labours  in  the 
cause  of  Irish  art,  literature,  and  antiquities,  between 
the  years  1760  and  1780.  A  large  number  of  sketches, 
elevations,  landscapes,  written  descriptions  of  ruins,  and 
manuscript  accounts  of  his  various  tours  from  1773  to 
1780  came  into  Sir  William's  possession,  from  which 
material  he  was  able  to  compile  his  very  interesting 
memoir. 

In  1787,  Colonel  Hamilton  was  paid  a  sum  of 
fifty  guineas  for  translating  the  indexes  of  thirty-two 
volumes  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Haarlem  and  Flush- 

1  Journal  R.S.A.I.,  vols,  xi.,  xii.,  and  xiv. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      175 

ing  societies ;  and  later,  the  Rev.  Denis  Taaffe x  trans- 
lated several  tracts  from  Dutch  and  German  authors, 
and  made  a  catalogue  of  Dutch  and  German  books 
belonging  to  the  Society.  R.  E.  Mercier  compiled,  in 
1797,  a  catalogue  of  the  library,  and  in  1806,  the 
catalogue  was  ordered  to  be  printed. 

In  1795,  General  Vallancey  recommended  the 
appointment  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Lanigan,  whom 
he  had  known  in  Italy,  for  employment  in  the 
library,  a  recommendation  that  was  endorsed  by 
Lord  Donoughmore.  He  became  librarian  in  1808, 
and  during  his  tenure  of  that  office  he  performed 
his  duties  with  marked  efficiency.  Dr.  Lanigan 
translated  a  number  of  works  for  the  Society,  and 
corrected  the  proof  sheets  of  the  Statistical  Surveys. 
This  remarkable  man  was  born  in  Cashel  in  1758, 
and  being  intended  for  the  priesthood,  he  was  sent  at 
an  early  age  to  the  Irish  College,  Rome.  He  was  sub- 
sequently appointed  professor  of  Hebrew  and  Divinity 
at  Pavia,  returning  to  Ireland  in  1794.  During  the 
previous  year  had  appeared  the  first  part  of  his  In- 
stitutiones  Biblicce,  which  caused  him  to  be  looked  on 
as  a  Jansenist,  and  Dr.  Lanigan  found  it  difficult  to 
procure  an  ecclesiastical  appointment  in  this  country. 
He  was,  however,  made  professor  of  Sacred  Scripture 
and  Hebrew  in  Maynooth  College,  a  post  which  he 
speedily  resigned  on  being  asked  to  subscribe  a  special 
formula.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Dr.  Lanigan's  valuable 
services  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Society.  He 
began  to  suffer  from  brain  disease  in  18 13,  and  in 
1 8 1 5  resigned  the  librarianship,  retaining  for  a  time  his 

1  Born  in  the  county  Louth  in  1743.  He  was  author  of  a  History 
of  Ireland,  and  wrote  several  pamphlets  on  Ireland  and  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  Rev.  Denis  Taaffe  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Gaelic  Society  in  1808,  and  he  died  in  Dublin  in  1813. 


176  A   HISTORY   OF 

position  as  corrector  of  the  press.  He  died  at  Finglas  in 
1828.  Dr.  Lanigan's  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Ireland 
is  a  well-known  work.  On  his  retirement,  Dr.  Samuel 
Litton,  Dr.  Ryan,  Mr.  Newenham,  Mr.  Berwick,  Dr. 
Johnson,  and  Mr.  Cramer  became  candidates  for  the 
vacant  post,  when  Dr.  Litton  was  elected  by  154  votes 
in  a  house  of  237  members.  Between  18 17  and  1824, 
the  new  librarian  compiled  a  catalogue  of  the  library. 

In  1 8 1 1 ,  a  committee,  consisting  of  the  seven  vice- 
presidents,  the  two  secretaries,  Henry  Hamilton,  Isaac 
Weld,  John  Boardman,  Edward  Houghton,  Samuel 
Guinness,  Henry  Adair,  and  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Seymour, 
was  appointed  to  inspect  the  books,  and  consider  the 
library  regulations.  It  was  arranged  that  from  the  25th 
of  March  to  the  29th  of  September  the  library  was  to  be 
open  from  8  a.m.  to  5  p.m.  and  from  6  p.m.  to  sunset; 
for  the  remainder  of  the  year,  from  9  a.m.  to  sunset. 
(In  1836,  it  was  ordered  to  be  open  from  1 1  a.m.  until 
5  p.m.)  A  special  catalogue  of  such  works  as  might 
be  lent  to  members  was  to  be  prepared,  and  the 
Society's  professors  were  to  be  permitted  to  borrow 
books,  and  bring  them  to  the  lecture  rooms  during  lec- 
tures. An  assistant  to  the  librarian  was  necessary.  The 
power  of  selection  of  books  was  to  rest  with  the  library 
committee,  which  was  to  be  elected  annually  by  ballot. 
The  library  room  was  considered  totally  inadequate, 
and,  soon  after,  the  architect  was  directed  to  furnish 
plans  for  a  new  library.  The  committee  reported  that 
its  members  were  engaged  in  cataloguing  the  coins  and 
medals.  Two  hundred  pounds  per  annum  was  after- 
wards fixed  as  the  librarian's  salary,  for  six  hours  a  day, 
in  managing  and  cataloguing  the  library,  and  super- 
intending the  Society's  publications.  Mr.  McDonnell 
was  appointed  assistant  librarian  at  a  salary  of  £100 
a   year.     By  November    18 12,  the   new   sub-librarian, 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY       177 

under  Dr.  Lanigan's  superintendence,  had  compiled 
a  general  alphabetical  catalogue  of  all  the  books.  The 
nummarium,  which  was  under  the  direction  of  the 
librarian,  was  found  to  contain  23  gold  coins,  14  gilt; 
427  silver,  88  Roman,  2  Cufic ;  copper  coins  (Roman), 
274  ;  Moorish,  4  ;  ditto,  various,  253  ;  of  mixed  metal, 
124:  1  brass  ring:  19  Egyptian  coins  :  medals  (lead), 
24.  The  collection  was  directed  to  be  deposited  in  the 
library,  and  the  librarian  was  to  arrange  the  coins  and 
medals,  supplying  a  catalogue. 

It  was  arranged  in  March  18 12  that  there  was  to 
be  a  select  standing  committee  in  charge  of  the  library 
and  nummarium,  when  the  Hon.  George  Knox,  Rev. 
Henry  Moore,  Henry  Adair,  Robert  B.  Bryan,  Richard 
Fox,  Henry  Arabin,  Archibald  St.  George,  Isaac  M. 
D'Olier,  Hugh  Hamill,  Isaac  Weld,  Nicholas  P.  Leader, 
Wm.  Farren,  and  Thomas  Wallace  were  nominated  to 
serve  on  it. 

Marsh's  Library  being  considered  as  situated  in 
a  remote  and  inconvenient  place,  it  was  referred  to 
the  library  committee  to  look  into  the  Act  which 
established  it,  and  to  confer  with  the  trustees  of  that 
library  as  to  the  best  means  of  making  it  accessible. 
Nothing  further,  however,  appears  to  have  been  done, 
though  in  the  year  18 14,  when  the  Society  contem- 
plated building  a  library,  they  thought  the  trustees 
might  approve  of  obtaining  an  Act  of  Parliament, 
authorising  the  removal  of  their  collection,  in  which 
case  the  Society  would  have  granted  them  ground  for 
a  suitable  building. 

Mr.  Thomas  Pleasants  presented  to  the  Society 
books  valued  at  ,£191,  9/., — including  Hakluyfs 
Voyages  (5  vols.),  £34,  2s.  6d.  (only  75  printed); 
Fabian's  Chronicles ;  Monstrelet's  Chronicles — trans- 
lated by  T.  Johnes  (12  vols.),  £9,  8/.  6d.;  Burney's 

M 


1 78  A   HISTORY   OF 

History  of  Music  (4  vols.),  ^9,  is. ;  Locke  s  Works, 
(10  vols.),  £9,  is. ;  Playfair's  System  of  Chronology, 
£2,  1 6s.  lod. ;  W.  Roy's  Antiquities  of  Scotland  (Mili- 
tary Antiquities  of  the  Romans  in  Britain),  £§,  13^.  9^. 
In  consideration  of  this  and  other  valuable  gifts  to  the 
Society,  and  of  his  having  expended  j£  10,000  in  the 
erection  of  a  stove  tenter  house,1  as  also  £6000  for 
a  hospital  for  sick  poor  in  the  liberties  of  Dublin, 
Mr.  Pleasants  was  elected  an  honorary  member. 

A  sum  of  ^500  per  annum  was  reported  as  avail- 
able in  1 8 16  for  the  purchase  of  books,  newspapers,  and 
periodicals.  On  the  nth  of  December  18 17,  a  cata- 
logue of  the  library  was  ready  for  delivery,  and  fifty 
guineas  were  voted  to  Dr.  Litton  on  its  completion. 
In  1820,  Dr.  Litton  was  paid  the  compliment  of  being 
elected  an  honorary  member,  and  on  the  occasion  of 
his  taking  his  seat  as  such  he  was  specially  addressed  by 
the  vice-president  from  the  chair. 

Frederick  Cradock,  whose  father  had  been  libra- 
rian at  Marsh's  Library,  was  elected  librarian  in  the 
room  of  Dr.  Litton,  on  the  latter's  appointment  in 
1826  to  the  professorship  of  Botany.  In  that  year  the 
collection  consisted  of  8300  volumes,  and  £60  were 
paid  to  the  sub-librarian  for  an  index  to  sixty-one 
volumes  of  the  printed  Proceedings.  Another  catalogue 
(raisonne)  was  completed  in  1829,  in  four  folio  volumes, 
for  which  a  sum  of  £100  was  paid  to  the  librarian.  On 
the  death  of  Cradock  in  1833,  John  Patton  was  elected 
librarian,  two  of  the  other  candidates  for  the  post 
being  John   Anster2  and  Robert  Travers.     In   1855, 

1  See  p.  206  11. 

2  Anster  was  born  in  Charleville  in  1793.  He  became  Regius 
Professor  of  Civil  Law  in  Dublin  University,  early  published  some 
poems,  and  was  the  first  to  render  Goethe's  Faust  into  English  verse. 
His  version  of  portion  of  the  poem  appeared  in  Blackwood  in  1820. 
The  first  part  was  completed  in  1835,  and  the  entire  by  1864.     Anster 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      179 

on  the  resignation  of  Patton,  Edward  R.  P.  Colles 
became  librarian.  He  was  succeeded  in  1876,  by 
William  Archer,  f.r.s.,  who  from  1877  to  1895,  was 
librarian  of  the  National  Library.  On  Mr.  Archer's 
retirement  in  the  latter  year,  Mr.  Thomas  W. 
Lyster,   m.a.,  the  present  librarian,  was  appointed. 

A  most  important  addition  was  made  to  the  Lib- 
rary in  the  year  1863,  by  Dr.  Jasper  Joly's  gift  to  it 
of  some  23,000  volumes,  together  with  an  exten- 
sive collection  of  Irish  and  Scotch  song  music.  The 
deed  of  gift,  which  was  subject  to  certain  conditions, 
was  dated  8th  April  1863,  and,  in  acknowledgment  of 
his  splendid  donation,  Dr.  Joly  was  elected  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Society.  His  portrait,  by  Catterson 
Smith,  hangs  in  the  library,  Leinster  House.  The 
chief  interest  in  the  Joly  collection  lies  in  the  large 
number  of  volumes  which  deal  with  Irish  history 
and  topography.  A  considerable  portion  is  taken  up 
with  the  story  and  campaign  of  Napoleon,  while 
numerous  works  illustrate  the  history  of  the  French 
Revolution,  and  French  literature  and  works  on  the 
age  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth  are  well  represented. 
Among  the  rare  and  curious  volumes  in  the  Joly 
collection  are  the  following — Orationes  of  St.  Brigid 
of  Sweden  (which  is  probably  unique) ;  Lyra  seu 
Anacephalceosis  Hibernica,  by  Thomas  Carve,  a  Tip- 
perary  man,  chaplain  to  the  Irish  troops  in  the 
Thirty  Years'  War.  His  works  are  very  scarce,  and 
only  three  copies  of  the  first  edition  of  the  Lyra  are 
known,  one  being  the  volume  in  this  collection.  The 
Itinerarium  of  Carve  (1640-6),  giving  an  account  of 
the  Thirty  Years'  War,  is  also  there ;  Analecta  Sacra 

was  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  Dubfai  University  Magazine.  This 
man  of  wide  culture,  wit,  and  high  social  qualities,  as  well  as  a  true 
poet,  died  in  1867. 


180  A   HISTORY    OF 

of  David  Rothe,  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Ossory,  ed. 
1 6 17-19;  a  complete  copy  (rarely  met  with)  of  the 
Acta  Sanctorum  of  John  Colgan  (Louvain,  1645-7). 
The  Joly  collection  also  contains  a  number  of  illus- 
trated works — Nuremberg  Chronicle,  1493  ;  Herwologia 
Anglic  a,  Lond.  1620,  the  first  book  of  English  por- 
traits; Iconograpbie  des  contemporains,  Paris,  1832; 
three  Voyages  of  Captain  Cook ;  and  a  set  of  plates 
illustrating  the  coronations  of  Napoleon  and  King 
George  IV.1 

In  this  collection  are  to  be  found,  in  addition, 
about  twenty  volumes  of  manuscripts  nearly  all  re- 
lating to  Irish  affairs.  Among  them  will  be  found 
a  transcript  of  Keating's  History  of  Ireland,  made 
in  1722  by  Eugene  O'Rahilly ;  a  copy  of  the  Down 
Survey  of  the  county  of  Tipperary ;  materials  for  a 
statistical  survey  of  Tipperary,  1833  (the  volume 
of  this  series  for  Tipperary  was  not  printed ;  see 
pp.  183-4);  records  of  the  French  consulate  in  Alex- 
andria (a  fragment,  1687-1694),  found  in  Alexandria 
when  the  British  captured  the  city  in  1807;  Life  of 
Sir  Richard  Cox  by  Walter  Harris  ;  Report  of  the 
Commissioners  on  Bogs,  and  reports  of  surveyors  em- 
ployed by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  in  making  their 
survey  of  bogs,  bound  in  twelve  volumes.  One  large 
volume  contains  a  number  of  unpublished  plans  and 
sections.  Translations  from  Buchoz's  Dictionnaire 
Veterinaire,  made  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lanigan ;  Instruc- 
tions for  Shepherds,  a  translation  made  by  Dr.  Lanigan 
in  1 800-1  ;  and  four  volumes  on  mineralogy  by  Sir 
Charles  Giesecke.2 

The  Thorpe  collection  of  Irish  Historical  Tracts, 

1  For  these  particulars  I  am  indebted  to  The  National  Library  of 
Ireland,  by  Guthrie  Vine  (Library  Association  Record,  1902). 

2  From  Report  of  the  Librarian,  National  Library,  1900. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      181 

which  was  purchased  in  October  1840,  is  also  to  be 
found  in  the  library.  Thomas  Thorpe,  born  in  1791, 
was  a  bookseller  in  Piccadilly,  and  later  at  13  Henrietta 
street,  Covent  Garden,  from  1839  to  his  death  in 
1 85 1.  Thorpe  was  celebrated  for  his  extensive  deal- 
ings in  old  books  and  manuscripts,  and  his  carefully 
compiled  catalogues  were  highly  esteemed.  The  col- 
lection of  tracts  comprises  ten  volumes  small  quarto, 
1629-1758  ;  and  two  volumes,  folio,  1641-1737. 
Each  volume  contains  a  printed  list  of  contents, 
and  a  list  will  be  found  in  the  supplemental  cata- 
logue of  the  Society's  library,  published  in  1850,  pp. 
45-65. 

The  Society  was  possessed  of  2 1 8  volumes  of  old 
pamphlets,  extending  in  date  from  1634  to  1843,  a 
detailed  list  of  which  appeared  in  the  library  catalogue, 
1731-1859,  p.  153.  In  it  is  also  printed  an  alpha- 
betical index  to  the  first  80  volumes. 

In  1838,  Miss  Tew,  of  Kingstown,  delivered  to 
the  Society  the  library  of  her  late  brother,  Rev.  William 
Tew,  ofBallysax,  consisting  of  180  volumes  of  divinity 
and  classics,  which  he  had  bequeathed  to  it. 

The  report  of  the  Commission  of  1836  first  de- 
finitely laid  down  that,  as  the  library  was  supported  by 
funds  voted  by  Government,  it  ought  to  be  open  to 
all  persons  properly  introduced.  As  in  the  case  of 
the  British  Museum  Library,  the  institution  was  to  be 
looked  on  as  the  National  Library.  In  1849,  more 
than  8000  readers  attended.  In  1878,  about  27,000 
were  returned  as  using  it,  while  in  1899,  the  number 
had  reached  a  total  of  more  than  155,000.  The 
present  National  Library  of  Ireland  is  generally  con- 
sidered one  of  the  finest,  as  it  certainly  is  one  of  the 
most  frequented,  in  the  world.  The  average  attend- 
ance is  over  700  daily.     £500  a  year  were  allowed  for 


1 82  A   HISTORY    OF 

expenses  of  the  old  library  between  1816  and  1849  ; 
in  1862,  it  cost  £930. 

Under  the  agreement  of  March  the  5th  1877,  made 
between  the  Government  and  the  Society,  when  its 
collection  of  books  became  the  nucleus  of  the  National 
Library  of  Ireland,  the  librarian  of  the  British  Museum 
was  to  be  invited  to  give  his  opinion  as  to  any  books 
which  it  might  not  be  necessary  to  transfer.  Any  such 
volumes  were  to  remain  in  possession  of  the  Society,  and 
these  became  the  nucleus  of  the  very  important  library 
which  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  has  formed  during 
the  last  thirty-five  years.  It  now  numbers  between 
40,000  and  50,000  volumes.  Members  of  the  Society 
elected  prior  to  the  1st  of  January  1878  have  the 
privilege  of  borrowing  books  from  the  National 
Library. 

In  1 8  8 1  the  Society  became  possessed  of  a  large 
number  of  volumes,  almost  altogether  on  theological 
and  controversial  subjects,  bequeathed  by  the  Rev. 
Aiken  Irvine,  of  Coleraine.  In  1889,  it  was  enriched 
by  what  is  known  as  the  "Tighe  Bequest,"  being  222 
volumes  of  classics,  especially  of  rare  editions  of 
Horace,  from  the  collection  of  the  late  Robert  Tighe, 
esq.,  of  Fitzwilliam  square.  In  March  1905,  Miss 
Anne  Winter  bequeathed  to  the  library  the  books 
belonging  to  her  brother,  Mr.  John  Winter,  consisting 
of  a  number  of  volumes  of  general  literature. 

STATISTICAL   SURVEYS   OF   COUNTIES 

In  the  year  1801,  the  Society  undertook  the  com- 
pilation of  Statistical  Surveys  of  the  various  counties 
of  Ireland,  arranging  that  each  contributor  should 
receive  ^80  for  his  work,  and  these  surveys  continued 
to  appear   up   to    1832,  when,   at   the   time   of  Isaac 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN  SOCIETY      183 


Weld's  Roscommon  being  published,  eight  counties  still 
remained  to  be  dealt  with.  The  first  set  included 
Hely  Dutton's  Observations  on  Mr.  ^Archers  Statis- 
tical Survey  of  Dublin.  "  The  volumes  give  a  general 
view  of  each  county,  and  form  comprehensive  guide- 
books to  the  whole."  x  Weld's  Roscommon,  which  gives 
an  account  of  the  social  and  archaeological  curiosities 
of  the  county,  and  Tighe's  Kilkenny  are  considered 
the  best  of  the  series. 

By  July,  1829,  the  following  had  appeared  : — 


Queen  s. 

Sir  C.  Coote. 
King's. 

Same. 
Wicklow. 

R.  Fraser. 
Monaghan. 

Sir  C.  Coote. 
Dublin. 

J.  Archer  and  H.  Dutton. 
Leitrim. 

J.  McParlan. 
Down  and  Ardglass. 

Rev.  J.  Dubourdieu. 
Cavan. 

Sir  C.  Coote. 
Mayo. 

J.  McParlan. 
Kilkenny. 

W.  Tighe. 
Sligo. 

J.  McParlan. 


Donegal. 

Same. 
Meath. 

R.  Thompson. 
Derry. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Sampson. 
Galway. 

H.  Dutton. 
Tyrone. 

J.  McEvoy. 
Armagh. 

Sir  C.  Coote. 
Wexford. 

R.  Fraser. 
Kildare. 

J.  J.  Rawson., 
Clare. 

H.  Dutton. 
Cork. 

Rev.  H.  Townsend. 
Antrim. 

Rev.  J.  Dubourdieu. 


The  counties  for  which  surveys  were  not  published 
were  Carlow,  Fermanagh,  Kerry,  Limerick,  Longford, 
Louth,  Roscommon,  Tipperary,  Waterford,  and  West- 

1   Worthies  of  the  Irish  Church  (Stokes),  p.  341. 


1 84  A    HISTORY   OF 

rneath.  Of  these,  Roscommon  was  completed  by 
December  1831.  In  the  National  Library  is  a  volume 
of  manuscript  materials  for  the  survey  of  the  county 
of  Tipperary,  compiled  about  1833,  which  had  been 
entrusted  to  W.  S.  Mason. 

Many  of  these  volumes  were  defective,  and  would 
have  required  considerable  amendment,  but  only  those 
for  the  counties  of  Dublin  and  Cork  were  publicly 
attacked,  the  former,  on  the  ground  of  its  being  a 
mere  skeleton,  and  not  a  real  survey  of  the  county ; 
the  latter  on  the  ground  of  religious  intolerance. 
Lieutenant  Joseph  Archer's  account  of  Dublin  is  stated 
to  be  an  agricultural  survey,  but  in  the  year  after  the 
publication  of  the  volume,  Hely  Dutton's  Observations, 
framed  on  similar  lines,  appeared.  It  forms  a  second 
volume  for  the  county  of  Dublin,  and  affords  much 
fuller  details.  In  a  short  address  to  the  reader,  the 
Dublin  Society  hoped  that  the  example  afforded  by 
the  compiler  would  create  emulation,  and  that  others 
might  be  found  who  would  make  similar  remarks  on 
the  surveys  of  other  counties. 

The  Rev.  H.  Townsend's  account  of  the  county 
of  Cork  was  also  challenged,  and  in  the  Haliday  collec- 
tion (181 1,  dcccclxxxix.  3,  4,  5)  is  a  Letter  to  the 
Dublin  Society  from  the  most  Rev.  Dr.  Coppinger, 
Bishop  of  Cloyne ;  occasioned  by  observations  and  mis- 
statements by  Townsend.  There  is  also  a  copy  of  the 
same  letter,  with  supplement,  &c,  which  was  answered 
by  Observations  on  Dr.  Coppingers  Letter  to  the  Dublin 
Society,  by  the  Rev.  Horace  Townsend.  Dr.  Cop- 
pinger  accused  him  of  representing  the  Roman  Catholic 
clergy  as  bigoted  and  opposed  to  improvement,  keeping 
their  flocks  in  ignorance,  and  "  preying  on  the  vitals 
of  the  poor."  If  not  expressed  in  actual  words,  it 
was  certainly  implied,  he  asserted,  in  passages  concern- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY       185 

ing  schools  at  Mitchelstown,  Clonakilty  and  Glanworth. 
Mr.  Townsend  replied  that  he  had  stated  facts  which, 
as  facts,  Dr.  Coppinger  did  not  deny,  and  to  the  "  over- 
weening authority  assumed  by  the  Church  of  Rome  " 
he  attributed  the  occurrences  referred  to  by  him.  The 
conductors  of  the  Mitchelstown  charities  disclaimed 
all  knowledge  of  what  was  indicated  in  their  case  by 
Dr.  Coppinger,  and  Townsend  sought  to  controvert 
the  Bishop's  charges  in  the  other  instances. 


1 86  A   HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE   BOTANIC   GARDEN 

A  record  of  the  earliest  effort  in  connection  with 
what  afterwards  became  so  celebrated  all  the  world 
over,  and  which  still  retains  its  proud  pre-eminence — 
the  Society's  Botanic  Garden — appears  in  a  minute  of 
September  1732,  which  referred  to  a  committee  "  to 
look  out  a  piece  of  ground,  about  an  acre,  proper 
for  a  nursery."  It  was  not  until  October  1733,  tnat 
a  plot  of  ground  near  Sir  John  Eccles'  house  was 
viewed.  Another,  on  the  Strand  going  to  Ballybough 
Bridge,  which  belonged  to  a  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins,  was 
subsequently  taken.  This  was  to  be  held  rent  free  for 
three  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that  term,  £6  per  acre 
were  to  be  paid  for  it ;  the  place  seems  to  have  been 
known  as  the  Society's  Garden  at  Summer  Hill.  The 
members  showed  deep  interest  in  the  experiment,  one 
of  them — Mr.  Ross — sending  from  Rostrevor,  on  a 
certain  occasion,  500  poles  for  hops  which  were  to  be 
grown  in  the  garden. 

In  March  1737,  four  acres  near  Martin's  lane 
(later  Mecklenburgh  street,  afterwards  Tyrone  and 
now  Waterford  street)  and  Marlborough  street  were 
taken,  to  be  used  for  experiments.  Soon  after,  a 
house  was  found  near  at  hand,  which  was  used  for 
keeping  implements  and  laying  up  flax.  In  1738,  an 
inventory  of  cider  fruit  trees  on  the  ground  was  fur- 
nished.    By  April   1740,   however,  the   gardeners  are 


, 


REFERENCES  TO   THE    MAP  OF   THE 
BOTANIC    GARDEN. 


.1      Survey^ 

./Ze  Botanic Gaht»f.n„;  -^ 

V    )j£/.AJS»BVLH  {^) 


-Houfe,  porter's  lodge,  and  walled  garden. 

2 Arboretum, 

•j — Fruicetora. 

CATTLE  GARDEN 
4_Sheep  herbage,  wholefome. 

, do.  injurious. 


6_Goat 


do.     ,        wholefome. 

- do.  injurious. 

8 Horn  cattle  herbage,  wholefome. 

injurious. 

wholefome. 


'J— 
io — Horfcs 


do. 
do. 
do. 

do. 

do. 


injurious. 

wholefome. 

injurious. 


l  l  — 
<  2— Sw 

'3— 

14 — Grades. 

15 —     do. 

1  G — Grafs  plot. 

1  - — C.iiii.i!  e  fweepi   and  horfe  faftening  place. 
18— Grafs  plot. 

19 — Herbaceous  grounds, 
pi 

2  1 — Shrubbery. 

22 —      do. 

23 — Medi 

24 — Hibernian  gardi  n. 

25 —  Cryptogamick  divifion 

26 — Efculent  garden. 

2  7— Creepers  and  <  I 

2X — Dyers  garden. 

zg — Gra\el  pit  and  plantation. 

30 — Hay  Garden. 

31— Bottom  meadow. 

32— Old  gravel  pit  and  walk-. 

33— Nurfery. 

34— Plantation  (kreen. 

•5— A  field  paftuie. 


PLAN   OF  THE  BOTANIC  GARDEN 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       187 

found  to  have  been  dismissed,  and  the  garden  house 
given  up.  The  soil  having  been  found  unsuitable 
for  the  Society's  purposes,  the  field  itself  was  subse- 
quently disposed  of. 

It  was  not  until  fifty  years  later  that  the  project 
was  again  taken  up,  when,  under  the  Act  30  George 
III,  c.  28,  which  granted  ^5000  to  the  Dublin  Society, 
it  was  provided  that  ^300  of  that  sum  were  to  be 
employed  towards  the  provision  and  maintenance  of  a 
Botanic  Garden.  A  similar  amount  was  specifically 
voted  for  the  same  purpose  in  each  Act  in  favour 
of  the  Society  down  to  33  George  III.  On  the  22nd 
of  July  1790,  the  Society  took  into  consideration  the 
best  method  of  applying  the  ^300  appropriated  in 
the  last  session  of  Parliament  for  a  Botanic  Garden, 
but  it  was  not  until  almost  a  year  later  that  Doctors 
Robert  Percival,  Walter  Wade,  and  Edward  Hill  were 
invited  to  attend  a  conference,  when,  as  a  result  of 
their  deliberations  with  the  Society,  it  was  resolved  that 
the  University  of  Dublin  and  the  College  of  Physicians 
should  be  communicated  with,  requesting  their  co- 
operation and  advice.  Both  bodies  were  anxious  to  assist, 
and  appointed  representatives  to  meet  in  conference  those 
elected  by  the  Society,  who  were  Sir  William  Gleadowe 
Newcomen,  Andrew  Caldwell,  and  Patrick  Bride. 
Various  sites  near  Dublin  were  examined,  and  in  1795, 
premises  at  Glasnevin,  held  by  Major  Thomas  Tickell 
under  a  toties  quoties  lease  from  the  Dean  and  Chapter 
of  Christ  Church,1  were  finally  selected.  The  site 
consisted  of  sixteen  acres,  then  in  the  occupation  of 
John  Kiernan,  under  a  lease  of  which  five  and  a  half 
years    were    unexpired,    at    a    yearly    rent    of    ^130. 

1  Archbishop  Laurence  O'Toole  in  1 178  granted  Glasnevin  to  the 
Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Dublin,  which  had  one  of  its  granges 
there. 


1 88  A    HISTORY    OF 

Tickell  required  ^200  per  annum  on  the  determination 
of  Kiernan's  lease,  his  interest  in  which  the  latter 
agreed  to  sell  for  jCSoo,  giving  instant  possession.  In 
1804,  Major  Tickell  assigned  to  the  Society  all  his 
interest  in  the  ground  for  a  sum  of  ^1800.  Not 
alone  the  beauty  of  the  site,  but  the  historical  interest 
of  the  neighbourhood,  must  have  told  in  favour  of 
its  selection.  Delville,  the  home  of  Delany,  the  friend 
of  Swift  and  Stella,  was  close  by,  and  Parnell  the 
poet  resided  in  Glasnevin. 

The  name  of  Tickell  at  once  recalls  that  of  Addi- 
son, and  the  connection  of  the  two  is  generally  supposed 
to  have  made  the  site  of  the  Botanic  Garden  classic 
ground,  as  the  former  had  a  residence  there  which  it 
was  believed  had  been  frequently  visited  by  Addison. 
Mr.  Herbert  Wood,  assistant  keeper  of  the  records, 
in  a  charming  and  instructive  paper,  Addison  s  Connection 
with  Ireland^  shows  how  erroneous  is  this  supposition, 
for,  though  the  house  in  which  the  curator  of  the 
Botanic  Garden  now  resides  was  once  inhabited  by 
Thomas  Tickell,  he  did  not  occupy  it  for  some  years 
after  the  death  of  Addison,  which  occurred  in  17 19. 
A  shady  path  in  the  garden  has  long  been  named 
"  Addison's  Walk,"  but  it  may  have  been  so  called  by 
Tickell  in  memory  of  his  friend,  who  never  himself 
paced  the  walk.  Dr.  Elrington  Ball 2  places  the  matter 
beyond  dispute.  He  shows  that  Tickell  had  been  under 
secretary  to  Addison  while  he  was  Secretary  of  State, 
and  as  such  must  have  been  known  to  Lord  Carteret, 
who  appointed  him  Under  Secretary  in  Ireland.  In  a 
letter  to  Bishop  Nicholson,  Bishop  Downes  mentions 
"  that  Tickell  landed  in  Ireland  on  1  st  June  (1724),  and 
refers   to   his    being    entirely    unacquainted   with   that 

1  Journal  R.S. A. I.t  xxxiv.  133. 

2  Correspondence  of  Siuift,  iii.  198  n. 


ADDISON'S  WALK,  BOTANIC  GARDEN 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      189 

country." *  The  letter  which  Dr.  Ball  annotates  is 
one  from  Swift  to  Tickell,  dated  nth  July  1723, 
in  which  he  speaks  of  him  as  a  "  last  comer  and 
lodger/'  They  had  just  become  acquainted,  and 
Tickell  had  a  high  claim  to  the  Dean's  regard  as  the 
friend  and  biographer  of  Addison. 

Thomas  Tickell  was  born  in  1686  in  Cumberland, 
and  in  17 10  was  elected  Fellow  of  Queen's  College, 
Oxford.  From  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Ireland  in 
1724,  he  made  it  his  permanent  residence,  and,  in 
1726,  married  Clotilda,  daughter  of  Sir  Maurice 
Eustace,  of  Harristown.  He  died  in  1740,  and  some 
of  his  descendants  were  resident  in  Dublin  up  to  a 
recent  period.  Major  Thomas  Tickell,  who  sold  his 
interest  in  the  ground  in  Glasnevin  to  the  Dublin 
Society,  was  Tickell's  grandson.  Tickell  held  a  high 
place  among  the  minor  poets,  and  contributed  to  the 
Spectator.  Dr.  Johnson,  in  the  Lives  of  the  British 
Poets,  says  of  his  Elegy  on  the  Death  of  Addison,  that 
"  no  more  sublime  or  elegant  funeral  poem  is  to  be 
found  in  the  whole  compass  of  English  literature." 
In  it  occur  the  oft-quoted  lines  : — 

u  There  taught  us  how  to  live,  and  (oh  !  too  high 
The  price  for  knowledge)  taught  us  how  to  die." 

The  ground  at  Glasnevin  was  ready  by  April  1796, 
when  a  committee  was  appointed  to  manage  the  place. 
Dr.  Walter  Wade,  author  of  Flora  Dublinensis,  was 
invited  to  undertake  the  arrangement  of  the  new  plants, 
and  to  act  as  professor  and  lecturer  in  botany,  so  far 
as  such  might  tend  to  promote  agriculture,  arts,  and 
manufactures.  Later,  Wade  lectured  on  botany  in 
connection  with  diet,  medicine,  agriculture,  and  rural 

1  Nicholson's  Letters^  ii.  574. 


i9o  A  HISTORY   OF 

economy ;  also  on  meadow,  pasture,  and  artificial  grasses. 
Nurserymen  and  others  began  to  present  valuable  and 
curious  plants,  and  donations  came  from  England,  in- 
cluding one  sent  by  the  professor  of  botany  at  Bath, 
which  included  roots  of  all  British  mints.  John 
Underwood,  a  Scotchman,  who  came  over  under  the 
patronage  of  Mr.  Foster  (Lord  Oriel),  was  appointed 
head-gardener,  and  a  furnished  apartment  was  provided 
for  him.  In  November  1798,  £371  were  paid  to 
Messrs.  Lee  and  Kennedy,  of  London,  for  valuable 
plants.  The  expense  attending  the  Society's  new 
undertaking  was  considerable,  for  in  the  period  between 
February  1796  and  March  1797,  a  sum  of  ^1779  was 
expended  in  various  ways.  In  1799,  £S°°  were  voted 
for  a  greenhouse,  for  the  preservation  of  a  number  of 
plants,  and  during  the  year  1800  the  treasurer  was 
further  drawn  on  to  the  amount  of  ^2500.  The 
head-gardener  was  sent  to  England  to  purchase  plants, 
which  cost  the  Society  ^550,  and,  in  addition,  various 
small  sums  were  disbursed  from  time  to  time  for 
works,  wages,  &c,  which  reached  another  £s°°-  By 
the  committee's  report,  made  in  December  1800,  it 
appeared  that  Mr.  Parke,  who  superintended  the  build- 
ings at  the  Garden,  and  at  the  new  repository  in 
Hawkins  street,  had  received  ^7100,  and  had  made 
payments  to  the  amount  of  ,£7076,  14.J.  lod.  His 
remuneration  as  superintendent  amounted  to  ^700. 
Between  the  years  1800  and  1804,  a  sum  of  ^9476, 
ys.  \d.  was  expended  on  Glasnevin  alone,  as  appears 
by  the  accounts.  In  1798  and  1799,  Parliament  voted 
£1300  for  the  Garden,  and  in  1800,  £1500  were  voted 
for  its  support,  and  for  payment  of  the  professor  of 
Botany. 

By  the  month  of  May  1800,  the  Garden  was  in  so 
forward  a  state,  that  proper  persons  to  attend  on  visitors 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       191 

and  those  anxious  to  examine  the  plants  were  appointed  ; 
separate  catalogues  of  each  class  of  garden  were  pre- 
pared, and  a  conservatory  and  stove  were  ordered.  A 
Flora  Rustica  Hibernica  was  projected,  and  the  pro- 
fessor of  Botany  was  directed  to  forward  to  the  draw- 
ing schools  specimens  of  plants  useful  or  injurious  to 
husbandry,  with  a  view  to  the  pupils  copying  them  for 
illustration  of  his  work.  John  White,  under-gardener, 
was  sent  in  1803  on  a  botanical  enquiry  through 
Carlingford  and  the  Mourne  Mountains. 

In  1 801-2,  catalogues  of  the  hothouse  plants,  and 
of  the  arboretum  and  herbarium,  compiled  by  Under- 
wood, were  published,  which  showed  that  the  collections, 
even  then,  were  very  rich.  The  hothouses  and  con- 
servatories, designed  by  E.  Parke,  stood  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  the  walk  leading  from  the  present  entrance 
gate  to  the  octagon  house. 

The  Society  thought  it  advisable  to  have  a  lease 
directly  from  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Christ  Church, 
without  an  intervening  one,  and  ^1250  were  paid  to 
the  representative  of  the  Rev.  Travers  Hume,  assignee 
of  George  Putland,  for  the  interest  in  the  chapter 
lease  to  that  family.  In  1807,  ^265  were  paid  to 
Mr.  Duffin,  of  the  Linen  hall,  for  a  mill 1  and  con- 
cerns adjoining  the  Society's  ground,  which  it  was 
thought  advisable  to  acquire ;  and  a  plot  of  ground 
belonging  to  the  Grand  Canal  Company  was  leased 
at  £25  a  year.  The  Dean  and  Chapter  of  Christ 
Church  assigned  Duffin's  term,  and  renewed  a  lease 
in  which  the  Society  agreed  to  leave  him  the  mill, 
house  and  garden,  situate  between  the  public  road 
to  Glasnevin  and  the  waste  gate  of  the  mill  dam,  for 
thirteen  years,  at  a  yearly  rent  of  £$o.     In  18 12,  they 

1  The  watermill  in  Glasnevin  was  granted  in  1539  to  the  treasurer 
of  the  Cathedral  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 


1 92  A    HISTORY   OF 

took  a  renewal  of  the  lease  of  the  mill  site  and  garden, 
retaining  the  plot  of  ground  on  the  north  of  the  mill 
race,  which  they  held  jointly  with  the  mill  site.  The 
wall  of  the  premises  was  thrown  down,  and  rebuilt 
on  range  with  the  Society's  wall ;  by  which  the  road 
was  widened  eight  or  nine  feet.  The  mill  and  house 
being  in  a  ruinous  state,  the  latter  was  removed,  but 
the  mill  was  repaired,  as  it  was  thought  it  might  be 
useful  for  trials  and  experiments  in  dressing  hemp  and 
making  cement  for  masonry.  In  any  case,  it  was  felt 
that  the  Society  must  necessarily  have  full  command 
over  the  river  Tolka,  which  bounds  the  Garden  on  the 
north.  Later  on,  dangerous  accidents  were  said  to  have 
occurred  from  insecure  and  improper  passages  to  the 
islands  in  the  river  Tolka,  and  the  matter  was  re- 
ferred to  a  committee.  In  1817,  special  attention  was 
directed  to  the  ruinous  and  disgraceful  state  of  the 
mill  at  Glasnevin,  which  cost  the  Society  in  purchase, 
fines,  and  rent,  £1184,  iij-.  nd.  A  flush  weir  was 
made  at  an  expense  of  £13,  and  the  mill  and  two 
acres  adjoining  were  let  to  Mr.  John  Hill,  of 
Eden  quay,  at  £70  a  year,  he  to  expend  ^500. 
This  tenant  was  afterwards  proceeded  against  for  wilful 
waste  and  non-payment  of  rent.  Breaches  were  made 
in  the  wall,  and  in  May  1823,  a  great  flood  caused 
breaches  in  the  garden  bank  and  weir.  Obstructing 
matter  had  afterwards  to  be  removed  from  the  bed  of 
the  river  when  the  water  was  low,  and  a  wall  to  protect 
the  bank  was  erected.  In  1805,  the  gates  of  the 
Glasnevin  turnpike  were  removed  to  the  bridge  over 
the  river,  as  their  then  position  was  a  hindrance  to 
many  attending  the  Garden. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Hincks,  in  18 10,  presented  a 
Flora  of  the  county  Cork,  and  sent  up  rare  plants  for 
the  hothouse.     Soon  after,  an  experiment  was  tried  in 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


J93 


apprenticing  young  lads  of  seventeen — six  were  given 
a  trial  in  1812 — who  were  to  receive  9/.  weekly,  and 
at  the  end  of  twelve  months  a  sum  of  five  guineas, 
provided  that  they  obtained  a  proper  certificate  from 
the  head-gardener,  who  acted  as  their  master.  He  was 
to  receive  ^5  for  each  apprentice,  and  the  profits  from 
sale  of  the  catalogue,  as  his  remuneration  for  instruct- 
ing them.  The  school  for  young  gardeners  is  still 
maintained.  It  may  be  observed  that,  in  the  year 
1783,  premiums  had  been  offered  by  the  Society  to 
nurserymen  for  taking  apprentices  who  were  to  be 
instructed  in  the  art  of  grafting,  rearing,  and  planting 
trees,  when  Robert  Power,  of  Gal  way,  was  granted  ^20 
for  two  apprentices  taken  by  him. 

Mr.  Thomas  Pleasants,  whose  liberality  has  been 
noted  in  connection  with  his  bequests  of  pictures,  &c, 
to  the  Society,  in  18 15  presented  ^600  for  the  Botanic 
Garden,  and  the  amount  was  applied  in  erecting  a 
suitable  entrance  and  porter's  lodge,  which  were  much 
needed,  and  which  would  serve  as  a  lasting  memorial  of 
his  munificence.  Subsequent  expenses  brought  the  total 
sum  expended  by  him  up  to  ^700.  About  this  time, 
the  committee  of  botany  made  a  calculation  of  averages, 
and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  expense  to  be 
incurred  in  the  improvement  and  support  of  the 
Garden  should  not  exceed  ^1500  a  year. 

In  1 8 17-18 1 8,  the  range  of  hothouses  was  moved 
to  a  new  site,  being  that  of  the  present  large  palm- 
house. 

The  Norfolk  Island  pine  now  began  to  display 
symptoms  of  a  sickly  condition,  its  health  and  beauty 
became  much  impaired,  and  its  recovery  seemed 
doubtful.  The  injury  was  found  to  have  arisen  from 
the  building — the  octagon  house — which  was  ordered 
to  be  erected  round  it,  not  having  been  put  up  in  time, 

N 


i94  A   HISTORY    OF 

when  a  severe  frost  attacked  the  plant,  which  was  un- 
fortunately killed.  The  head-gardener  was  blamed  for 
not  having  taken  steps  to  protect  it,  and  was  about  being 
dismissed,  but  the  Society,  taking  a  more  lenient  view, 
only  censured  and  fined  him.  In  July  1825  was  an- 
nounced the  death  of  Dr.  Wade,  first  professor  of  Botany, 
who  from  18 17  had  taken  up  the  duties  of  professor  of 
Agriculture.  Dr.  Samuel  Litton  succeeded  him,  and 
on  his  death,  in  1846,  Dr.  Harvey,  the  botanist  and 
traveller,  was  appointed  professor.  Whitelaw  and 
Walsh's  History  of  Dublin,  published  in  1 8 1 8  (ii.  p. 
1283),  contains  a  very  full  description  of  the  Garden 
and  its  contents  at  that  time. 

By  1830,  the  houses  were  becoming  decayed,  and 
it  was  found  that  what  was  known  as  the  cattle  garden 
was  useless,  while  the  Irish  garden  was  unnecessary,  the 
plants  in  it  being  in  the  general  arrangement.  The 
professor  of  Botany  made  a  report,  in  which  he  stated 
that  just  the  same  arrangement  existed  then  as  had 
obtained  in  the  year  1800.  One  portion  was  a  Hortus 
Hibernicus,  which  contained  the  native  plants  of  Ireland ; 
the  other  portion  was  an  illustration  of  the  natural 
arrangement  of  Jussieu.  In  the  first  division — No.  1, 
the  systematic,  was  rich  in  trees  and  shrubs.  2,  The 
cattle  garden  was  laid  out  according  to  the  views  of 
Linnaeus,  and  was  useful  for  agricultural  experiments. 

3,  The  hay  garden,  according  to  the  plan  of  the  Duke 
of  Bedford's  hortus  gramineus,  was  laid  out  in  plots 
of  9  ft.  by  4  ft.,  with  grasses  used  in  Irish  agriculture. 

4,  The  esculent  garden.  5,  The  dyer's  garden. 
6,  Saxatile  plants.  7,  Creepers  and  climbers.  8,  Bog 
and  water  plants.  9,  Marine  (only  what  grew  naturally 
on  shores).  10,  Variegations  of  plants.  There  was 
also  a  hortus  medicus.  The  hothouses  and  conserva- 
tories were  reported  on  as  being  very  imperfect,  and 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      195 

there  was  a  great  lack  of  walled  enclosures,  privet 
hedges  &c.  Too  little  attention  was  said  to  be 
paid  to  florists'  plants,  and  the  fruit-bearing  trees 
needed  protection.  An  extension  of  the  arboretum 
was  considered  necessary,  and  greater  attention  to  the 
principle  of  pruning  was  recommended.  A  proper 
nursery  and  botanical  museum,  with  library  attached, 
were  much  required.  The  recommendations  of  the 
professor  were  carried  out. 

In  the  year  1833,  the  head  and  under  gardeners, 
who  had  served  since  the  establishment  of  the  Garden, 
had  become  unequal  to  the  duties  of  their  respective 
posts,  from  age  and  infirmity.  The  former  died  in 
August  of  that  year.  On  a  ballot  for  the  post  of  head- 
gardener,  Mr.  Ninian  Niven,  of  the  Chief  Secretary's 
gardens,  Phoenix  park,  and  Mr.  David  Moore,  of  the 
College  Botanic  Garden,  were  candidates,  and  the 
former  was  elected.  After  his  appointment,  Niven 
went  over  by  invitation  to  Arley  Hall,  Staffordshire, 
when  the  Earl  of  Mountnorris  gave  him  600  species  of 
plants  for  the  garden.  He  also  visited  Wentworth 
Fitzwilliam,  Chatsworth,  and  the  Botanic  Garden, 
Sheffield,  from  each  of  which  the  Dublin  Garden  was 
liberally  supplied.  For  the  year  ending  1st  January 
1835,  the  number  of  visitors  to  the  Garden  was 
71 10,  and  for  that  ending  1st  January  1836,  11,477; 
which  showed  a  very  considerable  increase.  Mr. 
Niven  initiated  extensive  alterations  and  improve- 
ments ;  the  hothouses  were  repaired  and  stocked,  the 
plan  of  the  garden  changed,  and  the  various  depart- 
ments brought  up  to  date.  On  resigning  his  post  in 
1838,  Mr.  Niven  informed  the  Society  that  during 
his  tenure  of  office  fresh  advances  had  been  made 
in  the  rearrangement  of  the  hardy  herbaceous  plants 
(according  to  Linnaeus)  ;  about  one  half  of  the  classes 


196  A   HISTORY   OF 

up  to  Polyandria  had  been  gone  over  and  added  to ; 
and  he  alluded  to  the  fact  of  his  having  published  a 
Visitor  s  Companion  to  the  Botanic  Garden.  A  new 
species  of  Verbena,  from  South  America,  had  been  raised 
from  seed  collected  by  Mr.  John  Tweedie  of  Buenos 
Ayres.  The  stock  of  what  proved  to  be  a  very  lovely 
plant  raised  in  it  (save  one  plant)  was  disposed  of  for 
50  guineas,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Garden. 

On  the  8th  of  November  1838,  Mr.  David  Moore, 
who  afterwards  became  a  Ph. Doc,  was  elected  curator  in 
the  room  of  Mr.  N.  Niven.  The  title  of  his  post  was 
afterwards  changed  to  that  of  Director.  In  1878,  in 
recognition  of  his  scientific  eminence,  Dr.  Moore  was 
elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 
Dr.  Moore,  a  most  distinguished  botanist,  laboured 
assiduously  in  the  interests  of  the  charge  committed 
to  him,  and,  on  his  death  in  1879,  left  the  Garden 
in  a  high  state  of  efficiency.  His  son,  Sir  Frederick  W. 
Moore,  the  present  head  of  the  department  (who 
was  knighted  in  191 1),  succeeded  him.  Under  Dr. 
Moore's  regime,  all  the  old  houses,  except  the  octa- 
gon, were  removed,  and  the  fine  range  of  wrought- 
iron  conservatories  was  built  in  1843,  at  a  cost  of  over 
£5000,  of  which  sum  .£4000  were  contributed  by 
Government,  the  balance  being  paid  by  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society.  Part  of  this  balance  was  raised  by 
private  subscription  among  the  members,  and  part  was 
taken  from  the  Society's  reserve  fund.  The  designs  of 
these  houses  were  furnished  by  Mr.  Ferguson,  master 
of  architectural  drawing  in  the  School  of  Art,  and  by 
Mr.  Frederick  Darley.  The  first  palmhouse,  com- 
pleted in  1862,  was  from  a  design  of  Mr.  James  H. 
Owen,  architect  of  the  Board  of  Works.  This,  being 
injured  by  the  gales  of  1833,  was  removed,  and  a 
splendid  new  one  was  erected  in  the  next  year.     The 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      197 

Orchid  house  was  built  in  1854,  and  the  Victoria 
house,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Victoria  regia 
water-lily,  was  erected  in  1855  by  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society. 

On  the  6th  of  August  1 849,  Queen  Victoria  and 
the  Prince  Consort  visited  the  Botanic  Garden.  (See 
p.  279.) 

A  considerable  amount  of  friction  occurred  between 
the  Government  and  the  Society  in  1861,  on  the  ques- 
tion of  opening  the  Garden  on  Sundays,  a  step  which 
the  Society  resisted,  and  the  grant  of  £6000  for  the 
year  was  made  conditional  on  the  policy  of  the  Govern- 
ment being  carried  out.  In  the  end  the  Society  had  to 
give  way,  and  on  the  Sundays,  from  the  1 8  th  of  August  to 
the  end  of  September,  78,000  persons  visited  the  place. 
The  attendance  for  the  year  amounted  to  133,780, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  numbers,  the  Council  of  the 
Society  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  orderly  and  decorous 
behaviour  of  the  visitors.  The  grounds  then  com- 
prised about  43  acres,  and  their  upkeep  cost  £1340. 

The  Society's  connection  with  the  Garden  ceased  in 
1878,  when  it  was  placed  under  the  control  of  the 
Science  and  Art  Department. 

Since  that  period,  it  has  been  largely  added  to,  nine 
acres  having  been  taken  in  on  the  north  side  for  an 
arboretum,  and  seven  acres  for  nursery  ground,  on  the 
south  side,  nearer  the  city.  As  regards  specialities,  the 
garden  has  a  world-wide  reputation  for  possessing  the 
most  complete  collection  of  sfecies  of  orchids  in  exist- 
ence. It  is  also  well  known  for  its  collection  of 
hardy  herbaceous  plants  and  Cycadacece,  material  for 
study  being  constantly  supplied  from  its  collections  to 
the  continent  of  Europe  and  to  America. 

The  herbarium  and  museum  have  been  transferred 
to  the  National  Museum,  Kildare  Street. 


98  A    HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE   HIBERNIAN   SILK   AND   WOOLLEN 
WAREHOUSES 

The  guild  or  corporation  of  Weavers  in  Dublin  (in 
conjunction  with  others  interested  in  the  silk  trade), 
presented  a  petition  to  Parliament,  in  1753,  stating 
that,  as  a  result  of  the  extensive  importation  of 
foreign  silks,  the  trade  was  declining,  and  the  silk 
weavers  were  being  ruined.  With  a  view  to  the  revival 
of  the  trade,  Parliament  voted  money  to  the  Dublin 
Society,  which  decided  on  establishing  a  silk  warehouse 
in  which  the  parliamentary  funds  were  to  be  expended 
in  giving  premiums  on  silks  made  in  Ireland,  the  great 
object  being  to  have  everything  of  the  kind  that  could  be 
made  in  Ireland  manufactured  there.  The  warehouse 
was  to  be  strictly  a  retail  one,  and  the  Society  in  1766 
passed  a  special  resolution  that  no  part  of  the  sum  of 
^3200  allotted  should  be  given  for  a  wholesale  trade 
in  it.  In  1764,  Alderman  Benjamin  Geale,  Messrs. 
Robert  Jaffray,  Travers  Hartley,  Thomas  Hickey,  and 
Edmund  Reilly  were  appointed  by  the  Society  to  act 
with  a  committee  of  the  Weavers'  company,  and  their 
deliberations  resulted  in  a  house  being  taken  in  Parlia- 
ment street  for  the  sale  of  silk,  on  the  amounts  of 
which  manufacturers  were  paid  a  percentage.  It  was 
formally  opened  in  February  1765,  when  a  large 
number  of  ladies  attended  the  ceremony,  and  made 
purchases.     In  1767,  the  master,  wardens,  and  seventy- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      199 

three  brethren  of  the  Weavers'  company,  as  well  as 
the  Shearmen  and  Dyers  of  the  city,  presented  ad- 
dresses of  thanks  to  the  Society  for  their  attention  to 
the  trade,  and  erection  of  a  silk  warehouse.  The 
dyers  were  specially  grateful  for  the  translation  of  The 
zArt  of  Dyeing  Wool  and  Woollen  Stuffs,  made  by  M. 
Helott,  member  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences, 
which  was  done  at  the  expense  of  the  Society. 

The  value  of  stock  in  the  Warehouse  in  1769  was 
£13,897,  i8j.  yd.  The  Society  was  of  opinion  that 
the  silk  manufacture  might  be  greatly  stimulated  if 
patronesses  were  placed  at  the  head  of  it,  and  fifteen 
ladies  were  chosen  yearly.  Lady  Townsend  became 
president,  and  among  the  earliest  names  as  patronesses 
appeared  those  of  the  Duchess  of  Leinster,  Lady 
Louisa  Conolly,  Lady  Drogheda,  Lady  Shannon,  Lady 
Clanwilliam,  and  Lady  Arabella  Denny. 

Lord  Arran,  Thomas  Le  Hunte,  Redmond  Morres, 
Dean  Brocas,1  and  Dean  Barrington  2  were  directors  of 
the  warehouse  on  behalf  of  the  Society.  Sir  John 
Gilbert  says  that  popular  toasts  among  the  weavers 
were — "  The  Silk  Manufacture  of  Ireland,  and  pros- 
perity to  the  Irish  Silk  Warehouse"  and  "The 
Duchess  of  Leinster,  and  the  Patronesses  of  the  Irish 
Silk  Warehouse  ;  may  their  patriotic  example  induce 
the  ladies  of  Ireland  to  wear  their  own  manufactures. " 
For  some  time  prior  to  1780,  a  return  of  the  sales 
and  of  the  value  of  goods  in  the  silk  warehouse 
for  each  week  was  printed  in  the  Proceedings.  In 
December  1782,  the  value  of  goods  in  the  warehouse 
amounted  to  £12,986,  i8j.  lod.  Unemployment 
among  the  silk  weavers  was  so  rife  in  Dublin  and  its 
liberties,  that  in  1784  they  petitioned  the  Society  for 

1  Theophilus  Brocas,  Dean  of  Killala,  then  resident  in  Dublin. 

2  See  p.  145. 


200  A   HISTORY   OF 

aid,  owing  to  their  distress ;  but,  from  the  state  of  its 
funds,  it  was  found  impossible  to  do  more  than  was 
being  done. 

Parliament  had  passed  an  Act  during  the  session 
of  1780,  which  placed  the  regulation  of  the  wages  of 
journeymen  silk  weavers  in  Dublin,  and  a  certain  dis- 
tance round  it,  in  the  hands  of  the  Society,  which  was 
also  empowered  to  settle  the  prices  of  work.  The  silk 
manufacture  continued  under  the  superintendence  of 
the  Society  until  it  was  found  that  the  trade  had  not 
increased,  and  that  the  money  spent  on  the  warehouse 
might  be  more  satisfactorily  employed.  Parliament 
enacted  that  from  the  25th  March  1786,  none  of  the 
Society's  funds  were  to  be  applied  to  or  expended  in 
support  of  any  house  for  selling  by  wholesale  or  retail 
any  silk  manufacture  whatsoever.  At  this  period 
11,000  persons  were  engaged  in  the  trade  in  Dublin. 

When  the  Society's  connection  with  the  warehouse 
ceased,  the  manufacturers  took  the  burden  of  it  on 
themselves,  at  an  expense  of  about  ^400  a  year ;  but 
by  1795,  the  trade  was  in  a  most  declining  state,  which 
was  attributed  to  change  of  fashion  and  preference  for 
cottons.  The  manufacturers  thought  the  direct  pa- 
tronage of  the  Society  would  be  invaluable,  and  would 
afford  employment,  and  the  committee  appointed  to 
investigate  the  matter  reported  that  it  appeared  to  be 
essential  to  the  preservation  of  the  manufacture  that 
the  Society  should  resume  the  responsibility  for  work- 
ing it.  Some  steps  must  have  been  taken  of  which 
there  is  no  note  in  the  minute  book,  as  a  committee  is 
found  negotiating  between  the  masters  and  journeymen 
silk  weavers.  A  book  of  orders  for  the  regulation  of 
the  silk  manufacture,  agreed  to  by  the  Society  on  the 
3rd  of  March  1796,  appeared,  and  public  notice  was  to 
be  given  of  the  agreement.     In  1808  (at  which  period 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      201 

there  were  about  1500  silk  weavers  in  the  city),  the 
masters  and  working  silk  manufacturers  of  Dublin, 
considering  that  it  had  been  empowered  to  regulate 
wages,  presented  a  memorial  to  the  Society.  They 
prayed  that,  as  employment  for  males  had  been  de- 
creasing, females  should  be  excluded ;  save  in  the  case 
of  a  wife  or  daughter,  who  might  help  in  the  loom. 
The  broad-silk  weavers  and  master  silk  manufacturers 
sent  in  a  contrary  petition,  and  the  Society,  as  their 
unanimous  opinion,  ruled  that  females  should  not  be 
excluded  from  any  branch  of  the  silk  manufacture. 

The  operative  silk  winders  of  Dublin  claimed  an 
advance  in  their  wages  in  18 13,  as  to  which  the 
committee  of  trade  and  manufactures  were  asked  to 
examine  and  report.  The  committee  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  Society  was  always  most  anxious  to 
help  those  who  sought  its  aid — "  who,  without  it, 
might  be  driven  to  the  mischievous  and  dangerous 
expedient  of  stubborn  combination";  and  impressed 
on  the  workers  the  necessity  of  keeping  wages  within 
reasonable  bounds,  so  as  to  avoid  the  danger  of  foreign 
competition  and  injury  to  trade.  A  scale  of  wages 
was  annexed  to  the  report.  For  some  time,  manu- 
facturers of  fine  silk  had  experienced  inconvenience 
from  delay  in  getting  silks  wound.  In  18 18,  com- 
plaints were  again  being  made,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  examine  the  Acts  of  Parliament  regu- 
lating the  silk  manufacture  in  Dublin,  and  report 
whether  alterations  were  necessary.  The  silk  winders 
had  sent  in  a  memorial  stating  that  the  masters  had 
refused  to  comply  with  the  Society's  order  fixing  the 
rate  of  wages,  and  the  committee  recommended  that 
the  Act  19  and  20  George  III  should  be  amended  by 
inserting  "  mistresses  "  in  the  penal  clause  of  the  first 
section,  and  that  the  Act  should  be  extended  to  the 


202  A   HISTORY   OF 

regulation  of  the  wages  of  journeywomen  as  well  as  of 
journeymen.  A  deputation  on  the  subject  was  to 
attend  the  Chief  Secretary.  This  Act  expired  in  the 
year  1831,  and  the  Society  considered  it  inexpedient 
to  interfere  with  respect  to  the  rate  of  any  new  wages 
Parliament  might  establish. 

A  committee  was  appointed  in  18 16,  to  enquire 
into  the  state  of  the  title  to  the  silk  warehouse  in 
Parliament  street,  when  it  was  found  that  the  Society 
had  no  interest  in  it.  A  lease  in  trust,  which  was  de- 
posited with  the  Society,  had  been  taken  by  Joseph 
Webster  and  Richard  Brett.  When  by  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment, in  1786,  the  Society's  patronage  over  the  silk 
weavers  came  to  an  end,  the  lease,  with  declaration  of 
trust  (as  to  the  house)  from  Webster  and  Brett  to 
the  corporation  of  Weavers,  had  been  delivered  to 
them. 

What  has  been  written  has  reference  only  to  the 
silk  manufacture  in  connection  with  the  Dublin  Society  ; 
but,  in  addition,  it  may  be  well  to  make  a  few  remarks 
on  the  general  aspect  of  the  question,  showing  how  it 
presented  itself  to  outsiders.  The  silk  trade  in  Ireland 
had  been  protected  by  paying  a  less  duty  on  organised 
silk  than  the  London  merchants  paid,  but  that  ceased 
in  1 82 1,  when  the  duties  were  equalised.  The  silk  was 
sent  to  the  warehouse  directly  by  the  weavers,  and  all 
transactions  were  for  ready  cash,  but  the  expense  the 
Society  was  put  to  was  greatly  in  excess  of  the  revenue 
for  encouraging  arts,  manufactures,  &c.  It  was  intended 
to  take  the  weavers  out  of  the  hands  of  mercers  and 
drapers,  and  let  the  silk  manufacture  come  to  market 
without  any  intervening  profit.  The  mercer  and  draper 
were  thus  deprived  of  a  good  deal  of  their  trade,  which 
in  reality  taxed  them  severely.  What  they  sold  then 
must  necessarily  have  been  at  a  higher  rate,  and  it  was 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      203 

not  easy  to  understand  why  master  manufacturers  had 
to  be  taxed  to  encourage  a  manufacture.  When  goods 
are  dearer  the  consumption  is  less,  so  that  consumption 
on  credit  was  lessened,  that  the  ready-money  purchaser 
might  get  his  goods  at  a  cheaper  rate.  Many  thinking- 
persons  saw  that  if  the  manner  in  which  the  Dublin 
Society  acted  in  this  matter  of  the  silk  warehouse  was 
justified,  then  all  the  trade  should  be  diverted  thither, 
in  which  case  no  place  would  be  left  for  mercers  or 
drapers.  Great  jealousies  became  rife  in  the  trade,  and 
Arthur  Young  expressed  the  view  that  if  a  manufac- 
ture were  of  such  sickly  growth  as  to  need  all  this 
nursing,  it  was  not  worth  consideration.  What  in 
reality  was  brought  about,  was  a  great  increase  in  the 
importation  and  consumption  of  foreign  silks,  a  result 
the  very  opposite  of  what  the  Society  had  intended. 
One  serious  disadvantage  operated  against  the  mercers 
which  compelled  them  to  defend  their  own  interests. 
When  they  were  supplied  with  a  good  selling  pattern, 
and  entrusted  it  to  be  made,  as  soon  as  the  manufac- 
turer executed  (say)  ten  pieces  for  them,  he  made  prob- 
ably thirty  for  himself,  which  he  retailed  to  the  ware- 
house at  a  less  rate  than  he  charged  wholesale  to  the 
mercers.  When  the  directors  made  a  rule  that  no 
mercers  were  to  be  permitted  to  buy  goods  in  the 
warehouse  for  retail,  the  latter  were  compelled  to  import 
foreign  silks.  The  mercers  should  have  been  allowed 
to  purchase  for  ready-money,  at  a  reduction,  in  the 
warehouse,  and  the  retail  trade  in  shops  should  have 
been  put  on  an  equal  footing  with  it ;  premiums  should 
have  been  withdrawn,  and  the  House  opened  for 
manufacturers  who  might  not  be  able  to  dispose  of 
their  pieces  by  wholesale.1 

1  Considerations  on  the  Silk  Trade  in  Ireland,  addressed  to  the 
Dublin  Society  ;  Haliday  Pamphlets,  1778,  ccccii.  2. 


2o4  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  November  1772,  a  resolution  as  to  the  necessity 
for  the  establishment  of  a  warehouse  in  Dublin  for  the 
sale  of  woollen  goods  for  home  consumption  was  come 
to,  and  the  vice-presidents,  with  Messrs.  Ford,  Vallancey, 
Andrews,  and  Lodge  Morres  were  named  directors. 
The  warehouse,  placed  by  Parliament  under  the 
management  of  the  Society,  was  opened  in  Castle 
street  in  1773,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  1780,  the 
value  of  goods  in  it  was  stated  to  be  ^10,674,  \s.  id., 
and  in  1782,^13,311,  17  s.  3^.  To  encourage  woollen 
and  worsted  manufacture  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  ^60 
were  voted  to  Arthur  Greene,  of  Ennis,  clothier,  dyer, 
and  presser,  as  an  aid  towards  erecting  proper  apparatus 
for  dyeing  and  finishing.  A  bounty  of  £60  was  also 
voted  to  David  Clark,  late  of  Manchester,  for  having 
established  in  this  kingdom  the  making  of  carding 
machines  and  spinning-jennies  for  cotton.  Lady 
Arabella  Denny  laid  before  the  Society  specimens  of 
twenty-four  different  kinds  of  woollen  and  worsted 
manufactures,  such  as  were  best  adapted  to  the  Portu- 
guese market,  with  particulars  which  might  lead  to 
the  introduction  of  those  branches  of  manufacture. 
In  1784,  on  the  consideration  of  the  appropriation  of 
,£400  voted  for  the  woollen  warehouse,  and  as  to  any 
necessary  alterations  in  the  mode  of  conducting  it,  a 
memorial  was  received  from  the  manufacturers  who  sold 
their  goods  through  it,  praying  the  Society  to  continue  the 
mode  of  sale  as  before.  A  pamphlet,  entitled  Remarks 
on  a  Pamphlet  printed  in  the  year  1779,  containing 
Thoughts  on  the  Inexpediency  of  continuing  the  Irish 
Woollen  Warehouse  as  a  Retail  Shop,1  with  some  other 
papers  of  a  like  nature,  was  presented.     An  amend- 

1  For  the  pamphlet  as  to  Inexpediency,  see  Haliday  Pamphlets, 
1779,  ccccxi.  10.  It  contains  powerful  arguments  against  the  system, 
and  is  well  worth  perusal. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      205 

ment  was  moved  that  the  words  "  as  a  wholesale 
warehouse  only "  be  inserted,  but  on  the  further  re- 
presentation of  some  clothiers,  who  thought  that  any 
alteration  would  materially  injure  the  woollen  manu- 
facture of  Ireland,  the  amendment  was  negatived.  In 
August  1784,  another  memorial  was  presented  by  the 
same  manufacturers,  who,  being  ready  to  end  all  con- 
troversies, stated  themselves  willing  to  relinquish  retail 
sales  for  a  term  of  two  years.  The  Society  agreed  to 
this  proposition,  and  instructed  the  directors  to  adopt 
such  regulations  as  would  make  it  a  wholesale  ware- 
house only.  In  June  1786,  the  Society  resolved  to 
open  it  again  as  a  retail  warehouse. 

Robert  Kemp,  of  Cork,  clothier,  stated  that  he 
had  established  several  spinning-jennies,  and  had  im- 
ported a  carding  machine  at  great  expense.  He  had 
also  gone  into  some  of  the  clothing  counties  of 
England,  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  mode 
of  business  carried  on  there,  and  brought  over,  at  a 
large  salary,  a  person  fully  qualified  to  conduct  the 
machinery.  Having  incurred  various  expenses  up  to 
^400,  he  asked  for  aid.  Certificates  of  woollen  drapers 
in  Cork,  in  furtherance  of  his  claims,  having  been  read, 
and  the  matter  enquired  into  by  a  committee,  a  sum 
of  ^100  was  granted  to  Kemp. 

During  inclement  seasons,  the  working  poor  in  the 
liberties  of  Dublin,  who  were  bred  to  the  woollen  manu- 
facture, suffered  great  privations  and  destitution  when, 
by  reason  of  the  wet,  they  could  not  have  their  wool, 
wraps,  and  cloths  dried.  In  1809,  they  memorialised 
the  Society  to  take  steps  to  provide  means  for  having 
this  done.  Another  petition  on  behalf  of  the  same 
class  of  the  poor  was  presented  by  the  Lord  Mayor 
and  a  number  of  eminent  citizens,  praying  the  Society 
to  represent  to  Parliament  the  necessity  for  a  grant  to 


206  A   HISTORY   OF 

build  a  stove  tenter  house  in  the  Liberties,  which  it  was 
estimated  would  cost  about  ^3500,  when  Mr.  Thomas 
Pleasants,  whose  liberality  was  unbounded,  offered  a 
sum  of  j£  1 0,000  for  the  erection  of  the  tenter  house.1 

The  arguments  urged  against  the  woollen  ware- 
house seem  materially  the  same  as  those  used  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  silk  warehouse,  but  in  this  case  it  was 
thought  that  a  radical  mistake  had  been  made  from 
the  time  of  the  introduction  of  the  woollen  manufacture 
into  the  kingdom,  in  establishing  it  in  the  capital  city. 
Industry  and  frugality  among  the  artisan  class  do  not 
prevail  to  any  extent  in  a  large  city,  where  its  members 
estimate  the  value  of  their  labours  by  the  excessive  prices 
that  have  to  be  paid  for  necessaries.  Time,  too,  was 
more  wasted,  and  much  of  it  spent  in  amusement. 
Moreover,  the  system  of  apprenticeship  necessary  in 
the  city  was  not  suitable  in  the  case  of  this  industry  in 
the  country,  and  only  augmented  the  dearness  of  labour. 
Great  expense  also  attended  the  obtaining  and  preparing 
the  raw  material.  The  industry  was  essentially  one  for 
small  communities  scattered  through  the  country,  as  in 
England,  and  the  working  people  connected  with  it 
should  be  judiciously  distributed,  as  the  conditions  of 
their  labour  would  then  be  entirely  favourable,  and  the 

1  In  the  process  of  the  woollen  manufacture,  certain  stages  were 
reached  at  which  the  materials  had  to  be  sized  and  dried,  which  was 
accomplished  by  suspending  them  on  tenters  (hooks  for  stretching 
cloth  on  a  frame),  in  the  open  air.  The  Irish  climate  was  too  un- 
certain for  this  being  regularly  or  satisfactorily  carried  out,  and  during 
rainy  seasons  work  had  frequently  to  be  given  up  for  lengthened 
periods,  which  entailed  on  the  weaving  population  a  great  deal  of 
suffering  and  privation.  In  181 5,  Pleasants,  finding  that  no  help  was 
being  afforded  either  by  the  government  or  the  municipality,  though 
much  had  been  written  and  said  on  the  subject,  and  sympathising, 
as  he  did,  with  the  weavers  in  their  trials,  erected  at  his  own  expense, 
on  an  open  space  in  Brown  street,  at  the  back  of  Weavers'  square,  a 
large  tenter  house,  fitted  with  proper  stoves,  furnaces,  and  appliances, 
in  which  work  could  be  carried  on  at  all  seasons.  The  building  was 
said  to  have  cost  ,£12,964. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY      207 

community  at  large  would  benefit.  These  are  general 
principles ;  but  with  regard  to  the  particular  instance  of 
the  Dublin  Society  having  established  a  retail  ware- 
house, that  body  had  in  reality  created  a  monopoly  in 
the  heart  of  a  commercial  city,  with  a  result  that  in 
the  end  a  larger  quantity  of  goods  was  imported.  As 
interest  is  ever  the  ruling  principle  in  commerce,  the 
drapers,  finding  this  shop  open  for  retail,  whither  all 
the  ready-money  went,  and  that  the  credit  part  of  the 
business  fell  to  them,  increased  their  imports.  In  all 
European  countries  in  which  the  woollen  trade  was 
carried  on,  the  retail  business  was  conducted  by  shop- 
keepers only,  as  necessary  middlemen.  The  manu- 
facturer sold  his  cloth,  and  was  done  with  it ;  but  the 
draper  had  a  character  for  goods  to  maintain,  and  as 
the  system  inaugurated  by  the  Dublin  Society  helped 
to  ruin  him,  he,  in  self-defence,  took  the  action  that 
he  found  beneficial  to  his  interests,  which  was  quite 
opposed  to  the  policy  of  the  Society.  Hence,  after  a 
precarious  existence,  the  woollen  warehouse  was  finally 
abandoned. 

In  connection  with  the  work  of  the  Society  in  the 
silk  and  woollen  warehouses,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
note  what  was  being  done  in  the  matter  of  worsted  in 
some  parts  of  the  country.  In  1787,  Sir  John  Parnell, 
bart.,  laid  before  it  an  account  of  the  progress  made  in 
establishing  a  school  in  Maryborough  for  spinning 
worsted  warps,  when  he  was  thanked  for  his  exertions 
in  promoting  the  woollen  manufacture  and  market  in 
the  Queen's  county.  Twenty-five  wheels  were  directed 
to  be  provided  at  the  Society's  expense  for  such  girls  in 
Maryborough  as  should  appear  to  deserve  rewards.  It 
was  resolved  to  open  a  second  school  there,  to  be  con- 
ducted under  a  mistress,  as  the  first.  In  1790,  a 
spinning  school  was  opened  in  Cork.     With  a  view  to 


208  A    HISTORY   OF 

improving  the  art  of  worsted  weaving,  premiums  were 
offered  for  machines  called  Billies,  of  not  less  than 
thirty  spindles,  which  prepared  the  cardings  of  wool 
into  slabs  ready  for  spinning  on  the  jenny ;  with  further 
premiums  for  skeins,  &c,  worked  on  such.  One 
hundred  pounds  were  to  be  applied  in  premiums  on 
the  value  of  scribbling  cards,  or  of  cards  to  be  affixed 
on  cotton-carding  machines. 

The  principal  hosiers  of  Dublin  having  represented 
that  their  trade  would  probably  benefit  by  encourage- 
ment being  extended  to  the  construction  of  gig  frames, 
and  teaching  working  hosiers  the  mode  of  using  them, 
six  guineas  were  paid  to  a  person  who  instructed  two 
master  framesmiths  in  the  method  of  making  gig 
frames  of  the  most  approved  construction. 

In  vol.  Hi.  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Society,  app.  b 
(1816),  is  a  sketch  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the 
merino  factory,  Kilkenny,  by  Thomas  Nowlan.  A 
report  was  made  on  this  factory,  in  18 19,  from 
which  it  appeared  that  its  superfine  cloth  of  native 
wool  had  obtained  the  chief  premium  of  the  Farming 
Society. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      209 


CHAPTER   XIII 

FINANCES   OF    THE   SOCIETY,    MEMBERSHIP,    AND 
BY-LAWS.     (1761-1836) 

Finances 

Some  grants  of  public  money  in  aid  of  the  Society 
have  already  been  noticed,  but  it  was  not  until  the 
year  176 1  that  regular  parliamentary  grants  were 
made.  In  that  year  a  sum  of  ^12,000  was  voted 
(1  Geo.  Ill,  c.  1) — ^2000  to  enable  the  Society  to 
continue  the  premiums  in  agriculture  and  manufac- 
tures, and  ^10,000  for  distribution  among  petitioners 
for  premiums.  Under  3  Geo.  Ill,  c.  1,  ^2000  were 
voted  for  agriculture,  and  j£8ooo  for  manufactures, 
and  similar  amounts  under  5  Geo.  III.  By  7  Geo. 
Ill,  ^3000  were  given  for  agriculture  and  for  com- 
pletion of  the  Grafton  street  house,  and  £7000  for 
manufactures.  From  1772,  the  regular  sum  voted  in 
any  year  was  ;£  10,000,  and  this  continued  to  1783. 
From  that  period  to  1792,  ^5000  were  granted,  in- 
creased in  that  year  to  £5500.  In  the  year  1800,  the 
last  of  the  Irish  Parliament,  the  Society's  grant  amounted 
to  ^15,000.  In  June,  1784,  a  requisition  was  received 
from  the  Commissioners  of  Imprest  Accounts,  under 
the  Act  24  Geo.  Ill,  passed  for  the  due  accounting  of 
all  money  granted  for  public  works,  and  for  ordering 
a   regular  account   of  moneys,   entrusted    to    (among 

o 


210  A   HISTORY   OF 

others)  the  Dublin  Society,  requiring  the  Society  to 
furnish  such  particulars.  It  appeared  to  the  com- 
mittee appointed  to  consider  the  requisition  that  the 
Society  was  not  obliged  to  submit  any  accounts  prior 
to  the  ist  of  June  1784,  and  that  it  would  be  sufficient 
to  lodge  a  statement  of  debts  due  and  of  funds  unex- 
pended. 

In  March  1789,  a  special  committee  was  appointed 
to  report  on  the  state  of  the  Society's  funds,  and  how 
far  they  might  be  adequate  to  discharge  premiums.  It 
reported  that  on  account  of  the  large  payments  made 
within  recent  years,  by  reason  of  the  increased  number 
of  claimants,  and  the  great  expenses  incurred  in  the 
enlargement  of  the  repository  for  implements  in 
Hawkins  street,  the  Society  could  only  afford  to  offer 
^4500  for  encouragement  of  planting  and  agriculture, 
and  ^1500  for  manufactures  and  fine  arts.  In  June, 
the  outstanding  orders  liable  to  be  demanded  at  any 
time  were  found  to  amount  to  nearly  ^4000,  which 
would  have  to  remain  undischarged  until  the  parlia- 
mentary bounty  of  last  session  was  paid  over  by  the 
Treasury.  The  expenditure  on  account  of  agriculture 
and  planting  exceeded  the  appropriated  fund  by  more 
than  £iyoo. 

On  the  30th  of  January  1800,  the  following  pro- 
posal, in  substance,  was  agreed  to,  for  submission  to  Par- 
liament, which  was  to  stand  as  part  of  the  Society's 
petition  to  it  in  that  session  : — Anxious  to  carry  their 
great  plan  for  the  benefit  of  the  country  into  execu- 
tion, and  hoping  for  a  liberal  bounty  from  Parliament, 
the  Society  propose  to  surround  the  Botanic  Garden 
with  a  wall ;  to  erect  sheds  where  farmers  may  have 
ocular  demonstrations  ;  to  rebuild  the  drawing  schools  ; 
to  erect  at  the  repository  a  gallery  for  exhibition  of 
works  of  Irish  artists ;   and,  above   all,  to  establish  a 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      211 

public  Veterinary  school,  with  sheds,  &c,  for  diseased 
cattle,  wherein  methods  of  cure  may  be  tried.  The 
Society  resolved  that  books  on  this  art  in  foreign 
languages  should  be  translated  into  English,  and  con- 
densed and  arranged  under  special  heads  for  refer- 
ence ;  General  Vallancey,  Dr.  Richard  Kirwan,  and 
Arthur  McGwire  were  to  form  a  committee  for  the 
purpose. 

The  Imperial  Parliament,  in  1801,  made  the  Society 
a  yearly  grant  of  £5500;  and  in  a  petition  to  Parlia- 
ment a  sum  of  £27,141  was  prayed  for — £15,898  to 
complete  the  buildings,  and  £3000  to  finish  the 
statistical  surveys  of  counties,  partly  completed.  A 
sum  of  £3772  was  stated  to  be  due  to  tradesmen 
on  account  of  buildings;  £2610  were  required  to 
finish  the  repository  in  Hawkins  street,  and  £1667 
to  rebuild  the  drawing  schools,  now  in  a  ruinous 
state.  The  petition  went  on  to  show  that  the  Society 
had  been  encouraged  by  the  liberality  of  the  Irish 
Parliament  in  its  last  session,  to  enlarge  their  plans 
for  the  encouragement  of  agriculture  and  manufac- 
tures. It  expressed  the  entire  confidence  of  the  Society 
in  the  liberality  of  the  Imperial  Parliament,  and  its 
desire  to  carry  into  effect  the  national  improvements 
adopted  by  the  late  Parliament  of  Ireland.  An  im- 
mediate grant  of  £11,277,  as  absolutely  necessary, 
was  prayed. 

In  1803,  £5500  were  granted  for  support  of  the 
Society,  and  £4500  for  additional  buildings.  In  May 
of  that  year  it  was  resolved,  owing  to  the  want  of 
funds,  that  no  money  was  to  be  henceforth  expended 
except  in  fulfilling  engagements,  and  no  new  work  was 
to  be  undertaken  without  a  special  report  from  the 
committee  of  economy.  The  statistical  surveys  were 
also  to    be    discontinued.      In    August    the   economy 


212 


A    HISTORY   OF 


committee    made    a    report,   which   showed    the    then 
financial  responsibilities  of  the  Society  to  be  as  follows : 


ANNUAL    EXPENSES 


General  Establishment,  permanent 

Premiums,  agricultural,  permanent 

Premiums,  agricultural,  temporary 

Miscellaneous,  permanent 

Fine  Arts,  permanent 

Fine  Arts,  temporary 

Philosophy,  permanent   . 

Veterinary,  permanent    . 

Veterinary,  temporary 

Mineralogy  and  Chemistry,  permanent 

Botany,  permanent 

Apiarist  (none  now  employed) 


£    *. 
1582  9 

1362  o 

452  4 
667  o 

431  19 
20  o 
191  8 
155  o 
132  17 

643  14 
1700  6 


14  6 


7427  15 
Debts  now  due,  and  that  will  become  due  this 

year 10,683  16 

Works  unfinished  in  Hawkins  Street      .         .         .         571     1 
Works  not  begun,  but  estimated  for  to  Parliament — 

£    s.  d. 

Hawkins  Street  Drawing  School         1667     o    o 

Gallery 1145   10    o 

Veterinary  Buildings   .         .         .        4048     o    o 


6860 
2984 
1280 


Botanic  Garden,  surrounding  wall  .... 

Printing,  &c,  Statistical  Surveys,  @  £§0 

Due  to  Commissioners  of  Wide  Streets,  payable 

March  1805 1526 


6     3 


The  committee  made  a  second  report  which  stated 
that  there  were  no  adequate  means  to  discharge  the 
demands  within  the  year,  and  that  strict  economy 
would  be  necessary.  A  schedule  was  added,  which 
showed  the  means  to  be  applied  to  payments  that  were 
to  be  made  in  1803  and  1804,  according  to  which,  if 
the  Society  found  itself  able  to  agree  with  the  com- 
mittee in  postponements  and  restraints,  there  would 
remain  only  a  sum  of  £1288,  6s.  \d.  due  at  Christmas 
1804.  The  distressed  state  of  the  funds  had  arisen 
from  absolute   necessity  and    unexpected    events.     In 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      213 

1804  Parliament,  as  before,  gave  the  Society  ,£5500 
for  establishment  charges,  and  £4500  for  new  buildings. 
By  the  end  of  the  year  arrears  of  subscriptions  had 
been  reduced  to  a  sum  of  £2828. 

The  report  of  the  committee  of  accounts,  presented 
in  May  18 16,  is  selected  as  showing  particulars  which 
demonstrate  the  financial  position  of  the  Society  after 
its  acquisition  of  Leinster  House. 

I.  Debts  and  engagements,  including  Establish- 
ment expenses,  for  the  year  ending  March 
181 7    (showing    what    are    now    payable),       £      s.    d. 

amounted  to 4614  12     4 

II.  Debts  due  by  the  Society,  incurred  by  under- 
takings previous  to  March  1816,  and  not 
applied  to  expenditure  of  the  year  ending 
March  1817 4366     l     6 

III.  Unavoidable  estimated  expenses  of  year  ending 

25th  March  1817 8076  16     8 

IV.  Debts  due,  and  requiring  payment,  included 

in  estimated  expenditure  for  year  to  25th 

March  1817 248  10  10 

Against  this,  £119,  2s.  ^d.  stood  in  bank;  and 
there  were  also  the  Hawkins  street  premises,  which 
were  valued  at  £10,000;  and  the  yearly  subscriptions 
of  members.  (Full  accounts  for  the  year  ending 
March  18 17  will  be  found  in  Proceedings,  vol.  lii. 
p.  217.)  In  August  1 83 1,  when  the  estimates  for 
the  ensuing  year  were  being  prepared,  it  was  found 
that  the  grant  to  the  Society  was  to  be  reduced  to 
£5500.  The  Imperial  Parliament  had  granted  £10,000 
a  year  for  twenty  years  from  the  date  of  the  Union  ; 
then  it  was  made  £7000,  and  now  it  was  again  being 
reduced.  In  the  Proceedings  for  1831,  p.  290,  is  a 
report  on  this  matter.  In  Proceedings,  vol.  lxvii., 
appendix  v.,  will  be  found  a  petition  to  the  House 
of  Commons  on  the  threatened  reduction. 

In  1832-3,  the  Society's  estimate  for  its  needs  was 


2i4  A    HISTORY    OF 

^7016,  7s.  $d.>  which  was  reduced  by  the  Government 

to  £S3°3>  9s-  lld->  viz-: 

£     s.  d. 

Botanic  Department 1076  12  o 

Chemistry  and  Mineralogy 509     2  o 

Natural  Philosophy,  and  Museum    ....  269     2  o 

Drawing  Schools,  &c 481    16  o 

Library .         .         .  710     o  o 

Establishment 537  12  o 

Miscellaneous   .                         1719     5  n 

5303     9  11 

The  free  balance  unexpended,  amounting  to  ^2714, 
was  to  be  applied  in  reduction  of  the  rent  of  Leinster 
House. 


Membership   and  By-laws 

In  June  1801,  by-law  No.  37,  relating  to  the 
admission  and  subscription  of  members,  was  amended 
by  expunging  "  five "  and  inserting  "  ten "  in  the 
amount  of  the  admission  fine.  An  addition  was  made 
that  every  annual  subscriber  was  to  sign  a  bond  in 
^50  for  payment  of  his  subscription.  It  was  further 
altered  in  November  by  inserting  "  three "  instead  of 
"  two  "  in  the  amount  of  annual  subscriptions  for  mem- 
bers elected  after  the  1st  of  November  1801 ;  so  that  in 
future  members  were  to  pay  ten  guineas  on  admission, 
and  two  guineas  yearly  subscription.  From  1802,  the 
vice-presidents  were  to  be  considered  members  of  every 
committee.  In  181 1  another  amendment  was  made, 
by  which  it  was  provided  that  every  new  member  was 
to  pay  a  sum  of  thirty  guineas  on  admission,  and  there 
were  to  be  no  more  yearly  subscribers.  The  whole 
sum  was  to  be  paid  by  the  day  fixed  for  ballot,  and  the 
admission  of  anyone  not  paying  was  to  be  void.  Every 
candidate,   whether  honorary   or   ordinary,    was   to  be 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      215 

publicly  proposed,  and  no  election  was  to  be  valid  unless 
thirty  members  were  present.  The  election,  as  well  as 
the  proposal  of  honorary  members,  was  to  be  regulated 
in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  case  of  ordinary  members. 
On  the  5th  of  March  18 12,  a  by-law  was  confirmed, 
that  annual  members  should  be  deemed  life  members  on 
a  further  payment  of  fifteen  guineas,  and  on  such  pay- 
ment they  were  to  be  discharged  of  all  arrears.  In 
November  1 8 1 2  it  was  resolved  to  add  a  new  by-law 
to  those  already  in  force,  namely  :  That  no  order  for 
payment  or  appropriation  of  money  was  to  be  made 
without  a  previous  reference  on  the  subject-matter 
thereof  to  the  committee  of  economy,  and  their  report 
being  obtained. 

Later,  it  appeared  that  the  seventieth  by-law  was 
founded  on  a  misapprehension  of  the  true  interpreta- 
tion of  a  clause  in  the  charter,  which  was  to  be  inter- 
preted that  the  Society  had  power  at  any  general 
meeting  to  confirm  such  by-laws  as  had  been  proposed 
and  agreed  to  at  any  previous  stated  general  meeting. 

On  the  25th  of  May  1 8 1 5,  the  42nd,  43rd,  and  46th 
by-laws  were  amended  by  the  word  "thirty"  being 
expunged,  and  the  word  "  fifty "  substituted ;  so  that 
for  the  future  intending  members  had  to  pay  a  sum  of 
fifty  guineas,  and  no  annual  subscription  had  to  be  met 
by  them.  This  was  found  not  to  work,  and  in  1 82 1,  the 
fee  of  thirty  guineas  was  again  resumed.  On  the  28th 
of  November  1 8 16,  several  new  by-laws  were  confirmed 
(Proceedings ,  vol.  liii.  p.  46).  Among  the  principal, 
one  of  the  by-laws  arranged  that  each  of  the  six  com- 
mittees was  to  consist  of  not  more  than  fifteen  members. 
No  one  was  to  be  a  member  of  more  than  two  of  the 
five  first  committees  on  the  list  (which  excluded  that 
of  Economy).  The  committees  were  to  be  elected  by 
ballot  yearly,  and  each  committee  was  to  keep  a  rough 


216  A   HISTORY   OF 

book  of  its  proceedings,  which  were  afterwards  to  be 
entered  in  a  fair  book  to  be  laid  before  the  Society. 

The  14th  by-law  was  also  amended  by  the  substi 
tution  of  the  word  "  fifteen  "  for  "  eighteen,"  which 
caused  the  committee  of  fine  arts  to  consist  of  fifteen 
members,  exclusive  of  the  vice-presidents  and  secre- 
taries. 

From  1825,  balloting  for  admission  of  members  was 
arranged  to  be  carried  out  by  means  of  white  and 
black  beans,  which  were  to  be  dropped  into  a  box 
placed  beside  the  President.  A  special  committee 
appointed  to  consider  the  matter  in  1830,  recom- 
mended that  yearly  subscribers,  who  were  to  pay  five 
guineas  on  admission  and  three  guineas  yearly  in 
advance,  should  be  elected. 

In  1832,  it  was  resolved  that  the  by-laws  were  to  be 
classed  under  heads.  There  were  to  be  eight  standing 
committees,  viz.: — 1,  Botany;  2,  Chemistry  and 
Mineralogy ;  3,  Natural  Philosophy ;  4,  Museum, 
and  Natural  History;  5,  Fine  Arts;  6,  Library;  7, 
Economy;  8,  House — which  were  to  consist  of  nine 
members  each,  besides  the  seven  vice-presidents  and 
the  two  secretaries.  Twenty  guineas  were  now  to  be 
paid  on  admission,  and  not  thirty.  A  new  class  of 
annual  subscribers,  to  be  called  "  Associate  Annual 
Subscribers "  (who  would  not  be  corporate  members 
or  have  any  power  of  voting),  was  to  be  elected,  on 
the  recommendation  in  writing  of  five,  members,  one 
of  whom  was  to  be  a  vice-president.  They  were  to  have 
access  to  the  library,  the  lectures,  exhibitions,  botanic 
garden,  museum,  galleries,  lawn,  &c,  and  were  to  pay 
three  guineas  a  year,  in  advance. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      217 


CHAPTER   XIV 

GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   THE   SOCIETY 
(1781-1815) 

Having  now  had  separately  under  review,  in  the  last 
five  or  six  chapters,  the  various  departments  into  which 
the  Society's  activities  had  branched  out,  namely,  the 
drawing  schools,  the  botanic  garden,  the  schools  of 
agriculture  and  chemistry,  and  the  library,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  take  a  survey  of  its  general  work  during 
the  later  portion  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  earlier  part 
of  the  nineteenth  centuries.  As  if  to  show  how 
widespread  was  the  Society's  influence,  the  period  to 
be  considered  opens  with  a  communication  from  the 
West  India  Islands.  A  letter,  dated  Barbadoes,  14th 
July  1 7  8 1 ,  was  received  from  Joshua  Steele,  an  honor- 
ary member,  announcing  that  several  gentlemen  in 
that  island  had  formed  themselves  into  a  Society  for 
discovering  the  useful  qualities  of  native  productions, 
animal,  vegetable,  and  fossil.  Mr.  Steele  had  been 
chosen  president,  and  the  Barbadoes  Society  offered 
help,  begging  to  be  admitted  to  correspondence  with 
the  Dublin  Society.  The  request  was  granted,  and 
it  was  agreed  that  the  president  of  the  foreign  Society 
for  the  time  being  was  to  be  considered  an  honorary 
member.  During  successive  years,  reports  were  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Steele,  which  contained  acounts  of 
its  proceedings,  and  described  the  different  natural 
productions  of  the  island. 


2i 8  A    HISTORY    OF 

On  the  15th  of  May  1783,  Abraham  Wilkinson 
was  elected  Secretary  in  the  room  of  Michael  Dally, 
deceased. 

Two  years  later  Sir  William  Gleadowe  Newcomen  * 
was  elected  treasurer  of  the  Society  in  the  room  of 
Mr.  Thomas  St.  George,  deceased.  At  this  period, 
the  meetings  appear  to  have  been  very  badly  attended, 
sometimes  only  five  or  six  members  being  present, 
and  a  vice-president  rarely  occupying  the  chair. 

The  Society  had  before  it  on  many  occasions  the 
case  of  John  Grahl,  a  native  of  Saxony,  who  claimed 
some  recognition  of  a  process  by  which  cut  glass  was 
gilt,  so  as  to  resemble  burnished  gold ;  and  at  length, 
in  1785,  he  was  granted  35  guineas.  Mr.  Grahl  was 
noted  as  having  communicated  to  the  committee  all 
the  secrets  he  possessed  in  this  art.  Richard  Hand 
was  granted  15  guineas,  but  declined  to  furnish  the 
recipe  for  making  copal  varnish,  a  necessary  ingredient 
in  his  mode  of  gilding ;  which,  however,  he  subse- 
quently disclosed. 

The  net  sum  of  ^2425,  out  of  moneys  granted 
by  Parliament  during  the  session  of  1785,  was  appro- 
priated as  follows : — 


Irish  Woollen  Warehouse 
Irish  Silk  Warehouse 
Encouragement  of  Silk  Manufacture 
Finishing  Woollen  Goods   . 
Importation  of  Oak  Bark    . 
Encouragement  of  the  Dyeing  Business 
Drawing  Schools         .... 


£400 
Aoo 

£400 

/200 

£600 

£l75 
£250 


Lord  Charlemont  having  laid  before  the  Society  an 
account    of   a    piece    of   mechanism   whereby,    it    was 

1  Newcomen's  bank,  originally  in  Mary's  Abbey,  was  removed 
in  1781  to  a  new  edifice  in  Castle  street,  planned  by  Thomas  Ivory. 
It  is  now  used  as  offices  by  the  corporation. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      219 

alleged,  perpetual  motion  might  be  discovered,  the 
secretary  was  directed  to  lay  it  before  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  with  a  request  for  its  opinion.  The 
Academy  did  not  think  the  principle  new,  nor  did 
it  look  on  the  machine  as  being  likely  to  be  useful 
in  mechanics. 

Mr.  Richard  Vincent,  secretary,  died  in  1788,  and 
Captain  Thomas  Burgh  was  elected  in  his  room.  In 
June  1792,  Burgh  was  elected  a  vice-president  in  the 
room  of  John  Wallis,  resigned. 

Within  eight  years  prior  to  this  date,  Abbe 
Raynal  (1),  Brussels,  John  Howard,  Abbe  Commerell, 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Daniel  Augustus  Beaufort  (2)  had 
been  elected  honorary  members. 

1.  Guillaume  Francois  Raynal,  born  in  17 13,  was  for 
some  time  a  Jesuit,  but,  having  been  excluded  from  the 
Order,  he  devoted  himself  to  literature  and  society.  His 
Philosophical  and  Political  History  of  European  Settlements  in 
the  Two  Indies,  published  in  Amsterdam  in  1770,  was 
written  in  collaboration  with  several  others,  and  the  work 
was  translated  into  some  European  languages.  It  was  full 
of  "  philosophic  declamation  "  (as  Voltaire  said),  which,  per- 
haps, accounted  for  its  popularity  with  a  certain  section  of 
the  public.  Horace  Walpole  declared  that  it  "  told  one 
everything  in  the  world."  Hatred  and  contempt  for  re- 
ligion, and  passion  for  justice  and  freedom,  were  the  key- 
notes of  this  remarkable  book,  which  many  ascribed  to 
Diderot.  It  was  ordered  to  be  publicly  burned,  and  the 
author  arrested ;  but  he  escaped,  and  was  subsequently 
allowed  to  return  to  Paris.  Raynal  died  in  1796.  See 
Diderot  and  the  Encyclopedists  (John  Morley,  ii.  222). 
Among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets  (1782,  ccccxxxiii.  3)  is  a 
Letter  to  Abbe  Raynal,  Author  of  the  Work  on  the  Revolution 
in  North  America,  by  Thomas  Paine. 

2.  Daniel  A.  Beaufort,  son  of  a  French  refugee  minister, 
was  born  at  East  Barnet  in  1739.     He  held  the  rectory  of 


220  A   HISTORY   OF 

Navan  from  1765  to  181 8.  Beaufort  took  an  active  part 
in  the  foundation  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  and  his  map 
of  Ireland,  1792,  with  a  memoir  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiasti- 
cal state  of  the  country,  was  a  valuable  contribution  to 
geography. 

In  1794,  a  sum  of  twenty  guineas  was  paid  to 
Richard  Hand  for  the  Society's  "Arms"  in  stained 
glass,  for  the  centre  of  the  window  purchased  from 
him  in  1793  for  a  sum  of  120  guineas.  The  Society 
never  had  a  grant  of  arms,  and  this  must  have  been 
the  device  of  Minerva  (later  called  Hibernia)  with  a 
cornucopia,  adopted  by  the  Society. 

A  sum  of  ^400  was  divided  in  1795  among  a 
number  of  persons  for  having  enclosed  not  less  than 
ten  acres  with  sufficient  fences,  and  planting  with  forest 
trees  not  less  than  2000  plants  to  each  acre.  The 
prizemen  included  Lord  Belmore,  Lord  Mountjoy, 
Lord  Riverston,  Major  Le  Hunte,  Richard  Aldworth, 
and  Walter  Kavanagh.  Premiums  were  also  distri- 
buted for  preserving  bees  through  the  winters  of  1793 
and  1794. 

In  May  1796,  new  medals  were  ordered  to  be 
struck  for  the  Society,  and  the  pupils  in  the  drawing 
schools  were  asked  to  send  in  designs,  the  reverse  to 
have  several  devices,  each  appropriated  to  some  one 
object  for  which  that  body  granted  premiums.  Among 
the  works  of  William  Mossop,  senior,  appears  the 
medal  of  the  Dublin  Society,  1800,  "given  as  a 
premium  for  the  various  national  objects  encouraged 
by  the  Society." 

The  office  of  registrar  was  abolished  in  the  year 
1798,  and  the  emoluments  applied  to  the  payment  of 
persons  to  superintend  the  collections  of  scientific 
books  at  the  Botanic  Garden  and  the  Repository. 
The  late  registrar  and  collector  had  given  the  Society 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      221 

trouble.  The  solicitor  was  also  a  source  of  annoyance, 
and  a  threat  as  to  legal  proceedings  against  him  had  to 
be  made. 

In  August  1799,  ^40  were  paid  to  George  Fitz- 
gerald for  a  sinecal  circumferenter,1  for  land  survey- 
ing. The  instrument  was  referred  to  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  for  examination,  and  Dr.  Elrington  and  Dr. 
Brinkley  were  of  opinion  that  ingenuity  had  been 
shown  in  its  construction,  and  that  it  would  answer  its 
purpose  more  satisfactorily  than  the  instrument  in  use. 

About  the  same  time  the  Rev.  Andrew  Callage 
presented  specimens  "  of  a  curious  fossil  called  asbestos" 
which  he  obtained  from  Corsica.  A  bust  of  the  late 
Right  Hon.  William  Conyngham  was  procured  from 
Edward  Smyth,  statuary,  and  soon  afterwards,  Sir 
John  Sinclair,  president  of  the  English  Board  of 
Agriculture,  sent  to  the  Society  a  statistical  account 
of  Kilronan  parish,  co.  Roscommon,  written  by  Mr. 
Conyngham,  which  he  had  presented  to  the  Board 
in  1773.  This  gentleman  had  been  William  Burton, 
son  of  the  Right  Hon.  Francis  Burton,  of  Buncraggy, 
co.  Clare,  m.p.,  and  Mary,  daughter  of  Henry  Conyng- 
ham, m.p.  He  assumed  the  name  of  Conyngham 
on  succeeding  to  the  family  estates  on  the  death  of 
his  uncle,  Henry,  Earl  Conyngham.  Mr.  Conyngham 
was  m.p.  successively  for  Ennis  and  Killybegs,  teller 
of  the  exchequer  in  Ireland  and  a  privy  councillor, 
and  he  died,  unmarried,  31st  May  1796.  He  took  an 
unwearied  interest  in  the  objects  of  the  Society,  and  is 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  minutes,  more  especially 
in  connection  with  the  library  and  fine  arts  depart- 
ments. Conyngham  travelled  much  on  the  continent, 
and   on   such   occasions    he   took   the   opportunity    of 

1  An  instrument  used  by  surveyors  for  taking  angles.     A  sinecal 
circumferenter  was  one  that  read  the  sines  of  the  angles. 


222  A    HISTORY   OF 

purchasing   scarce   and   valuable   books   and   works   of 
art  for  the  Society's  collections. 

For  almost  half  a  century  Farming  Societies  had 
been   established  in   various  parts   of  the  country,  all 
more  or  less  in  correspondence  with  the  Dublin  Society, 
and  looking  up  to  it  for  help  and  guidance.     In  the 
year  1755,  a  resolution  as  to  their  formation  had  been 
passed,  and  societies  were  founded  in  the  counties  of 
Antrim,  Kildare,  and  Louth,  as  well  as  in  other  places. 
In  1784,  an  advertisement  was  ordered  to  be  inserted  in 
the  Dublin  Journal  and  Evening  Post,  that  the  Dublin 
Society  desired    the    farming    societies   in  the  various 
counties  to  convey  such  information  on  the  subject  of 
agriculture  as  might  be  considered  useful.     Later  are 
mentioned  societies  in  Mayo,  Roscommon,  and  Ferman- 
agh, and  in  1799  one  was  established  in  the  county  Clare, 
for  agriculture,  manufactures,  fisheries,  and  for  breeding 
cattle.     Early  in  1800  was  started,  by  the  Marquis  of 
Sligo  and  the  Right  Hon.  John  Foster, a  General  Farming 
Society,  which  elected  the  vice-presidents  of  the  Dublin 
Society  and   the   members  of   its   committee  of  agri- 
culture as  honorary  members.     This  new  body  agreed 
to  be  called  the  Farming  Society,  "  under  the  patronage 
of  the  Dublin  Society,"  and  its  committee  of  fifteen 
members  had  permission  to  meet  in  the  repository  in 
Hawkins  street  until  accommodation  was  provided  else- 
where.    It  received  a  State  grant  of  ^5000  per  annum, 
and  concerned  itself  almost  entirely  with  the  practical  side 
of  agriculture  to  the  exclusion  of  the  theoretical,  which 
so  much  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Dublin  Society. 
The  Farming  Society  sought  to  improve  the  breed  of 
cattle,  and  cattle  shows  were  held  under  its  auspices. 
In  imitation  of  the  Dublin  Society's  old  plan,  it  revived 
the  practice  of  sending  an  itinerant  instructor  to  country 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      223 

districts,  and  in  connection  with  it  was  a  factory  for 
the  sale  of  implements  of  husbandry.  This  society 
was  brought  out  more  or  less  under  General  Vallancey's 
auspices,  and  from  the  time  of  its  formation  the  Dublin 
Society  ceased  to  give  encouragement  to  agriculture  in 
the  way  that  it  had  formerly  done,  and  the  prize  system 
was  more  or  less  abandoned.  The  Farming  Society 
lasted  not  quite  thirty  years,  disappearing  in  1828,  when 
the  Dublin  Society  resumed  its  labours  in  that  branch. 
In  the  Proceedings,  vol.  xxxvi.,  will  be  found  a  pro- 
spectus of  premiums  offered  by  the  new  society,  the 
secretary  of  which  was  Charles  Mills.  Under  it,  a 
show  of  neat  cattle  and  sheep  was  held  at  Ballinasloe 
in  October  1800,  and  one  at  Smithfield,  Dublin,  in 
November  of  the  same  year.  Reports  on  these  shows 
appear  in  Proceedings ',  vol.  xxxvii.  On  the  7th  of  May 
1 801,  j£200  were  paid  to  this  new  body  by  the  Dublin 
Society. 

In  18 18,  the  Committee  of  Botany  recommended 
to  the  Society  the  recently  founded  Horticultural 
Society,  and  in  1822,  a  Farming  Society  for  North 
Kerry  was  founded  at  Listowel,  which  requested  aid 
from  the  Dublin  Society. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  Hickey,  Bannow  Glebe,  Taghmon, 
sent  to  the  Society,  in  February  1823,  an  account  of 
an  agricultural  school  which,  in  conjunction  with  Mr. 
Boyse,  he  had  established  in  his  own  parish.  The 
latter  gave  forty  acres  for  experiments,  and  £700  were 
laid  out  in  starting  the  school.  It  accommodated 
nineteen  youths,  and  two  masters  instructed  them  in 
the  theory  and  practice  of  husbandry.  Chemistry, 
botany,  and  mechanics  were  also  taught,  and  it  was 
hoped  they  might  yet  have  a  greenhouse  and  botanic 
garden.  In  1 824,  Mr.  Hickey  and  Mr.  Boyse  were  pre- 
sented with  the  Society's  gold  medal,  in  acknowledgment 


2  24  A    HISTORY    OF 

of  their  successful  labours,  and  the  former  was  granted 
a  pension  from  the  Royal  Literary  Fund.  Hickey  had 
early  been  impressed  by  the  poor  condition  of  Irish 
farms,  and  began  to  study  improved  methods  for  such 
of  them  as  consisted  of  a  few  acres.  In  1817,  he  pub- 
lished The  State  of  the  Poor  in  Ireland.  His  first 
work  on  farming — Hints  to  Small  Farmers — was  pub- 
lished under  the  pseudonym  of  "  Martin  Doyle,"  under 
which  name  he  continued  to  print  a  large  number  of 
pamphlets  on  cattle,  planting,  gardening,  roads,  &c. 
He  also  conducted  the  Irish  Farmer  s  and  Gardener  s 
Magazine. 

In  May  1801,  Philip,  Earl  of  Hardwicke,  was 
elected  President  in  the  room  of  the  Marquis  Corn- 
wallis,  resigned.  A  new  seal  was  ordered  from  Mr. 
Mossop,  who  also  received  a  commission  for  a  figure  of 
"  Hibernia,"  to  be  affixed  to  a  wand  carried  by  the 
Society's  hall-porter.  A  large  steel-press  seal,  with  the 
figure  of  "Hibernia"  (the  Society's  "arms")  executed 
by  John  Milton,  was  sent  from  London,  for  which  he 
was  paid  £31,  10s. 

Two  special  communications  on  the  culture  of 
potatoes  from  the  shoots,  received  from  R.  Griffith  and 
George  Grierson,  were  highly  commended,  and  their 
plans  recommended  for  general  adoption.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Maunsell  was  voted  a  medal  in  Irish  gold  for  his 
services  to  the  same  art  of  potato  culture.1 

During  the  previous  eight  or  nine  years,  Dr.  Walter 
Wade ;  Sir  John  Sinclair,  bart.,  president  of  the  Board 
of  Agriculture,  London ;  Mr.  Secretary  Pelham ;  and 
Benjamin,  Count  von  Rumford,  of  Bavaria;  the  Duke  of 
Argyle,  president  of  the  Highland  Society,  and  William 
McDonald,  its  secretary ;  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  pre- 
sident of  the  London  Society  of  Arts,  and  Charles 
1  See  his  Essay,  Haliday  Pamphlets,  1802,  mcccxxxiii.  6. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      225 

Taylor,  its  secretary,  had  been  elected  honorary  mem- 
bers. Count  von  Rumford  was  voted  a  gold  medal, 
with  suitable  inscription,  for  his  attention  to  the  Society 
during  his  late  residence  in  Ireland. 

Sir  Benjamin  Thompson  (Count  von  Rumford)  was 
born  in  Massachusetts  in  1753.  He  attended  Harvard 
University  lectures,  and  became  a  schoolmaster  at  Rumford 
(subsequently  called  Concord)  in  New  Hampshire.  He 
married  a  lady  of  independent  fortune,  and  soon  sailed  for 
England,  where  he  arrived  in  1775.  Being  of  a  scientific 
turn,  he  experimented  in  gunpowder,  and  in  1779  he  was 
elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society.  He  went  to 
Bavaria,  where  the  Duke  Maximilian  became  his  patron, 
and  in  1795  he  was  created  Count  von  Rumford  of  Bavaria. 
King  George  the  Third  also  knighted  him.  In  1796 
Count  Rumford  came  to  Ireland  with  Lord  Pelham,  where 
he  introduced  many  improvements  into  workhouses  and 
hospitals.  He  was  particularly  interested  in  the  cooking  of 
food,  the  proper  warming  of  houses,  and  in  domestic 
economy  generally.  The  Dublin  Society  and  its  working 
had  great  attractions  for  the  Count,  who  spent  a  good  deal 
of  time  in  Poolbeg  street,  and  "  Count  Rumford's  kitchens  " 
are  mentioned  in  the  minutes.  He  was  so  much  pleased 
with  the  lecture  theatre,  and  the  prospect  of  instruction 
opened  up  by  it,  that  on  returning  to  London  he  projected 
the  Royal  Institution,  Albemarle  street,  an  additional  proof 
that  the  Dublin  Society  may  be  considered  as  the  prototype 
of  numerous  societies  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge.  Count 
Rumford's  collected  works  appeared  in  1796  as  Essays,  Politi- 
cal, Economical,  and  Philosophical.     He  died  in  18 14. 

In  1802,  Thomas  Lysaght,  junior,  was  appointed 
solicitor  to  the  Society  in  Mr.  Tisdall's  place,  and  a  list 
of  members  present  at  each  meeting  began  to  be  printed, 
this  not  having  been  done  since  the  series  of  printed 
Proceedings  was  commenced. 

In  the  same  year  the  Right  Hon.  John  Foster  was 
asked  to  sit  for  his  portrait  by  Hamilton,  which  was  to 

p 


226  A   HISTORY   OF 

be  hung  in  the  board-room  in  acknowledgment  of  his 
exertions  in  the  study  of  agriculture,  botany,  mineralogy, 
and  the  veterinary  art.  Foster  was  born  in  1740,  and 
early  devoted  himself  to  a  political  career.  He  was  mem- 
ber of  Parliament  for  Dunleer  in  1768,  became  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer  in  1785,  being  elected  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Commons  in  August  1785.  Bitterly  opposed 
to  the  Union,  he  exerted  his  utmost  endeavours  to 
prevent  that  measure  being  carried,  and  declined  to 
surrender  the  mace  of  the  House,  saying  that  "  until 
the  body  that  entrusted  it  to  his  keeping  demanded 
it,  he  would  preserve  it  for  them."  It  is  still  held 
by  his  descendants  in  the  Massereene  family.  After 
the  Union,  Foster  represented  Louth  in  the  Imperial 
Parliament,  and  accepted  the  post  of  Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer  for  Ireland.  In  1 821,  he  was  created  Baron 
Oriel,  and  died  on  the  23rd  of  August  1828,  aged 
eighty-seven.  Foster  was  indefatigable  in  his  labours 
on  behalf  of  the  Dublin  Society,  of  which  he  was  a 
vice-president  for  many  years.  He  was  most  diligent 
in  his  attendance  on  committees,  and  took  an  especial 
interest  in  the  department  of  mineralogy  and  botany, 
and  in  the  foundation  of  a  school  for  the  cultivation  of 
the  veterinary  art.  The  Society  was  in  possession  of  a 
portrait  of  Foster  which  hung  in  the  board-room,  but 
in  1 8 1 3  it  was  ordered  to  be  replaced  by  one  painted  by 
Sir  William  Beechey. 

Early  in  1803  Abraham  Wilkinson,  secretary,  died, 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Smyth  was  elected  to  the 
vacant  post. 

A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hincks1  was  re- 

1  Thomas  Dix  Hincks,  born  in  Dublin  in  1767,  was  a  Presbyterian 
divine,  ordained  in  1790  for  Cork,  where  he  conducted  a  school.  He 
projected  the  Royal  Cork  Institution,  of  which  he  became  an  officer, 
and  in  which  he  lectured  on  Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy. 
Hincks  also  edited  the  Munster  Agricultural  Magazine. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      227 

ceived,  which  stated  that  an  attempt  had  been  made 
to  establish  in  Cork  lectures  in  natural  philosophy, 
chemistry,  and  mineralogy.  He  had  procured  from 
London  many  specimens  of  foreign  minerals,  and 
requested  assistance  in  his  endeavours.  The  Society 
allowed  him  to  have  some  duplicate  fossils,  and  he  was 
to  have  copies  of  the  Transactions,  with  lists  of  Irish 
minerals. 

In  the  same  year  Adam  Seybert,  secretary  to  the 
American  Philosophical  Society,  Philadelphia,  requested 
that  it  might  be  allowed  to  correspond  with  the 
Dublin  Society,  which  was  approved,  with  exchange 
of  publications. 

Premiums  were  given,  in  1803,  to  John  Tem- 
pleton,  Belfast,  and  Dr.  Scott,  Marlborough  street,  for 
discovering  plants — natives  of  Ireland — not  previously 
described  by  any  botanist.  Premiums  were  also  awarded 
for  discovery  of  a  new  species  of  rose  in  the  counties  of 
Down  and  Kerry. 

In  1807,  Captain  Theodore  Wilson  was  appointed 
housekeeper  ;  and  Sir  Thomas  G.  Newcomen,  treasurer, 
in  the  room  of  Sir  William  G.  Newcomen,  deceased. 
On  14th  January  1808,  at  a  meeting  at  which  235 
members  were  present,  a  report  of  the  committee  of 
economy  (David  La  Touche,  v. p.,  chairman,  General 
Vallancey,  Arthur  McGwire,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Smyth, 
Edward  Houghton,  Lundy  Foot  and  Jeremiah  D'Olier), 
was  considered,  when  new  rules,  &c,  were  made,  bearing 
on  the  offices  of  assistant  secretary,  registrar  and  collec- 
tor, assistant  librarian  and  housekeeper.  The  office  of 
assistant  secretary  was  separated  from  that  of  registrar, 
and  £300  a  year  was  fixed  on  as  the  salary  attaching 
to  it.  The  registrar  and  collector  was  in  future  to  act 
as  accountant.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Lyster  having  just 
died,  Bucknall  McCarthy,  b.l.,  was  appointed  to  the 


228  A   HISTORY    OF 

vacant  post  of  assistant  secretary;  Thomas  Lysaght, 
registrar  and  collector ;  and  Dr.  John  Lanigan,  assistant 
librarian  and  translator,  at  a  salary  of  £  150  a  year. 

In  February  1 810,  so  as  to  give  additional  solemnity 
to  the  formal  introduction  of  members,  it  was  resolved 
that  on  a  new  member  taking  his  place,  the  name  in 
writing  was  to  be  delivered  to  the  chairman,  who  would 
desire  him  to  be  presented  to  the  chair  by  a  member. 
The  chairman  would  then  announce  the  new  member, 
who  was  to  be  seated  at  his  right  hand.  Count  de 
Salis  was  the  first  member  who  was  formally  introduced 
and  took  his  seat  in  this  way.  On  7  th  March  181 1, 
John  Comerford,  Dame  street,  miniature  painter,  who 
had  been  proposed  as  an  ordinary  member,  and  taken 
down,  to  be  proposed  as  an  honorary  member,  was 
rejected  as  such.  He  had  been  proposed  by  Lord 
Frankfort,  vice-president. 

At  the  end  of  vol.  xlvii.  of  the  printed  Proceedings 
will  be  found  an  analysis,  by  Professor  William  Higgins, 
of  the  meteoric  stone  which  fell  on  the  property  of 
Maurice  Crosbie  Moore,  of  Mooresfort,  co.  Tipperary, 
in  August  1 8 10. 

The  Proceedings  of  the  Society  having  become 
voluminous,  and  it  being  difficult  to  refer  to  particulars, 
Mr.  Wilson  was  directed  to  compile  a  general  index 
to  the  first  fifty  volumes,  which  was  completed  in  July 
1 8 14.  Seven  hundred  and  fifty  copies  were  printed, 
and  Mr.  Wilson  was  paid  one  hundred  guineas  for 
his  labours. 

About  1 8 12,  and  for  some  time  previously,  Mr. 
Jeremiah  D'Olier  was  a  constant  attendant,  and  fre- 
quently occupied  the  chair.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Beaufort, 
Dr.  Harty,  Richard  Griffith,  Dr.  Wade,  Sir  Robert 
Langrishe,  Major  Sirr,  Alderman  Exshaw,  Dr.  T.  H. 
Orpen,  and  Messrs.  Samuel  Guinness,  Austin  Cooper, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      229 

Humphrey  Minchin,  P.  Le  Hunte,  and  Luke  White 
were  also  remarkable  for  the  number  of  meetings 
which  they  attended,  and  for  their  close  attention  to 
the  business  of  the  Society. 

In  November  18 12,  Robert  Shaw  was  elected  a 
vice-president  in  the  room  of  General  Vallancey,  and 
in  December  18 12,  William  Hogan,  junior,  York 
street,  "  a  student  of  Trinity  College/'  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Society,  this  being  the  only  instance,  up 
to  this  period,  of  the  admission  of  anyone  so  described. 
At  the  same  time,  Peter  Brophy,  who  was  proposed  by 
John  Boardman  and  seconded  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hand- 
cock,  was  rejected. 

Professor  Von  Feinagle  was  permitted,  in  February 
1 8 13,  to  deliver  before  the  Society  two  lectures  ex- 
plaining his  system,  and  its  applicability  to  all  branches 
of  education  and  science.  Gregor  Von  Feinagle,  born 
in  Baden  in  1785,  became  a  public  lecturer  in  a  new 
system  of  mnemonics  and  methodics,  for  which  he 
was  much  ridiculed  on  the  continent,  both  in  the 
press  and  on  the  stage.  He  came  to  this  country  in 
181 1,  and  soon  after  superintended  a  school  in 
Mountjoy  square,  Dublin,  which  was  conducted  on 
his  principles.  The  New  Art  of  Memory,  edited  by 
J.  Millard,  appeared  in  18 12.  Von  Feinagle  died  in 
1 8 19  in  Dublin,  and  there  is  a  bust  of  him  in  the 
reception-room,  Leinster  House. 

Richard  Lovell  Edgeworth  (father  of  Maria  Edge- 
worth),  who  appears  to  have  been  a  mechanical  genius, 
conducted  in  18 15,  in  the  yard  of  Leinster  House, 
public  experiments  as  to  an  invention  of  his  with 
regard  to  wheeled  carriages.1  The  committee  to 
which  the  matter  was  referred  was  of  opinion  that 
the  apparatus  invented  by  Edgeworth  was  adequate  to 
1  Memoirs,  vol.  ii. 


230  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  purpose  intended,  and  that  the  affixing  of  springs 
to  carriages,  which  was  part  of  his  scheme,  greatly 
facilitated  their  draft.  He  was  elected  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Society  on  the  29th  of  June  18 15. 
As  early  as  the  years  1767  and  1769  R.  L.  Edgeworth 
had  obtained  medals  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Arts  for 
inventions.1 

During  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
a  number  of  remarkable  names  appear  among  those 
admitted  to  honorary  membership  of  the  Society,  while 
some  of  the  newly  admitted  ordinary  members  were 
conspicuous  in  various  ways.  In  may  be  appropriate 
to  close  this  chapter  with  some  mention  of  them. 
Citizen  Goldberg,  The  Hague,  minister  of  Political 
Economy  to  the  Batavian  Republic  ;  Citizen  Coquebert 
de  Moubray,  commissary  of  the  French  Embassy ; 
Prince  Barintrinsky,  chamberlain  to  the  Emperor  of 
Russia ;  Humphry  Davy ;  Thomas  William  Coke,1 
(Holkham  Hall,  Norfolk) ;  the  Earl  of  Sheffield ;  the 
Archdukes  John  and  Lewis,  of  Austria ;  the  Right 
Hon.  Nicholas  Vansittart,  Chancellor  of  the  Ex- 
chequer ;  the  Grand  Duke  Michael  of  Russia ;  Sir 
Benjamin  Bloomfield  (2) ;  Sir  Michael  Seymour,  bart., 
k.c.b.  ;  The  Princes  Nicholas  and  Paul  Esterhazy, 
Count  Joseph  Esterhazy,  Prince  Victor  Metternich, 
and  Chevalier  de  Floretti  were  elected  as  "  foreigners 
of  high  scientific  attainments,  and  for  repeated  acts 
of  attention  to  the  Society  "  ;  the  Right  Hon.  George 
Canning  was  also  elected. 

Among  those  who  became  members  of  the  Society 
during  the  same  period  were  the  Lord  Chief  Justice  of 
Ireland  (afterwards  Lord  Downes)  (3),  the  Rev.  Charles 
Elrington,  f.t.c.d.  (4),  Sir  William  Betham  (5),  Lord 
Kilmaine,  who  was  a  regular  attendant,  and  frequently 
1  History  of  the  Society \  247,  &c. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


231 


occupied  the  chair,  the  Earl  of  Charlemont,  the  Earl 
of  Pembroke,  James  Gandon  (6)  a  member  of  com- 
mittees, and  a  very  regular  attendant,  Lord  Cloncurry 
(7),  Mr.  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness  (8),  and  Dr.  John 
Anster. 

1.  "Coke  of  Norfolk,"  the  son  of  Robert  Wenman, 
was  born  in  1752  ;  on  succeeding  to  the  estates  of  his 
maternal  uncle,  Thomas,  Earl  of  Leicester,  he  assumed  the 
name  of  Coke.  He  was  elected  member  of  Parliament  for 
Norfolk  in  1776,  a  seat  which  he  held  almost  continuously 
up  to  1833.  Coke  was  created  Earl  of  Leicester  in  1837. 
When  he  became  owner  of  the  estates  they  were  unen- 
closed, and  the  system  of  cultivation  on  them  was  wretched. 
On  taking  up  farming,  he  collected  round  him  a  number  of 
practical  men,  who  advised  with  him,  and  within  the  years 
1 778-1 787,  the  land  had  so  much  improved  that  he  might 
be  said  to  have  converted  West  Norfolk  into  a  wheat-grow- 
ing country.  He  became  a  noted  breeder  of  stock,  and  is 
believed  to  have  raised  his  rental  from  a  little  over  £2000 
to  £20,000  a  year.  Over  £100,000  were  laid  out  in  farm- 
houses and  buildings.  Coke's  portrait,  by  Gainsborough,  in 
his  broad-brimmed  hat,  shooting  jacket  and  long  boots,  in 
which  costume  he  is  said  to  have  presented  an  address  to 
King  George  the  Third,  is  well  known.  Lord  Leicester 
died  in  1842. 

2.  Sir  Benjamin  Bloomfield  was  born  in  1768,  and, 
entering  the  army,  became  a  lieutenant-general  and  a.d.c 
to  King  George  the  Fourth,  whose  private  secretary  he  was 
for  some  time  up  to  the  year  1822,  when  he  was  sent  as 
minister  plenipotentiary  to  Stockholm.  In  1825  Bloom- 
field  was  created  Baron  Bloomfield.  In  1884  Georgina, 
Lady  Bloomfield,  published  a  memoir  of  Lord  Bloomfield, 
her  husband's  father,  who  had  died  in  1846.  He  was 
owner  of  estates  near  Newport,  co.  Tipperary. 

3.  William  Downes  was  born  at  Donnybrook,  near 
Dublin,  in  1752.  He  became  member  of  Parliament  for 
Donegal,  and  in  1792  was  appointed  a  Justice  of  the  King's 


232  A   HISTORY   OF 

Bench,  being  promoted  to  the  Chief  Justiceship  eleven 
years  later.  He  was  created  Baron  Downes  in  1822,  and 
died  in  1826.  There  is  a  very  fine  portrait  of  Lord 
Downes  by  Hugh  D.  Hamilton  ;  and  one  painted  in  his 
robes  as  Chief  Justice,  by  Martin  Cregan,  has  been  engraved 
and  published. 

4.  The  Rev.  Charles  R.  Elrington,  regius  professor  of 
Divinity  in  the  University  of  Dublin,  was  born  in  Dublin 
in  1787,  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Elrington,  bishop  of 
Ferns.  He  was  successively  rector  of  St.  Mark's,  Dublin, 
chancellor  of  Ferns,  and  rector  of  Armagh.  Elrington 
effected  great  improvements  in  the  Divinity  School,  managed 
the  Church  Education  Society,  and  helped  the  Board  of 
National  Education.  In  1847  ne  commenced  his  edition 
of  the  collected  works  of  Archbishop  Ussher  in  seventeen 
volumes  ;  the  two  last,  which  he  did  not  live  to  finish,  were 
completed  by  Dr.  Reeves,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Down. 
Dr.  Elrington  printed  many  theological  works  and  pam- 
phlets on  education. 

5.  Sir  William  Betham,  born  at  Stradbrooke  in  Suffolk 
in  1779,  came  to  Dublin  in  1805,  and,  having  been  for 
a  time  Deputy  Ulster  and  Deputy  Keeper  of  Records  in  the 
Record  Tower,  Dublin  Castle,  he  became  Ulster  King  of 
Arms  in  1820.  Betham  compiled  a  number  of  indexes  and 
repertories,  and,  in  1830,  appeared  his  Dignities,  Feudal  and 
Parliamentary,  and  in  1834,  Origin  and  History  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  England,  and  of  the  Early  Parliaments  of  Ireland. 
He  was  secretary  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  and  that 
body  purchased  a  large  collection  of  Irish  manuscripts 
which  he  had  acquired. 

6.  James  Gandon,  architect,  was  born  in  London  in 
1743,  his  grandfather  having  been  a  Huguenot  refugee. 
Gandon  came  to  Dublin  in  1781  to  superintend  the  con- 
struction of  new  docks,  and  he  planned  the  Custom  House, 
which  was  finished  in  179 1.  He  designed  the  east  portico 
and  circular  screen  wall  of  the  Parliament  House,  as  well  as 
the  west  screen  and  the  portico  in  Foster  place.  His  works 
also  included  the  Four  Courts,  and  the  King's  Inns  build- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      233 

ings,  Henrietta  street,  and  he  was  responsible  for  designs  for 
many  private  residences.  James  Gandon  died  in  1 823,  and 
a  memoir  of  him  from  the  pen  of  Thomas  J.  Mulvany 
appeared  in  1846. 

7.  Valentine  Browne  Lawless,  second  Baron  Cloncurry, 
was  born  in  1773,  and  when  quite  young  became  imbued 
with  Nationalist  principles.  He  entered  on  the  field  of 
politics  with  enthusiasm,  and  was  sworn  as  a  United  Irish- 
man in  1795.  His  Thoughts  on  the  Projected  Union  appeared 
in  1797,  and  several  pamphlets  on  the  same  subject  from 
his  pen  subsequently  appeared.  Lawless  was  arrested  on 
suspicion  in  London  in  1798,  but  was  discharged  on  bail. 
He  was  again  arrested  in  1799,  and  committed  to  the 
Tower,  appearing  to  have  been  an  active  agent  in  the 
United  Irish  conspiracy.  When  released  in  1801,  he 
travelled  for  a  time  on  the  continent,  and,  returning  to  his 
native  country  four  years  later,  he  settled  on  his  property 
at  Lyons,  co.  Kildare,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  agriculture 
and  improved  systems  of  farming.  Lord  Cloncurry  helped 
in  founding  the  Kildare  Farming  Society  in  18 14,  and 
warmly  advocated  and  supported  the  reclamation  of  bogs 
and  wastes.  He  was  created  an  English  peer  in  183 1,  and 
in  1849  published  his  Recollections. 

8.  Mr.  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness  was  born  in  1798,  and 
on  his  father's  death  became  sole  partner  in  the  firm  of 
A.  Guinness,  Son  &  co.  He  possessed  great  powers  of 
organisation,  and  quickly  developed  a  splendid  export  trade. 
Mr.  Guinness  was  elected  first  Lord  Mayor  of  Dublin  under 
the  reformed  corporation,  and  nobly  upheld  the  ancient 
traditions  of  the  Mansion  House.  He  was  elected  member 
of  Parliament  for  the  city  of  Dublin,  and  between  the 
years  i860  and  1865  restored  the  venerable  cathedral  of 
St.  Patrick  at  a  cost  of  about  .£150,000.  In  1867  Mr. 
Guinness  was  created  a  baronet,  and  had  a  special  grant  of 
supporters  to  his  arms.  Sir  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness  died 
in  1868,  and  a  bronze  statue  by  Foley,  erected  to  his 
memory,  stands  on  the  south  side  of  the  exterior  of  the 
cathedral. 


234  A   HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   XV 

GENERAL    HISTORY   OF   THE   SOCIETY   {continued) 
(1815-1836) 

For  some  years  prior  to  the  Society's  removal  to 
Leinster  House,  the  printed  Proceedings  were  much 
fuller  than  formerly,  and  a  greater  volume  of  business 
seems  to  have  been  transacted  at  the  meetings.  The 
members  began  to  take  fresh  interest  in  agriculture,  the 
Society's  chief  original  object,  which  they  had  more 
or  less  neglected  since  the  foundation  of  the  Farming 
Society.  Numerous  other  subjects  had  attracted  atten- 
tion during  the  Hawkins  street  regime,  but  now  when 
it  was  found  that  the  Farming  Society's  operations 
were  not  as  satisfactory  as  had  been  hoped,  and  its 
financial  position  and  membership  not  flourishing,  the 
subject  of  husbandry  was  again  taken  up.  Possibly 
the  Society's  hand  was  forced,  as  extreme  depression  in 
that  industry  prevailed.  Early  in  18 16,  it  was  referred 
to  a  special  committee  to  enquire  into  the  embarrassed 
situation  of  the  agricultural  interest  of  Ireland,  so  as  to 
enable  the  Society  to  submit  to  the  Government  infor- 
mation which  might  distinguish  causes  of  continued 
depression  from  merely  temporary  ones.  They  wished 
to  be  able  to  contrast  the  demands  necessary  for  the 
supply  of  the  home  market  at  present  with  periods 
anterior  to  the  late  war ;  also  to  look  into  the  state  of 
the  British  market,  and  the  probable  operation  of  the 
Corn    Laws    on   this    country,    so    as    to    ascertain,    if 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


235 


possible,  a  proportion  between  rent  and  the  produce  of 
the  soil. 

The  committee  was  asked  to  report  on  such 
measures  as  might  seem  likely  to  relieve  the  distresses 
of  the  agricultural  interest  of  Ireland.  The  committee 
found  that  since  the  Corn  Act  had  diverted  foreign 
grain  from  the  home  market,  continental  nations  made 
great  efforts  to  supply  the  United  Kingdom  with  dairy 
produce,  which  then  experienced  alarming  depression. 
The  dairy  produce  of  not  less  than  half  a  million  acres 
had  been  imported  into  the  United  Kingdom  during 
the  previous  year,  and  the  home  market  would  soon 
be  glutted  with  the  cheese  and  butter  of  foreign  nations, 
unless  prohibited  by  Parliament.  Fresh  dried,  salted 
provisions  from  abroad  were  recommended  to  be  ex- 
cluded, unless  admitted,  as  live  stock  was  in  times  of 
scarcity,  by  the  King's  proclamation.  They  considered 
the  restriction  of  imports  of  provisions  and  dairy  pro- 
duce from  abroad  necessary  for  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  It  was  recommended  that  prizes  should  be 
offered  for  the  best  essays  on  the  subjects  of  the  en- 
quiry— 100  guineas  for  the  first,  50  for  the  second,  and 
20  for  the  third. 

In  1 8 17,  Mr.  Sadleir  the  aeronaut,  asked  leave  to 
ascend  from  the  premises  in  Kildare  street,  but  his 
request  was  refused.  He  was,  however,  allowed  the 
use  of  the  exhibition  room  in  Hawkins  street  to 
exhibit  his  balloon.1 

In  the  same  year  Thomas  Archdeacon,  esq.,  pre- 
sented to  the  Society  a  bust  of  Alexander  Pope  by 
Roubiliac. 

1  An  ascent  had  previously  been  made  from  the  lawn  of  Leinster 
House.  On  19th  July  1785,  the  first  Irish  aeronaut,  Richard  Crosbie, 
son  of  Sir  Paul  Crosbie,  made  an  ascent.  He  was  rescued  in  the 
channel,  and  brought  to  Dunleary,  the  vessel  towing-  the  balloon 
behind.     Gilbert's  History  of  Dublin^  iii.  279. 


236  A    HISTORY   OF 

The  Right  Hon.  David  La  Touche  having  died, 
Mr.  Peter  Digges  La  Touche  was  elected  a  vice- 
president  in  his  room.  Mr.  Digges  La  Touche  was  a 
very  frequent  attendant,  serving  on  committees,  and 
taking  his  full  share  in  the  work  of  the  Society. 

Mr.  Thomas  Pleasants,  already  alluded  to  as  a 
benefactor  of  the  Society,  by  his  will,  bequeathed  to  it 
certain  pictures,  prints,  &c,  which  were  delivered  to 
the  Society  in  April  1818,  and  deposited  in  the  upper 
part  of  Leinster  House,  when  the  fine  arts  com- 
mittee undertook  to  distribute  them  throughout  it. 
Pleasants'  will,  a  very  long  and  remarkable  document, 
is  characteristic  of  this  most  benevolent  but  eccentric 
man.  He  desired  to  be  buried  in  the  same  grave  with 
his  wife,  expressing  a  wish  "  that  on  my  being  put  into 
my  coffin,  her  slippers  may  be  laid  crossways  on  my 
Breast,  next  my  Heart,  for  I  have,  since  her  most 
sincerely  lamented  death,  constantly  had  them  under 
my  pillow,  kissed  them,  and  pressed  them  to  my  Heart 
every  night  going  to  bed,  and  the  same  in  the  morning 
rising."  He  named,  among  the  pictures  bequeathed 
by  him,  the  "  Visitation  of  the  Shepherds,"  "  The 
Dream,"  and  "Narcissus,"  "Joseph  and  Mary,"  two 
landscapes  by  Barret,  two  grand  battle  pieces,  two 
smaller  battle  pieces,  "  Magdalen  in  a  wilderness," 
"St.  Paul  Preaching,"  Dutch  pieces,  dead  game,  fruit 
pieces,  "  Holy  Family,"  "  Peg  Woffington,  by  Sir 
Joshua"1  (print),  "Summer"  and  "Winter"  ("two 
fine  Lutherbergs  "),  "  The  Oracle,"  a  head  of  Captain 
Coram,  by  Hogarth,  and  two  excellent  Garricks ;  also 
portraits  of  Swift,  Malone,  Sparks,  Woodward,  Ryder, 
and  Surgeon  Daunt ;  in  crayons,  Counsellor  Wolfe  (a 
proof  given  to  Pleasants  by  Wolfe's  nephew,  Lord 
Kilwarden),  statue  of  Handel,  Rubens,  bust  of  Gay, 

1  Reynolds  did  not  paint  Peg  Woffington. 


THOMAS  PLEASANTS 
(From  an  oil  painting  by   Solomon    Williams) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY      237 

&c,  Ogilby's  History  of  China,  Ogilby's  Virgil,  and  a 
curious  and  valuable  book,  Relation  of  a  Journey 
beginning  a.d.  16 10,  printed  in  London,  1637.  The 
pictures  were  bequeathed  subject  to  a  proviso  that 
none  of  them  were  ever  to  be  lent  to  the  Artists' 
Gallery,  nor  was  anyone  at  any  time  to  be  allowed  to 
copy  them.  On  this  condition  being  violated  they 
were  to  be  surrendered,  sold  by  auction,  and  the  pro- 
ceeds added  to  the  residue.  The  will  is  undated,  and 
Pleasants  made  a  codicil,  dated  in  18 17  at  Booterstown 
House,  his  interest  in  which  he  left  to  his  brother 
William.  Both  were  proved  on  the  16th  March  18 18, 
by  Joshua  Pasley,  Abbey  street,  wine  merchant. 

Thomas  Pleasants,  who  was  born  in  Cariow  in 
1728,  had  an  extensive  knowledge  of  classical  literature, 
and  was  interested  in  general  literature  and  the  fine 
arts.  He  was  a  man  of  unbounded  generosity  and 
philanthropy,  as  will  be  seen  by  gifts  of  his  already 
noticed.  He  defrayed  the  expense  of  reprinting  Dr. 
Samuel  Madden's  Reflections  and  Resolutions  proper  for 
the  Gentlemen  of  Ireland  (1728).  Pleasants  died  on 
the  1st  of  March  18 18,  at  his  house  in  Camden  street, 
now  the  Pleasants  asylum  for  orphan  girls,  which 
was  founded  by  him.  In  1820,  Mr.  Solomon  Williams 
presented  to  the  Society  his  portrait  of  Pleasants,  which 
now  hangs  over  the  mantelpiece  in  the  registrar's  office. 

The  lectures  delivered  at  this  time  by  the  professors 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Society  appear  to  have 
been  well  attended,  and  the  theatre  was  frequently 
crowded.  The  Museum  and  the  Elgin  Marbles  cast- 
rooms  were  closed  during  the  lectures,  so  as  to  enable 
the  porters  to  attend  at  the  different  doors.  Not 
more  than  400  tickets  were  issued  for  each,  and  none 
but  members  and  officers  of  the  Society  were  admitted 
to  the  members'  seats.     It  is  amusing  to  record  that  on 


23 8  A   HISTORY   OF 

one  occasion  Lady  Rossmore  was  allowed  to  choose  a 
seat  at  the  lectures,  and  the  assistant  secretary  was 
directed  "  to  convey  to  her  ladyship  this  resolution." 

In  1 8 1 9,  Dr.  Anthony  Meyler  delivered  a  course 
of  lectures  on  ventilation,  and  was  invited  to  deliver 
another  on  meteorology,  when  the  committee  of 
chemistry  and  natural  philosophy  intervened,  alleging 
that  it  was  not  politic  to  interfere  with  the  Society's 
professors,  who  were  fully  qualified,  and  should  be 
invited  to  deliver  any  special  lectures.  Dr.  Meyler 
then  wrote  declining  to  lecture. 

Dr.  Dionysius  Lardner  delivered  a  course  of  lectures 
in  1826  on  the  steam-engine,  which  were  afterwards 
published,  and  a  gold  medal  was  voted  to  him,  to 
mark  the  Society's  appreciation  of  them.  A  couple 
of  years  later  a  committee  appointed  to  report  on  the 
best  means  of  making  the  Society's  lectures  as  useful 
as  possible  to  the  working  classes,  recommended  a 
series  of  popular  courses  to  be  delivered  in  the  evening. 

Lardner  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1793,  anc^  m  1827 
was  elected  to  the  chair  of  natural  philosophy  and 
astronomy  in  the  University  of  London,  when  he 
commenced  his  Cabinet  Cyclopedia.  He  went  on  a 
lecturing  tour  in  the  United  States,  by  which  he  realised 
a  very  large  sum  of  money,  and  in  1845  settled  in 
Paris.  Lardner  wrote  on  railways,  the  steam-engine, 
natural  philosophy,  heat,  optics,  &c,  and,  though 
not  a  great  original  thinker,  he  was  a  man  of  much 
talent,  who  made  the  sciences  popular,  as  no  one 
before  him  had  done. 

In  1 8 19,  a  question  arose  as  to  the  publication  of 
the  'Transactions,  which,  having  appeared  from  1800 
to  1 8 10,  had  been  discontinued,  and  as  to  the  necessity 
for  reviving  their  appearance.  The  volumes  consisted 
of  papers  of  minor  importance ;  extracts  from  writers 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


239 


in  German,  Dutch,  and  French ;  communications  from 
(as  a  rule)  non-members,  and  of  valuable  papers  by 
the  Society's  professors.  The  contents  included  treatises 
on  cider  making,  brewing,  road  making,  embankments, 
planting  and  draining,  on  wheat,  flax,  the  rearing  of 
sheep,  &c.  The  library  committee,  which  was  asked 
to  report,  gave  the  following  reasons  for  thinking  that 
the  publication  of  the  Transactions  had  become  un- 
necessary. The  literary  institutions  of  the  city  had 
now  placed  within  the  reach  of  all  works  from  which 
extracts  were  made  in  the  Transactions.  Foreign 
languages  were  more  studied  in  Ireland,  and  most  of 
the  valuable  works  of  recent  foreign  writers  were  trans- 
lated and  published  in  periodical  journals.  Authors 
of  original  papers  on  agriculture  and  the  practical  arts 
preferred  weekly  and  monthly  journals,  so  that  the 
Society  had  received  a  lesser  supply  of  scientific  com- 
munications. The  Royal  Irish  Academy  at  this  time 
found  some  difficulty  in  procuring  materials  for  half 
a  volume  yearly,  and  even  papers  in  the  Transactions 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  London  had  not  increased  in 
number.  Since  the  discontinuance  of  the  Transactions, 
many  essays  and  larger  treatises  had  been  communicated 
to  the  Society  which  were  recorded  either  in  the  weekly 
minutes,  or  published  separately,  under  the  Society's 
sanction.  As  instances,  might  be  mentioned  Mr.  Higgins 
on  the  Atomic  Theory ;  Dr.  Wade  on  Oaks,  Salices, 
and  Grasses  ;  Griffith  on  the  Leinster  Coal  District,  &c. 
The  publication,  too,  of  the  surveys  of  Irish  counties, 
in  utility  and  extent,  well  supplied  the  want  of  them. 

The  office  of  registrar  becoming  vacant,  Captain 
Theodore  Wilson,  who  had  held  the  post  of  house- 
keeper since  1808,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  united 
offices,  at  a  salary  of  ^200  a  year.  Mr.  John  Litton 
was  elected  law  agent. 


24o  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  December  1819,  a  report  was  made  on  the 
general  state  of  the  Society,  which  will  be  found  in 
Proceedings  (vol.  lvi.  p.  58).  A  short  resume  of  it 
may  be  useful  here,  as  giving  a  summary  of  the 
Society's  activities  from  its  foundation  : — 

It  is  found  difficult  to  collect  the  annual  subscrip- 
tions. Life  subscriptions,  which  had  been  increased 
from  ten  to  thirty  guineas,  were  lately  raised  to  fifty 
guineas.  When  the  Society  first  started,  attention  was 
devoted  to  agriculture,  first  by  the  publication  of 
papers  and  tracts,  then  by  premiums  for  planting,  the 
introduction  of  proper  implements,  and  importation 
of  cattle ;  next  by  manufacturing  implements  at  a 
cheaper  rate ;  and  lastly  by  improved  methods  of 
horticulture  and  the  cultivation  of  trees,  plants,  and 
grasses.  After  this,  trial  was  made  of  gratuitous  in- 
formation supplied  by  lectures  and  schools.  Six  pro- 
fessors were  appointed,  and  a  theatre  capable  of  accom- 
modating 500  persons  was  equipped.  The  botanic 
garden,  the  drawing  schools,  library,  and  museum  were 
all  in  full  working  order.  The  Act  19  and  20  George 
III  imposed  on  the  Society  the  superintendence  of 
the  silk  manufacture,  and  the  regulation  of  the  opera- 
tive silk  weavers'  wages,  which  imposed  a  great  deal  of 
work  on  the  Society.  An  exhibition  room  for  works 
of  art  was  also  opened.  On  the  whole,  the  affairs  of 
the  Society  might  be  said  to  have  been  conducted  with 
as  much  skill,  propriety,  and  economy  as  the  nature 
of  the  institution  would  admit.  From  1801,  the 
parliamentary  grant  amounted  to  ;£  10,000.  The 
labours  imposed  on  the  Society  by  numerous  Acts  of 
the  Irish  legislature  caused  its  original  designs  to  be 
extended  from  husbandry  and  the  useful  arts  to  litera- 
ture, sciences,  fine  arts,  manufactures,  horticulture, 
trade  and  commerce.     The  expenses  of  the  six  pro- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      241 

fessors  and  their  apparatus,  the  four  fine  art  schools, 
the  Botanic  Garden,  the  purchase  of  Leinster  House, 
the  exhibition  room,  museum,  library,  laboratories,  the 
cabinet  of  mineralogy,  and  the  various  bounties  and 
premiums,  were  all  defrayed  out  of  the  members'  sub- 
scriptions and  the  yearly  grant  of  j£  10,000.  This 
report  was  transmitted  to  the  Right  Hon.  William 
Grant,  Secretary  for  Ireland,  with  a  special  letter  from 
the  secretaries  of  the  Society. 

In  1820,  the  Right  Hon.  George  Knox  was  elected 
a  vice-president,  and  on  the  3rd  of  February  in  that  year 
the  regular  meeting  was  not  held,  in  consequence  of 
the  death  of  King  George  the  Third.  In  June,  when 
conveying  the  new  monarch's  acknowledgment  of  the 
address  on  his  accession,  Lord  Sidmouth  intimated  that 
His  Majesty  would  be  pleased  to  become  Patron  of 
the  Society,  and,  on  the  29th  of  June  1820,  it  assumed 
the  title  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 

The  Society  nominated  a  permanent  committee  of 
twenty-one  members,  to  enquire  into  the  expense  and 
practicability  of  reclaiming  the  bogs  and  waste  lands  of 
Ireland,  which  reported  that  every  description  of  bog 
was  capable  of  reclamation,  and  of  being  converted  into 
profitable  land,  which  would  repay  outlay. 

King  George  the  Fourth  visited  Ireland  in  August 
1 82 1,  and  on  the  24th  of  that  month  he  went  to 
Leinster  House,  where  a  fete  cbampetre  and  dejeuner 
were  given  in  his  honour  on  the  lawn,  on  which  had 
been  erected  a  large  marquee,  fitted  up  with  great 
taste.  Within  the  tent,  under  a  scarlet  canopy,  was 
a  richly  decorated  table,  above  which  were  "  g.  r.  iv  " 
and  the  royal  arms.  For  the  entertainment  of  the 
company  invited  to  meet  His  Majesty  were  provided 
about  fifty  tents,  ranged  round  in  semicircular  form, 
and  in   double   rows.     Three   harpers  in   the  garb  of 

Q 


242  A   HISTORY   OF 

ancient  minstrels  were  close  to  the  King's  tent,  and 
a  platform  for  dancers  stood  near.  The  crowds  that 
flocked  to  the  ground  all  wore  a  blue  ribbon,  with 
"  R.  d.  s."  in  gold  letters. 

The  King  arrived  at  12.30  p.m.,  and  was  received 
in  the  courtyard  with  military  honours,  150  members 
of  the  Society  forming  line.  The  Lord  Lieutenant 
met  His  Majesty,  while  near  at  hand  were  Lord  Oriel, 
Lord  Meath,  Lord  Frankfort,  Sir  R.  Shaw,  Mr.  Leslie 
Foster,  Right  Hon.  George  Knox,  Serjeant  Joy,  and 
others.  In  attendance  on  the  King  were  the  Duke  of 
Montrose,  the  Marquis  of  Graham,  and  Sir  R.  Bloom- 
field.  His  Majesty  inspected  with  great  interest  the 
various  noble  apartments  of  Leinster  House,  the  library, 
model  room,  and  museum,  expressing  much  admiration 
at  all  he  saw.  He  then  moved  to  the  lawn,  where 
he  was  received  with  unbounded  enthusiasm,  after- 
wards retiring  to  the  marquee,  where  he  conversed  with 
Lord  and  Lady  Manners,  and  others.  It  was  remarked 
that  on  this  occasion  the  dresses  worn  were  chiefly  of 
Irish  manufacture. 

A  large  surplus  resulted  from  this  entertainment, 
and  it  was  resolved  to  expend  it  in  procuring  a  statue 
of  the  King,  which  Behnes  offered  to  execute  gratis,  if 
the  Society  provided  the  marble.  This  was  done  at 
a  cost  of  ^400,  and,  strange  to  say,  the  statue,  which 
was  never  quite  finished  by  the  sculptor,  remained  in 
his  studio  in  London,  under  one  pretence  or  another, 
for  a  period  of  twenty-four  years,  until  his  affairs  were 
being  administered  in  bankruptcy.  The  Society  ob- 
tained it  from  the  assignees  in  May  1845,  and  an 
arrangement  was  made  with  Mr.  Panormo  to  complete 
the  work  for  a  sum  of  ^100.  In  October,  the  com- 
pleted statue  was  placed  in  the  hall  of  Leinster  House, 
where   it  still   remains.     There    is    another    statue   of 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      243 

the  King,  elsewhere  noticed,  in  close  proximity  to  it 
(p.  126). 

In  March  1822,  a  special  committee  reported  on 
the  Statistical  Surveys,  and  on  Mr.  Fraser's  book  on 
Fisheries.  The  committee  was  of  opinion  that  great 
results  would  accrue  from  the  action  of  the  Board  of 
Fisheries  in  undertaking  surveys,  plans,  and  estimates 
of  harbours  at  fishing  stations  round  the  coast.  A 
statistical  survey  of  the  coast,  with  harbour  charts, 
was  very  necessary,  and  Mr.  Fraser  should  be  asked 
to  undertake  it,  so  as  to  point  out  to  the  Government 
the  best  means  of  improving  the  coast.  It  further 
reported  that  there  was  a  great  deficiency  of  harbours, 
which  was  injurious  both  to  fishermen  and  trade. 

In  the  year  1822 — a  very  troubled  one  in  Ireland — 
considerable  distress  existed  in  the  south  and  west, 
which  the  Society  was  most  anxious  to  relieve,  and  it 
was  in  contemplation  to  appropriate  the  admission  fees 
during  the  year  to  this  object.  An  amendment,  how- 
ever, was  carried,  that  premiums  up  to  ^500  should 
be  offered  to  those  who  within  three  months  afforded 
most  extensive  employment  to  the  poor  in  the  southern 
and  western  counties,  which  was  subsequently  negatived. 
The  mining  engineer  was  appointed  by  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  to  lay  out  roads  in  the  coal  districts,  so  as 
to  give  employment  in  the  distress  then  prevalent. 

As  a  means  of  affording  permanent  employment, 
the  Society  turned  its  attention  to  the  culture  of 
hemp.  Home-grown  hemp  was  recommended  as 
helping  for  sails,  cordage,  and  netting,  and  it  was  said 
that  there  would  be  a  never-failing  home  market  for 
fish.  It  was  calculated  that  every  vessel  of  30  tons 
would  require  on  board  10,000  square  yards  of  netting, 
made  from  hemp. 

Then  the  subject  of  timber  was  taken  up,  and  the 


244  A   HISTORY    OF 

necessity  for  a  home-grown  supply  was  insisted  on,  so 
as  to  furnish  employment,  and  render  the  country 
independent  of  foreign  supplies.  In  Ireland  were  to 
be  found  1,255,000  acres  of  shallow  mountain  bog, 
suited  for  the  plantation  of  forest  trees.  The  want  of 
a  supply  of  naval  timber  was  felt  during  the  wars  of 
Bonaparte.  In  Sweden,  Finland,  Norway,  and  Russia, 
the  forests  were  gradually  destroyed  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  tar,  in  iron  and  copper  works,  &c,  and  the 
American  forests  were  also  being  devastated. 

The  committee  of  agriculture  submitted  other 
means  of  employment  and  subsistence.  The  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  by  alternate  operations  of  the  plough 
and  spade,  as  in  Flanders,  was  recommended.  In  that 
country  one-seventh  of  the  arable  land  was  trenched 
every  year,  and  this  winter  work  effected  the  renovation 
of  the  whole  surface  under  tillage  every  seven  years. 
The  labouring  classes  would  thus  be  compelled  to  give 
up  the  use  of  potatoes,  and  substitute  corn. 

The  manufacture  of  window  glass  claimed  atten- 
tion, and  it  was  believed  that  a  properly  conducted 
establishment  would  be  successful.  The  price  of  coal 
alone  was  thought  to  militate  against  it,  as  very  large 
quantities  would  be  necessary.  The  saving  in  freight 
from  England,  which  in  so  bulky  a  material  amounted 
to  a  good  deal,  would,  however,  it  was  expected,  com- 
pensate. 

In  1824,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Cotter,  obtained  the 
Society's  silver  medal  for  his  royal  patent  basso- 
hibernicon,  or  hibernian  bass  horn,  and  tenor  horn : 
Kramer,  master  of  the  King's  private  band,  members 
of  some  cavalry  bands,  and  some  distinguished  musical 
professors,  bore  testimony  to  the  ingenuity  of  the 
invention,  which  it  was  thought  would  form  a  great 
addition  to  bands  of  music. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      245 

Surgeon  John  Hart  reported  on  a  specimen  of  the 
Cervus  giganteus,  or  fossil  elk,  the  bones  of  which  had 
been  found  on  the  property  of  the  Ven.  William  R. 
Maunsell,  archdeacon  of  Limerick,  which  had  been 
presented  to  the  Society,  and  brought  up  to  Dublin 
by  canal  boat.  This  specimen  is  still  preserved  in  the 
natural  history  portion  of  the  museum. 

On  the  1 2th  of  May  1825,  the  Society  learned  that 
Mr.  George  Le  Touche  had  bequeathed  to  it  his  col- 
lection of  Etruscan  vases ;  this  collection,  with  some 
water-colour  drawings,  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  art 
collections  now  in  the  National  Museum. 

In  1826,  Dr.  Higgins  having  died,  Edmond  Davy,1 
who  had  been  attached  to  the  Royal  Cork  Institution, 
was  elected  professor  of  chemistry,  and  Dr.  Samuel 
Litton,  professor  of  botany,  in  the  room  of  Dr. 
Wade. 

Mr.  Thomas  Walker,  in  April  1826,  presented  to 
the  Society  three  letters  in  the  handwriting  of  Dean 
Swift.  These  are  not  now  in  the  Society's  keeping, 
nor  are  they  in  the  National  Library.  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  in  his  Life  of  Swift ,  p.  72,  prints  a  fragment  of 
a  letter  with  a  lampoon  on  the  Rev.  William  Tisdall 
(his  rival  in  the  case  of  Stella).  Scott's  Life  was 
published  in  18 14,  and  it  states  that  the  original 
fragment  was  then  preserved  in  the  museum  of  the 
Dublin  Society,  Hawkins  street.  (See  also  Dr.  F.  E. 
Ball's  Correspondence  of  Swift,  iv.  479.) 

Colonel  Stannus,  c.b.,  who  had  served  in  Persia, 
presented  several  casts  from  the  ruins  of  Persepolis, 
which  he  had  visited ;  also  a  stone  with  an  ancient 
Persian  inscription,  the  key  to  which  had  been  dis- 
covered by  M.  Sylvester  de  Lacy,  a  French  Orientalist. 

1  A  picture  of  Davy,  enlarged  by  photography,  is  in  the  reception- 
room,  Leinster  House. 


246  A   HISTORY   OF 

A    list  of  the  casts  is  supplied  in   appendix   to   Pro- 
ceedings',  1828. 

On  the  4th  of  December  1828,  Mr.  Isaac  Weld  was 
elected  honorary  secretary  to  the  Society.  He  was  born 
in  Dublin  in  1774,  and  received  the  name  of  Isaac  after 
his  grandfather.  The  latter  was  so  named  from  Isaac 
Newton,  who  was  a  friend  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Weld, 
his  father.  Having  travelled  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  Weld,  in  1795-97,  published  his  Travels.  He 
became  a  member  of  the  Society  in  1800,  and  in  1849 
was  elected  one  of  its  vice-presidents.  He  undertook 
the  Statistical  Survey  of  Roscommon,  and  in  1807, 
published  illustrations  of  the  Scenery  of  Killarney. 
Being  keenly  interested  in  Irish  industries,  Weld  was 
the  first  to  suggest  the  triennial  exhibitions  of  manu- 
factures, afterwards  conducted  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Society.  In  later  life  Weld  travelled  a  good  deal 
in  Italy,  and  became  a  friend  of  Canova.  He  died  at 
Bray  in  1856,  and  in  the  following  year  the  members 
of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  erected  a  monument  to 
his  memory  in  Mount  Jerome  cemetery. 

For  two  or  three  years  previously  the  attendance  at 
the  meetings  was  small,  and  the  minutes  of  the  pro- 
ceedings are  very  brief. 

Government  now  directed  special  attention  to  the 
estimates,  and  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons 
made  a  report,  which  included  certain  recommenda- 
tions. The  committee  thought  the  private  funds  of 
the  Society  should  be  increased.  The  lectures  ought 
not  to  be  gratuitous,  and  £200  a  year,  at  least,  ought 
to  be  produced  from  those  on  chemistry,  mineralogy, 
and  natural  philosophy ;  otherwise  the  estimate  for 
each  must  necessarily  be  reduced.  Only  absolutely 
suitable  books  should,  they  said,  be  purchased  for  the 
library.     Admission  by  ballot  to  a  Society  mainly  sup- 


ISAAC  WELD 
(From  an  oil  paititi?ig  by  Martin  Cregan,  P.R.H.A.) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      247 

ported  by  the  public  purse  was  considered  objection- 
able. In  addition  to  the  sum  fixed,  an  annual  sub- 
scription, they  thought,  might  be  arranged.  On  this, 
the  Society  communicated  with  the  Government, 
stating  that  the  suggestions  of  the  committee  conveyed 
to  them  would  be  adopted  as  far  as  practicable.  In 
answering  some  of  the  points,  the  Society  showed  that 
the  lectures  were  principally  attended  by  young  people 
and  students,  who  could  not  afford  to  pay.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  experiment  of  charging  for  admission 
to  the  lectures  had  been  tried,  but,  being  a  total  failure, 
they  were  again  made  gratuitous.  According  to  the 
charter,  in  cases  of  admission,  the  Society  was  bound 
to  proceed  by  election.  In  thirty  years  only  four 
persons  had  been  rejected,  and  since  1800,  739  had 
been  admitted.  It  was  very  difficult  to  collect  annual 
subscriptions,  and  other  societies  were  falling  into  decay 
from  the  same  cause.  A  theatre  to  seat  500  persons 
had  before  that  time  been  erected,  the  drawing  schools 
were  most  successful,  and  the  museum,  which  was  in 
reality  the  National  Museum  of  Ireland,  was  visited 
by  30,000  persons  during  the  year. 

Lord  Downshire  wrote  to  the  Society  on  the  9th  of 
March  1830,  recalling  the  fact  that,  in  the  year  1800, 
the  agricultural  department  had  been  handed  over  to  the 
newly  established  Farming  Society,  which  had  under- 
taken the  duties  until  1828,  when  its  Parliamentary 
grant  was  withdrawn  and  that  Society  came  to  an  end. 
He  pointed  out  how  seriously  the  want  of  an  efficient 
society  for  the  improvement  of  agriculture  was  felt  in 
the  province  of  Leinster,  and  thought  it  would  be  well 
worthy  of  consideration  whether  the  Society  might  not 
again  take  up  this  subject,  especially  as  Leinster  House 
and  the  premises  around  afforded  every  accommoda- 


248  A    HISTORY    OF 

tion.  As  a  result  of  Lord  Downshire's  appeal,  the 
chief  agricultural  work  of  the  Society  took  its  present 
form.  A  new  special  committee,  named  the  "  Com- 
mittee of  Agriculture  and  Planting,"  was  formed,  and 
circulars  were  addressed  to  the  secretaries  of  agricul- 
tural societies  in  Ireland,  inviting  co-operation.  It  was 
decided  to  hold  a  show  of  live  stock  in  the  yard, 
Kildare  street,  which  was  held  on  the  26th  and  27th  of 
April,  as  well  as  one  for  horses,  which  was  held  on  the 
28th  of  April  1830.  Prizes  of  only  £5  were  offered 
for  horses,  and  £2  f°r  draught  stallions  of  any  breed, 
and  similar  amounts  for  Spanish  asses.  The  show  was 
said  to  have  been  most  creditable  in  point  of  number  and 
excellence  of  the  cattle  exhibited.  The  prizes  amounted 
to  ^100;  expenses  were  under  ^50,  and  receipts  for 
admission  totalled  £41,  so  that  the  actual  outlay  on 
the  undertaking  was  only  £110.  The  spring  cattle 
show  has  been  continued  yearly,  and  is  now  one  of  the 
leading  cattle  shows  of  the  United  Kingdom. 

On  the  4th  of  November  1830,  the  Society  passed 
a  vote  of  condolence  with  King  William  the  Fourth,  on 
the  death  of  his  predecessor,  and  of  congratulation  on 
his  own  accession  to  the  throne. 

It  was  decided  to  erect  a  bust,  by  Sievier,  of  the 
Marquis  of  Anglesey,  who  had  just  resigned  the  office 
of  Lord  Lieutenant.  This  bust  now  stands  in  the 
reception-room,  and  portion  of  the  inscription,  on  a 
small  marble  tablet  placed  over  it,  runs  as  follows : 

PAUCIBUS    E    MILLIBUS    HIBERNIS 

ADMIRANTIBUS    HANC 

EFFIGIEM    MARMOREAM 

IN    TESTIMONIUM    GRATI    ANIMI 

PONENDAM    CURAVERUNT. 

His  successor,  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  and 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      249 

the  Duchess,  were  elected  honorary  members,  and  his 
Grace  was  asked  to  sit  for  his  bust  in  London,  to  an 
Irish  artist,  who  had  been  educated  in  the  schools.  A 
farewell  address  was  presented  to  them,  on  the  termina- 
tion of  the  Duke's  term  of  office,  for  their  patronage 
and  attention  in  sometimes  visiting  the  establishment. 

The  death  of  Dr.  John  Beatty,  one  of  the  secre- 
taries, was  announced  on  the  30th  of  June  1 83 1 . 

At  the  end  of  the  year  a  special  committee  reported 
that  under  existing  circumstances  some  modification  of 
the  mode  of  admission  of  members  had  become  neces- 
sary, and  early  in  1832  Mr.  Isaac  Weld,  secretary,  was 
entrusted  with  a  special  mission  to  the  Treasury,  as 
to  the  general  affairs  and  financial  condition  of  the 
Society,  when  he  was  asked  to  take  with  him  a  copy 
of  his  Observations  on  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  and 
its  existing  Institutions  (1831);  of  which  500  copies 
had  been  printed.1 

In  1836  a  letter  was  received,  asking  the  Society 
to  appoint  a  deputation  to  confer  with  the  Chief 
Secretary,  Lord  Morpeth,  as  to  certain  modifications  in 
its  constitution,  in  the  transaction  of  its  business,  and 
in  the  apportionment  of  its  income.  By  order  of  the 
Lord  Lieutenant,  propositions  were  laid  before  the 
Society,  which  will  be  found  at  large  in  Proceedings, 
vol.  xxii.  p.  108.  Shortly,  the  chief  points  were  as 
follows: — 1,  Admission  to  the  Society  to  be  by  a 
majority  of  the  members,  the  mode  of  voting  to  be 
left  to  that  body.  2,  A  composition  sum  of  £20  to 
be  paid  on  entrance,  and  £2  annual  subscription. 
3,  Annual  subscribers  to  be  admitted  as  then,  under 
by-law  No.  12,  with  an  annual  payment  of  £2, 
instead  of  three  guineas.  4,  The  governing  body  to 
be  a  Council  of  twenty-three,  chosen  yearly  from  among 
1  Haliday  Collection,  1831,  mdxi.  13. 


250  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  members.  5,  Five  to  be  vice-presidents,  chosen 
yearly.  Ten  members  of  the  Council  to  retire  yearly, 
and  not  to  be  re-eligible  for  a  year.  7,  Lists  of  the 
committees  to  be  prepared  by  the  Council,  and  sub- 
mitted to  the  members  at  a  general  meeting.  8, 
Officers  to  be  proposed  by  the  Council,  and  nominated 
by  the  Society.  9,  The  accounts  to  be  audited  and 
published  yearly.  11,  Committees  to  make  annual 
reports.  15,  Purchases  of  books,  &c,  to  be  limited  to 
publications  suited  to  a  literary  and  scientific  institu- 
tion ;  no  newspapers  to  be  taken  in  the  house.  The 
above  named  points  included  all  that  was  then  in  issue 
between  the  Government  and  the  Society,  which  finally 
led  up  to  the  Special  Commission  of  1836,  and  the 
enquiries  made  under  it.  Great  jealousy  prevailed 
among  the  members  at  any  interference  by  the  Govern- 
ment with  the  private  regulations,  which  they  con- 
ceived the  Society  had  full  power  to  make  under  its 
charter. 

In  connection  with  these  propositions,  the  Dublin 
Evening  Mail  of  the  24th  of  February  1836,  contained 
an  attack  on  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  in  the  shape  of  a  letter 
from  Dr.  Anthony  Meyler,  which  attempted  to  involve 
the  Society — an  attempt  which  it  altogether  disavowed. 
In  its  reply,  the  Society  said  that  His  Excellency's  pro- 
positions had  only  been  considered,  and  amendments 
had  been  merely  proposed.  The  Society  agreed  that 
election  was  to  be  by  ballot,  and  fees  were  to  remain  as 
at  present.  A  Council  as  a  governing  body  it  could 
not  agree  to,  and  accordingly  propositions  Nos.  5,  6,  7, 
8,  12,  and  part  of  3,  could  not  be  entertained.  In 
reply,  His  Excellency  regretted  that  the  Society  had 
given  him  so  little  help,  and  said  that  the  Government 
would  now  find  it  necessary  to  take  into  consideration 
the  question  of  the  renewal  of  the  annual  grant.     On 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      251 

this  the  Society  felt  called  on  to  explain  that  in  their 
negotiation  they  were  not  influenced  by  political  feel- 
ings. This  accusation  had  been  made  against  them  in 
consequence  of  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Murray,  Roman 
Catholic  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  having  been  rejected 
as  a  candidate  for  admission.  He  was  proposed  by 
John  R.  Corballis,  ll.d.,  and  seconded  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Sandes,  s.f.t.c.d.,  and  there  was  a  very  large  attend- 
ance on  the  occasion,  when  it  was  evident  that,  for 
purely  political  reasons,  an  organised  opposition  to  the 
Archbishop's  election  had  been  set  on  foot.  A  short 
time  before,  His  Grace  had  written  a  public  political 
letter,  on  which  a  threat  of  excluding  him  from  the 
Society  having  been  made,  some  members  connected  with 
the  Castle  party,  which  was  then  opposed  to  the  Society's 
regulations,  openly  stated  that  if  this  took  place  the 
Government  grant  would  be  withheld.  This  effort  to 
prevent  a  number  of  independent  men  from  exercising 
their  discretion  created  a  great  deal  of  feeling,  and 
undoubtedly  contributed  largely  to  Dr.  Murray's  re- 
jection, which  created  a  very  great  sensation  in  Dublin, 
His  Grace  being  personally  popular  with  all  classes. 
Dr.  Murray  wrote  the  Society  a  very  dignified  letter, 
which  was  ordered  to  be  entered  on  the  minutes. 

Mr.  Naper,  v. p.,  and  Mr.  Hamilton  were  believed 
to  have  conducted  private  and  confidential  communi- 
cations with  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and,  through  want 
of  experience,  and  ignorance  of  the  constitution  of  the 
Society,  both  being  very  new  members,  they  were 
thought  to  have  influenced  His  Excellency  unfavour- 
ably. They  acted  without  authority  from  the  Society, 
and,  while  acquitting  them  of  anything  but  the  best 
motives,  a  great  majority  of  the  members  thought  that 
the  hostile  attitude  of  the  Government  was  due  in  a 
great    measure    to    their    ill-timed    interference.     Mr. 


252  A   HISTORY   OF 

Naper  made  a  special  statement  to  the  committee,  and 
contradicted  the  utterances  of  some  of  the  witnesses. 
These  circumstances  precipitated  the  outcome  of  the 
differences  between  Government  and  the  Society,  for 
on  the  31st  of  March  1836,  a  Select  Committee  of 
the  House  of  Commons  to  enquire  into  its  management 
was  appointed. 

Before  closing  this  chapter,  and  entering  on  the 
history  of  the  Society  under  the  new  conditions  which 
resulted  from  the  report  of  the  committee,  there  are 
a  few  matters  of  interest  which  must  not  be  omitted. 

In  1832,  John  D' Alton,  author  of  the  History  oj 
the  County  oj  Dublin  >  made  a  communication  as  to 
Irish  manuscripts  supposed  to  be  preserved  in  Copen- 
hagen. He  stated  that  no  original  documents  from 
the  time  of  the  Danes  or  Ostmen  who  invaded  this 
country,  were  to  be  found  anywhere  in  Denmark.  Many 
interesting  comments  on  Ireland  and  its  inhabitants, 
relating  to  migrations  of  the  Irish  in  the  ninth  century 
to  Iceland,  where  they  introduced  Christianity,  were, 
however,  to  be  found  dispersed  in  old  Scandinavian 
works.  Professor  Magnussen,  keeper  of  the  records, 
had  offered  to  collect  all  such  passages  and  to  supply 
Latin  translations.  He  reported  that  there  were  old 
manuscripts  at  Copenhagen,  dealing  with  the  cycle  of 
King  Arthur,  and  giving  accounts  of  his  court ;  and 
said  that  the  King  of  Denmark  in  Queen  Elizabeth's 
reign  was  believed  to  have  written  informing  her  of  the 
existence  of  Irish  manuscripts  in  his  library,  and  offering 
facilities  for  copying  them. 

About  this  period,  the  committee  of  agriculture 
and  planting  offered  premiums  for — 1,  The  best  essay 
on  the  consolidation  of  farms,  and  maintaining  in 
Ireland  the  mixed  system  of  plough  and  spade  industry. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      253 

2,  For  the  best  account  of  the  state  of  husbandry  in 
Connaught,  in  the  districts  afflicted  with  famine  in 
1 83 1,  and  for  suggestions  as  to  practical  means  of 
improvement.  3,  For  best  proposal  for  laying  down 
ground  to  permanent  pasture.  4,  For  schemes  for 
allotting  to  the  greatest  number  of  cottages  a  quantity 
of  land  not  less  than  one  acre,  Irish.  6,  For  the  best 
account  of  actual  experience  of  the  quantity  of  land 
required  to  support  a  labourer's  family  with  vegetables 
and  potatoes,  and  to  enable  him  to  keep  a  pig  and 
cow  all  the  year.  7,  For  best  method  of  fattening 
cattle.  8,  For  rearing  poultry;  and  9,  converting  peat 
into  fuel.  The  Society's  gold  medal  for  erection  of 
the  greatest  number  of  cottages  and  allocation  of  land 
to  them  was  won  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Close,  of 
Drumbanagher ;  and  a  prize  essay  by  Mr.  W.  Blacker 
on  the  management  of  landed  property  in  Ireland  is 
printed  as  an  appendix  to  Proceedings,  vol.  lxx. 

In  1833  a  committee  was  appointed  to  report  on  a 
proposed  establishment,  under  the  Society's  auspices, 
of  a  yearly  exhibition  of  specimens  of  the  manufac- 
tures and  products  of  Ireland,  and  it  was  also  pro- 
posed to  form  a  General  Agricultural  Association  of 
Ireland. 

The  committee  of  agriculture,  in  1835,  reported 
that  since  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  had  shown  an  in- 
clination to  resume  her  part  in  agriculture  and  hus- 
bandry, five  times  as  many  members  had  been  enrolled. 
They  now  particularly  v/ished  to  collect  information 
as  to  the  mode  of  agriculture  pursued  by  the  peasantry 
and  the  best  means  of  improving  it,  to  urge  local 
societies  to  communicate  with  them,  to  establish 
museums  of  seeds,  models,  and  machinery,  and  to 
elect  a  professor  of  agriculture  to  deliver  lectures. 


254  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  1836,  premiums  were  offered  for  plans  and 
estimates  for  farmhouses  and  cottages,  when  fifteen 
guineas  were  awarded  to  W.  D.  Butler,  architect,  73 
St.  Stephen's  Green,  and  ten  guineas  to  Ninian  Niven, 
curator,  Botanic  Garden. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  invite  the  British 
Association  to  meet  in  1835  in  Dublin.  The  invita- 
tion was  accepted,  and  the  Association  met  here  on  the 
10th  of  August  in  that  year,  under  the  presidency  of 
Dr.  Bartholomew  Lloyd,  provost  of  Trinity  College, 
the  retiring  president  being  Sir  Thomas  Brisbane. 
Trinity  College  was  the  meeting  place  of  the  Associa- 
tion, and  Captain  Sir  John  Ross  and  Sir  John  Franklin, 
Arctic  explorers,  attended  this  meeting.  During  its 
session  the  geological  and  geographical  sections  occupied 
the  theatre  and  secretaries'  office,  in  Leinster  House, 
while  those  of  zoology  and  botany  were  accommodated 
in  the  board  and  conversation  rooms.  The  Royal 
Dublin  Society  gave  a  dejeuner  at  the  Botanic  Garden, 
which  was  attended  by  1300  guests.  Sir  Thomas 
Brisbane  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  Association's 
meeting  in  Dublin  was  by  far  the  most  brilliant  of 
any  as  yet  held,  and  the  city  was  highly  complimented 
on  all  the  arrangements  made  for  its  reception. 

From  about  this  period,  the  principal  scientific 
work  of  the  Society  began  to  take  its  present  form. 
Evening  meetings  for  the  advancement  of  science  and 
diffusion  of  useful  knowledge  by  discussion  began  to 
be  held  monthly,  in  which  members  of  the  Royal 
Irish  Academy,  the  Zoological,  Geological,  Arbori- 
cultural  and  Horticultural  Societies  were  invited  to 
take  part.  The  first  meeting  was  held  on  the  26th  of 
January  1836,  Baron  Foster  occupying  the  chair;  Pro- 
fessor Davy  lectured,  and  Dr.  Coulter  exhibited  the 
cone  of  the  Pinus  Coulteri  and  Pinus  Lambertii.     Mr. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      255 

Clibborn  exhibited  a  table  of  electricity  on  the  bifur- 
cate mode,  and  Dr.  Kane  spoke  on  the  interference  of 
sonorous  waves.  Dr.  (afterwards  Sir)  Robert  J.  Kane 
had  been  elected  professor  of  natural  philosophy  in 
1834,  a  post  which  he  held  until  1847.  He  was  born 
in  Dublin  in  1809,  and  became  a  physician,  founding 
in  1832  the  Dublin  Journal  of  Medical  Science.  Kane 
published,  in  1841,  Elements  of  Chemistry,  theoretical 
and  f  radical.  He  also  edited  the  Philosophical  Maga- 
zine, and  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society 
in  1849,  in  which  year  he  was  appointed  President  of 
Queen's  College,  Cork.  Kane  paid  great  attention  to 
Irish  industries,  and  wrote  on  the  industrial  resources 
of  the  country.  When  the  Museum  of  Irish  Industry 
was  founded  in  St.  Stephen's  Green,  he  became  its 
director.  Sir  Robert  Kane  obtained  the  gold  medal 
of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  for  his  researches  in 
chemistry,  and  in  1877  he  was  elected  its  president. 
A  portrait  of  him  hangs  in  the  Academy  House. 

During  the  last  few  years  had  been  elected  as 
honorary  members,  Sir  Robert  Seppings,  bart.,  com- 
missioner of  the  navy,  for  his  great  scientific  improve- 
ments in  building  ships  of  war  and  other  vessels ;  Sir 
Martin  Archer  Shee,  who,  in  his  reply  to  the  com- 
munication announcing  his  election,  stated  that,  having 
been  a  student  of  the  schools,  he  would  ever  revere 
the  names  of  Morgan  Crofton,  Thomas  Braughall  (1), 
and  Burton  Conyngham,  who  exerted  themselves  with 
zeal  and  patriotism  in  the  cause  of  art ;  William 
Rowan  Hamilton  (2),  professor  of  astronomy,  and 
Sir  Frederick  Madden,  librarian  of  the  British  Museum, 
were  also  elected  honorary  members.  Among  the 
ordinary  members  admitted  occur  the  names  of  Charles 
Haliday  (3),  and  the  Rev.  James  Henthorn  Todd, 
f.t.c.d  (4), 


256  A   HISTORY   OF 

1.  In  the  reception-room,  Leinster  House,  is  a  small 
portrait  of  Thomas  Braughall,  by  Comerford,  the  label  on 
which  states  that  he  was  an  active  member  of  the  Society 
for  many  years,  and  an  honorary  secretary  from  1792 
to  1798.  Among  the  Haliday  Pamphlets  (1803), mcccxxxviii. 
3,  is  an  elegy  inscribed  to  the  memory  of  Thomas 
Braughall. 

2.  Sir  William  Rowan  Hamilton  was  born  in  Dublin  in 
1805,  and  in  1827  became  Royal  Astronomer  for  Ireland. 
He  was  not  only  a  great  mathematician  and  metaphysician, 
but  also  a  poet.  Hamilton  twice  obtained  the  gold  medal 
of  the  Royal  Society — on  the  first  occasion  for  his  great 
optical  discovery  as  to  systems  of  rays,  which  disclosed  a 
new  science  of  optics,  involving  as  it  did  the  discovery  of 
two  laws  of  light ;  on  the  second  occasion  for  his  theory  of 
a  general  method  of  dynamics.  His  very  important  work, 
Lectures  on  Quaternions  appeared  in  1853.  In  1837  Hamil- 
ton was  elected  President  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 
From  early  youth  he  was  distinguished  as  a  linguist,  and  he 
wrote  many  poems  and  sonnets.  Wordsworth,  Coleridge, 
and  Southey  were  numbered  among  his  personal  friends. 
Sir  William  died  in  1865,  and  the  Rev.  Robert  P.  Graves 
published  a  memoir  of  him,  in  two  volumes. 

3.  Charles  Haliday,  merchant,  born  in  Dublin  in  1789, 
was  a  member  of  the  corporation  for  improving  the  harbour 
of  Dublin,  and  superintending  the  lighthouses  on  the  Irish 
coast.  Haliday  published  a  number  of  pamphlets  on  social 
questions.  He  was  a  deeply-read  antiquarian,  and,  after  his 
death,  Mr.  J.  P.  Prendergast  edited  his  Scandinavian  Kingdom 
of  Dublin,  which  was  the  substance  of  two  learned  com- 
munications made  by  Haliday  to  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 
He  died  in  1866,  and  after  his  death  Mrs.  Haliday  pre- 
sented to  the  Academy  her  husband's  splendid  collection  of 
pamphlets  and  tracts  relating  to  Ireland,  together  with 
his  portrait.  The  tracts  extend  from  the  year  1578  to 
1859,  and  the  pamphlets  from  1682  to  1859,  t^ie  f°rmer 
being  comprised  in  543  boxes,  and  the  latter  in  2209 
volumes. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      257 

4.  James  Henthorn  Todd,  senior  fellow  of  Trinity 
College,  and  regius  professor  of  Hebrew  in  the  University 
of  Dublin,  was  born  in  1805.  His  life  was  devoted  to  the 
improvement  of  the  condition  of  the  Irish  Church,  and  the 
promotion  of  learning  among  its  clergy,  and  he  founded 
St.  Columba's  College,  Rathfarnham.  As  librarian  of 
Trinity  College,  Dr.  Todd  arranged  its  rich  collection  of 
Irish  manuscripts,  and  brought  the  library  to  a  high  state 
of  efficiency.  He  founded  the  Irish  Archaeological  Society, 
for  which  he  edited  the  Irish  version  of  the  Historia 
Britonum  of  Nennius,  and  (in  conjunction  with  Dr.  Reeves) 
the  Martyrology  of  Donegal ;  also  the  Liber  Hymnorum,  or 
book  of  hymns  of  the  ancient  Irish  Church.  His  edition 
of  Wars  of  the  Gaedhil  with  the  Gailly  in  the  Rolls  Series, 
appeared  in  1867.  Dr.  Todd  was  elected  President  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy  in  1856,  and  his  portrait  is  in  the 
Academy's  collection.  After  his  death  in  1869,  a  "Todd 
Lectureship,"  to  be  attached  to  the  Academy,  was  founded 
in  his  memory,  a  post  which  has  been  held  by  several  dis- 
tinguished Irish  scholars. 


25 8  A   HISTORY   OF 


CHAPTER   XVI 

SELECT   COMMITTEE   ON   THE   SOCIETY,    ITS 

REPORT,   AND  THE  NEW  CONSTITUTION 

(1836-1838) 

It  was  ordered  by  the  House  of  Commons  on  the 
23rd  of  March  1836,  that  a  select  committee  be  ap- 
pointed to  enquire  into  the  administration  of  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society,  with  a  view  to  a  wider  extension 
of  the  advantages  of  the  annual  parliamentary  grant 
to  that  Institution,  when  the  following  members  were 
appointed  on  it : 

Mr.  William  Smith   O'Brien  Mr.  More  O'Ferrall. 

(who  took  the  chair).  Mr.  Anthony  Lefroy. 

Lord  Viscount  Acheson.  Mr.  George  Evans. 

Lord  Francis  Egerton.  Mr.  Vesey. 

Mr.  Sharman  Crawford.  Mr.  Bellew. 

Mr.  Dunbar.  Mr.  William  Stuart. 

Mr.  Wyse.  Lord  Viscount  Sandon. 

Mr.  Jephson.  Mr.  Robert  Stewart. 

Lord  Acheson,  Lord  Sandon,  and  Mr.  Bellew  were 
discharged  from  attendance,  and  Captain  Jones,  Mr. 
Dillwyn,  and  Mr.  Serjeant  Jackson  were  added  to 
the  committee.  It  sat  from  the  20th  of  April  to  the 
10th  of  June  1836,  and  the  following  witnesses  were 
examined  :  Isaac  Weld,  honorary  secretary,  Robert 
Hutton,  Charles  William  Hamilton,  Richard  Griffith, 
William  Harty,  m.d.,  Samuel  Litton,  m.d.,  professor 
of  botany,  and  Captain  Joseph  E.  Portlock. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      259 

Mr.  Weld  described  the  origin,  objects,  and  con- 
stitution of  the  Society,  detailed  the  history  of  the 
premium  system,  and  the  Society's  dealings  v/ith  manu- 
facturers, and  with  persons  engaged  in  agriculture ; 
also  its  dealings  with  regard  to  employment  of  the 
poor,  reclamation  of  bogs,  planting,  fisheries,  the  fine 
arts,  the  Leskean  museum,  and  the  Botanic  Garden. 
His  evidence  also  dealt  with  the  library,  the  statis- 
tical surveys  of  counties,  and  the  J  rafts  actions  of  the 
Society,  and  he  reviewed  the  lectures  and  scientific 
meetings. 

Mr.  Hutton  was  particularly  examined  as  to  the 
working  of  the  committees,  and  as  to  membership,  and 
the  exclusion  of  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  Murray,  which  he 
conceived  to  have  been  brought  about  by  party  com- 
bination, and  as  an  expression  of  political  feeling ;  also 
as  to  the  parliamentary  grant,  the  officers  of  the  Society, 
and  the  lectures. 

Mr.  C.  W.  Hamilton  gave  evidence  as  to  the  agri- 
cultural side  of  the  Society.  He  also  spoke  of  the 
violence  of  party  feeling  in  it  at  the  time,  and  explained 
that  such  umbrage  was  taken  at  the  interference  of 
Government,  that  a  majority  of  the  members  would 
certainly  oppose  the  changes  indicated. 

Mr.  Griffith  was  examined  as  to  the  management 
of  the  Society,  committees,  &c,  and  specially  as  to 
the  value  of  the  lectures.  He  said  that  men  like  Sir 
Humphry  Davy  were  invited  to  lecture  on  the  ground 
that  they  might  explain  their  own  discoveries. 

Dr.  Harty  gave  evidence  as  to  the  special  objects 
of  the  Society  from  its  foundation,  and  as  to  the 
high  standing  of  large  numbers  of  the  members ;  also 
as  to  its  various  professors,  and  he  added  some  interest- 
ing remarks  on  Arthur  Young,  and  his  visit  to  Ireland 
in  1776-7. 


26o  A   HISTORY   OF 

Dr.  Litton  spoke  as  to  the  Botanic  Garden,  the 
lectures,  &c. ;  and  Captain  Portlock,  who  had  been 
connected  with  the  Geological  Survey  of  Ireland, 
gave  his  views  as  to  the  museum. 

Each  witness  gave  general  evidence  on  the  special 
points  which  the  committee  tried  to  elucidate,  and 
much  of  it  is  of  extreme  interest.  Finally  a  report 
was  agreed  to,  which  was  ordered  to  be  printed  on  the 
14th  July  1836.  The  following  resolutions  were 
also  come  to : 

1.  That  this  committee  is  not  in  a  situation  to 
pronounce  any  opinion  upon  the  legal  question,  how 
far  the  property  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  partly 
acquired  by  former  parliamentary  grants,  and  partly 
out  of  the  funds  arising  from  private  subscriptions, 
be  of  the  nature  of  public  property,  but  they  are  of 
opinion  that  it  is  expedient  that,  in  reference  to  future 
parliamentary  grants,  it  should  be  fully  understood 
that  the  members  composing  that  Society  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  trustees,  administering  a  public  fund,  and 
not  as  entitled  to  an  absolute  right  of  proprietorship 
in  the  property  acquired  by  means  of  such  parlia- 
mentary grants ;  and,  in  reference  to  the  existing  pro- 
perty, that  a  clear  and  distinct  guarantee  should  be  given 
by  the  Society  that  the  public  should  be  entitled  to  the 
full  and  entire  use  of  that  property  as  at  present  enjoyed. 

2.  That  it  is  expedient  that  the  admission  of  all 
respectable  individuals  to  a  participation  in  the  advan- 
tages arising  from  the  parliamentary  grant  to  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society  is  most  desirable,  and  in  order 
to  guard  against  the  capricious  exercise  of  the  power  of 
rejection,  it  is  advisable  that  its  by-laws  should  be 
reconsidered,  and  "  that  hereafter  no  individual  be 
excluded,  notwithstanding  one-third  of  the  members 
present  may  have  voted  for  his  rejection  unless  at  least 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      261 

forty  members  shall  have  voted  against  his  admission  "  ; 
and  as  regards  the  admission  fee,  that  it  be  left  optional 
whether  the  candidate  shall  pay  a  life  composition  of 
twenty  guineas,  or  a  fee  of  five  guineas  and  two  guineas 
annual  subscription,  and  that  persons  admitted  on 
these  terms  shall  cease  to  be  members,  if  at  any  time 
their  annual  subscriptions  shall  be  one  year  in  arrear, 
unless  the  party  so  in  arrear  shall  make  a  declaration 
in  writing  to  the  Council  that  he  has  been  absent  from 
the  kingdom  during  the  period  for  which  the  arrear 
has  been  incurred. 

That  associate  subscribers  should  be  admitted  to 
the  Society  for  the  term  of  one  year,  upon  the  recom- 
mendation of  two  members  of  the  Council,  or  payment 
of  two  guineas,  which  payment  must  be  made  at  the 
time  of  admission. 

3.  That  the  management  of  the  ordinary  business 
of  the  Society  should  be  confided  to  a  Council,  but 
that  it  may  be  competent  for  thirty  members  to  call  a 
general  meeting  of  the  Society,  when  any  subject  of 
importance  requires  consideration,  upon  giving  a  notice 
by  advertisement  at  least  fourteen  days  previous  to  the 
day  of  meeting,  of  the  time  at  which  it  will  be  held, 
and  of  the  subjects  to  be  entertained. 

That  no  such  meeting  shall  be  called  between  the 
1st  of  August  and  the  1st  of  November,  and  that 
there  shall  be  no  adjournment  of  such  meeting  without 
a  new  notice. 

That  the  Council  should  be  formed  by  the  union 
of  the  following  committees,  each  of  which  should 
consist  of  three  members,  elected  by  the  Society ;  one 
member  of  each  committee  to  go  out  annually ;  and 
that  the  Council  should  be  empowered  to  associate 
with  each  committee  not  more  than  three  members  of 
the  Council : — 


262  A   HISTORY   OF 

i .   Committee  of  Fine  Arts. 

2.  Committee  of  Natural  Philosophy  and  its  applica- 

tion to  the  Useful  Arts. 

3.  Committee  of  Chemistry  and  its  application  to 

the  Useful  Arts. 

4.  Committee    of    Mineralogy   and    Geology,  and 

its  application  to  the  Useful  Arts. 

5.  Committee  of  Botany  and  Natural  History. 

6.  Committee  of  Agriculture. 

7.  Committee  of  Statistics. 

8.  Committee  of  Accounts  and  Domestic  Arrange- 

ments. 

That  at  an  early  period  in  each  year  an  estimate 
should  be  presented  for  sanction  to  a  general  meeting 
of  the  Society,  of  the  expenditure  which  will  be  re- 
quired in  each  department  of  the  Society's  operations, 
and  that  no  deviation  from  that  estimate  should  take 
place  to  an  extent  greater  than  ^50,  in  the  province 
of  any  one  committee,  without  the  sanction  of  the 
Society  at  large,  except  upon  any  extraordinary  occasion, 
when  the  consent  of  the  Treasury  shall  be  required. 

That  it  should  be  the  duty  of  each  committee  to 
report  to  the  Council  upon  all  matters  relating  to  the 
department  over  which  it  presides ;  and  that  all  recom- 
mendations emanating  from  the  committees  should  be 
subject  to  the  final  sanction  of  the  whole  Council. 

4.  That  the  Dublin  Society  should  be  considered 
as  the  great  central  association  for  the  diffusion  through- 
out Ireland  of  a  knowledge  of  practical  science,  and 
of  all  improvements  in  agriculture,  horticulture,  and 
the  arts ;  and  that  it  should  place  itself  in  communi- 
cation with  all  local  societies,  founded  with  a  view  to 
similar  objects,  affording  to  them  assistance,  encourage- 
ment, and  information,  and  receiving  from  them  in 
return  periodical  reports  of  their  proceedings. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      263 

5.  That  the  Dublin  Society  should  be  enabled, 
upon  application,  to  send  down  qualified  persons  to 
give  lectures  in  the  provincial  towns,  whenever  the 
travelling  expenses  of  the  lecturer,  and  a  reasonable 
proportion  of  his  remuneration  shall  be  locally  sub- 
scribed by  the  parties  making  the  application. 

6.  That  the  Botanic  Garden  should  be  made  as 
much  as  possible  a  school  for  young  gardeners  seeking 
instruction  in  horticulture. 

7.  That  the  museum,  the  Botanic  Garden,  and 
the  Lawn  should  be  open  to  the  public  for  study  or 
enjoyment,  under  regulations  to  be  framed  by  the 
Council. 

8.  That  books  should  not  be  lent  out  of  the 
library,  and  that,  for  the  convenience  of  persons  desir- 
ous to  consult  the  books  in  the  library,  a  reading- 
room  should  be  appointed,  to  which  persons  not 
belonging  to  the  Society  should  have  access  by  special 
permission  of  the  Council. 

9.  That  the  public  should  be  gratuitously  admitted 
to  at  least  one  of  the  courses  of  lectures,  given 
by  each  professor,  during  the  year ;  and  that  such 
gratuitous  course  should  be  given  in  the  evening,  in 
order  to  encourage  the  attendance  of  persons  engaged 
during  the  day  in  industrious  occupation. 

10.  That  each  committee  should  periodically 
publish  reports  of  its  proceedings,  and  that  the  Council 
should,  by  selection  from  the  papers  read  at  the  evening 
scientific  meetings,  or  by  the  compilation  of  such  other 
interesting  and  useful  information  as  they  may  think  it 
desirable  to  communicate  to  the  public,  cause  to  be 
printed,  from  time  to  time,  publications  which  should 
be  accessible  to  the  public  by  purchase. 

1 1 .  That  newspapers  and  political  periodicals  should 
no  longer  be  taken  into  the  Society's  rooms,  whether 


264  A   HISTORY   OF 

procured  by  special  private  subscription,  or  paid  for  out 
of  the  general  funds  of  the  Society. 

12.  That  measures  should  be  taken  for  securing 
increased  activity  and  efficiency  in  the  management  of 
all  the  schools,  and  that  they  should  be  made  instru- 
mental rather  in  giving  instruction  in  the  useful  and 
the  mechanical  departments  of  the  arts,  than  in  those 
which  are  purely  ornamental. 

13.  That  in  order  to  form  a  National  Museum 
adequate  to  the  public  wants,  it  is  necessary  to  provide 
larger  accommodation  for  the  exhibition  of  objects  than 
the  present  rooms  of  the  Dublin  Society  are  capable  of 
affording,  and  that  such  increased  accommodation  can 
with  advantage  be  provided  by  an  extension  of  the 
buildings  of  the  Society's  present  house. 

On  the  3rd  of  November  1 846,  the  special  committee 
of  the  Society  reported  on  the  foregoing  resolutions,  and, 
as  to  the  first,  submitted  that  it  ought  not  to  surrender 
its  property,  but  should  abide  by  the  charter.  With 
respect  to  the  annual  grant,  the  committee  stated  that 
it  was  administered  as  stated  in  the  estimate,  approved 
by  the  Treasury,  and  absorbed  in  the  expenditure  of 
the  year. 

As  to  No.  2,  it  agreed  that  the  by-laws  should  be 
altered,  so  as  to  give  effect  to  the  recommendations. 

As  to  No.  3,  the  Society  was  willing  to  adopt  it, 
so  far  as  to  confide  the  ordinary  business  of  the  Society 
to  a  Council,  provided  the  powers  of  such  Council 
were  strictly  defined  and  limited,  so  as  not  to  exclude 
the  direct  control  over  its  proceedings  on  the  part  of 
the  Society  at  large.  Committees  of  management 
should  be  appointed  under  the  following  heads  : — 

1.  Botany  and  Horticulture. 

2.  Chemistry,  with  its  application  to  the  useful 

arts. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      265 

3.  Natural  Philosophy  and  Mechanics. 

4.  Natural  History,  Geology,  Mineralogy,  and 

charge  of  the  Museum. 

5.  Fine  Arts. 

6.  Library. 

7.  Agriculture  and  Husbandry. 

8.  Manufactures. 

9.  Statistics. 

The  committees  should  be  chosen  annually  by 
ballot ;  each  committee  to  choose  its  own  chairman, 
who,  with  one  other  member  fit  to  be  elected  by  each 
committee  respectively,  should  be  members  of  the 
Council.  The  Council  to  consist  of  the  seven  vice- 
presidents,  the  two  honorary  secretaries,  the  chairman, 
and  one  other  member  of  each  committee,  and  of  nine 
members  to  be  elected  by  ballot,  by  and  from  the 
Society  at  large.  Monthly  meetings  to  be  held  in 
addition  to  the  stated  general  meetings  directed  by 
the  charter,  for  special  purposes. 

No.  4.  The  Society  wished  to  act  most  fully  on 
this  recommendation. 

No.  5.  This  suggestion  was  recommended  when- 
ever local  institutions  took  the  necessary  steps. 

No.  6.  This  should  be  fully  adopted  ;  and  in  part 
it  had  been  anticipated  by  the  Society. 

No.  7.  The  museum  and  Botanic  Garden  have 
been  open  to  the  public,  subject  to  regulations.  It 
should  be  left  to  the  Council  to  adopt  further 
rules. 

No.  8.  Lending  out  scientific  books  to  members 
should  not  be  continued,  except  as  the  library  com- 
mittee deem  proper.  It  would  not  be  expedient  to 
discontinue  it  in  all  cases,  and  the  Society  should 
procure  such  a  reading-room  as  is  described  in  the 
resolution. 


266  A   HISTORY    OF 

No.  9.  It  has  always  been  the  practice  to  admit 
the  public  to  the  lectures  gratuitously,  and  the  evening 
courses  should  be  again  tried,  in  deference  to  the 
committee's  wish. 

No.  10.  This  resolution  was  recommended. 

No.  1 1 .  The  committee  thought  that  the  exclusion 
of  newspapers  would  hardly  be  reconcilable  with  the 
desire  for  information  as  to  every  branch  of  science, 
arts,  manufactures,  and  agriculture.  The  reduction 
of  the  stamp  duties  encouraged  the  reading  of  papers, 
and  it  would  seem  inconsistent  to  deprive  members 
of  this  advantage.  The  committee  found  that  it 
could  not  recommend  a  discontinuance  of  the  practice, 
but  thought  that  perhaps  newspapers  should  not  be 
purchased  out  of  public  money. 

No.  12.  This  resolution  was  recommended. 

No.  13.  The  Society  would  gladly  co-operate  in 
attaining  the  objects  mentioned  in  this  recommenda- 
tion, but,  in  order  to  carry  them  out,  a  consider- 
able extension  of  its  pecuniary  means  would  be 
necessary. 

The  entire  of  this  report  of  the  committee  was 
adopted  by  the  Society,  and  copies  were  sent  to  the 
Treasury  and  the  Chief  Secretary.  A  special  committee 
to  prepare  by-laws  in  accordance  with  the  new  situation 
was  also  appointed.  A  Treasury  minute  required  a 
specific  admission  from  the  Society  with  regard  to  the 
right  of  ownership  mentioned  in  the  first  resolution,  and 
in  reply,  the  Society  declared  that  it  did  not  claim  the 
right  of  disposing  of  its  property  for  the  advantage  of 
members,  or  for  objects  foreign  to  those  for  which  it 
was  incorporated.  The  Society  admitted  that  the  pro- 
perty was  held  as  a  public  trust,  for  the  public  benefit, 
with  a  view  to  the  objects  for  which  the  charter  had 
been  obtained. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      267 

In  volume  lxxiv.  of  the  Proceedings,  appendix  ii., 
pp.  9-36,  will  be  found  by-laws  of  the  Society,  as 
they  stood,  on  the  confirmation  of  those  agreed  to 
on  the  9th,  16th,  and  23rd  of  November  1837,  at  the 
stated  General  Meeting  in  March  1838. 

Under  them  the  management  of  the  business  of 
the  Society  was  to  be  confided  to  a  Council,  the 
powers  of  such  Council  to  be  strictly,  as  hereafter, 
limited  and  defined,  and  subject  to  the  direct  control 
over  the  proceedings  upon  the  part  of  the  Society  at 
large.  It  was  to  consist  of  the  seven  vice-presidents, 
two  honorary  secretaries,  the  chairman  and  one  other 
member  of  each  committee,  and  nine  members  who 
were  to  be  elected  by  ballot.  This  Council  was  to 
meet  weekly,  and  to  keep  minutes  of  its  proceed- 
ings. Under  a  by-law  of  November  1838,  its  meet- 
ings were  to  be  open  to  members  of  the  Society, 
but  they  were  to  be  without  power  of  speaking  or 
voting. 

The  following  were  the  first  members  who  were 
elected  on  the  26th  of  April  1838  by  the  committees, 
to  serve  on  the  Council : 

Agriculture  and  Husbandry    .   {  ^JS^""*""* 

Botany  and  Horticulture    .     •  {  S^0""' ^'"^ 

ri  „    •_ f„,  f  Dr.  Meyler,  Chairman. 

Chemistry »    w-1i;     ' wlInne 


I  William  Will 


ans. 


Fine  Arts {  George  Cash,  Chairman. 

V  Daniel  McKay. 
T  ;k-,„,  /  E.  R-  P-  Colles,  Chairman. 

Llbrary I  Richard  Hemphill. 

Manufactures {  Sir  Edward  Stanley,  Cft«> 

I  B.  B.  Johnston, 


man. 


man. 


Natural  History  and  Museum  {  {£'  ^f^Y'  Chai? 

Natural   Philosophy  and  Me-  /  Henry  Adair,  Chairman. 

chanics I.  Edward  Clibborn. 

ctot;ct;„ c  /  Sir  William  Betham,  Chairman. 

btatlstlCS I  William  Smith. 


268  A   HISTORY   OF 

The  following  nine  members  were  elected  by  ballot 
to  serve  on  the  Council : 

Henry  Carey.  John  Hughes. 

William  Smith.  Edward  Tierney. 

R.  M.  Peile.  Villiers  B.  Fowler. 

J.  H.  Orpen,  M.D.  Ambrose  Smith. 
Wm.  Harty,  M.D. 

The  Council  presented  its  first  report  to  the  Society 
on  the  8th  of  November  1838,  which  stated  that  the 
Council  was  engaged  in  carrying  into  effect  the  object 
of  the  Treasury  communication  as  to  delivery  of 
lectures  in  provincial  tov/ns  by  the  professors.  Pro- 
fessor Davy  lectured  in  Portarlington  and  Wicklow, 
and  Dr.  Kane  in  Galway,  the  former  on  chemistry, 
and  the  latter  on  natural  philosophy.  The  Council 
had  the  satisfaction  of  reporting  to  the  Society  that 
its  establishment  was  in  a  vigorous  and  active  state. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      269 


CHAPTER   XVII 

GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   THE   SOCIETY   {continued) 
(1836-1877) 

The  evening  scientific  meetings  continued  to  be  held, 
and  at  the  first  of  the  series  in  November  1836,  Baron 
Foster  occupying  the  chair,  Dr.  Scouler  exhibited 
specimens  of  lignites  and  silicified  woods  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  Lough  Neagh,  on  which  he  made 
observations.  Dr.  Kane  exhibited  a  modification  of 
Faraday's  electro-magnetic  apparatus,  invented  by  Pro- 
fessor Callan  of  Maynooth.  At  the  meeting  in  May 
1837,  Mr.  Clibborn  read  a  long  paper  on  the  theory 
and  practical  results  of  the  banking  system  in  America, 
which  is  printed  in  full  in  the  Proceedings,  vol.  lxxiii. 
appendix  viii.  In  December  1837,  Dr.  Kane  presented 
specimens  of  books  printed  in  raised  letters,  for  the  use 
of  the  blind,  and  explained  the  merits  of  each  system  ; 
and  in  1838,  Mr.  Grubb  read  a  paper  on  the  com- 
parative and  defining  powers  of  different  telescopes, 
and  the  disappearance  of  stars,  when  great  magnifying 
power  is  used.  Dr.  Kane  explained  the  electro- 
magnetic telegraph  used  in  Munich,  and  Mr.  Colles 
read  a  paper  on  street  architecture.  Later,  Dr.  Scouler 
discoursed  on  the  dolomites,  or  beds  of  magnesian 
limestone,  found  in  some  parts  of  Ireland,  and  Mr. 
Rigby  read  a  paper  on  the  rifling  of  gun  barrels.  In 
January  1839,  when  the  Lord  Lieutenant  was  present, 
Professor  Davy  gave  an  account  of  two  new  gaseous 


270  A   HISTORY   OF 

compounds  of  carbon  and  hydrogen ;  while  Sir 
William  Betham  addressed  the  audience  on  the  ad- 
vantages to  be  derived  from  the  study  of  antiquities, 
and  Dr.  Wilde  made  some  observations  on  fisheries. 
These  meetings  were  the  precursors  of  the  scientific 
meetings  which  have  since  become  so  important  a 
feature  in  the  Society. 

In  1838,  Philip  Crampton  (1),  surgeon-general,  in 
recognition  of  the  talent  displayed  in  his  lectures  on  the 
importance  of  the  study  of  zoology,  and  Isaac  Butt  (2), 
professor  of  political  economy  in  Trinity  College,  for 
his  lecture  on  the  importance  of  the  study  of  zoology 
in  connection  with  civilisation,  were  elected  honorary 
members. 

1.  Philip  Crampton  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1777,  and  in 
1798  became  Surgeon  to  the  Meath  Hospital,  where  he  estab- 
lished a  great  reputation  as  a  skilful  operator,  ready  and  full 
of  resource.  He  was  appointed  surgeon-general  to  the  Forces 
in  Ireland,  and  at  a  later  period,  surgeon  in  ordinary  to  the 
Queen,  and  in  1839  a  baronetcy  was  conferred  on  him. 
Crampton  was  much  interested  in  zoology,  and  may  be  con- 
sidered one  of  the  founders  of  the  Zoological  Gardens  in 
Dublin.  A  paper  of  his  on  the  "  Eyes  of  Birds  being  accom- 
modated to  different  distances,"  obtained  his  election  to 
fellowship  of  the  Royal  Society.  Sir  Philip  Crampton  died 
in  1858. 


2.  Isaac  Butt  was  born  in  the  county  Donegal  in  181 3. 
Having  been  called  to  the  Bar,  he  founded  the  Dublin  Univer- 
sity Magazine,  of  which  he  was  editor,  1 834-1 841.  Butt  held 
the  post  of  professor  of  political  economy  in  the  University 
of  Dublin  from  1 836-1 841,  and  always  took  a  prominent 
part  in  politics,  being  the  recognised  champion  of  the  Con- 
servative party.  He  defended  Smith  O'Brien  in  the  State 
trials  of  1848,  and  in  1852  became  m.p.  for  Harwich,  after- 
wards representing  Youghal  from  1 852-1 865,  both  in  the 
Conservative  interest.     The  Fenian  prisoners  were  defended 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      271 

by  him,  and,  soon  after,  Butt  changed  his  politics,  being 
elected  m.p.  for  Limerick  in  1871,  as  a  Home  Ruler.  He 
published  works  on  the  Irish  Corporation  Bill,  on  Zoology  and 
Civilisation,  Transfer  of  Land,  National  Education,  Deep 
Sea  Fisheries,  and  Irish  Federation.     Butt  died  in  1879. 

On  the  7th  of  June  1838,  the  Society  adjourned  as 
a  mark  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  Right  Hon. 
Henry  Joy,  chief  baron  of  the  Exchequer,  a  vice- 
president,  whose  death  was  that  day  announced. 
Miss  Joy,  the  chief  baron's  sister,  presented  to  the 
Society  his  collection  of  minerals,  which  had  been 
arranged  by  Sir  Charles  Giesecke,  and  was  very  valu- 
able. 

The  Spring  cattle  show,  held  in  April  1838,  was 
the  most  successful  hitherto  held — "  all  the  space 
the  extensive  cattle  yard  afforded  being  fully  occu- 
pied," and  the  quality  of  the  stock  being  the  universal 
theme  of  admiration. 

The  exhibition  of  manufactures  held  in  May  also 
showed  a  great  improvement  in  many  branches,  the 
number  of  visitors  amounting  to  20,000,  and  much 
greater  space  having  to  be  allotted  to  exhibitors  than 
was  the  case  at  the  exhibition  of  1835.  The  com- 
mittee of  the  exhibition  resolved  to  grant  but  one 
gold  medal,  which  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Grubb,  for 
his  transit  instrument,  the  first  of  the  kind  ever 
manufactured  in  Ireland.  On  each  day  that  the 
exhibition  remained  open,  Dr.  Kane  lectured  to  a 
crowded  auditory  in  the  theatre,  on  some  branch  of 
art  or  manufacture. 

Great  injury  was  done  to  the  stable  offices  at 
Leinster  House  by  the  great  storm  of  January  1839, 
and  a  considerable  part  of  the  boundary  wall  of  the 
Botanic  Garden,  between  the  entrance  gate  and  Glas- 
nevin  bridge,  was  blown  down. 


272  A   HISTORY   OF 

Henry  Cotton,  dean  of  Lismore  and  archdeacon  of 
Cashel,  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  Society.  Cotton 
was  born  in  Buckinghamshire  in  1789,  and  for  a  time 
held  the  post  of  sub-librarian  of  the  Bodleian  library. 
In  1823,  he  came  to  Ireland  as  chaplain  to  his  father- 
in-law,  Dr.  Lawrence,  archbishop  of  Cashel.  His  Fasti 
Ecclesiae  Hiberniae,  in  five  volumes,  which  appeared 
between  1848  and  i860,  is  a  most  valuable  compila- 
tion, that  must  have  cost  him  much  labour.  That 
work  did  for  Ireland  what  Le  Neve's  had  done  for 
England,  and  Cotton's  short  memoirs  of  the  various 
dignitaries  of  the  church  have  proved  very  useful. 
Cotton  also  published  a  List  of  Editions  of  the  Bible 
f rinted  between  1505  and  1820,  and  Obsolete  Words 
in  our  Version  of  the  Bible.  Archdeacon  Cotton  died 
in  1879. 

The  Council  reported  in  May,  that  additional  build- 
ings for  the  departments  of  agriculture,  manufac- 
tures, and  natural  history  had  become  absolutely 
necessary.  It  was  proposed  to  alter  the  long  range  of 
buildings  in  the  cattle  yard  by  raising  the  walls,  and 
lighting  them  from  the  roof,  which  would  give  a  suite 
of  rooms  220  feet  in  length.  A  number  of  additional 
sheds  for  cattle  were  also  contemplated.  Considering 
all  the  alterations  that  were  peremptorily  demanded, 
the  Council  agreed  that  ^4000  would  be  necessary, 
and  that  sum  was  voted.  Steps  were  also  taken  for 
planting  the  lawn,  screening  off  the  statue  gallery,  and 
concealing  the  stables  by  a  plantation.  The  parapet 
wall  was  also  removed,  and  the  unsightly  ditch  next 
Merrion  square  filled  up.  The  balustrade  and  entrance 
from  Merrion  square  were  supplied  at  that  time. 

In  July  1 841,  R.  Butler  Bryan  died,  and  Mr. 
Lundy  E.  Foot,  barrister,  was  elected  as  secretary  in  his 
room. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      273 

The  first  six  months  of  the  year  1841  formed  a 
very  anxious  time  for  the  Society,  for,  having  settled 
down  under  its  new  conditions,  and  having,  as  was 
supposed,  complied  with  most,  if  not  quite  all,  of  the 
recommendations  of  the  Select  Committee  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  the  members  were  suddenly  confronted 
with  a  letter  from  the  Chief  Secretary,  dated  the  17th 
of  December  1840,  conveying  the  Lord  Lieutenant's 
opinion  that  the  recommendations  had  been  but  im- 
perfectly carried  out.  A  long  correspondence  ensued, 
and  the  points  to  which  special  attention  was  called 
were  the  continuance  of  the  newsroom,  and  the  prin- 
ciple of  an  annual  subscription  not  having  been 
adopted.  Certain  propositions  were  enclosed,  the 
adoption  of  which  would  prevent  future  collision 
between  the  Executive  and  the  Society.  The  Society 
was  to  consist  of  two  sections,  having  the  house, 
library,  theatre,  museums,  &c,  in  common,  the  one 
to  promote  chemistry,  geology,  mineralogy,  &c, 
and  the  other  section  agriculture,  botany,  arts,  and 
manufactures.  The  members  of  each  section  were  to 
be  elected  as  hitherto,  but,  instead  of  £21  payment,  the 
admission  fee  was  to  be  £i9  with  an  annual  subscrip- 
tion of  £i,  or  a  life  composition  of  £10.  A  number 
of  other  propositions  were  submitted,  but  the  above 
named,  and  one,  that  no  newspaper  or  newsroom  was 
to  be  permitted,  were  the  principal.  There  was  an 
implied  threat  that  the  parliamentary  grant  might  be 
withdrawn,  should  the  Society  not  see  its  way  to 
compliance.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Society  never 
considered  these  two  recommendations  of  the  Select 
Committee  as  of  such  paramount  importance,  and  never 
thought  the  report  so  mandatory  as  to  exclude  all 
exercise  of  judgment  on  its  part  in  matters  of  detail. 
The  Government  had  not  offered  any  opinion  on  the 

s 


274  A   HISTORY   OF 

changes  of  the  system,  save  by  a  Treasury  letter  for 
issue  of  the  balance  of  the  grant  then  due.  No  ob- 
jections having  been  since  raised,  and  the  grants  being 
continued,  the  Society  naturally  inferred  that  the 
Government  acquiesced  in  the  newspapers  being  re- 
tained. The  Lord  Lieutenant  admitted  that  he  had 
been  mistaken  as  to  the  admission  of  annual  subscribers, 
as  the  Society  had  adopted  the  principle  in  the  precise 
terms  recommended  by  the  committee.  He  con- 
sidered it  essential  that  the  newsroom  should  not  be 
continued,  and  that  an  annual  subscription  equivalent 
to  the  life  composition  should  be  fixed. 

With  regard  to  the  new  proposals,  the  Society 
thought  that  the  existence  of  two  societies,  separately 
elected,  and  holding  property  in  common,  was  anoma- 
lous and  contained  elements  of  discord,  and  a  number  of 
arguments  were  urged  against  them.  His  Excellency, 
finding  his  scheme  rejected,  regretted  that  he  could 
no  longer  recommend  the  continuance  of  the  Society's 
grant.  The  next  step  was  the  issue,  on  the  2  9th  of  March 
1 841,  of  a  commission  to  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  Lord 
Rosse,  Lord  Adare,  and  Messrs.  J.  F.  Burgoyne,  W.  R. 
Hamilton,  Humphrey  Lloyd,  Thomas  A.  Larcom,  and 
J.  McCullagh,  empowering  them  to  enquire  and  report 
in  what  form,  and  under  what  regulations,  the  parlia- 
mentary grant  of  £5300,  voted  to  the  Dublin  Society, 
might  be  most  effectually  used  for  the  advancement 
of  science  and  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Irish  nation  ;  particularly,  whether  it 
would  be  desirable  to  form  an  entirely  new  Institution, 
or  to  assist  any  societies  now  established  in  Dublin  for 
the  furtherance  of  science  and  art.  The  commis- 
sioners reported  that  the  grant  should  be  for  the 
support  of  one  Society  only,  and  as  His  Excellency 
had  abandoned  his   intention  of  having   the   Society's 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      275 

grant  withdrawn,  if  proper  arrangements  were  made, 
they  suggested  points  for  consideration,  which  were 
generally  as  follows  : 

That  there  should  be  a  court  of  Visitors,  consisting 
of  the  Lord  Chancellor,  the  Lord  Chief  Justice,  and  the 
Provost. 

That  the  Society  should  embrace  sections  for — 
1,  Physical  Science;  2,  Geology  and  Mineralogy;  3, 
Botany  and  Horticulture  ;  4,  Zoology ;  5,  Agriculture. 
That  the  General  Council  should  consist  of  thirty-one 
members,  namely,  the  president,  seven  vice-presidents, 
the  two  secretaries,  and  six  others,  elected  by  the  Society, 
as  well  as  fifteen  members  of  the  Society  deputed  from 
the  sectional  councils.  That  members  of  the  Society 
should  pay  an  admission  fee  of  two  guineas,  and  an 
annual  subscription  of  two  guineas ;  composition  fee 
to  be  twenty  guineas.  That  a  member  of  one  section 
should  pay  half  these  sums.  That  the  school  of 
mechanical  drawing  should  be  continued  under  the 
Society,  and  that  the  schools  of  fine  arts  should  be 
transferred  to  the  Royal  Hibernian  Academy. 

Though,  on  the  whole,  these  propositions  were 
favourably  received  by  the  Society,  certain  modifications 
were  asked  for;  and,  on  the  16th  of  June  1841,  His 
Excellency  stated  that  he  found  with  pleasure  that  the 
Society  appeared  disposed  to  accede  to  them.  They 
formed,  with  the  original  condition  as  to  the  abolition 
of  the  newsroom,  the  extent  of  what  the  Government 
desired  to  see  carried  out. 

On  the  nth  of  November  1841,  the  Council  sub- 
mitted to  the  members  resolutions  embodying  the 
principles  on  which  the  Society  might  meet  the  ex- 
pressed wishes  of  the  Irish  Government,  which  provided 
for  discontinuance  of  the  newsroom  and  newspapers. 
The   Society  was   to   embrace  the  following  sections : 


276  A   HISTORY    OF 

1,  Husbandry  and  Agriculture;  2,  Chemistry;  3, 
Natural  Philosophy  and  Mechanics ;  4,  Botany  and 
Horticulture;  5,  Natural  History  (Zoology,  Geology, 
and  Mineralogy);  6,  Fine  Arts;  7,  Manufactures, 
&c. ;  election  of  associate  members  of  sections,  without 
ballot,  as  associate  members  were  then  admitted,  with 
certain  regulations  as  to  the  sections ;  and  a  General 
Council  consisting  of  thirty-three  members,  namely — 
the  president,  seven  vice-presidents,  the  two  secretaries, 
nine  members  elected  from  the  Society,  and  fourteen 
deputed  from  the  sections.  On  the  26th  of  May  1842, 
amended  by-laws  as  to  associate  members  of  sections 
were  passed. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Romney  Robinson,  d.d.,  pro- 
fessor of  astronomy  at  Armagh,  was  elected  an 
honorary  member.  This  great  astronomer  and  mathe- 
matical physicist  was  born  in  Dublin  in  1792,  the  son 
of  Thomas  Robinson,  portrait  painter.  He  became 
a  fellow  of  Trinity  College  in  18 14,  and  in  1823  was 
appointed  to  the  College  living  of  Enniskillen.  From 
the  time  of  his  election  to  the  post  of  astronomer  at 
Armagh  Observatory,  Robinson  resided  there,  when  he 
published  his  Armagh  Observations  and  his  great  work, 
Places  of  5345  Stars  observed  at  Armagh ,  which  ap- 
peared between  1828  and  1854.  The  medal  of  the 
Royal  Society  was  awarded  to  Dr.  Robinson,  and  he 
was  well  known  as  inventor  of  the  cup-anemometer, 
which  he  first  described  at  the  British  Association 
Meeting  of  1846.  Robinson  contributed  many  papers 
and  articles  to  the  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy.  He  died  in  1882,  and  there 
is  a  portrait  of  him  in  the  Academy  House. 

At  the  end  of  vol.  lxxviii.  Proceedings,  appeared, 
for  the  first  time,  minutes  of  the  Council,  com- 
mencing on  the  19th  of  August  1841,  which  continued 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      277 

to  be  regularly  printed  in  the  succeeding  volumes  of 
the  Proceedings. 

In  March  1843,  a  large  silver  medal,  with  certi- 
ficate, was  presented  to  Mr.  James  Fagan,  for  his 
exertions  in  establishing  a  dockyard  at  Kingstown,  and 
building  a  new  ship,  the  Duchess  of  Leinster,  as  it  was 
so  important  to  Dublin  and  the  country  generally  to 
encourage  shipbuilding. 

During  the  cattle  show  in  April  1843,  the  eminent 
agriculturist,  Mr.  Smith  of  Deanston,  lectured  on 
draining  land,  and  on  subsoil  ploughing,  and  the  com- 
mittee of  agriculture  offered  premiums  for  essays  on 
subsoil  ploughing,  on  thorough  draining,  and  on  the 
effects  of  altitude  on  vegetation,  &c.  The  first  show 
of  farm  produce  was  held  in  1844,  in  connection 
with  the  reopening  of  the  agricultural  museum, 
which  had  been  largely  improved. 

Albert,  the  Prince  Consort,  became  a  Vice-Patron 
of  the  Society  in  1845,  and  showed  great  interest  in 
the  exhibition  of  stock. 

In  the  winter  of  that  year,  potato  disease  occupied 
the  attention  of  the  Council,  and  Professor  Davy  was 
authorised  to  suspend  his  lectures,  and  devote  all  his 
energies  to  conducting  experiments  with  a  view  to 
the  preservation  of  that  crop.  A  gold  medal  and 
^20  were  offered  for  the  best  essay  on  the  disease. 

The  lectures  in  provincial  towns  were  by  this  time 
well  established,  and  Dr.  Kane,  Professor  Davy,  and 
Mr.  Oldham  delivered  lectures  on  natural  philosophy, 
chemistry,  and  geology,  in  Clonmel,  Coleraine,  Kil- 
larney,  Galway,  and  Waterford,  Ballinasloe,  Newry, 
Limerick,  Armagh,  Mallow,  Dungannon,  &c.  ^40 
were  assigned  to  each  town  out  of  the  sum  voted 
by  Parliament  for  that  service. 

In     1846,    some    friends    of  Alexander  Nimmo, 


278  A   HISTORY   OF 

government  engineer  for  the  western  district  of 
Ireland,  subscribed  for  a  bust,  in  memory  of  him  ; 
this  was  offered  to  the  Society,  and  it  now  stands  in 
the  reception-room.  The  bust  was  executed  by  John 
Jones,  at  one  time  a  student  in  the  schools. 

Sir  Robert  Kane  resigned  the  professorship  of 
Natural  Philosophy  in  November  1 847,  and  Dr.  William 
Barker  was  elected  in  his  room.  Dr.  W.  H.  Harvey 
became  professor  of  Botany  in  place  of  Dr.  Litton, 
and  Dr.  Charles  Croker  King  became  honorary  pro- 
fessor of  Anatomy  in  connection  with  the  fine  arts, 
in  the  room  of  Dr.  Woodroofe. 

Owing  to  troubles  connected  with  Smith  O'Brien's 
rising  in  1848,  troops  were  quartered  for  several 
months  on  the  Society's  premises.  From  the  3rd  of 
April,  cavalry  and  infantry  occupied  the  cattle  yard, 
the  buildings  in  it,  and  other  portions  of  the  premises, 
while  the  officers  used  the  conversation  and  board 
rooms. 

In  1849,  William  Stokes,  m.d.  (i),  George  Petrie, 
ll.d.  (see  p.  1 19),  and  Charles  Bianconi  (2)  were  elected 
members,  and  on  the  7th  of  November  1850,  the  latter 
was  elected  an  honorary  member. 

1.  William  Stokes,  son  of  Whitley  Stokes,  regius  professor 
of  Medicine  in  the  University  of  Dublin,  was  born  in  1804. 
In  1825,  he  published  a  work  on  the  Use  of  the  Stethoscope, 
which  was  the  earliest  treatise  on  that  subject  that  appeared 
in  these  countries.  He  also  wrote  on  the  curability  of 
phthisis,  and  in  1834  became  editor  of  the  Dublin  Journal  of 
Medical  Science.  Dr.  Stokes  was  afterwards  elected  a  Fellow 
of  the  Royal  Society,  and  he  became  regius  professor  of 
Medicine  in  the  University,  and  physician  to  the  Queen  in 
Ireland.  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  physicians 
of  his  time,  and  his  works  have  been  translated  into  French, 
German,  and  Italian.  Stokes  was  a  warm  friend  of  George 
Petrie,  and  published  a  memoir  of  him  in  1866.     A  portrait 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      279 

of  Stokes  by  Sir  Frederick  Burton  has  been  engraved,  and  a 
statue  by  Foley  stands  in  the  hall  of  the  College  of  Physicians. 
He  died  in  1878,  and  is  buried  at  St.  Fintan's,  Howth. 

2.  Charles  Bianconi  was  born  near  Como,  in  Lombardy, 
in  1786,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  came  to  Dublin  as  a  vendor 
of  prints.  From  thence  he  went  to  Carrick-on-Suir,  where  he 
engaged  in  business  as  a  carver  and  gilder,  finally  settling 
in  Clonmel.  Here  he  commenced  his  system  of  Irish  cars, 
and  in  181 5  ran  a  two-wheeled  car  to  Cahir.  So  successful 
were  Bianconi's  cars  that,  at  the  end  of  thirty  years,  he  was 
working  3266  miles  of  road.  Bianconi  was  a  great  friend  of 
O'Connell,  whose  nephew,  Morgan  J.  O'Connell,  married 
Bianconi's  daughter.  Mrs.  M.  J.  O'Connell  wrote  a 
biography  of  her  father,  who  realised  a  large  fortune,  which 
was  principally  invested  in  land,  including  the  estate  of 
Longfield,  near  Clonmel,  which  Bianconi,  who  died  in  1875, 
made  his  home. 

In  August  1849,  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria 
and  the  Prince  Consort,  accompanied  by  some  of  their 
children,  visited  Ireland  for  the  first  time.  On  the 
6th  of  that  month,  the  Queen  and  Prince  visited  the 
Botanic  Garden,  the  former,  with  Lady  Clarendon, 
arriving  in  a  carriage,  while  Prince  Albert  and  Lord 
Clarendon  rode.  This  early  visit,  the  first  to  any 
public  institution,  had  not  been  expected,  and  there 
was  not  time  for  much  preparation.  The  Duke  of 
Leinster,  Mr.  Lundy  Foot  and  Dr.  Harrison,  the 
secretaries,  Sir  Thomas  Staples,  Mr.  H.  Wybrants, 
Mr.  F.  Darley,  architect  of  the  new  conservatories, 
Dr.  Collins,  and  some  other  members  met  the  Royal 
party,  when  Mr.  Moore,  the  curator,  was  introduced 
to  the  Queen  by  the  Duke  of  Leinster.  These  gentle- 
men accompanied  the  Royal  party  round  the  grounds, 
in  which  a  large  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  had 
assembled  to  greet  Her  Majesty. 

An  address  from  the  Society  was  presented  to  the 


280  A   HISTORY   OF 

Queen  at  the  levee,  by  Lords  Kildare  and  Clancarty, 
and  Mr.  Isaac  Weld.  Prince  Albert  visited  Leinster 
House  on  the  9th  of  August,  when  an  address  was 
presented  to  him  in  the  board-room,  which  was  read 
by  Mr.  Foot. 

An  exhibition  of  stock  and  farming  produce  was 
being  held  at  the  time,  and,  after  the  presentation  of 
the  Society's  address,  the  Prince  paid  the  show  a  visit. 
The  Duke  of  Leinster,  the  Marquis  of  Kildare,  the  Earl 
of  Clancarty,  Lord  Massereene,  Sir  William  Betham, 
Lord  Hawarden,  and  Dr.  Harrison  were  in  attendance. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  Queen's  visit  to  Dublin, 
the  gate  entrance  to  Leinster  House  was  splendidly 
illuminated,  the  Society  being  the  first  of  all  the  public 
institutions  to  do  honour  to  Her  Majesty  in  this  form. 

The  number  of  visitors  attending  the  Spring 
and  Winter  cattle  shows  during  the  year  1849,  was 
16,748  ;  the  museum  of  natural  history,  42,197  ;  the 
Botanic  Garden,  30,324. 

During  the  summerof  1 850,  the  seventh  triennial  ex- 
hibition of  manufactures  was  held.  This  was  formerly 
confined  to  Irish  products,  but  now  competitors  from 
Great  Britain  were  admitted.  The  exhibition — the  first 
at  which  machinery  in  motion  was  exhibited — was  most 
successful,  and  was  visited  by  30,000  persons,  the  re- 
ceipts amounting  to  ^1234,  16s.  2d. 

On  the  1 3th  of  November  1 851,  Commander  Francis 
Leopold  McClintock,  r.n.  (i),  was  elected  an  honorary 
member,  and  Mr.  William  Dargan  (2),  a  life  member. 

1.  Sir  F.  L.  McClintock  was  born  at  Dundalk  in  18 19, 
entering  the  navy  in  183 1.  In  1848,  he  served  in  the 
Enterprise  under  Captain  Sir  James  C.  Ross,  during  a 
voyage  to  the  Arctic  regions;  and  in  1850  he  served 
on  a  similar  voyage  of  discovery,  on  board  the  Assistance. 
McClintock    acquired    a    great    reputation    as    an    Arctic 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      281 

explorer,  and  he  commanded  the  Intrepid  when  a  large 
expedition  set  out  in  1852  for  the  Polar  regions,  where 
he  made  many  remarkable  sledge  journeys  into  the  in- 
terior. Lady  Franklin,  not  feeling  certainty  as  to  the  fate 
of  her  distinguished  husband,  Sir  John  Franklin,  purchased 
the  yacht  Foxy  and  gave  McClintock  command,  with  a 
commission  to  search  for  him  or  any  trace  of  his  expedition, 
when  he  found  absolute  proof  of  Sir  John's  death,  and  of 
the  fate  of  the  party.  In  1859,  he  published  an  account  of 
the  search  expedition  in  his  Voyage  of  the  Fox  in  the  Arctic 
Seas.  McClintock  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Admiral, 
and  saw  further  service  in  the  Danish  war  of  1864,  and  in 
the  Mediterranean  ;  in  1879  he  was  appointed  Commander- 
in-Chief  on  the  North  American  and  West  Indian  Stations. 
He  lived  to  1907,  and  a  bust  of  him  has  a  place  in  the 
reception-room  of  Leinster  House. 

2.  William  Dargan,  the  great  Irish  railway  projector, 
was  born  in  Carlow  in  1799.  He  was  first  employed  in  a 
surveyor's  office,  and  subsequently  worked  under  Telford  in 
1820,  when  the  Holyhead  railroad  was  being  constructed. 
In  1834,  the  Dublin  and  Kingstown  line  (the  first  in 
Ireland),  which  was  made  by  him,  was  opened.  The  Ulster 
Canal,  said  to  be  a  "  triumph  of  constructive  ability,"  the 
Dublin  and  Drogheda,  the  Great  Southern  and  Western, 
and  the  Midland  Great  Western,  railways  were  all  con- 
structed by  him.  Dargan  planned  and  carried  out  the  great 
Dublin  Exhibition  of  1853,  his  advances  on  behalf  of  which 
are  believed  to  have  amounted  to  £100,000,  and  by  which 
he  lost  fully  £20,000.  When  Queen  Victoria  came  to  visit 
it,  she  honoured  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dargan  by  calling  on  them 
at  Mount  Anville,  when  she  offered  to  bestow  a  baronetcy 
on  him,  which  he  declined.  Dargan  died  in  1867.  A 
bronze  statue  of  him  was  erected  on  Leinster  lawn,  close 
to  the  National  Gallery. 

On  the  24th  of  June  1852,  the  Council  received  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Dargan,  who,  understanding  that  the 
triennial  exhibition  of  manufactures  would  be  held  in 
1853,  wished  to  give  it  a  character  of  more  than  usual 


282  A   HISTORY    OF 

prominence.  He  proposed  to  place  a  sum  of  ,£20,000 
in  the  hands  of  an  executive  committee,  on  condition 
that  a  suitable  building  should  be  erected  on  the  lawn, 
the  exhibition  to  be  opened  not  later  than  June  1853. 
Mr.  Dargan  was  to  nominate  the  chairman,  deputy 
chairman,  and  secretary  of  the  committee,  and  when 
the  exhibition  was  closed,  the  building  was  to  become 
his  property.  There  were  also  certain  conditions  with 
regard  to  contingent  profits,  &c,  and,  on  full  considera- 
tion, the  Society  accepted  the  proposals  made  by  him. 

The  undertaking  was  to  be  known  as  "  The  Great 
Industrial  Exhibition,  1853,  in  connection  with  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society,"  and  the  Society  nominated 
Mr.  L.  E.  Foot,  secretary,  Mr.  Walter  Sweetman, 
and  Mr.  Charles  G.  Fairfield,  to  act  with  Sir  W. 
McDonnell,  Mr.  George  Roe,  and  the  Hon.  George 
Handcock,  nominated  by  Mr.  Dargan,  who  were  to  be 
the  executive  committee.  It  may  be  remarked  that 
following  the  Great  Exhibition  of  1851,  held  in  Hyde 
Park,  a  similar  one  had  been  held  in  Cork  in  1852, 
which  may  have  stimulated  Mr.  Dargan  in  his  desire 
to  inaugurate  a  like  undertaking  in  Dublin.  He  ad- 
vanced various  other  sums  amounting  in  all,  it  is  said, 
to  £100,000. 

The  exhibition  was  opened  on  Thursday,  the  12th 
May  1853,  in  a  splendid  structure  of  iron  and  glass, 
which  had  been  erected  on  Leinster  lawn,  from  a 
design  of  Sir  John  Benson.  The  Lord  Lieutenant  per- 
formed the  opening  ceremony,  at  which  addresses  were 
presented  by  the  chairman,  and  by  the  Lord  Mayor 
and  Corporation.  A  great  banquet  was  held  at  the 
Mansion  House  in  the  evening,  in  celebration  of  the 
event. 

Her  Majesty  the  Queen,  accompanied  by  the  Prince 
Consort,    the    Prince    of  Wales,    and    Prince    Alfred, 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      283 

visited  the  exhibition  on  Tuesday,  the  30th  of  August, 
when  she  sat  in  a  state  chair  used  at  her  coronation, 
which  had  been  lent  by  Lord  Conyngham.  The  Right 
Hon.  Robert  H.  Kinahan,  lord  mayor,  Mr.  Dargan, 
Mr.  George  Roe,  and  Sir  Edward  McDonnell  received 
the  Royal  party,  who  were  accompanied  by  the  Earl  of 
St.  Germains,  the  lord  lieutenant,  and  the  Countess  of 
St.  Germains.  In  the  afternoon  Her  Majesty  drove  out 
to  Mount  Anville,  Dundrum,  to  pay  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dargan  a  visit.  The  Queen  also  paid  visits  to  the 
exhibition  on  the  31st  of  August  and  the  1st  and  2nd 
of  September,  examining  different  departments  on  each 
occasion.  During  her  third  visit,  Mr.  Richard  Griffith 
gave  Her  Majesty  an  account  of  the  Irish  granites  and 
marbles  exhibited  by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 

In  1852,  Dr.  W.  E.  Steele  was  appointed  assistant 
secretary.  On  the  27th  of  October  1853,  the  sudden 
death  of  Sir  William  Betham,  vice-president,  was  an- 
nounced, and  in  November  of  the  same  year,  Mr.  Henry 
Conner  White  was  elected  registrar,  in  the  room  of 
P.  T.  Wilson,  who  had  been  in  the  Society's  service 
in  that  capacity  for  a  great  number  of  years. 

When  the  estimates  for  1854  were  under  considera- 
tion, a  Committee  of  the  Privy  Council,  being  anxious 
to  extend  to  Ireland  the  full  benefits  of  industrial 
instruction,  proposed  that  the  museum  should  be 
devoted  only  to  objects  that  might  be  necessary  for 
natural  history,  and  for  a  museum  of  agriculture. 
The  Society  was  to  be  relieved  of  the  educational  staff 
in  order  that  its  members  might  be  available  for  the 
museum  of  Irish  industry,  and  for  lectures  in  pro- 
vincial towns,  which  would  place  them  under  the 
Science  and  Art  Department,  and  save  the  Society  a 
sum  of  £1772  yearly.     The  general  vote  was  still  to 


284  A   HISTORY   OF 

stand  at  £6000,  independent  of  supplementary  votes 
for  building  purposes,  which  would  have  left  a  sum  of 
about  ^1500  for  exhibitions,  &c. 

The  Society  remonstrated  against  the  proposal  to 
deprive  it  of  the  superintendence  of  the  educational 
staff,  the  apparent  object  of  which  was  to  support  the 
museum  of  Irish  industry  out  of  public  funds,  at  the 
expense  and  to  the  injury  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society. 
It  was  thought  that  the  appointment  by  the  Board  of 
Trade  of  professors  with  divided  duties,  would  render 
neutral  the  benefits  experienced  from  professors  attached 
to  the  Society.  A  deputation  went  to  London,  which 
learned  that  the  Government  would  not,  on  two  points, 
recede  from  the  position  which  it  had  taken  up — viz. 
1,  the  maintenance  of  the  museum  of  Irish  industry 
as  a  separate  Government  institution ;  2,  the  determi- 
nation not  to  support  a  double  staff  of  teachers. 
Eventually  the  Society  agreed  to  accept  the  proposals, 
as  they  were  explained  in  a  report  of  the  department, 
and  in  a  letter  of  Mr.  G.  A.  Hamilton.  The  greater 
number  of  their  functions  was  not  to  be  disturbed, 
namely  such  as  concerned: — 1,  Accounts;  2,  Manu- 
factures; 3,  Agriculture;  4,  Fine  Arts;  5,  Botanic 
Garden  ;  6,  Library  ;  7,  Agricultural  Chemistry  ;  8, 
Natural  History.  The  museum  was  to  be  largely 
increased,  and  the  educational  staff,  though  under  the 
Board  of  Trade,  was  still  to  pertain  to  the  Society. 
About  £1000  a  year  additional  was  to  be  available, 
and  the  Zoological  Garden  was  to  be  brought  into 
connection  with  it,  while  the  School  of  Art  would  be 
entirely  under  its  control. 

In  August  1854,  the  Government  nominated  the 
Chief  Secretary  for  Ireland  (or  in  his  absence  the 
Under  Secretary),  the  Right  Hon.  Maziere  Brady, 
lord  chancellor,  Mr.  Richard  Griffith,  and  Sir  Robert 


DR.  GEORGE  JOHNSTONE  STONEY,  f.R.s.,  Vice-President,  1881-1911 
{From  photograph  by   W.    Whiteley,  Ltd.,  London) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      285 

Kane  ;  and  the  Society  named  Lord  Talbot  de  Malahide, 
the  Right  Hon.  Francis  Blackburne,  Mr.  F.  J.  Sidney, 
and  Mr.  William  Fry,  as  a  joint  committee  for  manage- 
ment of  the  museum  of  Irish  industry,  the  Society's 
lectures,  and  the  lectures  in  provincial  towns,  which 
marked  an  important  change  in  the  functions  and 
ancient  practice  of  the  Society.  This  system  continued 
until  the  year  1865. 

Alterations  were  made  in  the  by-laws,  and  annual 
members  henceforth  might  become  life  members  on 
payment  of  fifteen  guineas.  In  1856,  the  by-laws 
were  further  amended,  and  the  Council  was  in  future 
to  consist  of  the  seven  vice-presidents,  the  two  secre- 
taries, the  chairman,  and  one  other  member  of  each 
standing  committee,  and  of  nine  members  to  be  elected 
from  the  Society. 

John  Francis  Waller,  ll.d.,  was  elected  secretary 
in  1855,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  Harrison,  and  Mr. 
E.  R.  P.  Colles,  librarian,  in  place  of  Mr.  Patten, 
resigned.  In  1856,  Mr.  Weld,  vice-president,  who  had 
been  a  member  of  the  Society  for  fifty-five  years,  and  in 
1857,  Mr.  Henry  Kemmis,  another  vice-president,  died. 
Mr.  Foot  was  elected  a  vice-president,  and  in  this 
year  Mr.  George  Johnstone  Stoney  became  a  member- 
of  the  Society. 

Dr.  Stoney's  is  one  of  the  greatest  names  connected  with 
the  Society,  for  which,  during  the  period  that  he  held  office 
in  it,  he  laboured  with  unwearying  devotion.  He  conducted 
with  the  Government  negotiations  of  a  most  intricate  char- 
acter, prior  to  the  museum,  the  Botanic  Garden,  the  lib- 
rary and  art  schools  being  taken  over  ;  and  the  charter  and 
statutes  of  1 88 1  were  his  work.  Stoney  was  born  in  the  King's 
county  in  1826,  and  in  1848  was  appointed  astronomical 
assistant  to  Lord  Rosse  at  Parsonstown,  where  he  made 
many  observations,  and  communicated  with  learned  societies, 
one  of  his    notable    papers   being  on   "Shadow   Bands    in 


286  A   HISTORY   OF 

Eclipses."  Stoney  held  the  post  of  professor  of  natural 
philosophy  in  Queen's  College,  Galway,  and  was  secretary 
to  the  Queen's  University  in  Ireland  from  1857  to  its  dis- 
solution in  1882.  He  paid  much  attention  to  physical 
optics,  to  molecular  physics,  and  the  kinetic  theory  of 
gases,  and  wrote  works  on  the  Physical  Constitution  of  Sun 
and  Stars,  and  on  the  Atmosphere  of  Planets  and  Satellites. 
For  twenty  years,  during  a  period  when  its  affairs  demanded 
close  and  unremitting  attention,  Dr.  Stoney  acted  as  secre- 
tary to  the  Society,  becoming  a  vice-president  in  1893,  and 
he  contributed  largely  to  the  Transactions.  He  won  the  first 
Boyle  Medal  in  1899.  Owing  to  his  connection  with  the 
Society,  Government  frequently  consulted  him  on  questions 
affecting  agriculture,  fisheries,  railways,  &c.  He  was  a  con- 
sistent advocate  of  the  higher  education  of  women,  and  in- 
augurated the  recitals  of  chamber  music,  now  so  marked 
a  feature  in  the  Society's  yearly  programme.  Dr.  Stoney 
was  elected  a  fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1861,  be- 
coming a  vice-president  in  1898.  He  died  in  191 1,  and 
his  portrait  by  Sir  Thomas  A.  Jones,  presented  to  the  Society 
by  old  students  of  the  Queen's  University,  hangs  in  the 
reception-room,  Leinster  House. 

The  first  stone  of  the  Natural  History  building 
was  laid  on  the  7th  of  April  1856,  by  the  Earl  of 
Carlisle,  lord  lieutenant. 

The  British  Association  again  met  in  Dublin  in 
1857,  when  the  meetings  of  its  council  and  of  the 
general  committee  of  the  Association  were  held  in  the 
board-room,  Leinster  House,  while  the  new  museum 
and  the  Botanic  Garden  were  devoted  to  other  purposes 
in  connection  with  the  meeting.  The  opening  meeting 
was  held  in  the  round  room  of  the  Rotunda,  on  the 
26th  of  August.  On  Dr.  Daubeny  resigning  the  chair 
to  Dr.  Lloyd  on  the  evening  of  the  27  th,  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society  gave  a  conversazione,  at  which  over 
1500  guests  were  present,  and  the  new  museum  build- 
ing formed  a  prominent  point  of  attraction.     On  the 


,  * 


"./I,,-  rAJn/li  I   OY'rn..    (rt  l,„r..  Irrrl.     (rJilann. 
fj'rc.iulrnt    iV'jy- 1<JI ', 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      287 

29th  of  August  a  great  fete  was  given  in  the  Botanic 
Garden,  at  which  4000  persons  were  present.  During 
the  meeting  Mr.  Markham,  in  the  geographical  section, 
read  an  account  of  the  search  for  Sir  John  Franklin, 
by  McClintock's  expedition  ;  and  on  the  evening  of 
the  31st  of  August,  Dr.  Livingstone,  the  African 
traveller,  lectured  on  Africa  in  the  new  museum. 

During  the  previous  year,  on  the  13th  of  November 
1856,  the  Council,  with  the  sanction  of  the  Society, 
issued  for  the  first  time  the  Quarterly  Journal  of  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society.  In  1861  this  undertaking  was 
found  to  be  too  expensive,  and  the  Journal  ceased  to 
be  published. 

Steps  were  then  being  taken  for  appropriating  por- 
tion of  the  lawn  as  a  site  for  a  National  Art  Gallery,  and 
early  in  1858-,  the  designs  for  it  were  approved.  At 
this  time  it  was  proposed  to  make  it  also  a  place  of 
deposit  for  the  contents  of  Archbishop  Marsh's  library. 

In  February  1858,  the  Society  resolved  to  institute 
annual  examinations  in  the  elementary  branches  of 
education,  with  a  view  to  granting  certificates  of  merit 
to  deserving  candidates  for  appointments  in  banks, 
commercial,  and  manufacturing  establishments,  &c. 
The  Rev.  Joseph  Carson,  f.t.c.d.,  Dr.  Ingram,  f.t.c.d., 
Messrs.  Foot,  Steele,  and  Neilson  Hancock  were  ap- 
pointed a  board  of  examiners,  and  in  each  volume  of 
the  Proceedings  after  this  date  will  be  found  copies  of 
the  examination  papers,  and  lists  of  successful  candi- 
dates. 

On  the  4th  of  January  i860,  Mr.  Arthur  Edward 
Guinness  and  his  brother,  Mr.  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness, 
jun.,  were  elected  members  of  the  Society.  The 
former,  now  Lord  Ardilaun,  was  president  of  the 
Society  for  sixteen  years,  succeeding  Lord  Powerscourt 
on  the  2nd "  of  December   1897,  and   retiring  on  the 


288  A   HISTORY   OF 

13th  of  November  191 3.  Lord  Ardilaun,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  Dublin  University,  always  evinced  the 
deepest  interest  in  the  work  and  objects  of  the  Society, 
and,  while  one  of  the  representatives  in  Parliament 
of  the  city  of  Dublin,  frequently  accompanied  de- 
putations of  the  Society  to  ministers,  urging  their 
claims.  To  Lord  Ardilaun  the  Society  is  indebted  for 
a  splendid  silver  mace,  which  was  first  laid  on  the  table 
on  the  1 2th  of  November  1903,  when  a  cordial  vote 
of  thanks  was  tendered  to  him  for  his  generous  gift. 
The  mace  was  manufactured  by  Messrs.  West  and  son, 
of  Dublin,  after  the  design  of  one  presented  in  1746  by 
the  then  Earl  of  Kildare  to  the  corporation  of  Athy. 
On  the  dissolution  of  that  corporation  in  1841,  the  mace 
was  presented  to  John  Butler,  who  had  been  sovereign 
of  the  borough  in  1833  and  1841,  and  it  was  pur- 
chased from  his  son  by  the  Duke  of  Leinster.  The 
associations  connecting  the  Society  with  that  family 
made  it  fitting  that  a  copy  of  the  mace  should  be  used 
in  Leinster  House.  A  detailed  description  of  the  ori- 
ginal, which  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  specimens 
of  Irish  work  of  the  period,  will  be  found  in  Maces, 
Swords,  and  other  Insignia  of  Office  of  Irish  Corpora- 
tions, by  Mr.  J.  Ribton  Garstin,  d.l.,  reprinted  from 
the  Journal  of  the  Arts  and  Crafts  Society  of  Ireland, 
volume  i.  no.  2. 

In  1 86 1,  a  Fine  Arts  Exhibition  was  held,  which 
was  open  for  136  days  and  66  nights;  190,000  visitors 
(including  the  Prince  Consort  and  the  Prince  of 
Wales)  attended  it,  and  the  profit  resulting  from  the 
undertaking  amounted  to  ^1400.  The  purpose  of 
the  exhibition  was  to  bring  together  the  best  works, 
with  a  view  of  illustrating  the  history  of  modern  art, 
and  showing  its  progress  in  the  country.  In  carrying 
out  the  enterprise,  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  and  the 


o  4: 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      289 

committee   of  management   did   the   country  a   great 
service. 

A  deputation  went  to  London  in  this  year,  to 
confer  with  the  Science  and  Art  Department  as  to 
the  terms  of  a  supplementary  charter.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  Council  was  to  consist  of  thirty-three 
members — the  president,  the  seven  vice-presidents,  the 
two  honorary  secretaries,  fifteen  councillors,  and  one 
representative  of  not  more  than  eight  standing  com- 
mittees. The  fifteen  councillors  were  to  hold  office 
for  three  years,  and  the  secretaries  for  two  years, 
five  councillors  and  one  secretary  going  out  of  office 
each  year.  The  Council  was  to  have  the  general 
management  of  the  Society,  with  power  to  enact  by- 
laws. 

The  new  charter  was  issued  on  the  27th  of  December 
1865,  and  among  other  things,  the  Society  was  privi- 
leged by  it  to  have  a  mace.  Its  principal  object  was 
to  confer  on  the  Society  authority  to  elect  a  Council 
and  standing  committees,  a  power  which  it  did  not 
previously  possess ;  also  to  grant  that  the  general 
management  and  control  over  the  affairs  of  the  Society, 
and  over  its  paid  officers  and  servants,  including  the 
power  of  appointing  and  dismissing  them,  as  well  as 
that  of  regulating  their  duties  and  emoluments,  should 
be  vested  exclusively  in  the  Council.  Under  this  charter 
there  were  to  be  standing  committees  for  the  purposes 
of: — 1,  Agriculture  and  the  Museum  ;  2,  the  Library; 
3,  Fine  Arts;  4,  Botany  and  the  Botanic  Garden;  5, 
Natural  History,  and  the  Museum ;  6,  Manufactures 
and  Practical  Science.  Each  committee  was  to  consist 
of  eleven  members,  save  that  of  Agriculture,  which 
was  to  number  twenty-one.  There  were  also  special 
regulations  as  to  members  who  were  to  represent  the 

T 


290  A   HISTORY   OF 

Society  on  the  first  Council,  which  was  to  consist  of 
thirty-three  members. 

By  his  will,  which  was  proved  on  the  16th  of 
August  1864,  Mr.  William  Smith  O'Brien  bequeathed 
to  the  Irish  nation  two  pictures,  one  the  "  Limerick 
Piper,"  by  Haverty,  and  the  other  a  remarkable  head 
in  oils.  He  desired  them  to  be  exhibited  in  the  exhibi- 
tion gallery  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  "  to  which 
body  I  make  this  bequest."  In  the  next  year  Mr. 
Joseph  Burke,  j.p.,  of  17  Fitzwilliam  Place,  Dublin, 
bequeathed  to  the  Society  his  collection  of  Incumbered 
Estates  and  Landed  Estates  Court  Rentals,  in  number 
between  3000  and  4000,  arranged  in  dictionary  order, 
which  the  testator  valued  at  ^1000.  The  Society  was 
to  have  the  collection  bound. 

The  first  horse  show  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Society  was  held  on  the  29th  of  July  1868.  Shows  had 
been  held  in  1864  and  1866  in  the  Society's  premises, 
but  they  were  under  the  auspices  of  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society.  The  show  held  in  1868  was  a  great 
success,  the  Agricultural  and  Shelbourne  halls,  and 
even  the  Clare  lane  premises  being  fitted  up  with 
stalls  for  the  animals,  which  numbered  380.  The 
courtyard  was  transformed  into  a  huge  circus  ring, 
for  the  jumping,  while  a  raised  gallery  around  accom- 
modated the  spectators.  Lord  St.  Lawrence,  Mr.  R. 
C.  Wade,  and  Captain  C.  Colthurst  Vesey  acted  as 
stewards,  with  Mr.  Andrew  Corrigan  as  superintendent. 

The  Prince  Consort's  statue  on  the  lawn  was 
unveiled  by  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  on  the  6th  of 
June  1872. 

On  Lord  Spencer's  retirement  from  the  viceroyalty 
in  1874,  the  Council  suggested  that  it  would  be  more 
in    accordance  with    the   terms  of  the   charter  if,   in 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      291 

future,  the  Lord  Lieutenant  held  the  office  of  vice- 
patron,  and  that  the  presidents  should  be  chosen  from 
among  the  members.  The  Society  acquiesced  in  the 
Council's  views,  and,  on  the  5th  of  March  1874,  the 
Duke  of  Abercorn,  lord  lieutenant,  was  elected  to  the 
former  office,  and  the  Marquis  of  Kildare,  afterwards 
Duke  of  Leinster,  became  president. 

On  the  8th  of  April  1875,  Mr-  Richard  Jackson 
Moss,  f.c.s.,  was  appointed  keeper  of  the  minerals 
and  analyst,  in  the  room  of  Dr.  J.  Emerson  Reynolds, 
elected  professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of 
Dublin.  On  the  7th  March  1878,  Mr.  Moss  was 
promoted  to  be  registrar  of  the  Society  in  the  room 
of  Dr.  Steele,  appointed  general  director  of  the  Science 
and  Art  Museum. 

From  the  year  1872,  and  indeed  still  earlier,  negotia- 
tions had  been  going  on  in  reference  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Science  and  Art  Museum,  and  the  grouping 
together  in  a  convenient  locality,  of  it,  of  a  national 
library,  a  museum  of  natural  history,  one  of  Irish 
antiquities,  a  national  gallery,  and  a  school  of  art. 
It  was  also  proposed  to  transfer  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  to  the  central  site.  In  the  meantime,  the 
Society  had  acquired  by  purchase  from  Captain  Arch- 
dall,  for  the  sum  of  ^1000,  No.  1  Kildare  place, 
and  the  Shelbourne  yard. 

In  1876  a  letter  was  received  from  Lord  Sandon, 
then  Vice-President  of  the  Committee  of  the  Council  on 
Education,  intimating  that  the  Government  had  formed 
a  scheme  for  the  purpose  of  augmenting  and  extending 
the  facilities  for  Science  and  Art  Instruction  in  Ireland, 
and  inviting  the  co-operation  of  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society.  The  scheme,  based  mainly  upon  the  recom- 
mendations of  the  Commission  of  1868,  contemplated 


292  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  transfer  to  the  State  of  most  of  the  Society's  lands 
and  collections,  and  the  surrender  by  the  Society  of 
control  over  its  Science  and  Art  institutions  and  library. 
The  Government  proposed  to  introduce  in  Parliament 
a  bill  to  effect  the  necessary  changes. 

A  deputation  consisting  of  J.  F.  Waller,  ll.d.,  vice- 
president,  Sir  Arthur  Guinness,  bart.,  m.p.,  Samuel 
Frederick  Adair  and  Charles  Uniacke  Townshend,  pro- 
ceeded to  London  and  had  interviews  with  Lord 
Sandon  and  other  members  of  the  Government  with 
the  view  of  arranging  details.  The  interchange  of 
views  which  took  place  was  followed  by  correspondence 
and  further  deputations  to  London,  and  eventually  a 
"  Memorandum  of  Provisions  supplementary  to  those 
contained  in  Lord  Sandon's  letter  "  was  agreed  to  on 
March  the  5th,  1877. 

This  document  may  be  summarised  as  follows : — 

1.  The  Society  was  to  have  sufficient  accommoda- 
tion in  Leinster  House  for  its  functions  in  science  and 
agriculture. 

2.  A  sum  of  j£  1 0,000  was  granted  as  compensation 
for  rights,  &c,  and  this  sum  was  to  be  invested. 

3.  The  librarian  of  the  British  Museum  was  to 
be  asked  to  give  his  opinion  as  to  any  books  not 
necessary  for  the  National  Library,  and  such  were 
to  be  re-transferred  to  the  Society. 

4.  The  Society  was  to  provide  its  own  staff  and 
printing. 

5.  The  lecture  hall,  laboratory,  &c,  were  to  be 
reserved  to  the  Society. 

6.  The  passage  through  Leinster  lawn  and  the 
courtyard  was  to  be  reserved  to  members. 

7.  The  collections  in  the  Botanic  Garden  and 
Natural  History  Museum  were  to  be  available  for  the 
illustration  of  papers. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      293 

8.  Members  elected  before  the  1st  of  January  1878, 
were  to  have  the  privilege  of  borrowing  books  from 
the  National  Library. 

9.  The  Government  was  to  permit  agricultural 
shows  to  be  held  in  Kildare  street,  or  to  provide  for 
their  transfer  to  some  other  convenient  place. 

10.  Should  such  transfer  take  place,  account  should 
be  taken  of  any  loss  sustained  by  reason  of  the  removal 
of  the  shows  from  the  city  to  the  suburbs. 

1 1 .  Vested  interests  of  officers  paid  from  public 
funds  were  to  be  preserved. 

12.  The  Society  was  to  be  relieved  from  all 
expense  connected  with  the  School  of  Art. 

13.  The  library  and  collections  of  the  Society, 
which  were  to  be  conveyed  to  Government,  were  to  be 
placed  in  the  National  Library  and  Museum,  and  re- 
tained in  Ireland. 

14.  The  Society  undertook  to  concur  in  any  bill 
vesting  the  library  and  collections  in  the  Government. 

1 5 .  The  Government  would  be  prepared  to  recom- 
mend the  grant  of  a  new  charter,  if  necessary. 

The  Dublin  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act,  entitled: 
"An  Act  to  authorise  the  Commissioners  of  Public 
Works  in  Ireland  to  acquire  from  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society  and  others  lands  for  the  erection  of  a  Science 
and  Art  Museum  in  Dublin,  and  to  establish  a  National 
Library  in  Dublin  ;  and  for  other  purposes  " — received 
the  Royal  assent  on  August  the  14th,  1877.  It  was 
contemplated  that  the  Agreement  of  March  the  5th, 
1877,  should  be  ratified  as  soon  as  possible  after  the 
Act  had  passed,  under  a  clause  which  had  been  included 
in  the  Act  for  this  purpose.  The  negotiations  which 
took  place  before  this  ratification  was  accomplished  are 
referred  to  in  the  next  chapter.  They  involved  delay 
which  at  a  critical  period  proved  most  embarrassing  to 


294  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  Society.  In  the  course  of  these  negotiations 
another  agreement  was  entered  into  with  the  Govern- 
ment in  1879,  the  terms  of  which  were  shortly  as 
follows : 

1.  In  consideration  of  a  sum  of  £25,000,  the 
Government  was  to  be  discharged  from  all  claims 
under  clauses  9  and  10  of  the  agreement  of  the  5th 
of  March  1877. 

2.  The  Royal  Dublin  Society  was  to  retain  the 
right  to  office  accommodation  for  its  functions  in  agri- 
culture, provided  that  if  amalgamated  with  any  other 
society,  such  amalgamation  was  not  to  entitle  the  other 
society  to  any  right  of  occupation  in  Leinster  House. 

3.  The  rooms  indicated  on  a  certain  plan  to  be 
those  appropriated  to  the  Society. 

4.  The  Society  to  have  the  use,  but  not  the  exclu- 
sive use,  of  the  entrance  hall  and  passages. 

5.  Appropriation  of  the  rooms  was  to  be  liable 
to  revision  by  the  Committee  of  the  Council  on 
Education,  when  the  new  Science  and  Art  Museum 
was  built. 

6.  The  agricultural  shows  were  to  be  removed 
from  Kildare  street,  within  a  year  from  the  payment 
of  the  first  instalment  of  £10,000. 

7.  All  strictly  scientific  Proceedings  and  Transac- 
tions of  the  Society  were  to  be  printed  in  as  good  a 
style  as  those  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  1000  copies 
were  to  be  furnished  to  the  Society  free  of  ex- 
pense. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      295 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

GENERAL   HISTORY   OF   THE    SOCIETY,    1878 
TO   THE    PRESENT 

{Contributed  by  Mr.  R.  J.  Moss,  Registrar) 

The  Act  of  1877  and  Agreement — The  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society  of  Ireland  and  Amalgamation — 
Accommodation  in  Leinster  House. 

When  the  Dublin  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act, 
1877,  received  the  Royal  assent,  the  old  order  passed 
away  and  a  new  era  in  the  Society's  history  opened. 

In  March  1877,  some  months  before  the  Act 
passed,  the  terms  upon  which  the  Society  was  willing 
to  assent  to  the  measure  were  agreed  to  (see  p.  292). 
The  first  of  those  related  to  the  future  accommodation 
of  the  Society  in  Leinster  House ;  it  was  to  be  such  as 
in  the  judgment  of  the  Government  would  be  sufficient 
for  the  functions  in  Science  and  in  Agriculture  still  re- 
maining to  the  Society.  The  Society  was  to  be  free  of 
rent  and  taxes,  and  the  conditions  of  occupation  were  to 
be  the  same  as  those  accorded  to  the  learned  societies  in 
Burlington  House.  The  sum  of  ,£10,000  was  to  be 
paid  to  the  Society  for  its  proprietary  rights  in  the 
property  to  be  transferred,  and  this  sum  was  to  be 
invested  with  the  approval  of  the  Government,  and 
made  subject  to  the  trusts  of  the  Society's  charters  or 
any  alteration  of  them.  The  agricultural  shows  were 
to  be  allowed  to  continue  in  Kildare  street,  or  a  site 
was  to  be  provided  elsewhere  by  grant  or  by  providing 


296  A   HISTORY   OF 

land  and  buildings.  There  were  other  important 
considerations  which  need  not  be  referred  to  here. 

When  the  draft  bill  was  submitted  to  the  Society, 
it  was  found  that  provisions  to  which  the  Society 
attached  great  importance  were  not  included  in  it, 
notably  those  relating  to  accommodation  in  Leinster 
House,  and  to  the  shows.  The  Government  was 
asked  to  rectify  the  omission,  but  this  it  declined  to 
do,  pointing  out  that  the  better  plan  would  be  to  leave 
these  details  to  be  dealt  with  under  the  clause  in  the 
bill  that  enabled  the  Society  and  the  Government  to 
enter  into  agreements,  which  would  have  the  same 
force  as  if  they  had  been  included  in  the  bill.  The 
Society  consented  to  this  course,  on  receiving  an 
assurance  that  these  considerations  would  be  embodied 
in  agreements  to  be  entered  into  as  soon  as  possible 
after  the  bill  had  become  law. 

In  the  forecast  of  the  intentions  of  the  Govern- 
ment conveyed  in  Lord  Sandon's  letter  of  February 
the  9th,  1876,  it  was  proposed  that  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  should  be  transferred  to  Leinster  House, 
"  where  ample  space  may  be  found  for  both  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society  and  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  with 
well  adapted  and  dignified  rooms  for  their  meetings, 
and  for  the  library  of  the  latter  Society." 

Shortly  after  this  letter  was  written,  the  Science 
and  Art  Department  suggested  that  many  difficulties 
would  be  removed  if  an  amalgamation  could  be 
effected  between  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  and  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy.  At  the  same  time  it  was 
indicated  that  if  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  could  effect 
an  amalgamation  with  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society 
of  Ireland,  the  Government  would  provide  for  the 
agricultural  shows  in  the  Phoenix  Park. 

The  creation  of  a  body  analogous  to  the  Royal 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      297 

Societies  of  London  and  Edinburgh  was  desired  by 
many  of  the  scientific  men  of  Dublin,1  most  of  whom 
were  members  of  both  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  and 
the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  and  the  moment  for  a 
decisive  step  seemed  opportune,  but  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy  at  once  declined  to  entertain  the  project. 
The  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  quite  ready  to  agree  to  the  proposed  amalgamation, 
as  matters  had,  in  fact,  reached  a  stage  when  it  seemed 
no  longer  possible  to  carry  on  its  work  on  the  old 
lines.  In  October  1877,  a  joint  committee  of  the  two 
societies  reported  in  favour  of  amalgamation  and  the 
formation  of  a  new  body  to  be  called  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Association  of  Ireland. 

The  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland  was 
originally  established  in  the  year  1841  under  the  title 
of  the  "Agricultural  Improvement  Society."  From 
the  very  first  it  received  the  support  and  assistance  of 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  for  at  a  meeting  of  the 
latter  Society  held  on  March  the  25th,  1841,  it  was 
resolved — "  That  this  Society  is  ready  and  willing  to 
give  such  aid  and  co-operation  as  its  means  and 
premises  afford  to  the  new  Agricultural  Improvement 
Society,  should  the  same  be  required." 

The  objects  of  the  new  Society  were  (1)  To  hold 
a  show  each  year  in  one  of  the  provinces,  taking  them 
if  possible  in  rotation;  (2)  to  promote  the  formation 
of  local  or  district  agricultural  societies,  and  assist 
them  in  advancing  farming  and  cattle-breeding;  (3)  to 
establish  an  agricultural  museum ;  (4)  to  disseminate 
practical  and  useful  knowledge  connected  with  agri- 
culture by  means  of  publications,  and  establish  an 
agricultural    library    in    Dublin;    (5)    to    establish    an 

1  Report  on  the  scientific  prospects  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 
Proceedifigs,  cxiii.  p.  44. 


298  A   HISTORY   OF 

agricultural  college  for  the  education  of  the  farming 
classes.  Improvement  in  the  dwellings  and  domestic 
conditions  of  the  farming  and  labouring  classes  was 
undertaken  at  a  later  stage. 

The  Society  was  incorporated  by  Royal  Charter, 
under  the  title  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of 
Ireland,  on  June  the  28th,  i860.  The  early  publica- 
tions of  the  Society  contain  detached  reports  of  drainage 
and  reclamation  schemes  carried  out  by  successful 
competitors  for  the  Society's  gold  medals.  Schemes 
for  improving  the  dwellings  of  the  people,  with  plans 
for  farm  homesteads  and  labourers'  cottages,  and 
estimates  of  the  cost  of  erecting  them,  also  occupy 
a  considerable  space.  The  reports  of  local  farming 
societies  show  that  the  efforts  of  the  Society  in  establish- 
ing and  assisting  these  bodies  were  not  unsuccessful. 
In  the  year  1877  there  were  on  the  list  twenty-one 
local  societies,  which  received  grants  varying  from 
LZ  to  £39>  amounting  in  all  to  ^296,  in  addition  to 
which  certain  medals  were  offered  for  local  competition. 
Though  the  financial  support  given  to  the  farming 
societies  was  small,  it  had  the  desired  effect  of  stimu- 
lating interest  and  encouraging  local  effort. 

It  is,  however,  by  its  provincial  shows  that  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland  will  be  best 
remembered.  These  were  modelled  after  the  shows 
of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  and  the 
Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland,  of 
which  two  societies  shows  are  still  the  leading  features. 
The  provincial  shows  were  on  the  whole  an  undoubted 
success,  and  they  had  a  marked  effect  in  improving 
the  breeds  of  stock,  and  introducing  new  agricultural 
methods.  These  shows  were  held  without  inter- 
mission from  1842  to  1866,  when  rinderpest  prevented 
the  holding   of  a  cattle   show  ;  instead  of  it,  a  horse 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      299 

show  was  held,  by  permission  of  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society,  in  the  Kildare  street  premises.  Next  year 
a  general  agricultural  show  was  held  in  St.  Stephen's 
Green,  Dublin ;  this  was  followed  by  another  un- 
broken series  of  provincial  shows  up  to  the  year  1880. 
In  the  year  1881,  and  in  the  two  succeeding  years  the 
disturbed  state  of  the  country  prevented  the  Society 
from  holding  shows  in  the  provinces.  A  show  was 
held  in  Kilkenny  in  1884,  and  one  at  Londonderry  in 
1885.  An  attempt  was  made  to  organise  a  show  for 
the  year  1886,  when  Armagh  was  the  only  town  that 
could  be  induced  to  entertain  the  proposal ;  but  as  it 
was  found  impracticable  to  raise  the  necessary  local 
guarantee  fund  of  ^500,  the  project  was  abandoned. 

One  of  the  modes  in  which  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  Ireland  aided  agriculture  in  the  provinces 
was  by  granting  subsidies  to  local  societies  to  assist 
them  in  holding  their  shows.  This  work  was  con- 
tinued by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  and  gradually 
expanded,  until  the  expenditure,  which  in  the  year 
1888  amounted  to  £16 y  10s.  for  one  society,  ten  years 
later  reached  the  aggregate  of  ^491,  in  grants  to 
twenty-five  societies  of  sums  varying  from  £10  to 
£4.0.  The  system  was  continued  until  1900,  when 
the  Council,  in  its  report,  pointed  out  that  the 
Agricultural  and  Technical  Instruction  (Ireland)  Act 
enabled  local  farming  societies  to  obtain  aid  from  the 
funds  of  the  newly  established  Department,  and  from 
local  rates,  far  in  excess  of  the  grants  which  the 
Society  had  been  giving  from  its  private  resources. 
The  grants  were  accordingly  discontinued. 

Nine  years  had  elapsed  since  the  terms  of  amalga- 
mation had  been  drawn  up.  The  original  idea  was 
to  form  a  new  association  devoted  to  agriculture  ex- 
clusively ;   the  members  of  the  two  societies  were  to 


3oo  A   HISTORY   OF 

coalesce,  and  half  the  annual  subscription  of  members 
of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  was  to  go  to  the  new 
agricultural  body.  The  first  Council  of  fifty  members 
was  to  be  elected,  half  by  the  one  society  and  half  by 
the  other.  The  capital  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  and  that  of  the  Agricultural  Department  of 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  were  to  form  the  capital  of 
the  new  body.  These  provisions  were  dependent 
upon  Government  undertaking  to  extend  to  the  new 
Royal  Agricultural  Association  all  the  advantages  to 
agriculture  contained  in  Lord  Sandon's  letter  of  the 
9th  of  February  1876,  and  the  agreement  of  the 
Government  with  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  of  the 
5th  of  March  1877. 

The  Government  withheld  its  assent  to  this  con- 
dition, and  after  six  months'  delay  proposed  to  hand  the 
Society  £20,000  (subsequently  increased  to  £25,000), 
in  discharge  of  the  undertaking  to  provide  for  the 
removal  of  the  shows  from  Kildare  street,  and  for 
office  accommodation  for  agriculture  in  Leinster 
House. 

The  Society  declined  to  relinquish  its  right  to 
office  accommodation  for  agriculture  in  Leinster 
House,  but  agreed  to  accept  the  sum  offered  for  the 
removal  of  the  shows,  provided  the  site  already 
selected  at  Ballsbridge  for  future  shows  were  also 
given  by  the  Government,  rent  and  taxes  free. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  follow  the  correspondence 
and  negotiations  which  ensued.  The  Science  and 
Art  Department  desired  to  remove  all  agricultural 
work  from  Leinster  House ;  while  the  Society  desired 
to  maintain  the  continuity  of  its  future  operations  in 
agriculture  with  the  historical  associations  of  the 
past. 

The    scheme    of    amalgamation    with    the    Royal 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      301 

Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland,  already  referred  to, 
contemplated  the  formation  of  a  new  body  which 
would  be  quite  distinct  from  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society ;  and  very  naturally  the  Government  declined 
to  regard  this  new  body  as  entitled  to  accommodation 
in  Leinster  House.  To  remove  this  difficulty  the 
proposed  bifurcation  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  was 
abandoned,  and  it  was  agreed  that  the  Society  should 
admit  the  members  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society, 
and  take  over  its  property.  This  change  in  policy 
was  facilitated  by  the  fact  that  since  amalgamation 
had  been  originally  proposed,  the  agricultural  work  of 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  had  rapidly  developed,  while 
the  prospects  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  had 
gone  from  bad  to  worse. 

While  the  negotiations  were  proceeding,  it  became 
evident  that  there  was  a  wide  diversity  of  opinion  as 
to  what  accommodation  the  Society  would  require  in 
Leinster  House  for  its  future  work.  This  and  the 
friction  that  arose  on  other  points  induced  the  Society 
to  press  for  an  immediate  ratification  of  the  agree- 
ment with  the  Government  of  March  the  5th,  1877, 
under  the  provisions  of  the  Dublin  Science  and  Art 
Museum  Act,  which  enabled  the  Society  and  the 
Government  to  make  agreements  in  furtherance  of 
the  Act,  that  would  have  the  same  effect  as  if  the 
agreements  had  been  embodied  in  it. 

The  formal  agreement  under  the  Act  was  not 
signed  until  March  the  1st,  1881,  though  the  main 
points  at  issue  had  been  settled  in  an  interview  with 
some  members  of  the  Government  at  the  Privy  Council 
Office,  Westminster,  in  May  1879. 

A  report  of  the  settlement  was  laid  before  the 
Society  on  June  the  5th,  1879,  in  which  the  Council 
said  : 


302  A    HISTORY   OF 

"Through  the  kind  intervention  of  Sir  Arthur 
Guinness,  to  whom  the  Council  feel  that  the  Society  is 
under  a  deep  obligation,  an  interview  was  brought  about 
between  My  Lords  of  the  Committee  of  Council  on  Edu- 
cation, and  a  deputation  from  the  Council  of  this  Society, 
at  which  Sir  Michael  Hicks  Beach  and  Mr.  Smith,  two  of 
the  members  of  the  Government  who  had  contracted  the 
original  agreement,  were  fortunately  present.  At  this  inter- 
view the  deputation  were  able  to  satisfy  the  Government 
that  the  statement  of  the  original  agreement  made  by  the 
delegates  in  their  report  to  the  Council  of  the  8th  of  May 
1879  was  correct,  and  that  the  Society  had  throughout 
only  sought  a  fulfilment  of  the  agreement  entered  into  in 
1877.  This  resulted  in  the  Government  consenting  to 
limit  their  offer  of  .£25,000  to  clauses  9  and  10,  with  such 
an  explanation  of  clause  1  as  removed  a  difficulty  felt  by 
the  Government,  without  in  effect  limiting  the  rights  of 
the  Society  under  that  clause." 

The  report  concludes  by  quoting  the  terms  of  the 
agreement  drawn  up  and  signed  by  Lord  George 
Hamilton  on  the  part  of  the  Government,  and  by 
Dr.  G.  Johnstone  Stoney  on  the  part  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society. 

The  Council  considered  that  by  this  agreement  the 
Society  gained  what  it  had  claimed  from  the  first,  and 
that  a  position  had  been  secured  which  would  leave  the 
Society  "  independent  of  all  Government  control,  and 
in  a  state  of  efficiency  for  the  discharge  of  all  its 
functions." 

Though  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland 
and  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  had  agreed  to  amalgamate 
in  October  1877,  it  was  not  until  March  22nd,  1880, 
that  the  formal  articles  of  agreement  were  executed. 
The  Royal  Dublin  Society  had  already  invested  ,£35,000 
in  its  agricultural  premises  at  Ballsbridge ;  the  shows 
there  had  been  established  on  a  secure  basis,  and  the 
most  hopeful  views  were  entertained  as  to  the  future. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      303 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  decided  to  surrender  its  charter 
under  the  provisions  of  the  Dublin  Science  and  Art 
Museum  Act,  1877,  and  to  transfer  its  members  and 
its  property  to  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  The  property 
consisted  of  Government  stock  valued  at  £7,094, iy.6d.; 
cash  amounting  to  £247,  is.  id. ;  and  five  challenge 
cups  valued  at  £280. 

In  1888,  the  new  library  building  was  approaching 
completion,  and  the  Society  asked  the  Government  to 
reconsider  the  allotment  of  rooms  in  Leinster  House. 
After  a  long  delay  Government  made  a  proposal  which 
the  Society  considered  wholly  inadequate.  Repeated 
efforts  to  arrive  at  a  settlement  with  the  officers  of  the 
Science  and  Art  Department  proved  abortive.  The 
Society  determined  to  ignore  them,  and  to  appeal 
directly  to  the  Government.  Personal  interviews  took 
place  with  the  lord  lieutenant,  the  Earl  of  Zetland ; 
the  president  of  the  council,  Lord  Cranbrook;  the  chief 
secretary,  Mr.  A.  J.  Balfour ;  and  the  vice-president  of 
the  council,  Sir  William  Hart-Dyke.  Finding  that 
there  was  a  risk  of  the  decision  of  the  Government  being 
deferred  until  Parliament  rose,  a  memorial  signed  by 
1 2 16  members  was  forwarded  to  the  prime  minister, 
Lord  Salisbury.  A  full  statement  of  the  whole  case 
was  prepared,  and  the  Society  was  about  to  forward  it 
to  every  member  of  both  houses  of  Parliament  when  a 
proposal  was  received  from  the  Government.  This 
was  in  the  form  of  a  Treasury  minute  dated  July 
the  30th,  1890,  and,  as  it  conceded  nearly  everything 
the  Society  had  claimed,  it  was  at  once  accepted. 

Thus  ended  a  controversy  which  had  lasted  with 
little  intermission  for  twenty-three  years.  It  was  a 
bitter  conflict  at  times,  and  personal  friendships  of 
long    standing    were   strained   to   the   breaking   point. 


3o4  A   HISTORY   OF 

The  Society's  final  triumph  was  due  to  the  justice  of 
its  cause  and  the  dogged  determination  of  one  man — 
George  Johnstone  Stoney. 


The  Second  Supplemental  Charter  and  Statutes 

Under  the  original  charter  of  April  the  2nd,  in  the 
23rd  year  of  Geo.  II  (1750),  the  general  management 
of  the  business  of  the  Society  was  vested  in  the 
corporation,  any  seven  of  whom  constituted  a 
quorum. 

In  1836  a  select  committee  of  the  House  of 
Commons  recommended,  among  other  things,  "  That 
the  management  of  the  ordinary  business  of  the 
Society  should  be  confided  to  a  Council."  The  Society 
assented,  and  the  following  by-law  was  adopted  :  "  The 
management  of  the  business  of  the  Society  shall  be 
confided  to  a  Council,  whose  powers  are  strictly,  as 
hereafter,  defined  and  limited,  and  subject  to  direct 
control  over  its  proceedings,  upon  the  part  of  the 
Society  at  large." 

Some  years  later  the  authority  of  this  Council  was 
disputed,  when  an  officer  of  the  Society  maintained  that 
the  Council  had  not  the  power  to  dismiss  him,  and 
other  difficulties  of  a  similar  kind  arose.  In  1862,  a 
Commission  appointed  by  the  Treasury  expressed  the 
opinion  that  full  powers  ought  to  be  vested  in  an 
Executive  Council  acting  on  behalf  of  the  Society. 
The  Commission  held  that  the  Government  could  not 
properly  entrust  the  administration  of  public  funds  to 
the  existing  Council,  whose  decisions  were  liable  to  be 
reversed  by  a  popular  vote. 

The  principles  to  be  embodied  in  a  supplemental 
charter,  in  furtherance  of  the  views  of  the  Commission, 
were  agreed  to  at  a  conference  in  South  Kensington  in 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      305 

1863,  but  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  some  Irish 
members  of  Parliament  further  action  was  postponed. 
When  the  consideration  of  the  draft  charter  was  re- 
sumed two  years  later,  the  attention  of  the  Council 
was  called  to  the  fact  that  the  draft  contained  a  para- 
graph excluding  the  privileges  of  members  from  the 
control  of  the  Council.  The  Council  urged  the 
Society  to  forego  this  exemption,  but  by  33  votes  to 
21  a  general  meeting  carried  an  amendment  declining 
to  do  so.  The  Science  and  Art  Department  there- 
upon refused  to  recommend  the  Treasury  to  sanction 
certain  increased  grants  which  the  Society  had  applied 
for,  until  the  paragraph  in  question  was  omitted.  A 
special  meeting  was  held,  at  which  the  Lord  Justice 
of  Appeal  presided,  and  148  other  members  were 
present,  and  it  was  agreed  to  omit  the  provision 
exempting  the  privileges  of  members  from  the  control 
of  the  Council.  With  this  difficulty  removed,  the 
terms  of  the  supplemental  charter  were  soon  agreed  to, 
and  it  was  enrolled  on  the  14th  of  June  1866. 

This  charter  directs  that  the  general  management 
and  control  over  the  affairs  of  the  Society  (excepting 
so  far  as  might  affect  the  constitution  of  the  Society) 
should  be  vested  in  and  exercised  by  the  Council  ex- 
clusively. This  important  change  was  effected  for  the 
purpose  of  increasing  the  Society's  efficiency  in  the 
administration  of  public  funds.  The  Science  and  Art 
Museum  Act  of  1877  relieved  the  Society  of  this 
work,  but  left  the  Council  with  its  power  unaltered, 
and  in  possession  of  unrestricted  authority  such  as  few 
representative  bodies  of  a  similar  kind  enjoy. 

In  the  negotiation  which  preceded  the  passing  of 
the  Act  of  1877  it  became  evident  that  a  new  charter 
adapted  to  the  altered  circumstances  of  the  Society 
would  be  necessary.     At   the  request  of  the  Society, 


306  A   HISTORY   OF 

provision  was  made  in  the  Act  for  the  surrender  of  the 
existing  charter,  and  the  granting  of  a  new  one. 

The  intention  of  the  Society  to  apply  for  a  charter 
which  would  place  it  in  a  position  to  promote  science, 
and  to  carry  on  the  other  branches  of  its  work  with 
greater  efficiency,  had  been  openly  expressed.  The 
Royal  Irish  Academy  took  alarm,  and  in  a  letter  to 
the  secretary  of  the  Treasury,  dated  May  the  22nd 
1877,  protested  against  the  Society  embarking  in  the 
cultivation  of  abstract  science,  contending  that  the 
existing  charters  restricted  the  Society  to  science  in 
relation  to  its  industrial  or  economic  application. 
The  Society  drew  up  a  "  Statement  of  Facts,"  in 
which  it  was  shown  that  of  200  printed  papers  in  the 
previous  twenty  years,  98  dealt  with  pure  science,  70 
with  applied  science,  and  32  with  non-scientific  subjects. 
The  Society  held  that  the  severance  of  applied  from 
pure  science,  which  the  Academy  advocated,  had  long 
ceased  to  be  practicable,  and  had  not  been  observed  by 
the  Academy  itself.  To  emphasise  this  point,  the 
recent  address  of  Dr.  Andrews  as  President  of  the 
British  Association  was  quoted.  He  said :  "  It  is 
with  the  greater  confidence,  therefore,  that  I  have 
ventured  to  suggest  that  no  partition  wall  should 
anywhere  be  raised  between  pure  and  applied  science." 
The  Lords  of  the  Committee  of  Council  on  Education 
expressed  their  belief  that  the  strictures  contained  in 
the  letter  of  the  Academy  were  fully  met  by  the 
Society's  reply,  "  and  therefore  that  it  could  not  be 
said  that  the  former  Society  had  any  claim  to  a 
monopoly  as  against  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  in  the 
cultivation  of  abstract  science." 

It  was  not  until  January  the  18th,  1883,  that  the 
Council  was  in  a  position  to  submit  the  draft  of 
the   second   supplemental  charter    to  the  Society    for 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      307 

approval.  A  division  was  taken  at  the  meeting  held 
on  that  day,  and  103  votes  were  recorded  in  favour  of 
the  draft,  82  being  cast  against  it.  The  Act  required 
a  majority  of  three-fifths  of  those  voting,  and  as  the 
majority  was  eight  votes  short  of  that  number,  the 
motion  was  accordingly  declared  lost.  The  Council 
made  some  amendments  to  meet  objections  which 
had  been  raised,  and  issued  an  appeal  to  the  Society 
with  the  notice  convening  another  meeting  for  April 
the  5th.  On  this  occasion  the  draft  was  adopted  by 
326  to  54  votes,  a  majority  considerably  exceeding 
that  required  by  statute. 

In  May  1883  the  Royal  Irish  Academy  forwarded 
a  memorial  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  in  which  the 
conviction  was  expressed  that  "  the  grant  of  a  charter 
extending  the  functions  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
to  the  field  of  science  generally,  as  the  draft  in  question 
purports  to  do,  ought  not  to  be  recommended  by 
Your  Excellency  to  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty." 
In  support  of  this  opinion  the  Academy  stated  that 
"  the  number  of  investigators  in  abstract  science  in 
Ireland  is  not  sufficient  for  the  support  of  more  than 
one  body  chartered  for  science  generally."  It  was 
anticipated  that  scientific  men  in  Ireland,  rather  than 
disoblige  either  Society  by  favouring  its  rival,  would 
probably  send  their  papers  to  neutral  societies  out  of 
Ireland.  The  memorialists  added  that  "  although  they 
have  not  been  invited  by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
to  concur  in  any  of  the  provisions  of  the  draft  in 
question,  they  would  be  well  pleased  to  see  the  Society 
placed  in  a  position  legally  to  fulfil  here  such  functions 
as  are  performed  by  the  Society  of  Arts  in  London,  or 
the  Royal  Scottish  Society  of  Arts  in  Edinburgh." 

The  Society,  in  a  lengthy  reply  dated  July  the  9th, 
1883,  stated  that  the  draft  charter  "simply  provides 


3o8  A    HISTORY   OF 

for  the  continuance,  under  improved  conditions,  of 
the  work  which  the  Society  is  at  present  carrying  on 
under  its  existing  charters."  It  was  pointed  out  that 
"the  functions  performed  by  the  Society  of  Arts  of 
London,  and  the  Royal  Scottish  Society  of  Arts  of 
Edinburgh,  to  which  the  Council  of  the  Academy  wish 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  to  be  reduced,  represent  only 
a  small  part  of  the  work  in  which  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society  has  been  hitherto  engaged." 

The  draft  recited  the  fact  that  the  Society  was  also 
known  as  the  Royal  Society  of  Dublin,  and  it  con- 
tained a  clause  empowering  the  Society  to  confer  the 
title  of  Fellow.  The  Lord  Lieutenant  expressed  his 
unwillingness  to  recommend  a  charter  including  this 
recital  and  provision.  The  negotiations  which  followed 
occupied  two  years.  In  January  1886,  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland  decided  to  "  become 
merged  in  the  Royal  Dublin  Society."  This  step 
necessitated  the  addition  of  certain  clauses  to  the  draft 
charter,  and  it  v/as  decided  at  the  same  time  to  omit 
the  portions  to  which  the  Lord  Lieutenant  had  taken 
exception.  The  second  supplemental  charter  in  its 
amended  form  was  granted,  and  it  was  enrolled  on 
May  the  20th,  1888. 

The  second  supplemental  charter  confirms  the 
amalgamation  agreement  with  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  Ireland  and  dissolves  that  body.  It  directs 
that  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  shall  continue  to  be 
incorporated  "  for  the  advancement  of  agriculture 
and  other  branches  of  industry,  and  for  the  advance- 
ment of  Science  and  Art";  thus  leaving  the  Society 
an  unrestricted  field  in  all  branches  of  its  work. 
Details  relating  to  meetings  of  the  corporation,  the 
honorary  officers,  the  constitution  and  mode  of  election 
of  the  council  and  of  the  committees,  are  embodied  in 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      309 

statutes  appended  to  the  charter.  Those  statutes, 
which  may  be  repealed  or  altered  by  royal  warrant 
on  petition  of  the  Society  (a  procedure  much  simpler 
than  the  alteration  of  a  royal  charter),  confer  great 
elasticity  upon  the  Society's  arrangements,  enabling  it 
to  regulate  by  by-law  many  details  which  were  rigidly 
prescribed  in  the  earlier  charters. 

The  Dublin  Society  was  in  its  eighteenth  year 
when  it  was  first  incorporated  by  royal  charter.  At 
that  time  the  total  number  of  members  was  only 
thirty-one,  and  the  management  of  the  Society's 
business,  then  comparatively  limited,  was  naturally 
entrusted  to  the  members  at  large.  When  the  number 
of  members  grew  larger,  a  central  governing  body  was 
found  to  be  necessary;  there  were  1146  members  at 
the  time  of  the  first  supplemental  charter,  and  the 
number  had  increased  to  i486  when  the  second  supple- 
mental charter  was  granted.  Thus,  as  the  number  of 
members  increased,  the  control  over  the  Society's 
afFairs  became  centralised.  The  one  thing  needful  at 
the  time  of  the  second  supplemental  charter  was  to 
ensure  that  the  management  of  the  various  branches  of 
the  Society's  work,  so  widely  different  in  character, 
should  be  entrusted  to  persons  possessing  the  necessary 
qualifications,  and  that  those  persons  should  be  left 
a  fairly  free  hand  within  their  own  sphere.  This  the 
second  supplemental  charter  did,  and  at  the  same  time 
it  greatly  increased  the  power  of  the  Society  to  adapt 
itself  to  its  ever  altering  environment. 

This  charter  was  practically  the  work  of  two 
members — Geo.  Johnstone  Stoney,  f.r.s.,  then  a  vice- 
president,  and  Geo.  Francis  FitzGerald,  f.t.c.d.,  who 
was  then  an  honorary  secretary. 

The  charter  rendered  it  necessary  to  revise  the  by- 
laws completely,  and  on  February  the  6th,  1889,  the 


310  A   HISTORY   OF 

Council  submitted  the  proposed  new  by-laws  to  the 
Society  for  approval.  They  included  provision  for 
the  election  of  a  class  of  honorary  officers  to  be  called 
Fellows,  and  provided  that  the  first  Fellows  should  be 
those  already  Fellows  of  the  Royal  Society.  This 
proposal  was  not  favourably  received,  and  the  Council 
was  obliged  to  withdraw  it.  Professor  FitzGerald 
thereupon  resigned  the  office  of  honorary  secretary. 
In  his  letter  of  resignation  he  described  the  rejected 
by-laws  as  "  the  only  serious  attempt  that  has  been 
proposed  to  encourage  scientific  members  to  work  for 
the  Society."  A  few  weeks  later  a  code  of  by-laws, 
with  the  provision  relating  to  Fellows  omitted,  was 
submitted  to  the  Society  and  approved.  In  recent 
years  a  few  amendments  have  been  made  from  time  to 
time,  as  experience  suggested. 

In  1892,  on  petition  of  the  Society,  the  statutes 
were  amended  by  royal  warrant.  In  their  original 
form  the  statutes  provided  that  the  number  of  the 
whole  Council,  exclusive  of  the  president,  should  not 
exceed  forty-five.  The  amendment  limited  the 
number  of  elected  members  to  a  maximum  of  thirty- 
six,  and  did  not  place  any  limit  to  the  number  of  the 
whole  Council.  The  other  members  of  the  Council 
are  the  honorary  officers  as  ex  officio  members.  The 
Society  has  the  power  by  by-law  to  include  any 
number  of  ex  officio  members  in  the  Council,  and  to 
determine  their  titles,  tenure,  duties  and  mode  of 
election. 

While  the  protracted  negotiations  concerning  the 
issue  of  the  new  charter  were  in  progress,  some  changes 
of  far-reaching  importance  were  made  in  the  by-laws. 
On  the  30th  of  June,  1887,  the  Society  decided  that 
members  might  be  either  men  or  women,  and  that 
"he"  in  the  by-laws  should  be  interpreted  as  either 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      311 

"he"  or  "she."  It  was  also  decided  to  admit  ladies 
as  Associates,  with  limited  privileges ;  this  has  proved 
a  great  boon,  and  in  a  few  years  more  than  twelve 
hundred  names  have  been  enrolled. 

Ballsbridge  Premises 

When  the  negotiations  that  preceded  the  passing 
of  the  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act,  1877,  were  in 
progress,   the  Government  informed   the  Society  that 
it  would  be  prepared  to  provide  for  the  removal  of 
the    agricultural    shows    from    Kildare    street    to    the 
Phoenix   Park  ;   this   suggestion,  was,    however,    never 
seriously   entertained.     In    1871    the   Royal    Agricul- 
tural   Society    of   Ireland    held    a    show    on    grounds 
at    Ballsbridge,  which  the   Earl  of   Pembroke  kindly 
lent   for  the   occasion.     The   Prince    of  Wales,   then 
President     of    the     Royal     Agricultural     Society     of 
Ireland,  was  present,  and  the  Council  of  the  Society, 
in  reporting  upon  the  show,  stated  that  it  was  "  by  far 
the  most  important  and  successful "  the  Society  had 
held   since   its    formation.     Again   in    1878   the   same 
Society  held  a  show  on  the  same  site.     This  show  the 
Council  regarded  as  "  second  only  in  excellence  to  the 
show  of  1 87 1."     It  was  natural  that  a  site  with  such 
a  favourable  record  should  be  considered  suitable  as  a 
permanent  home  for  the  shows  of  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society.     Accordingly  in  1879  the  Society  leased  from 
the  Earl  of  Pembroke  fifteen  acres  of  land  for  a  term 
of  500  years,  at   a  yearly  rent  of  ,£180.     Plans   for 
the  new   agricultural   halls,   prepared   by  Mr.    George 
Wilkinson,  were  adopted,  and    the   work   of  erection 
and  laying  out  the  grounds  was  at  once  commenced. 
In  the  report  laid  before  the  Society  on  June  the  3rd, 
1880,    the    Council    stated    that    a    contract    for    the 


312  A   HISTORY   OF 

erection  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  central  hall  and 
offices  for  the  sum  of  £11,690  had  been  concluded. 
A  much  larger  building  had  been  suggested,  but  it  was 
decided  "  not  to  include  anything  that  the  lengthened 
experience  of  the  Committee  of  Agriculture  had  not 
shown  to  be  requisite,'*  so  as  to  keep  within  the 
limits  of  the  sum  of  £25,000  received  from  the 
Government  as  compensation  for  the  removal  of 
the  shows  from  Kildare  street.  Later  in  the  year  a 
further  contract  was  concluded  for  the  removal  of 
the  agricultural  hall  from  Kildare  street,  and  its  re- 
erection  at  Ballsbridge,  at  a  cost  of  £3259.  This  is 
the  building  now  known  as  the  south  hall.  It  was 
originally  erected  in  Kildare  street  at  a  cost  of  about 
£5000,  most  of  which  was  subscribed  by  the  members 
and  by  the  public,  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince 
Consort  subscribing  £50.  The  hall  was  used  for  the 
first  time  at  the  spring  cattle  show  held  in  1858.  The 
gallery  which  formed  part  of  the  hall  in  Kildare  street 
is  now  the  gallery  of  the  central  hall,  Ballsbridge. 

The  first  show  held  in  the  new  premises  at  Balls- 
bridge  was  the  spring  show  of  April  19-22,  1881. 
The  receipts  of  this  show  amounted  to  £1705,  as 
compared  with  £1132  at  the  last  show  in  Kildare 
street.  A  horse  show  followed  in  the  autumn  of  the 
same  year,  it  being  held  on  August  30th  and  31st  and 
September  1st  and  2nd.  At  this  show  the  entries 
numbered  589.  There  was  an  attendance  of  15,736 
persons,  and  the  receipts  exceeded  the  expenditure  by 
£816.  The  corresponding  figures  at  the  last  show 
in  Kildare  street  were — entries,  600;  credit  balance, 
£500.  The  attendance,  unfortunately,  is  not  on 
record;  that  for  a  three-day  show  held  in  1879  was 
9698  ;  there  was  no  show  in  1878.  The  last  four-day 
horse  show  in  Kildare  street  at  which  the  attendance 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      313 

is  recorded  was  in    1877,  when  the  total  number  of 
visitors  was  10,844. 

It  had  already  become  evident  that  more  ground 
would  be  required,  and  it  was  decided  to  take  the 
remainder  of  the  triangular  area  enclosed  by  Merrion, 
Simmonscourt,  and  Anglesea  roads.  The  additional 
twelve  acres  Lord  Pembroke  very  liberally  granted  on 
lease  at  the  same  rate  as  the  first  holding.  The 
Society  subsequently  purchased  the  fee  simple  of  the 
entire  holding  on  very  favourable  terms.  Building 
now  proceeded  rapidly,  and  every  available  interval 
between  the  shows  was  utilised  to  add  a  new  hall, 
or  to  carry  out  the  improvements  which  experience 
suggested.  It  is  interesting  to  examine  the  plans 
published  in  the  catalogues  of  successive  shows  of 
this  period,  and  to  observe  the  progressive  growth 
of  the  buildings.  In  a  report  of  December  1891, 
the  Council  pointed  out  that  there  was  room  in 
the  permanent  buildings  for  the  stabling  of  1350 
horses. 

The  construction  of  what  is  known  as  the  loop 
line,  which  connected  the  Kingstown  railway  with  the 
other  railways  having  termini  in  Dublin,  afforded  the 
Society  the  opportunity  of  placing  the  show  grounds 
in  immediate  communication  by  rail  with  the  Irish 
railway  system  generally.  With  this  view  the 
Society  purchased  from  Lord  Pembroke  eleven  acres 
of  ground  lying  between  Merrion  road  and  the  rail- 
way, and  constructed  the  branch  line  and  sidings 
which  have  proved  such  a  convenience  to  exhibitors 
and  to  the  public.  The  Society  bore  the  entire  cost 
of  this  work,  including  an  expenditure  of  .£500  on 
the  property  of  the  railway  company,  in  making  the 
necessary  connections.  The  first  train  passed  over  the 
line  on  April  the  7th,  1893. 


3  H  A   HISTORY   OF 

On  the  morning  of  August  the  19th,  1905,  when 
preparations  for  the  horse  show,  which  was  to  have 
opened  in  three  days,  were  being  completed,  a  fire 
broke  out  in  the  building  known  as  the  Paddock 
Hall.  In  less  than  one  hour  from  the  time  the  fire 
was  detected,  the  three  halls  adjoining  the  veterinary 
paddock  were  completely  gutted,  and  a  great  deal  of 
woodwork  which  had  been  erected  in  the  paddock 
was  destroyed.  While  the  fire  was  in  progress,  steps 
were  taken  to  provide  horse-boxes  and  stalls  for  the 
coming  show  in  other  parts  of  the  premises,  and  the 
show  was  held  without  any  serious  inconvenience  to 
exhibitors  or  the  public.  Most  of  the  damage  was 
covered  by  insurance,  and  new  buildings  of  an  im- 
proved type  were  at  once  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
old  ones. 

The  Society  learned  a  valuable  lesson  from  this 
disaster.  For  many  years  it  had  been  the  practice  to 
erect  temporary  timber  stalls  for  each  horse  show. 
These  had  many  advantages,  and  when  they  were 
cleared  away  the  floor  space  was  left  unobstructed. 
They  were,  however,  extremely  combustible,  especi- 
ally when  furnished  with  straw  bedding.  By  way  of 
experiment,  concrete  stalls  were  erected  in  the  Anglesea 
and  Simmonscourt  halls  in  the  year  1906,  and  the 
result  was  deemed  so  satisfactory  that  shortly  after- 
wards stalls  of  this  type  were  erected  wherever 
practicable. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  follow  the  development 
of  the  premises  in  recent  years :  suffice  it  to  say  that 
at  the  close  of  the  year  1913,  the  total  expenditure 
on  the  land  and  buildings,  charged  to  capital,  was 
£96,477.  This  expenditure  is  not  represented  by  the 
premises  as  they  now  appear ;  part  of  the  money  was 
spent  on  structures  which  have  long  since  disappeared, 


J^OTixLo*n. .  pvh.o-to^j'nxfr 


, 


jL^culi  rcn  cc  .  0  a rl  of  (A^r.)Jr  , 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      315 

and  have  been  replaced  by  more  substantial  and  more 
commodious  structures,  better  adapted  to  the  Society's 
present  requirements. 


Horse  and  Cattle  Breeding — The  Probate  Duties 
Grant 

Early  in  1887,  the  Government  was  asked  to  give 
the  Society  financial  assistance  in  promoting  improve- 
ment in  the  breeding  of  cattle  and  horses.  Mr.  Arthur 
J.  Balfour,  then  chief  secretary,  induced  the  House  of 
Commons  to  vote  the  sum  of  ^5000  in  aid  of  the 
scheme.  Subsequently  this  sum  became  payable  an- 
nually to  the  Society  under  the  Probate  Duties  (Scot- 
land and  Ireland)  Act,  1888.  This  grant  enabled  the 
Society  to  offer  premiums  of  ^10  to  ^15,  to  aid  farmers 
in  the  purchase  of  pure-bred  bulls  selected  by  competent 
judges.  Premiums  of  ^200  each  were  also  offered  for 
thoroughbred  stallions.  These  premiums  and  those 
in  aid  of  the  purchase  of  bulls  were  subject  to  certain 
conditions  of  service.  Both  schemes  were  subject  to 
the  approval  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant.  The  arrange- 
ment placed  the  Society  in  a  unique  position,  as  it 
became  the  only  body  in  the  United  Kingdom  adminis- 
tering Government  funds  for  improving  horse  and 
cattle  breeding.  The  first  allotment  of  bull  premiums 
took  place  at  the  spring  cattle  show  of  1888,  when 
28  bulls  were  allotted  to  Leinster,  21  to  Ulster,  9  to 
Munster,  and  4  to  Connaught.  The  Committee  of 
Agriculture,  in  its  report  of  the  show,  specially  noted 
the  fact  that  while  the  Ulster  farmers  competed  keenly 
to  secure  premium  bulls,  farmers  of  the  south  and 
west  of  Ireland  displayed  comparatively  little  activity. 
After  a  few  years  the  farmers  of  Munster  and  Con- 
naught  realised  the  advantages  of  the  scheme,  and  the 


316  A   HISTORY   OF 

premium  bulls  were  more  evenly  distributed.  To  aid 
in  administering  the  horse-breeding  scheme,  committees 
were  formed  in  Strabane,  Antrim,  Portadown,  Lisnaskea, 
Ballymote,  Ballinrobe,  Longford,  Kells,  Edenderry, 
Banagher,  Loughrea,  Templemore,  Tullow,  Rathkeale, 
Cappoquin  and  Dunmanway.  Subsequently  the  horse- 
breeding  scheme  was  changed,  and,  instead  of  giving 
premiums  to  stallions,  a  register  of  stallions  was  estab- 
lished, and  the  sum  of  ^3200  was  allotted  to  the 
counties,  in  sums  varying  from  ^80  to  ^140  each,  to 
be  distributed  amongst  the  owners  of  approved  mares 
in  the  form  of  nominations  to  thoroughbred  stallions 
on  the  Society's  register.  To  carry  out  this  scheme  a 
committee  was  appointed  in  each  county.  With  slight 
variation,  this  system  continued  in  force  until  the 
establishment,  in  1899,  of  the  department  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Technical  Instruction  for  Ireland.  The  new 
department  was  entrusted  with  the  administration  of 
all  public  funds  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  agri- 
culture in  Ireland,  with  the  sole  exception  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society's  grant  of  ^5000  a  year.  One  of  the 
first  acts  of  the  department  was  to  adopt  schemes  for 
improving  horse  and  cattle  breeding  practically  identical 
with  those  which  the  Society  had  been  carrying  out  for 
the  preceding  thirteen  years.  Early  in  the  year  1902, 
a  committee,  which  the  Council  had  appointed  to  con- 
sider the  new  position  that  had  arisen,  recommended 
that  the  Society  should  be  relieved  of  the  administra- 
tion of  the  fund  on  the  grounds  that :  ( 1 )  It  involved 
a  great  deal  of  work  the  cost  of  which  was  borne  by 
the  Society's  private  funds;  (2)  that  friction  with  the 
department  was  inevitable  so  long  as  both  bodies  con- 
tinued to  work  on  nearly  identical  lines;  (3)  and 
finally,  that  the  Society  was  not  independent  so  long  as 
it  continued  to  administer  public  funds.     This  latter 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY       317 

consideration  had  influenced  the  Society  from  the  be- 
ginning, for  it  was  not  without  serious  apprehension  on 
the  part  of  some  of  the  members,  who  had  fought  so 
hard  to  secure  complete  freedom  from  Government 
control,  that  the  administration  of  the  grant  was 
originally  undertaken.  Acting  on  this  recommenda- 
tion, the  Council  arranged  with  the  Government  for  a 
transfer  of  the  administration  to  the  department.  This 
was  effected  by  the  Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruc- 
tion (Ireland)  (No.  2)  Act  of  1902.  As  a  considera- 
tion for  the  transfer,  the  Society  asked  for  a  grant  in 
aid  of  providing  a  suitable  hall  at  Ballsbridge  for  the 
Art  Industries  Exhibition  held  annually  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  horse  show,  and  in  compliance  with  this 
request  the  sum  of  ^5000  was  paid  to  the  Society. 

Exhibitions  of  Manufactures 

Reference  has  been  made  at  pp.  253  and  271  to  the 
exhibitions  of  manufactures  first  projected  in  the  year 
1833.  Exhibitions  were  held  in  1834  and  1835,  an0^ 
after  the  latter  year,  these  exhibitions  became  triennial. 
They  were  at  first  confined  to  Irish  manufactures,  but 
in  1850  the  products  of  other  countries  were  admitted  ; 
the  exhibition  of  that  year  was  in  fact  the  first  step  in  the 
United  Kingdom  in  the  direction  of  international  exhibi- 
tions which  afterwards  assumed  such  large  proportions. 
The  series  culminated  in  the  International  Exhibition  of 
1853  ;  the  exhibitions  which  followed  this  great  effort 
were  on  a  much  smaller  scale.  In  1858,  advantage  was 
taken  of  the  newly-erected  Natural  History  Museum  to 
hold  an  Art  Exhibition.  Stimulated  by  the  success  of 
this  new  departure,  a  larger  exhibition  of  fine  arts  and 
art  manufactures  was  held  in  1 861,  in  the  Agricultural 
Hall  which   had  just  been  erected  in   Kildare  street. 


3i8  A   HISTORY   OF 

In  1864  the  exhibition  was  exclusively  Irish  so  far  as 
manufactures  were  concerned,  but  it  included  a  section 
for  home  and  foreign  machinery.  This  was  the  last  of 
the  series  of  triennial  exhibitions.  The  Dublin  Exhi- 
bition Palace  and  Winter  Garden  Company  erected 
the  buildings  at  Earlsfort  terrace  in  which  an  inter- 
national exhibition  was  held  in  1865,  but  the  venture 
proved  disappointing  as  a  financial  speculation.  For 
various  reasons  the  Society  made  no  attempt  to  revive 
the  exhibitions,  one  being  the  fact  that  the  horse  show 
had  come  into  existence,  and  that  it  occupied  the 
premises  at  an  inconvenient  time. 

A  committee  appointed  by  the  Council  on  May  the 
7th,  1885,  to  consider  the  advisability  of  holding  an 
international  exhibition  on  the  Society's  premises  at 
Ballsbridge,  reported  in  favour  of  the  project,  and 
recommended  that  the  exhibition  should  be  held  in 
the  year  1887.  It  was  proposed  to  open  a  guarantee 
fund  and  subscription  list,  the  control  and  manage- 
ment of  the  exhibition  to  remain  in  the  hands  of  the 
Council,  in  accordance  with  the  charter.  Six  months 
later,  the  Registrar  reported  the  results  of  his  visit  to 
exhibitions  in  London  and  Antwerp,  and  the  committee, 
on  reconsideration,  decided  "  that  the  present  state  of 
the  country  is  not  such  as  to  warrant  the  Society  in 
embarking  in  an  enterprise  of  such  magnitude  and 
importance. "  Acting  on  this  opinion,  the  idea  was 
abandoned. 

It  was  then  proposed  to  see  what  could  be  done 
to  assist  Irish  industries  by  holding  an  exhibition  in 
London,  and  it  was  suggested  that  the  building  then 
occupied  by  the  Indo-Colonial  Exhibition  might  be 
obtained.  Enquiries  were  made,  and  it  was  soon  found 
that  the  Society  would  have  to  undertake  financial 
responsibilities  so  large  that  they  seemed  out  of  pro- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      319 

portion  to  the  results  that  might  be  achieved.  Atten- 
tion was  next  directed  to  making  more  use  of  the 
spring  cattle  shows  for  the  promotion  of  local  industries, 
and  this  proposal  was  under  discussion  when  it  was 
suggested  that  the  Centenary  Exhibition  about  to  be 
held  in  Manchester  would  afford  a  good  opportunity 
for  bringing  Irish  manufactures  under  public  notice. 
This  suggestion  was  warmly  supported,  and  the  Man- 
chester committee  at  once  fell  in  with  the  idea.  A 
guarantee  fund  was  started,  the  Society  heading  the 
list  with  a  contribution  of  ^500.  Deputations  were 
sent  to  Belfast  and  Cork,  and  the  co-operation  of  the 
respective  Chambers  of  Commerce  was  secured.  On 
the  recommendation  of  the  Cork  committee,  it  was 
decided  to  offer  space  to  exhibitors  free  of  charge. 
Applications  were  received  for  40,000  superficial  feet, 
the  space  available  being  barely  27,000  feet.  This  made 
the  difficulty  of  allotment  very  great.  It  is  not  sur- 
prising that  the  executive  committee,  of  which  Mr. 
Thomas  Pirn,  jun.,  acted  as  chairman,  reported  that 
they  had  held  forty-three  meetings  in  thirteen  weeks. 
The  exhibition  was  a  decided  success.  The  executive 
committee,  in  its  final  report,  said  that  it  "  was  pleased 
to  be  able  to  state  that  the  objects  aimed  at  by  the 
Society  in  inaugurating  an  Irish  exhibition  in  England 
have  to  a  large  extent  been  attained.  A  substantial 
benefit  has  been  conferred  upon  our  home  manufactures, 
and  upon  a  number  of  small  industries  which  were 
much  in  need  of  encouragement  and  support." 

The  business  transacted  in  the  section  by  some  of 
the  Irish  exhibitors  was  large,  and  in  some  cases  they 
were  induced  to  open  branch  establishments  in  England, 
or  to  appoint  local  agents  to  develop  the  connection 
which  the  Irish  section  was  the  means  of  procuring  for 
them.     These  results  are  most  encouraging,  and  it  is 


32o  A   HISTORY   OF 

hoped  that  Irish  manufacturers  will  remember  that  the 
markets  of  England  are  open  to  them,  and  that  a 
British  and  foreign  trade  is  better  worth  cultivating 
than  one  depending  upon  the  very  limited  demands  of 
our  own  small  population. 

The  Society  had  organised  an  exhibit  of  the  in- 
dustries of  Dublin  at  the  Paris  Exhibition  of  1855,  but 
the  Irish  section  at  the  Manchester  Exhibition  was  the 
first  general  display  of  the  products  of  the  industries 
of  Ireland  ever  shown  as  a  distinct  section  at  any 
exhibition  held  out  of  Ireland. 


The  Art  Industries  Exhibition 

In  the  year  1888,  the  Council  approved  a  scheme 
for  holding  an  exhibition  of  lace  during  the  annual 
horse  show,  and  voted  a  sum  of  ^50  to  be  awarded  in 
prizes.  Next  year  the  amount  was  increased  to  £75, 
when  seventy  exhibits,  value  X376,  were  submitted 
for  competition. 

In  1890  the  scope  of  the  exhibition  was  enlarged, 
sections  for  embroidery  and  for  designs  were  added, 
and  for  the  first  time  wood  carving  was  included. 
The  exhibition  continued  to  progress  until  the  space 
allotted  to  it  became  inconveniently  overcrowded,  and 
it  became  evident  that  increased  space  must  be  pro- 
vided. The  present  art  industries  hall  was  erected 
in  1903-4  at  a  cost  of  ^7000,  part  of  which  was 
provided  by  the  grant  paid  to  the  Society  by  the  Govern- 
ment on  the  surrender  of  the  administration  of  the 
probate  duties  grant. 

On  August  the  23rd,  1904,  the  seventeenth  art 
industries  exhibition  was  formally  opened  in  the  new 
hall  by  the  Earl  of  Dudley,  then  lord  lieutenant,  when 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      321 

an  address  was  presented  to  His  Excellency  by  Lord 
Ardilaun,  president  of  the  Society. 

At  the  exhibitions  held  in  recent  years,  the 
number  of  entries  is  usually  about  1000,  and  the 
amount  offered  in  prizes  is  generally  about  ^300. 
The  exhibition  no  longer  enjoys  the  monopoly  of 
former  years;  its  success  has  induced  others  to  promote 
similar  exhibitions,  and  in  some  cases  exhibitors,  finding 
that  the  horse  show  offers  a  unique  opportunity  for 
the  sale  of  work,  now  take  stalls  each  year  on  their 
own  account.  As  a  means  of  promoting  some  im- 
portant branches  of  applied  art,  and  as  a  stimulus  to 
home  industries,  the  exhibition  continues  to  fulfil  a 
most  useful  function. 


Improvement  in  Tillage  in  Small  Holdings: 
Swinford  District 

During  the  autumn  of  the  year  1890,  it  became 
evident  that  the  failure  of  the  potato  crop  would  lead 
to  widespread  distress  throughout  the  poorer  districts 
in  the  west  of  Ireland.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Council  in  the  session  which  commenced  in  November 
1890,  Mr.  Thomas  Pirn,  junior,  called  attention  to 
the  fact  that  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  was  now 
practically  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland,  and 
suggested  the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  the 
Council  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  committee  of 
agriculture,  to  consider  what  might  be  done  "  to 
improve  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  potato  plant  in 
the  west  of  Ireland  in  places  where  the  root  has 
repeatedly  failed."  The  proposal  was  agreed  to,  and 
the  sum  of  ^400  was  voted  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
the  first  year's  operations.  A  committee  was  appointed, 
and  its  labours  led  to  important  results.     It  was  soon 

x 


322  A   HISTORY   OF 

realised  that  improvement  in  potato  culture  could  be 
dealt    with    only    as    part    of  the    larger    question   of 
farming   generally.      It  was  decided  to  offer  induce- 
ments to  farmers  in  a  selected  district  to  adopt  better 
methods  of  cultivation.     For  this  purpose  it  was  re- 
solved to  secure  the  services  of  a  practical  agriculturist, 
known    to   be  versed    in    the   best  methods  of  tillage 
farming — "  a  man  acquainted  with   the   circumstances 
and  habits   of  the  small  farmers,  and   who  would  be 
likely  to  command  their  confidence  and  respect."     It 
was  arranged  that  this  instructor  should  lay  down  a 
plan  upon  which  a  certain  number  of  example  holdings 
were  to  be  cropped,  that  he  should  see  that  his  instruc- 
tions were  carried  out,  and,  by  visiting  neighbouring 
farmers,   endeavour  to   stimulate  their  interest  in  the 
work,  and  enforce  upon  their  attention   such   lessons 
as  might  be  conveyed  by  ocular  demonstration  on  the 
example  holdings.     Mr.  D.  O'Dowd,  formerly  National 
School  teacher  at  Dooncastle,  co.  Mayo,  was  appointed 
to  the  office  of  practical   instructor.     The  district  of 
Swinford,    co.    Mayo,    was    selected    for  the    Society's 
operations,   and   an  advisory  committee   consisting   of 
influential  persons  resident  in  the  district  was  appointed. 
As  an  inducement  to  farmers  to  take   an  interest  in 
the  scheme,  prizes  were  offered   for  the  best  worked 
holdings.     At  the  first  competition,  the  report  states, 
"no  fewer  than   134  small  farmers  entered  for  these 
prizes.     Considerable  rivalry  was  aroused,  and  unusual 
efforts  were  made  by  some  to  keep  down  weeds  and 
promote  the  growth  of  crops." 

The  descriptions  of  prize  holdings  which  are 
appended  to  reports  of  the  Council  for  the  years  1891 
to  1894  are  interesting  records  of  the  condition  of 
farming  in  the  district  at  the  time,  and  show  the 
results  of  the  first  systematic  efforts  at  improvement. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


323 


In  August  1 891,  the  Act  for  the  improvement  of 
the  congested  districts  in  Ireland  received  the  royal 
assent,  and  large  sums  of  public  money  became  avail- 
able for  carrying  out  such  work  as  the  Society  had 
initiated,  and  carried  on  at  its  own  expense.  The  few 
years  during  which  the  Society's  scheme  was  in  opera- 
tion sufficed  to  show  the  utility  of  the  method  adopted, 
and  the  possibility  of  effecting  a  vast  improvement 
with  comparatively  little  expenditure. 

Potato  Culture 

While  the  effort  was  being  made  to  improve  agri- 
culture in  the  Swinford  district  by  means  of  itinerant 
instruction  and  example  holdings,  experiments  were 
carried  on  in  Ireland  generally  with  the  view  of  im- 
proving the  potato  crop.  In  the  years  189 1-2-3, 
experiments  on  different  varieties  of  potato  were  tried 
in  nearly  every  county  in  Ireland,  and  the  results  were 
published  in  detail.  The  general  conclusion  was  that, 
in  addition  to  the  Champion,  other  main  crop  varieties 
were  well  suited  for  cultivation  in  Ireland. 

In  1893,  the  experiments  were  mainly  directed  to 
testing  the  efficiency  of  spraying  with  copper  prepara- 
tions. It  was  in  June  1891  that  the  Society  first 
decided  to  put  spraying  to  practical  test  in  the  Swinford 
district.  The  first  report  which  refers  to  the  use  of 
copper  sulphate  preparation  in  the  form  of  powder  was 
discouraging,  as  it  states  that  no  "  beneficial  influence 
could  be  traced  to  the  powder."  Experiments  carried 
out  on  the  Society's  own  ground  at  Ballsbridge 
proved  abortive,  as  no  disease  appeared.  The  experi- 
ments conducted  in  1893  showed  conclusively  the 
value  of  spraying,  the  increased  profit  being  estimated 
at  from  22s.  to  48s.  per  acre.     In  1894,  experiments 


324 


A   HISTORY   OF 


in  spraying  were  extended,  and  spraying  machines  were 
sent  to  thirty-four  farmers,  who  subsequently  sent 
interesting  reports  on  the  results  obtained.  The  value 
of  the  treatment  was  becoming  widely  recognised.  In 
1895,  the  Society  distributed  202  spraying  machines, 
and  over  five  tons  of  copper  sulphate.  Eighty-five  per 
cent,  of  the  reports  received  were  favourable  to  the 
treatment.  It  was  no  longer  necessary  for  the  Society 
to  continue  the  work ;  the  great  value  of  spraying  as  a 
means  of  combating  the  attack  of  phytophthora  infestans, 
and  of  prolonging  the  period  of  growth  of  the  potato 
plant,  had  been  fully  established. 

Farm  Prizes 

In  1890,  prizes  were  offered  for  the  best  cultivated 
farms  in  the  province  of  Leinster,  and  twelve  farms 
were  entered  for  competition.  In  1892,  prizes  were 
offered  for  farms  in  the  province  of  Munster,  but  only 
five  farmers  entered.  In  1893,  tne  province  of  Ulster 
was  selected,  and  fourteen  farmers  entered  their  farms 
for  competition.  In  1894,  a  competition  was  again 
held  in  the  province  of  Leinster,  and  twelve  farmers 
entered.  In  1895,  Connaught  was  selected,  but  only 
four  farmers  submitted  their  farms  for  examination. 
In  1896,  a  second  competition  in  Munster  took  place, 
ten  farms  being  entered.  In  1897,  Ulster  was  again 
selected  ;  the  number  of  farms  entered  was  twelve,  but 
only  three  out  of  the  nine  prizes  offered  were  awarded 
by  the  judges.  The  disappointing  results  of  the  past 
three  years  induced  the  committee  of  agriculture  to 
discontinue  the  competitions.  The  reports  on  these 
competitions,  which  were  published  each  year,  are 
interesting  records  of  the  state  of  farming  during  the 
transition  period  that  followed  the  early  Irish  Land 
Acts. 


'(/l&r-i'ii  n, ,  Cvt'jcr//  it  I    fJcircr.jcrnri, 
(/rr.j  i 'den  I     l8(?<2  -  l8jj 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      325 

The  Lecture  Theatre 

Clause  five  of  the  "  Memorandum  of  Provisions" 
agreed  to  by  the  Government  and  the  Society  in 
March  1877,  as  a  preliminary  to  the  passing  of  the 
Science  and  Art  Museum  Act,  provided  that : — "  The 
Lecture  Hall,  Laboratory,  and  the  necessary  offices 
were  to  be  reserved  to  the  Society,  or  an  equivalent 
provided." 

The  old  buildings  referred  to  were  of  humble 
origin.  In  May  18 15,  a  few  weeks  before  the  Society 
moved  from  Hawkins  street  to  Leinster  House,  a 
committee  reported  "  that  the  outbuilding  called  the 
kitchen  (at  Leinster  House)  could  be  appropriated, 
with  the  necessary  alterations,  to  the  purposes  of  a 
laboratory  and  theatre,  with  the  apartments  for  the 
professors'  apparatus."  The  alterations  were  com- 
pleted shortly  afterwards,  and  for  78  years  the  trans- 
formed kitchen  served  the  purposes  of  a  laboratory  and 
lecture  theatre.  In  1836,  Mr.  Isaac  Weld,  in  giving 
evidence  before  a  select  committee  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  said,  in  answer  to  a  question  about  the 
theatre  and  laboratory: — "There  is  a  small  range  of 
furnaces  and  sand  baths  in  the  theatre  for  the  purpose 
of  exhibiting  some  chemical  processes ;  there  is  adjoin- 
ing to  it  a  large  laboratory  besides ;  and  also  another 
room  for  the  finer  apparatus,  and  for  nicer  experiments 
which  Mr.  Davy  may  be  particularly  engaged  in  him- 
self, secluded  and  kept  apart  for  himself,  that  he  may 
not  be  interrupted."  He  also  said  that  the  laboratory 
was  a  good  one,  "  the  chemical  apparatus  extensive, 
some  of  it  fine.  The  galvanic  battery  is  of  a  very 
superior  description." 

The  lapse  of  half  a  century  brought  about  great 
changes  ;  ideas  about  the  requirements  of  a  theatre  had 


326  A   HISTORY   OF 

totally  altered,  and  the  public  had  become  more  exact- 
ing in  their  demands.  In  a  memorandum  submitted 
to  the  Lord  Lieutenant  in  January  1892,  it  is  stated  that 
as  regards  facilities  for  entrance  and  exit,  and  arrange- 
ments for  heating  and  ventilation,  "  the  Society's 
theatre  is  singularly  deficient,  and  the  building  is  now 
in  a  dilapidated  state."  It  was  with  some  difficulty 
that  the  Society  induced  the  Government  to  recognise 
the  necessity  for  providing  new  buildings.  Deputations 
waited  upon  the  Lord  Lieutenant  and  the  Chief  Secretary 
in  Dublin,  and  upon  the  Financial  Secretary  to  the 
Treasury  in  London,  and  at  length  they  succeeded  in 
getting  something  done.  Plans  were  prepared  by  the 
firm  of  Sir  Thomas  Deane  &  Son,  and  it  was  found 
that  the  cost  of  the  theatre  and  laboratory,  &c,  would 
be  at  least  ;£  10,000.  The  Government  asked  the 
Society  to  pay  half  the  cost.  Recognising  that  the 
new  buildings  would  be  more  than  the  equivalent 
which  the  Government  was  under  an  obligation  to 
provide,  the  Society  agreed  to  pay  a  fixed  sum  of 
^5000.  The  old  buildings  were  handed  over  to  the 
contractor,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1893  the  work  of 
demolition  was  commenced. 

Before  the  new  building  had  proceeded  very  far, 
and  fortunately  before  it  was  too  late,  it  was  found 
that  due  consideration  had  not  been  given  to  the 
question  of  ventilation.  The  subject  was  discussed  at 
scientific  meetings  held  on  December  the  19th,  1894, 
and  January  the  16th,  1895,  and,  though  no  formal 
resolutions  were  adopted,  it  was  agreed  that  the  fresh  air 
should  enter  the  upper  part  of  the  theatre,  and  that  the 
foul  air  should  be  removed  from  the  lower  part.  The 
volume  of  air  required  for  an  audience  of  600  persons 
was  estimated  at  600,000  cubic  feet  per  hour.  The 
velocity  of  the  air  at  the  inlets  was  not  to  exceed  2  feet 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      327 

per  second,  at  a  distance  of  6  feet  from  any  person,  or 
5  feet  per  second  at  any  other  place.  A  temperature 
of  6o°  F.  should  be  guaranteed,  the  outer  air  being  at 
3  2°  F.,  and  provision  should  be  made  for  moistening 
the  air  when  necessary.  These  requirements  necessi- 
tated the  construction  of  a  number  of  air  shafts  in  the 
walls  of  the  building,  and  proper  openings  for  the  fans 
to  be  used  for  propelling  the  air. 

The  new  theatre  was  opened  by  a  conversazione  on 
March  the  10th,  1897.  In  addition  to  the  sum  of 
£5000  paid  to  the  Board  of  Works  towards  the  cost 
of  the  building,  the  Society  spent  £2430,  mainly  on 
the  equipment  for  heating,  lighting  and  ventilation. 
The  theatre  seats  700  persons,  but  on  several 
occasions  room  has  been  found  for  an  audience  of 
1000.  Fresh  air  is  taken  in  at  an  opening  35  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  forced  into  the  building  by  an 
electrically  driven  fan  5  feet  in  diameter.  The  air 
enters  the  theatre  at  twenty-seven  openings  in  the  ceil- 
ing and  walls ;  these  openings  have  an  effective  area  of 
92  square  feet.  The  air  is  removed  through  openings 
of  about  the  same  area,  chiefly  under  the  seats,  and  is 
expelled  from  the  building  by  another  electrically  driven 
fan.  It  has  been  found  by  actual  measurement  that 
the  fans  are  capable  of  sending  800,000  cubic  feet  of 
air,  about  27  tons  weight,  through  the  theatre  in  one 
hour.  It  is  rarely  necessary  to  use  more  than  half 
this  quantity  of  air.  By  means  of  steam-heated  pipes, 
the  air,  before  it  enters  the  theatre,  can  be  warmed 
when  necessary.  Daylight  can  be  excluded  by  means 
of  a  false  ceiling  which  descends  below  the  level  of  the 
windows  of  the  lantern  in  the  roof.  The  Society  is 
indebted  to  Sir  Howard  Grubb,  f.r.s.,  for  the  design 
for  this  device.  The  screen  for  lantern  projections, 
which  has  an  area  of  340  square  feet,  is  capable  of 


328  A   HISTORY   OF 

being  raised,  disclosing  a  stage  room,  communicating 
directly  with  a  roadway,  so  that  large  or  heavy  objects 
can  be  brought  straight  into  the  theatre  without 
trouble.  The  floor  between  this  room  and  the  lec- 
turer's table  can  be  raised  to  the  level  of  the  table, 
thus  providing  a  raised  platform,  which  is  used  for 
musical  recitals.  Mr.  Samuel  Geoghegan,  c.e.,  was 
good  enough  to  furnish  plans  for  the  platform  and 
screen. 

Electrical  energy  for  lighting,  and  for  driving  the 
ventilating  fans,  is  supplied  from  an  installation  in  the 
basement,  including  a  30  h.p.  steam-engine.  The 
waste  steam  is  used  for  heating. 

The  organ  with  which  the  theatre  is  furnished 
was  constructed  by  Messrs.  Henry  Willis  &  Sons, 
London.  It  contains  four  complete  manuals  from 
CC  to  A — 58  notes,  and  two  octaves  and  a  half  of 
concave  and  radiating  pedals — 30  notes.  There  are 
thirty-four  speaking  stops,  with  1946  pipes  and  eight 
accessories.  The  first  public  performance  took  place 
on  April  the  20th,  1899,  when  Mr.  R.  G.  Sinclair, 
organist  of  Hereford  Cathedral,  gave  a  recital. 

The  chemical  laboratory  adjoins  the  theatre,  and 
consists  of  a  principal  room  equipped  with  working 
benches,  and  extensive  fume  chambers,  which  admit  of 
all  kinds  of  operations  being  carried  on  without  any 
risk  of  the  air  of  the  room  being  overheated  or  con- 
taminated. There  is  a  second  room  furnished  with 
various  types  of  air  pumps,  which  is  used  mainly  for 
work  involving  the  handling  of  gases.  A  third  room 
is  furnished  with  balances,  microscopes,  spectroscopes, 
and  other  optical  apparatus.  On  the  story  above  these 
are  a  large  glass-roofed  room  and  a  dark  room  for 
photographic  work. 

An  installation  for  the  liquefaction  of  air  and  of 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      329 

hydrogen  was  presented  to  the  Society  by  Mr.  William 
Purser  Geoghegan  and  Mr.  Samuel  Geoghegan ;  it  is  a 
valuable  acquisition  for  the  purposes  of  research,  as 
well  as  for  lecture  illustration. 

A  recent  addition  to  the  laboratory  is  an  outfit  for 
dealing  with  radium  emanation  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Radium  Institute  referred  to  at  p.  377.  This 
includes  provision  for  the  storage  of  the  radium, 
mercury  air  pumps  for  removing  the  emanation, 
apparatus  for  purifying  the  gas  with  the  aid  of  liquid 
air,  and  apparatus  for  sealing  it  in  minute  capillary 
tubes  for  therapeutic  purposes. 

Musical  Recitals 

In  a  report  laid  before  the  Society  on  March  the 
4th,  1 886,  the  Council  reported  that  "  Since  the  transfer 
to  the  Government  of  the  Art  School,  which  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society  maintained  for  upwards  of  130  years, 
the  Council  have  had  under  their  consideration  to 
what  other  work,  for  the  promotion  of  Art,  the 
Society  could  most  usefully  apply  itself.  After  much 
consideration  the  Council  have  directed,  as  a  tentative 
measure,  that  weekly  recitals  from  the  works  of  some 
of  the  best  composers  of  instrumental  music  shall  be 
performed  in  the  Society's  theatre  during  the  rest  of 
the  present  season :  such  as,  if  continued  in  future 
years,  will  enable  music  as  an  art  to  be  systematically 
brought  before  the  public  as  effectually  as  painting  and 
sculpture  now  are  in  our  public  galleries.  In  taking 
this  step,  the  Council  have  had  the  advice  of  musicians, 
both  professional  and  amateur,  who  have  expressed 
their  opinion  that,  by  undertaking  this  work,  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society  will  do  important  service  to  the 
cause  of  Art." 

Three  months  later,  the  Chamber  Music  Committee 


33o  A   HISTORY   OF 

submitted  its  first  report,  in  which  it  is  said  that  "  the 
extraordinary  success  which  has  attended  the  Society's 
first  efforts  in  this  direction  is  most  encouraging,  and 
an  augury  of  the  important  service  to  Art  which  con- 
tinued efforts  in  this  direction  are  likely  to  effect." 
Chamber  music  was  selected  as  the  class  of  composition 
in  which  the  great  composers  embodied  many  of  their 
best  thoughts,  and  as  few  performers  were  required,  it 
seemed  the  most  promising  field  for  the  Society's 
efforts.  The  co-operation  of  the  Instrumental  Music 
Club  was  sought,  and  arrangements  were  made  to 
direct  the  attention  of  the  audience  to  points  of  special 
interest  in  each  composition.  At  the  course  of  re- 
citals which  began  in  October  1886,  analytical  notes 
on  the  music  performed,  prepared  by  Sir  Robert  Stewart, 
were  given  gratuitously  to  the  holders  of  tickets.  Two 
years  later  this  plan  was  given  up,  and  those  attending 
the  recitals  were  offered  facilities  for  obtaining  scores 
of  the  pieces  performed  in  a  cheap  and  convenient 
form.  In  1898,  the  analytical  notes  were  resumed; 
they  were  prepared  by  Professor  Ebenezer  Prout  and 
sold  at  a  nominal  price.  Next  year  the  notes  were 
continued  by  Mr.  J.  S.  Shedlock.  In  recent  years  these 
educational  features  have  been  allowed  to  lapse,  largely 
because  the  recitals  have  had  the  effect  they  were 
intended  to  produce,  and  Dublin  audiences  are  no 
longer  unacquainted  with  the  masterpieces  of  the  great 
composers  of  chamber  music.  With  this  change  has 
come  a  more  critical  taste,  and  instead  of  relying 
solely,  as  at  first,  upon  local  talent,  the  services  of  the 
most  distinguished  artists  in  this  country  and  abroad 
are  now  drawn  upon  to  ensure  the  best  results  in  the 
promotion  of  this  branch  of  art. 

The    organ    with    which    the    lecture    theatre    is 
provided  is  described  at  p.  328. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      331 

Butter-making 

During  the  closing  years  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  Ireland,  a  complete  revolution  took  place  in 
the  system  of  land  tenure  in  this  country.  While  this 
change  was  being  effected,  an  important  branch  of 
agricultural  industry  underwent  a  total  transformation 
all  over  the  world.  German  fiscal  policy  had  obliged 
the  farmers  of  neighbouring  states  to  seek  a  new  outlet 
for  their  produce,  and  the  open  British  market  was  an 
easy  prey.  The  farmers  of  the  United  Kingdom  soon 
discovered  that  the  superior  technical  education  of 
their  neighbours  in  Denmark  and  other  countries  had 
made  them  formidable  rivals,  with  serious  consequences 
to  the  British  butter-making  industry. 

In  1876,  the  first  of  a  series  of  dairy  shows  was 
held  in  London,  and  on  that  occasion  Professor  J.  P. 
Sheldon  proposed  the  formation  of  the  British  Dairy 
Farmers  Association.  Two  years  later  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland  deputed  the  Rev. 
Canon  Bagot  and  Mr.  James  Robertson  to  visit  several 
of  the  northern  states  of  Europe  and  inspect  the 
various  systems  of  dairy  farming  carried  out  in  those 
countries.  They  were  accompanied  by  the  secretary, 
Mr.  Dawson  Milward,  whose  very  interesting  and  in- 
structive report  was  published  by  the  Society.1 

The  Royal  Dublin  Society  joined  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society  in  an  effort  to  improve  Irish  dairy 
industries.  A  joint  dairy  show  was  held  in  1879,  at 
which  continental  systems  of  butter-making  were  shown 
at  work.  Similar  shows  were  subsequently  held  by  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society  alone.  The  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  instituted  a  travelling  educational  dairy  which 

1  Report  on   the  Butter    Manufacture    of  Denmark  and  other 
Countries,  1879. 


332  A   HISTORY   OF 

toured  the  provinces  and  brought  instruction  to  the 
farmers'  doors.  A  description  of  this  dairy  is  to  be 
found  in  the  Spring  show  catalogue,  1 88 1. 

In  1883,  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  induced  the 
Commissioners  of  National  Education  to  establish  a 
dairy  school  at  the  Albert  Farm,  Glasnevin,  and 
voted  a  sum  of  £50  to  be  offered  in  prizes.  The 
railway  companies  were  also  induced  to  co-operate  by 
granting  free  passes  to  pupils.  The  Royal  Dublin 
Society  subsequently  raised  the  vote  to  ^100,  and 
voted  ^50  to  the  Munster  Dairy  School,  Cork. 
These  votes  were  continued  for  many  years.  In  1885, 
Mr.  J.  C.  Lovell,  the  well-known  London  butter  mer- 
chant, who  had  acted  as  a  judge  at  one  of  the  Society's 
dairy  shows,  recognising  the  importance  of  the  work 
which  it  was  doing,  gave  a  donation  of  £100  in  aid 
of  dairy  industries. 

Meantime  a  momentous  change  in  dairy  methods 
was  in  progress.  For  some  years  attempts  had  been 
made  to  devise  a  machine  that  would  separate  cream 
from  milk  by  centrifugal  force.  The  problem  was  at 
last  solved  by  Lafeldt,  a  German  civil  engineer,  in 
Schoningen,  Brunswick.  Mr.  Milward,  in  the  report 
above  referred  to,  mentions  a  visit  to  the  works  of 
the  Centrifuge  Company  at  Hamburg,  where  he  saw 
the  Lafeldt  separator  at  work,  and  recognised  the 
importance  of  the  invention  for  butter-making  in  fac- 
tories. At  the  same  works  he  saw  the  Laval  separator, 
and  remarks  that  if  it  is  to  work  at  6000  revolutions 
a  minute,  he  would  rather  not  place  it  in  the  hands  of 
his  dairymaid.  The  centrifugal  cream  separator  under- 
went rapid  development,  and  revolutionised  butter- 
making  in  the  same  way  that  the  Arkwright  spinning 
frame  and  Cartwright  power  loom  had  revolutionised 
the  textile  industries  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 


:JJ/-c.jic/c/i t    ir)ij 


O  n  n  ( 


■>ll 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      333 

century.  Recognising  the  value  of  this  important 
invention,  the  Society  offered  space,  free  of  charge, 
at  the  Spring  cattle  show  of  1888  for  the  exhibition  of 
hand  separators  in  operation. 

The  fact  that  milk  production  is  widely  distributed, 
the  dairy  cattle  being  owned  by  numerous  farmers 
who  could  not  individually  undertake  butter-making 
on  a  large  scale,  rendered  some  system  of  combina- 
tion necessary.  The  conditions  were  peculiarly  favour- 
able to  the  co-operative  system,  which  was  soon  taken 
up  extensively  in  Denmark.  In  Ireland,  Mr.  (after- 
wards Sir  Horace)  Plunket,  and  his  colleagues  of  the 
Agricultural  Organisation  Society,  laboured  assidu- 
ously, and  with  marked  success,  in  introducing  co- 
operation in  butter-making,  and  in  agriculture  generally. 
The  Royal  Dublin  Society  was  approached  on  the 
subject  in  1891,  but  the  committee  of  agriculture 
recommended  that  the  Society  should  not  advocate 
one  system  of  trading  over  another,  while  they  fully 
recognised  the  importance  of  the  movement,  and  ad- 
vised that  the  Society  should  rather  devote  attention 
to  promoting  technical  instruction  in  dairying. 

The  new  methods  of  butter-making,  once  intro- 
duced, needed  no  artificial  stimulus.  The  market 
demanded  a  uniform  and  cleanly-made  article,  of  high 
quality ;  and  this  the  mechanical  method  alone  could 
supply  on  a  large  scale.  The  method  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  trade  competition  soon  captured  the  market. 


Fisheries — Marine  Laboratory 

From  the  first  year  of  its  existence,  the  Society  had 
made  efforts  to  promote  the  fishing  industry,  and  the 
subject  was  often  discussed  at  the  evening  meetings  of 
a  comparatively  recent  period,  but  it  was  not  until  our 


334  A   HISTORY   OF 

own  time  that  an  attempt  was  made  to  deal  with  the 
fisheries  on  scientific  lines. 

At  the  opening  meeting  of  the  session,  1883-4, 
the  attention  of  the  Council  was  called  to  the  important 
work  being  done  in  other  countries  at  stations  estab- 
lished for  the  investigation  of  marine  zoology,  and  the 
beneficial  effect  of  the  knowledge  thus  acquired  on  the 
fisheries  of  the  country.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  consider  whether  the  Society  could  not  usefully 
employ  itself  in  this  direction.  The  committee,  learn- 
ing that  the  Rev.  William  Spotswood  Green,  of  Carri- 
galine,  co.  Cork,  had  made  a  special  study  of  fishery 
problems  on  the  south-west  coast  of  Ireland,  asked 
his  advice.  A  report  from  him  was  submitted  to 
the  Society  on  June  the  2nd,  1887.  Mr.  Green  was 
asked  to  extend  his  enquiries,  and  he  submitted  a 
second  report,  which  was  laid  before  the  Society  on 
March  the  1st,  1888.  This  report  dealt  with  the 
more  important  fish,  and  their  relative  abundance  on 
the  south  coast ;  the  local  and  distant  markets,  the 
fluctuation  of  prices,  with  the  question  of  transport ; 
and  suggestions  were  made  as  to  the  best  means  of 
improving  the  industry.  It  was  pointed  out  that  there 
is  a  large  consumption  of  cured  fish  in  Ireland,  practi- 
cally all  of  which  comes  from  Norway,  Scotland,  and 
Newfoundland.  If  proper  steps  were  taken,  avoiding 
the  errors  of  the  past,  this  industry  might  be  developed 
in  Ireland.  Next  year  Mr.  Green  visited  America,  and 
at  the  request  of  the  committee  he  furnished  a  report 
on  American  Fisheries,  which  was  submitted  to  the 
Society  on  March  the  7th,  1889. 

In  November  1889,  a  correspondence  took  place 
with  Mr.  J.  H.  Tuke,  of  Bancroft,  Hitchin,  in  which 
he  suggested  that  a  complete  survey  of  the  fishing 
grounds  from  the  coast  of  Kerry  to  Donegal  should 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      335 

be  made,  and  that  Government  assistance  should  be 
sought,  as  the  expense  would  be  considerable.  It  was 
ascertained  that  the  work  would  cost  about  ^1200 
per  annum,  and  would  probably  occupy  two  years. 
Mr.  Arthur  J.  Balfour,  then  chief  secretary,  was 
approached ;  he  evinced  deep  interest  in  the  work, 
and  urged  the  importance  of  directing  attention  to  the 
distribution  of  the  fish  supply  on  the  west  coast,  and 
as  to  how  far  the  fisheries  could  be  relied  upon  for  the 
support  of  a  large  fishing  population.  Finding  that 
Mr.  Balfour  was  prepared  to  recommend  the  Govern- 
ment to  pay  half  the  cost  of  the  work,  the  Council 
voted  the  sum  of  £600  for  the  current  year,  and  the 
survey  was  at  once  commenced.  For  the  purposes  of 
the  survey  the  Fingal,  a  steam  yacht  of  158  tons,  was 
chartered  and  suitably  equipped. 

Before  the  plans  for  the  survey  were  completed,  a 
vacancy  occurred  in  the  inspectorship  of  Irish  fisheries, 
through  the  death  of  Major  Hayes,  and  Mr.  Green 
was  appointed  to  the  office.  Mr.  Green  was  still 
willing  to  act  for  the  Society,  and  to  this  arrangement 
the  Government  readily  consented.  Professor  A.  C. 
Haddon,  who  had  just  returned  from  Torres  Straits, 
acted  as  naturalist,  and  Mr.  T.  H.  Poole  undertook 
topographical  work.  Mr.  Green's  very  interesting  re- 
port, with  a  narrative  of  the  cruise  of  the  Fingal^  is 
included  in  the  report  of  the  Council  laid  before  the 
Society  on  June  the  4th,  1891. 

The  steam  yacht  Fingal  was  not  available  for  the 
season  of  1 891,  but  a  suitable  substitute  was  found  in 
the  s.s.  Harlequin^  a  ship  of  139  tons  tonnage,  which 
was  accordingly  engaged.  Mr.  Green  again  took 
command  of  the  survey,  Mr.  Ernest  W.  L.  Holt 
acted  as  zoologist ;  Mr.  G.  Beamish  took  charge  of 
physical  observations,  and   Mr.  D.  H.  Lane  acted  as 


336  A   HISTORY   OF 

general  assistant.  Mr.  Green's  report  on  the  work 
accomplished  forms  an  appendix  to  the  report  of  the 
Council  laid  before  the  Society  on  December  the  5th, 
1 89 1.  This  valuable  contribution  to  the  subject  of 
west  coast  fisheries  extends  to  307  pages,  the  greater 
part  of  which  is  occupied  by  Mr.  Holt's  report  on  the 
results  of  the  fishing  operations  of  the  cruise.  Full 
particulars  are  given  of  the  fish  captured,  their  size 
and  weight,  their  condition  as  to  maturity,  and  the 
contents  of  their  stomachs.  There  is  a  list  of  stations, 
with  soundings,  temperature,  and  specific  gravity 
records.  The  report  concludes  with  a  discussion  of 
the  scientific  results  and  their  bearing  on  economic 
questions.  The  results  were  also  published  in  a  series 
of  papers  by  Mr.  Holt,  which  appeared  in  vols.  iv. 
and  v.  of  the  Transactions,  and  vol.  vii.  of  the 
Scientific  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  The 
value  of  this  piece  of  work  has  been  widely  recognised, 
and  it  has  been  extensively  quoted  in  almost  every 
recent  work  on  marine  food  fishes,  both  British  and 
foreign. 

The  creation  of  the  Congested  Districts  Board  in 
1 891  transferred  the  responsibility  for  work  of  this 
character  to  the  shoulders  of  a  Government  depart- 
ment. Mr.  Green  was  a  member  of  the  board,  which 
renewed  the  charter  with  the  Fingal,  and  continued  the 
work  which  the  Society  had  initiated,  at  least  in  its 
more  economic  bearings. 

In  1897  the  Council  was  asked  to  consider  the 
advisability  of  undertaking  a  further  investigation  of 
the  life-history  of  food  fishes.  The  economic  import- 
ance of  the  scientific  work  of  the  surveys  of  1890  and 
1 891  was  beginning  to  be  realised,  and  there  was 
every  hope  of  further  scientific  work  producing  similar 
results.      The  Government  again  promised   assistance, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      337 

and  the  sum  of  ^1400  was  placed  at  the  Society's 
service,  on  the  understanding  that  in  the  course  of  five 
years,  at  least  an  equal  sum  should  be  provided  from 
the  Society's  own  funds.  Steps  were  immediately  taken 
to  equip  a  laboratory,  and  for  this  purpose  the  Saturn, 
a  brigantine  of  about  220  tons,  was  purchased  and 
properly  fitted.  Mr.  E.  W.  L.  Holt  was  appointed 
marine  naturalist  to  the  Society,  Mr.  Charles  Green 
and  Mr.  A.  F.  Townshend  consenting  to  act  as 
assistants.  Subsequently  fishing  boats  were  purchased 
and  provided  with  nets,  to  enable  the  staff  to  conduct 
operations  at  sea. 

Brief  reports  of  the  work  carried  out  appeared  in 
the  annual  reports  of  the  Council  for  the  years  1898, 
1899,  and  1900.  Before  the  expiration  of  the  five, 
years,  a  new  Government  department  had  been  created 
by  the  passing  of  the  Agriculture  and  Technical  In- 
struction Act,  1899.  There  were  now  two  Govern- 
ment departments  engaged  in  dealing  with  different 
aspects  of  the  fisheries  question,  and  it  seemed  unneces- 
sary for  the  Society  to  devote  any  part  of  its  private 
funds  to  doing  work  provided  for  by  the  State.  An 
arrangement  was  made  with  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture and  Technical  Instruction  for  the  joint  manage- 
ment of  the  marine  laboratory  for  the  unexpired  term 
of  the  five  years,  and  subsequently  the  Department 
became  solely  responsible  for  the  work. 

The  Veterinary  College 

None  of  the  many  projects  in  which  the  Society 
has  engaged  took  so  long  to  mature  as  the  establish- 
ment of  a  veterinary  college.  The  greater  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century  passed  in  abortive  efforts  before 
success  was  attained. 

The  first  attempt  to  raise  veterinary  medicine  to 

Y 


33 8  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  position  of  a  science  was  made  in  France  in  1761, 
when  a  veterinary  college  was  established  at  Lyons. 
Thirty  years  later  the  London  College  was  founded, 
and  Mr.  St.  Bel,  who  had  studied  at  Lyons,  was  the  first 
professor.  In  1793,  Mr.  Coleman,  who  had  already 
acquired  a  reputation  as  a  surgeon,  succeeded  him. 

In  the  year  1800,  the  attention  of  the  Dublin 
Society  was  called  to  the  progress  that  other  countries, 
especially  France,  were  making  in  veterinary  science. 
It  was  decided  that  the  books  on  the  subject  in  foreign 
languages  which  belonged  to  the  Society  should  be 
translated  into  English  ;  that  the  transactions  of  foreign 
academies  should  be  searched  for  articles  on  veterinary 
subjects,  and  extracts  made  from  English  books  on 
farming  and  husbandry,  all  the  information  to  be  con- 
densed into  one  work,  and  properly  indexed.  This 
decision  was  only  partially  carried  out.  Articles  which 
appeared  in  the  Transactions  about  this  time  were  no 
doubt  published  in  furtherance  of  this  decision. 

The  Society  was  empowered  by  Act  of  Parliament 
to  acquire  ground  for  a  veterinary  establishment,  and 
the  houses  numbered  nine  to  fourteen  in  Townshend 
street  were  taken  for  the  purpose.  Acting  on  the 
recommendation  of  Mr.  Coleman,  Mr.  Thomas  Peall 
was  appointed  in  November  1 800,  "  professor  and 
lecturer,"  and  Mr.  Watts  "  assistant  professor  and 
practitioner."  The  general  character  and  scope  of  the 
lectures  which  Mr.  Peall  was  to  deliver  are  set  out  in 
the  minutes.  In  addition  to  dealing  with  "  the  consti- 
tution, nourishment,  diseases,  cures  and  treatment  of 
horses,  cattle,  and  other  animals,"  the  various  breeds 
now  in  repute  in  Great  Britain,  particularly  "  of  sheep 
and  neat  cattle,"  were  to  be  "  accurately  described  and 
compared,  their  several  excellences  pointed  out,  their 
shapes   marked,   and   the    nature  of   the  soil  or   food 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      339 

most  advantageous  for  each."  Dr.  Wade,  professor  of 
botany,  was  also  to  lecture  "  on  the  nature  of  the 
several  grasses  and  native  plants  of  Ireland  so  far  as 
they  ought  to  be  the  object  of  the  farmers'  attention 
or  knowledge,  in  respect  of  each  species  of  animal,  and 
in  what  degree  they  are  calculated  to  give  him  strength, 
or  fat,  or  value,  or  otherwise."  The  scope  of  the 
lectures  therefore  embraced  rural  economy  as  well  as 
veterinary  science,  such  as  it  was  understood  a  century 
ago.  The  fees  to  be  paid  by  pupils,  and  the  fees  to 
be  paid  to  professors  for  professional  services,  were 
published  in  Transactions^  vol.  ii.  part  1,  p.  39.  The 
sum  of  ^100,  ys.  was  paid  to  Dr.  John  Percival  of 
London  for  "  a  veterinary  museum  for  the  use  of  the 
Society's  veterinary  lectures." 

Mr.  Peall  seems  to  have  occupied  a  rather  inde- 
pendent position.  In  1807,  he  informed  the  Society 
that  he  had  been  appointed  veterinary  surgeon  to  the 
Royal  Artillery,  and  expressed  his  intention  to  deliver 
his  annual  course  of  lectures  at  the  Society's  Repository. 
About  this  time  an  effort  was  made  by  Government 
to  reduce  expenditure  in  every  possible  way,  and  the 
veterinary  establishment  was  one  of  the  victims  of  this 
wave  of  economy.  There  was  a  feeling  that  Mr.  Peall 
had  been  badly  treated,  and  that  the  expectations  he 
had  been  led  to  entertain  had  not  been  realised.  No 
doubt  it  was  for  this  reason  that  we  find  the  Society,  in 
1 8 13,  voting  the  sum  of  twenty-five  guineas  for  a  copy 
of  Mr.  Peall's  book,  Practical  Observations  on  the  diseases 
of  the  Horse.  He  continued  to  deliver  brief  courses  of 
lectures  annually  until  a  short  time  before  his  death, 
which  took  place  in  May,  1825.  In  June  of  the  same 
year  a  committee  submitted  a  scheme  for  a  Veterinary 
Institution  "  differing  in  several  essential  respects  from 
that  which  had  been  agreed  to  by  the  Society  in  1800." 


340  A   HISTORY   OF 

Mr.  Coleman  wrote  to  Lord  Oriel,  then  senior  vice- 
president,  giving  his  opinion  as  to  what  should  be 
done.  Incidentally  he  observes  that  "  Dublin  has  now 
(1825)  three  veterinary  practitioners."  The  regula- 
tions of  the  London  Veterinary  College  which  accom- 
panied Mr.  Coleman's  letter,  were  printed  in  "Proceedings 
vol.  61,  pp.  210-16.  These  proposals  were  not,  how- 
ever, carried  out. 

Six  years  later  (1831),  the  "Committee  of  Agri- 
culture and  of  the  House "  recommended  that  a 
Veterinary  Professor  be  appointed  at  a  salary  of  ^200 
a  year,  on  condition  that  he  should  deliver  certain  class 
lectures,  as  well  as  public  lectures,  and  maintain  at 
his  own  cost,  and  for  his  own  profit,  a  hospital  for 
invalid  horses  and  other  live  stock.  The  committee 
desired  to  impress  on  the  Society  "  the  importance  of 
great  caution  in  the  election  of  a  professor."  The 
Society  adopted  this  report,  and  resolved  "  that  the 
Society  are  of  opinion  that  the  veterinary  professor- 
ship should  be  revived  in  connection  with  a  Veterinary 
School."  Again,  no  definite  action  was  taken,  and  two 
years  later  it  was  proposed  that  the  Society's  veterinary 
anatomical  preparations  should  be  offered  in  exchange 
to  the  College  of  Surgeons.  This  suggestion  was  not 
adopted,  and  eventually  a  place  was  found  for  the 
specimens,  which  probably  formed  part  of  the  collection 
subsequently  known  as  the  "Agricultural  Museum." 
This  museum  was  part  of  the  property  transferred  to 
the  Crown  by  the  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act,  1877. 
In  1886,  specimens  relating  to  veterinary  science  were, 
with  the  Society's  concurrence,  transferred  on  loan  to 
the  Albert  Institution,  Glasnevin. 

When  the  question  of  appointing  a  successor  to 
Dr.  Davy  was  under  consideration  in  1858,  it  was 
proposed  that  part  of  the  anticipated  savings  should  be 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      341 

appropriated  to  the  salary  of  a  professor  of  veterinary 
surgery ;  this,  however,  was  not  done. 

In  1864,  the  attention  of  the  Board  of  National 
Education  was  called  to  the  recommendations  of  the 
select  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  on  scien- 
tific institutions  in  Dublin,  relative  to  the  establishment 
of  an  Agricultural  and  Veterinary  School  in  connection 
with  the  Society.  The  reply  of  the  Commissioners 
was  referred  to  a  special  committee,  which  reported  to 
the  Council  early  in  1865.  The  report  briefly  sketches 
the  work  of  the  Society  early  in  the  century,  mentions 
the  veterinary  museum  as  "  in  good  order  and  avail- 
able," suggests  that  it  is  useless  to  communicate  with 
the  Commissioners,  and  expresses  the  belief  that  the 
Council  will  willingly  undertake  any  duties  in  this 
connection  that  Parliament  may  see  fit  to  throw  upon 
the  Society. 

In  1866,  an  influential  committee  was  asked  to 
consider  the  possibility  of  founding  a  veterinary 
school.  The  next  year  this  committee  submitted  an 
important  report,  which  was  the  first  attempt  made  to 
deal  with  the  question  exhaustively  and  in  a  business- 
like manner.  A  curriculum  was  drawn  up,  and  it  was 
estimated  that  the  annual  cost  of  the  staff  of  the 
institution  would  be  j£6oo,  but  the  committee  pointed 
out  that  the  Society  had  no  funds  for  this  purpose. 
The  committee  was  asked  to  furnish  an  estimate  of 
other  expenses.  In  1868,  a  memorial  to  the  Treasury 
in  favour  of  the  establishment  of  a  veterinary  school 
was  ordered  to  lie  for  signature  during  the  Horse 
Show  of  that  year,  but  the  minutes  do  not  show 
whether  this  memorial  was  ever  forwarded.  About 
this  time  the  formation  of  an  Association  of  Veterinary 
Surgeons  in  Dublin  was  projected,  and  the  Society  lent 
offices  for  the  meetings  of  the  promoters. 


342 


A   HISTORY   OF 


The  next  move  was  not  made  until  1883,  when, 
in  conformity  with  a  resolution  of  the  Society,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  report  to  the  Council  as  to  the 
most  effectual  means  of  founding  an  Irish  college  or 
school  of  veterinary  surgery  and  medicine,  with  in- 
dependent powers  of  examining  and  of  conferring 
diplomas.  The  committee  proceeded  on  the  lines  of 
its  predecessor  of  1866,  by  preparing  a  curriculum, 
and  estimating  the  probable  income  and  expenditure. 
They  showed  that  a  deficit  of  about  £800  a  year 
might  be  expected,  while  at  least  £5000  would  have 
to  be  spent  on  buildings.  It  was  shown  that  the  Royal 
Veterinary  College  of  London  possessed  by  charter  the 
sole  power  of  granting  veterinary  diplomas  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  that  to  attain  the  desired  object 
a  body  with  independent  power  would  have  to  be 
incorporated  in  Ireland.  The  committee  expressed  the 
opinion  that  a  veterinary  establishment,  managed  as  a 
perfectly  independent  body  on  a  commercial  basis,  like 
the  Scottish  institutions,  would  pay  its  way  and  be  self 
supporting.  This  would  mean  competition  with 
veterinary  surgeons  in  Dublin,  which  of  course  the 
Society  could  not  undertake.  The  committee  con- 
cluded that  the  best  thing  the  Society  could  do  was 
to  assist  a  veterinary  college  (if  one  were  started)  by 
grants  in  aid,  such  as  were  given  to  the  veterinary 
colleges  of  England  and  Scotland  by  the  leading 
agricultural  society  of  each  country.  The  report  of 
the  committee  was  adopted  by  the  Society  in  February 
1884,  and,  though  nothing  further  was  done  at  the 
time,  the  report  formed  the  basis  of  the  final  step 
taken  ten  years  later.  In  1894,  the  project  was  again 
revived ;  to  get  over  the  financial  difficulty  a  com- 
mittee of  the  Council  recommended  that  a  guarantee 
fund  should  be  raised,  and  that  the  Society  should,  in 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      343 

addition,  contribute  ^200  a  year  for  five  years.  A 
Parliamentary  grant  of  .£15,000  was  promised,  and  on 
the  strength  of  this  promise  an  appeal  was  made  to 
the  public.  The  guarantee  fund,  including  donations 
(which  some  contributors  preferred  to  give),  eventually 
reached  the  sum  of  £2253.  A  charter  of  incorpora- 
tion was  applied  for,  and,  after  negotiations  in  relation 
to  some  details,  the  charter  was  granted,  and  it  was 
enrolled  on  May  the  29th,  1895.  Under  this  charter 
the  governing  body  of  the  Royal  Veterinary  College  of 
Ireland  consisted  of  twelve  persons  nominated  by  the 
Crown,  twelve  persons  nominated  by  the  Council  of 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  four  persons  nominated  by 
the  Commissioners  of  National  Education  in  Ireland, 
and  four  persons  to  be  elected  by  subscribers. 

In  1906,  this  charter  was  annulled,  and  a  new 
charter  issued,  increasing  the  number  of  the  Society's 
nominees  to  fifteen,  and  giving  to  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruction  for  Ireland, 
which  had  been  created  since  the  first  charter  was  issued, 
the  power  to  nominate  thirteen  persons.  The  power 
of  the  Crown  to  nominate  twelve  persons  was  retained, 
but  the  Commissioners  of  National  Education  ceased 
to  have  the  power  of  nomination. 

In  19 1 3,  the  Board  of  Governors  decided  to  sur- 
render their  charter,  and  to  transfer  the  government 
of  the  college  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and 
Technical  Instruction  for  Ireland.  Under  the  proposed 
new  charter  the  functions  of  the  former  Board  of 
Governors  will  become  advisory  in  character.  The 
Council  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  concurred  in  the 
proposed  change,  believing  that  it  would  be  greatly  to 
the  advantage  of  the  country. 


344  A   HISTORY   OF 

Agricultural  Shows  and  the  Horse  Show 

The  last  spring  cattle  show  held  in  Kildare  street 
in  April  1880  was  the  fiftieth  of  a  series  of  shows  held 
annually  without   intermission,  beginning  in   the  year 
1 83 1.     There  were  still  earlier  cattle  shows,  but  they 
were  not  held  on  the  Society's  premises,  nor  were  they 
under  the  direct  management  of  the  Society  ;  they  were 
held  by  the  Farming  Society,  a  body  founded  in  1800, 
which  carried  on  its  operations  "  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Dublin  Society  "  ;  it  received  a  subsidy  of  ^200  a 
year  from  the  Society's  funds,  and  held  its  meetings  on 
the  Society's  premises.    The  shows  were  held  at  Smith- 
field,  Dublin,  in  the  months  of  April  and  November,  and 
at  Ballinasloe  in  the  month  of  October.     A  report  on 
one  of  these  shows  held  on  November  the  20th,  1800, 
which  shows  the  extraordinary  care  that  was  taken  in 
awarding  the  prizes,  is  published  in  the  Transactions  of 
the  Dublin  Society,  vol.  ii.  pp.  353-364.      In   some 
classes,  the  animals  were  weighed,  and  after  slaughter, 
detailed  weighings   and  measurements   of  the   various 
cuts  were  made.     In  the   case   of  two  three-year-old 
wethers,    there    are    eleven    measurements    and    seven 
weighings  given,  and  in  the  case  of  two  heifers  there 
are  the  weighings  of  ten  different  parts  of  each  animal. 
So  completely  did  the  Farming  Society  withdraw  agri- 
cultural interests  from  the  parent  body,  that  we  find  it 
stated  in  evidence  before  the  Parliamentary  Commission 
of  1836,  that  the  Society  had  "  lost  its  original  character, 
and  become  more  an  institution  for  the  encouragement 
of  Arts  and  Sciences." 

The  spring  cattle  show  of  1 83 1  was  the  Society's 
response  to  the  appeal  that  had  been  made  by  the 
Marquis  of  Downshire,  who  had  urged  the  Society  to 
resume  its  agricultural  work.  The  show  opened  on 
Tuesday,  April  the  26th,    1831.     The  first  two  days 


CHARLES  UNIACKE  TOWNSHEND,  Vice-President,  1893-1907 
(From  an  oil  painting  by    William  Orpen) 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      345 

were  devoted  to  cattle,  and  the  third  day  to  horses. 
The  breeds  included  in  the  classes  for  cattle  (bulls, 
cows,  heifers  and  oxen)  were  Durham,  Holderness, 
Ayrshire,  Devon,  and  any  other  breed.  There  were 
only  two  breeds  of  sheep  recognised — Leicestershire 
and  South  Down.  The  only  class  of  horse  in  the  list 
is  "  draught  stallion."  There  was  also  a  class  for 
Spanish  asses  as  sires.  The  prizes  varied  from  a  silver 
medal,  or  £$  to  £3,  and  no  entry  fee  was  charged.  One 
of  the  rules  was  that  "  The  oxen  must  not  have  been 
fed  on  distillery  wash  or  grains,  and  when  all  other 
circumstances  admit  of  it  a  preference  must  be  given 
to  the  lot  which  has  been  fattened  upon  the  most 
wholesome  and  least  expensive  food."  The  show  was 
a  great  success.  The  number  and  excellence  of  the 
cattle  far  exceeded  the  expectations  of  the  committee, 
who  expressed  themselves  as  "sanguine  enough  to  think" 
that  the  exhibition  "  has  laid  the  foundation  of  much 
useful  improvement." 

In  the  prize  list  for  1832,  the  classes  for  cattle 
embrace  the  longhorned  breed,  the  shorthorned  breed, 
Herefords,  and  any  other  breed,  and  a  section  was 
introduced  "  for  promoting  the  breed  of  poultry  in 
favour  of  the  cottager."  No  money  prizes  were  offered 
except  for  poultry.  A  new  section  also  appears  for  "imple- 
ments of  husbandry."  Lectures  on  agricultural  chemistry 
and  botany  were  to  form  a  feature  of  the  show. 

In  1834  there  was  a  sweepstake  of  two  sovereigns 
in  each  fat  cattle  class,  the  names  of  the  subscribers  to 
which  were — J.  L.  W.  Naper,  Robert  Holmes,  Robert 
La  Touche,  and  George  Garnett.  This  arrangement 
was  not  repeated  at  subsequent  shows. 

In  1837  the  committee  suggested  that,  "under 
existing  circumstances,  and  the  extraordinary  scarcity  and 
high  prices  of  provender,"  no  show  should  be  held  ; 


346  A   HISTORY   OF 

but  a  few  weeks  later  this  recommendation  was  with- 
drawn, and  the  show  was  held. 

In  1838  there  was  a  great  increase  in  the  number 
of  cattle,  and  a  great  improvement  in  their  quality. 
On  September  the  1 8th,  an  autumn  show  of  breeding 
stock  and  a  public  sale  by  auction  were  held. 

In  1839  money  prizes  were  resumed.  In  the 
following  year,  through  lack  of  funds,  it  was  decided 
to  abandon  the  autumn  show,  and  to  concentrate 
attention  upon  one  good  show,  with  money  prizes. 

Owing  to  the  epidemic  among  cattle  in  the  year 
1 84 1,  the  abandonment  of  the  spring  show  was  con- 
templated, but  finally  the  show  was  held,  and  it  turned 
out  a  very  successful  exhibition. 

At  the  show  of  1844,  Professor  Dick  of  Edinburgh 
lectured  on  the  diseases  of  cattle,  and  Professor  (after- 
wards Sir  Robert)  Kane,  on  the  relation  of  science  to 
agriculture. 

In  1845,  in  addition  to  the  spring  show  held  in 
April,  there  was  an  exhibition  of  farm  produce  in 
November ;  and  from  this  date  a  winter  show  in  some 
form  or  other  was  held  for  many  years. 

In  reporting  on  the  spring  show  of  1848,  the  judges 
said  that  the  shorthorns  were  particularly  good,  and 
they  anticipated  that  English  breeders  would  soon  be 
purchasers  in  Ireland.  "  Irish  breeders  have  fully 
earned  this  mark  of  distinction  by  a  steady  perseverance 
in  supplying  themselves  with  stock  from  the  most  dis- 
tinguished herds  in  Great  Britain,  irrespective  of  cost." 
The  show  in  1850  was  visited  by  a  great  storm,  and 
all  the  cattle  sheds  in  Leinster  Lawn  were  blown  down. 
Following  the  example  of  the  Industrial  Exhibition 
of  1 85 1,  a  book  for  members  to  sign  at  the  entrance 
was  instituted  for  the  first  time  ;  this  practice  continues 
to  the  present  day. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      347 

At  the  show  of  1852  an  entry  fee  of  25.  6d.  was 
charged  on  each  head  of  cattle  entered  by  a  non- 
member;  this  was  done  with  the  view  of  "excluding 
cattle  of  an  inferior  class." 

In  the  report  of  the  show  of  1855,  it  is  pointed  out 
that  there  were  290  shorthorns,  whereas  the  number 
at  the  Lincoln  show  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society 
of  England  was  in,  and  at  the  Berwick-on-Tweed 
show  of  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  the 
number  was  223. 

Mr.  Henry  Smith  of  Dease  Abbey,  Yorkshire,  in 
reporting  on  the  show  of  1856,  says: — "The  county 
of  Durham  has  been  called  the  land  of  shorthorns ; 
Ireland  is  that  country  now.  I  say,  as  an  Englishman, 
and  an  English  shorthorn  breeder,  that  Englishmen 
must  look  to  themselves,  for,  unless  they  improve  in  a 
very  short  time,  Ireland  will  beat  them.  .  .  .  The 
progress  that  has  been  made  in  the  country  in  the 
breeding  of  shorthorns  is  something  most  extra- 
ordinary." Other  reports  of  this  period  are  even  more 
laudatory,  but  enough  has  been  said  to  afford  some 
idea  of  the  stimulus  that  was  given  to  cattle  breeding  by 
the  Spring  show,  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  century. 

The  erection  of  the  Agricultural  Hall  (now  the 
south  hall  at  Ballsbridge)  in  Kildare  street  in  1858, 
was  the  first  important  step  in  the  direction  of  perma- 
nent buildings  for  the  shows.  It  was  a  necessity  at 
the  time,  because  the  erection  of  the  Natural  History 
Museum  and  the  National  Gallery  had  greatly  en- 
croached upon  the  space  available  for  agricultural 
exhibitions.  In  1862,  it  was  ordered  that  the  Lawn 
should  no  longer  be  used  for  shows,  and  space  had  to 
be  found  elsewhere  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the 
Science  and  Art  Museum. 

During  the  last  twenty  years  of  the  Kildare  street 


348  A    HISTORY   OF 

spring  shows  there  was  no  great  change  in  the  number 
of  cattle  entered  each  year,  and  the  shows  seem  to 
have  reached  their  full  development.  So  far  as  pre- 
mises were  concerned,  there  was  no  room  for  further 
extension.  Nevertheless,  we  find  the  Council  report- 
ing in  1876,  when  the  removal  of  the  shows  to  another 
site  was  contemplated,  that  "  the  success  of  the  annual 
shows  depends  greatly  upon  their  being  held  within 
the  city.  Should  they  be  removed  to  the  suburbs,  it  is 
apprehended  that  they  would  be  less  numerously  at- 
tended, and  the  receipts  suffer  serious  diminution." 
This  apprehension  was  not  unfounded  ;  the  earlier  spring 
shows  at  Ballsbridge  were  not  well  attended,  but  a  way 
of  making  them  more  attractive  was  soon  discovered,  and 
the  last  show  held  there  (19 13)  was  attended  by  24,358 
persons,  more  than  twice  the  best  Kildare  street  record, 
which  was  in  1875,  when  12,034  persons  attended. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  entries  of  breeding  stock  that 
the  progress  of  the  Ballsbridge  shows  has  been  most 
marked.  The  best  record  in  Kildare  street  was  308 
animals  in  1872.  Three  shows  were  held  at  Balls- 
bridge  before  this  number  was  exceeded,  and  then 
rapid  progress  was  made ;  the  Kildare  street  record 
was  more  than  doubled  at  the  Ballsbridge  show  of 
1896,  and  more  than  trebled  six  years  later.  At  the 
Ballsbridge  show  of  1908,  the  entries  of  breeding 
stock  reached  the  record  number  of  105 1. 

In  1908,  after  an  interval  of  seventy  years,  the 
auction  sales  were  revived.  The  number  of  animals 
entered  for  sale  was  463,  and  of  these  173  were  sold. 
Five  years  later,  the  number  entered  for  sale  had  in- 
creased to  654,  and  the  number  sold  to  549. 

In  1904,  to  meet  the  demand  for  an  early  market, 
a  show  and  sale  of  pure-bred  bulls  was  instituted, 
and  February  the   10th  was  fixed  upon  as  the  date  of 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      349 

the  show.  The  number  of  entries  at  this  show  was 
183,  and  at  the  corresponding  shows  held  in  the  suc- 
ceeding nine  years  the  average  number  has  been  164. 

Since  the  year  1896,  Winter  shows  have  been  held 
at  Ballsbridge  in  the  month  of  December.  These  shows 
had  their  origin  in  the  exhibition  of  farm  produce 
which  commenced  in  1845,  anc^  tneY  were  ne^  *n  tne 
Agricultural  Museum,  Kildare  street.  In  1858  the 
Agricultural  Hall,  then  newly  erected  in  Kildare  street, 
enabled  the  committee  to  add  sections  for  fat  stock 
and  poultry.  In  this  form  the  shows  continued  up  to 
1879,  with  the  exception  of  the  year  1871,  when  the 
cattle  sections  were  omitted  in  consequence  of  foot 
and  mouth  disease.  The  winter  shows  were  not  re- 
sumed at  Ballsbridge  until  1890.  The  attendance  at 
the  show  was  discouraging;  in  1891  the  expenditure 
exceeded  the  receipts  by  £533,  and  the  shows  were 
discontinued  for  several  years.  Since  the  shows  were 
resumed  in  1896,  the  expenditure  on  them  has  exceeded 
the  receipts  by  £7418,  an  annual  loss  of  .£412,  which, 
however,  the  Society  considers  justified  mainly  in  the 
interests  of  the  fat  stock  and  poultry  industries. 

The  Society  is  indebted  to  a  number  of  gentlemen 
interested  in  promoting  improvement  in  malting  barley, 
and  known  as  the  Barley  Committee,  who,  for  some 
years  contributed  annually  two  or  three  hundred 
pounds  to  be  awarded  in  prizes  varying  from  £2  to 
£5,  which  were  allocated  to  counties  according  to  a  fixed 
scheme.  At  the  show  of  19 13,  there  were  288  entries 
for  these  prizes. 

No  enterprise  in  which  the  Society  ever  engaged 
has  attracted  so  much  public  notice  as  the  annual  event 
now  known  all  over  the  world  as  the  Dublin  Horse 
Show,  which  opens  at  Ballsbridge  with  unerring  regu- 
larity on  the  Tuesday  preceding  the  last  Friday  in  the 


350  A   HISTORY   OF 

month  of  August  in  each  year.1  As  a  show  of  horses, 
especially  hunters,  the  exhibition  is  unrivalled,  and  in 
the  society  world  the  horse  show  has  acquired  an 
assured  position  among  the  leading  social  events  of  the 
United  Kingdom.  The  first  Dublin  Horse  Show  was 
organised  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland,  on  the  suggestion  of 
the  late  Lord  Howth,  then  Lord  St.  Lawrence.  It 
was  held  on  April  the  15th,  1864,  on  the  Kildare  street 
premises  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  which  were  lent 
for  the  occasion.  There  were  370  entries,  and  the 
animals  were  judged  in  an  enclosure  in  the  courtyard 
of  Leinster  House.  The  second  show  was  held  in 
September  1866,  under  somewhat  similar  conditions, 
the  Kildare  street  premises  being  again  lent  to  the  horse 
show  committee  by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  The 
number  of  entries  at  this  show  was  303. 

In  August  1867,  the  committee  of  agriculture  of 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  recommended  the  Council  to 
hold  an  annual  horse  show,  and  a  special  committee 
was  appointed  to  carry  out  the  recommendation.  A 
subscription  list  was  opened,  and  contributions  to  the 
amount  of  ^793  were  received,  including  £100  from 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  The  show  was  held  in  the 
Kildare  street  premises  on  July  28th,  1868,  and  two 
following  days.  The  number  of  horses  entered  was 
366,  and  the  number  of  persons  who  visited  the  show 
was  6029.  The  following  resolution  appears  in  the 
minutes  of  the  horse  show  committee  of  June  the 
25th,  1868  : — 

Proposed  by  Lord  St.  Lawrence,  and  seconded  by 
R.  C.  Wade — "  That   this   committee,  judging  from 

1  The  war  with  Germany  (1914)  interrupted  this  regularity.  It 
was  not  possible  to  hold  the  show,  as  the  military  authorities  occupied 
the  premises  at  Ballsbridge  for  remount  purposes. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      351 

the  precedent  afforded  by  the  interest  created  at  the 
Islington  horse  show,  of  seeing  hunters  exhibit  their 
fencing  powers,  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
would  prove  expedient  to  offer  prizes  for  jumping, 
especially  as  such  a  course  will  be  attended  with  little 
or  no  pecuniary  risk,  and  will  add  considerably  to  the 
attraction  of  the  horse  show."  This  was  the  beginning 
of  the  jumping  competitions,  and  the  first  of  the  series 
took  place  on  the  afternoon  of  June  the  28th  in  the 
Kildare  street  courtyard.  A  correspondent  in  the 
Irish  Farmers'  Gazette,  referring  to  the  stone  wall 
jump,  says — "the  wall  was  five  feet  ten  inches,  in 
cold  blood,  off  wet  sawdust,  in  a  crowded  courtyard." 

The  general  arrangements  of  the  show  of  1868 
differed  very  little  from  those  of  recent  shows.  The 
entries  closed  about  a  month  before  the  show  opened, 
and,  in  addition  to  the  entrance  fee,  exhibitors  were 
required  to  lodge  a  deposit  of  £2  on  each  horse.  At 
the  adjudication  there  was  a  preliminary  selection  of 
horses  to  be  examined  by  veterinary  surgeons  before 
the  prizes  were  finally  awarded.  The  horses  were 
classified  very  much  as  they  are  at  present. 

The  difficulty  of  conducting  the  business  of  the 
show  in  the  limited  area  available  was  very  great, 
especially  in  the  earlier  shows,  when  the  members 
claimed  the  right  to  enter  the  judging  ring.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Society  in  1873,  specially  convened 
for  the  purpose,  this  practice  was  ordered  to  be 
stopped ;  a  resolution  was  passed  empowering  the 
horse  show  committee  "  to  clear  and  keep  the  ring  and 
jumping  and  exercising  grounds  free  of  all  persons 
whomsoever,  whether  members  of  the  Society  or 
others,"  whenever  the  committee  thought  fit. 

The  financial  results  of  the  first  show  were  considered 
quite  satisfactory,  when  a  balance  of  ^162   remained 


352  A   HISTORY   OF 

out  of  the  ^793  which  had  been  subscribed.  The 
subscriptions  in  aid  of  the  second  show  also  amounted 
to  ^793,  but  the  attendance  rose  to  10,529  persons, 
and  the  show  closed  with  a  credit  balance  of  £923  ; 
from  this  time  no  further  appeal  was  made  to  the 
public  for  funds.  In  1873,  the  horse  show  funds 
were  regarded  as  quite  distinct  from  the  other  funds 
of  the  Society,  and  were  transferred  to  trustees  consist- 
ing of  two  members  of  the  committee,  with  the  regis- 
trar and  treasurer.  A  year  later  we  find  the  horse 
show  committee  in  a  position  to  vote  ^300  to  the 
general  funds  of  the  Society  in  aid  of  the  purchase  of 
premises.  In  1879,  the  balance  of  ^1488,  standing 
to  the  credit  of  the  horse  shows,  was  transferred  to 
the  general  funds  of  the  Society. 

The  entries  at  the  Kildare  street  shows  reached  the 
maximum  in  1874,  when  they  numbered  636,  and  the 
attendance  rose  to  its  highest  point  in  1875,  when 
21,857  persons  passed  the  turnstiles  during  the  four 
days  of  the  show. 

There  were  two  breaks  in  the  series  of  horse 
shows  held  by  the  Society  in  Kildare  street — one  in 
1 87 1  and  the  other  in  1878,  when  shows  of  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  were  held  at  Ballsbridge ;  on  each 
of  these  occasions  the  Society's  horse  show  was  not  held. 

The  entries  at  the  first  show  held  in  the  Society's 
new  premises  at  Ballsbridge  in  1881  were  589,  and 
there  were  15,736  visitors.  These  numbers  had  been 
surpassed  many  times  at  Kildare  street,  and  they  reflect 
the  opinion,  then  widely  entertained,  that  the  people 
of  Dublin  would  find  Ballsbridge  too  much  out  of 
the  way  in  comparison  with  the  very  accessible  Kildare 
street  site.  By  1884  this  feeling  had  passed  away  ;  the 
entries  then  numbered  806,  and  the  attendance  reached 
26,558.     The  Duke  of  Edinburgh  was  present  at  this 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      353 

show ;  for  the  first  time  seats  on  the  grand  stand  were 
reserved,  and  were  eagerly  booked.  Next  year  the 
stand  was  greatly  enlarged  and  placed  in  a  better  posi- 
tion. The  next  record  in  entries  and  attendances  was 
on  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  Duke  and  Duchess 
of  York  in  1897,  when  the  entries  numbered  143 1 
and  the  visitors  66,167. 

At  the  show  of  1899,  a  sale  of  horses  by  auction 
was  held  on  the  Society's  premises  to  the  north  of 
Merrion  road ;  and  similar  sales  have  taken  place 
annually  since  that  date.  At  first,  these  sales  were 
limited  to  horses  regularly  entered  for  competition  at 
the  horse  show,  but  afterwards  they  included  horses 
not  entered  for  the  show.  In  1907,  for  example, 
there  were  499  horses  offered  by  auction,  and  of  these 
only  $6  were  entered  for  the  show.  The  sales  are 
every  year  increasing  in  importance,  and  already  they 
have  acquired  a  high  reputation  among  the  breeders 
and  buyers  of  thoroughbred  horses. 

The  Library 

Under  the  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act  of  1877 
the  greater  part  of  the  library  was  transferred  to  the 
Crown,  and  became  the  National  Library  of  Ireland. 
The  agreement  entered  into  between  the  Government 
and  the  Society  placed  the  National  Library  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  Council  of  twelve  trustees,  eight 
of  whom  are  appointed  by  the  Society  and  four  by  the 
Government.  The  officers  of  the  Library  are  appointed 
by  the  Council  of  trustees,  and  the  Society  has  the 
power  by  by-law  to  determine  the  mode  of  election 
and  tenure  of  office  of  its  representatives  on  the 
Council  of  trustees.  Under  the  existing  by-laws  the 
Society's  eight  members  retire  annually,  and  are  eligible 

z 


354  A   HISTORY   OF 

for  re-election.  The  Society  thus  retains  a  substantial 
voice  in  the  management  of  this  important  institution. 
The  National  Library  remained  in  Leinster  House  until 
1 8  9 1 ,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  handsome  new  build- 
ing it  now  occupies,  in  close  proximity  to  its  old  quarters. 

The  part  of  the  library  which  remained  in  the 
Society's  possession  after  the  Act  of  1877  consisted  of 
scientific  serials,  the  transactions  and  publications  ot 
other  learned  societies,  and  certain  early  editions,  and 
duplicates  of  modern  works.  Many  of  these  books 
had  been  presented  to  the  Society  in  exchange  for  its 
own  publications,  a  system  which  is  still  continued  on 
an  extended  scale.  By  agreement  with  the  Govern- 
ment the  Society  has  undertaken  to  afford  full  and 
free  access  to  the  public  at  all  reasonable  times  to  the 
scientific  serials  and  publications  of  learned  societies 
reserved  to  the  Society  by  the  Act. 

The  books  retained  by  the  Society  formed  the 
nucleus  of  the  present  library,  which  now  occupies 
nearly  as  much  room  in  Leinster  House  as  the 
National  Library  did  when  it  was  transferred  to  the 
Crown.  The  difficulty  of  finding  room  for  this  library 
is  one  of  the  problems  which  the  Society  must  face  in 
the  near  future.  In  the  past  twenty  years  the  Society 
has  spent  £7253  in  purchasing  books,  which  is  at  the 
rate  of  £362  per  annum,  and  the  number  of  volumes 
purchased  annually  is  about  600.  In  addition  to  this, 
several  hundred  volumes  are  received  in  exchange.  A 
general  catalogue  of  the  library  up  to  June  1895  was 
published  in  a  single  volume  in  1896,  and  additional 
volumes  have  since  been  published  at  intervals  of  five 
years.  A  card  catalogue  which  is  kept  posted  up  to 
date  is  accessible  to  the  members  and  associates,  to 
whom  lists  of  accessions  are  sent  from  time  to  time 
during  each  session. 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         355 


CHAPTER   XIX 

SURVEY    OF   THE    SCIENTIFIC  WORK    OF   THE 
SOCIETY 

{Contributed  by  Mr.  R.  J.  Moss,  Registrar) 

The  ground  acquired  in  1733  was  intended  "  to 
be  employed  by  the  Society  as  a  nursery  for  raising 
several  sorts  of  trees,  plants,  roots,  &c,  which  do 
not  at  present  grow  in  this  kingdom,  but  are  imported 
from  abroad,  and  when  raised  in  such  nursery  may  be 
dispersed  to  be  propagated  in  this  country."  At  that 
time  botany  as  a  science  was  only  beginning  to  take 
form  ;  Linnaeus  had  not  yet  published  his  Sy  sterna 
Nature.  It  was  not  until  1790  that  the  Society  took 
steps  to  establish  a  regular  Botanic  Garden,  and  in 
1796  it  commenced  its  educational  work  in  science 
by  appointing  Dr.  Wade  "  professor  and  lecturer  in 
Botany."  The  foundation  of  the  Natural  History 
Museum  was  laid  in  1792  by  the  purchase  of  the 
Leskean  collection  of  minerals.  In  1795  Mr.  William 
Higgins  was  placed  in  charge  of  this  collection,  and 
it  was  ordered  :  cc  that  from  Mr.  Higgins'  extensive 
skill  in  chymistry,  he  be  directed  from  time  to  time  to 
make  such  experiments  on  dyeing  materials  and  other 
articles,  wherein  chymistry  may  assist  the  arts,  as  may 
occur  ;  and  that,  for  that  purpose,  a  small  chymical 
apparatus    should    be    procured    and    erected    in    the 


356  A   HISTORY   OF 

repository,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Higgins." 
Thus  was  established  the  Society's  chemical  labora- 
tory, probably  the  first  of  the  kind  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  That  practical  instruction  in  chemistry 
was  given  in  the  laboratory  is  evident  from  advertise- 
ments which  appear  in  Saunders's  News  Letter,  and 
in  the  Hibernian  Journal  of  1797  and  later  years. 
Systematic  courses  of  lectures  in  chemistry  and  natural 
philosophy  were  instituted  in  the  year  1800,  and 
soon  became  an  important  feature  in  the  Society's 
work  in  Dublin,  and  in  the  provinces,  to  which 
they  ultimately  extended.  For  many  years  these 
lectures,  delivered  by  the  Society's  professional  staff 
and  others  appointed  to  assist  them,  were  the  only 
means  open  to  the  Irish  public  of  obtaining  instruction 
in  science. 

In  1845  tne  Government  decided  to  create  in 
Ireland  an  institution  similar  to  the  Museum  of 
Practical  Geology,  London  ;  the  institution  eventually 
took  the  form  of  the  "  Museum  of  Irish  Industry 
and  Government  School  of  Science  applied  to  Mining 
and  the  Arts,"  with  premises  in  St.  Stephen's  Green. 
To  avoid  duplication  of  professorships,  some  of  the 
lectures  were  delivered  in  the  Society's  theatre,  Kildare 
street,  and  some  in  the  Museum  of  Irish  Industry, 
St.  Stephen's  Green  ;  while  the  regular  class  lectures 
were  delivered  at  the  latter  institution  only.  Eventu- 
ally the  scope  of  the  Museum  of  Irish  Industry  was 
enlarged,  and  it  became  the  Royal  College  of  Science 
for  Ireland.  Thus  the  systematic  teaching  of  science 
gradually  passed  out  of  the  Society's  hands,  though  its 
lectures  still  survive  in  a  popular  form  in  the  courses 
of  afternoon  lectures  and  in  the  Christmas  lectures  for 
juveniles  which  are  delivered  every  session. 

The  services  of  the  scientific  staff  had  not  been 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         357 

confined  to  lecturing.  In  1802  the  Commissioners  of 
His  Majesty's  Revenue  requested  that  Mr.  Higgins, 
professor  of  chemistry,  should  be  sent  to  London  "  as 
a  person  of  skill  and  ability  to  assist  in  ascertaining  an 
hydrometer  which  shall  hereafter  be  made  use  of  to 
judge  the  strength  of  spirits  subject  to  excise  or  import 
duty."  Occasionally  questions  arose  on  which  expert 
information  was  required,  and  the  members  of  the 
scientific  staff  were  often  asked  to  report  on  such 
points.  At  the  request  of  the  Society,  Mr.  Higgins 
reported  on  the  ashes  of  different  weeds  and  of  potato 
tops.  Mr ,  afterwards  Sir  Richard,  Griffith,  who  held 
the  office  of  mining  engineer  to  the  Society,  gave  his 
detailed  opinion  as  to  the  utility  of  chemical  analysis 
of  rocks  and  soils. 

In  1822  a  committee  was  appointed  to  enquire  into 
"  the  possibility  of  introducing  potato  starch  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  root  in  substance."  This  led  to  an 
extensive  experimental  investigation  which  was  carried 
out  in  the  chemical  laboratory  under  the  supervision  of 
the  scientific  staff.  The  reports  are  interesting  in  con- 
nection with  the  efforts  made  at  this  time  to  find  some 
way  of  relieving  the  distress  which  arose  from  failures 
in  the  potato  crop.  The  committee  finally  concluded 
that  "  it  would  be  illusive  to  hold  out  potato  starch  as 
a  practical  relief  upon  the  present  emergency." 

The  Botanic  Garden  staff  was  frequently  asked 
for  advice,  and  experiments  were  made  there  on  the 
cultivation  of  various  grasses  and  fodder  crops.  The 
Society  obtained  10  lbs.  of  Swede  turnip  seed  in  the 
year  1801  for  the  use  of  the  committee  of  agriculture  ; 
half  a  pound  was  sown  in  the  Botanic  Garden,  and  the 
seed  was  saved  for  further  use  ;  thus  this  important 
fodder  crop  was  introduced  into  Ireland.  Dr.  Walter 
Wade  and  his  successors  in  the  professorship  of  botany 


35*  A   HISTORY   OF 

frequently  brought  before  the  Society  the  results  of 
experimental  work  carried  out  in  the  garden,  and  these 
reports  were  laid  before  the  ordinary  business  meetings 
of  the  Society. 

Sir  Charles  Giesecke  was  constantly  engaged  in 
mineralogical  excursions,  and  his  reports  are  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  the  minutes.  Mr.  Griffith  submitted  a 
great  many  interesting  reports  in  his  quest  for  coal  and 
other  minerals  of  industrial  value.  Edmund  Davy, 
who  succeeded  Higgins  as  professor  of  chemistry  in 
1826,  brought  many  reports  and  other  communications 
on  work  done  in  the  Society's  laboratory  before  these 
meetings.  The  first  of  these,  "  On  a  species  of  tallow 
recently  found  in  a  bog  near  Ballinasloe,"  was  the 
earliest  attempt  at  a  scientific  examination  of  the  sub- 
stance so  frequently  found  in  Ireland  in  peat  bogs,  and 
known  as  bog  butter.  This  paper  appears  as  an 
appendix  to  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  December 
the  14th,  1826  ;  but  as  it  is  not  indexed,  it  has  com- 
pletely escaped  notice.  Another  report  by  Davy  of 
permanent  interest  is  his  "  Account  of  some  experi- 
ments made  on  different  varieties  of  bituminous  coal 
imported  into  Dublin,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  their 
comparative  value  for  domestic  and  other  uses."  This 
appears  as  an  appendix  to  the  minutes  of  June  the  12th, 
1828,  but  there  is  no  reference  to  it  in  the  index  to 
the  volume  for  that  year.  In  1833  the  Corporation 
of  Tallow  Chandlers  and  Soap  Boilers  of  Dublin  sought 
Davy's  assistance  in  "  investigating  the  causes  of  the 
present  ruinous  state  of  the  Irish  soap  manufacture." 
In  his  report  Davy  pointed  out  that  the  mode  of  levy- 
ing the  duty  on  soap  by  measurement  instead  of  by 
weight  caused  the  Irish  article  to  be  at  a  disadvantage. 
This  report  was  ordered  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
Treasury.      Next  year  the  Commissioners  of  Public 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         359 

Works  sought  Davy's  assistance  in  devising  some 
method  of  preventing  the  rusting  of  iron  in  the  sea 
water  of  Kingstown  Harbour. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Dublin  Society  published 
from  the  year  1800  to  18 10  contain  very  little  of 
permanent  value.  Most  of  the  articles  relate  to  agri- 
culture and  veterinary  subjects  ;  potato  cultivation  is 
frequently  dealt  with,  and  there  are  papers  on  dyeing, 
bleaching,  tanning,  malting,  kelp-making,  peat,  inland 
and  sea  fisheries.  A  few  papers  contain  original  matter 
of  scientific  interest,  such  as  Higgins  on  the  use  of 
sulphuret  of  lime  as  a  substitute  for  potash  in  bleach- 
ing ;  Kirwan  on  a  method  of  estimating  the  richness 
of  milk  and  the  strength  of  alcoholic  liquids.  The 
method  is  based  on  the  rate  of  evaporation  compared 
with  water  under  similar  conditions,  and  on  specific 
gravity.  Kirwan  also  outlined  a  plan  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  mines  of  Ireland.  His  paper  entitled 
"  What  are  the  manures  most  advantageously  applic- 
able to  the  various  sorts  of  soils,  and  what  are  the 
causes  of  their  beneficial  effect  in  each  particular 
instance,"  is  of  great  interest  in  the  history  of  agricul- 
tural chemistry.  The  paper  was  published  in  1802, 
before  Sir  Humphry  Davy  had  begun  to  lecture  on 
agricultural  chemistry,  two  years  before  De  Saussure's 
work  was  published,  and  more  than  thirty  years  before 
Liebig's  time.  There  are  several  papers  by  Wade  on 
the  rare  plants  of  Ireland,  on  Buddlea  globosa^  Holco 
odorata^  and  other  botanical  subjects.  Among  papers  of 
historical  interest  are  those  on  the  Wicklow  gold  mines. 

Several  of  the  volumes  contain  returns  of  meteoro- 
logical observations  taken  at  the  Botanic  Garden,  Glas- 
nevin  ;  there  are  also  catalogues  of  plants  in  the  garden, 
programmes  of  lectures,  lists  of  premiums,  and  other 
particulars  of  the  Society's  work.     When  the  Transac- 


360  A   HISTORY   OF 

tlons  ceased  to  appear  there  was  no  medium  of  publi- 
cation for  some  years  except  the  minutes  of  the  business 
meetings,  which  were  regularly  printed. 

In  1836  an  important  innovation  took  place,  and 
for  the  first  time,  instead  of  bringing  scientific  papers 
before  the  ordinary  meetings,  special  meetings  for  read- 
ing and  discussing  such  communications  were  held  ; 
these  meetings  were  called  the  "  Evening  Scientific 
Meetings."  At  the  first  meeting,  held  on  the  26th  of 
January,  Professor  Davy  gave  an  account  of  an  appa- 
rently new  gas,  produced  by  the  action  of  water  on  a 
substance  obtained  by  heating  tartrate  of  potash  in  a 
retort,  and  exhibited  some  experiments  with  the  gas. 
This  was  the  gas  now  known  as  acetylene,  the  dis- 
covery of  which  was  one  of  considerable  scientific 
importance  ;  the  gas  is  now  extensively  employed,  and 
it  is  prepared  by  a  method  very  similar  to  that  which 
Davy  used  in  the  Society's  laboratory,  except  that 
calcium  carbide  is  used  instead  of  potassium  carbide. 
The  manufacture  of  calcium  carbide  for  the  preparation 
of  acetylene  has  become  an  important  industry.  Ex- 
actly eighteen  months  later,  Davy  submitted  to  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy  a  paper  on  this  discovery,  which 
was  published  in  vol.  xviii.  of  the  Transactions  of  the 
Academy.  He  determined  the  composition  of  the  gas 
and  called  it  bicarburet  of  hydrogen.  In  1859,  the 
gas  was  rediscovered  by  the  French  chemist  Berthelot, 
and,  curiously  enough,  it  is  to  Berthelot  that  the  credit 
of  the  discovery  is  commonly  attributed  in  chemical 
text-books,  notwithstanding  Davy's  twenty-three  years 
of  priority.  It  is  alleged  that  Davy  did  not  establish 
the  actual  composition  of  the  gas,  but  anyone  who 
takes  the  trouble  to  read  his  paper  will  see  that  this  is 
a  mistake.  The  minutes  of  the  evening  meetings 
appear    regularly    in    the    Proceedings   down    to    1839. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         361 

The  chief  contributors  during  that  period  were  Davy 
on  chemical  subjects  ;  Scouler,  on  raised  beaches,  on 
the  dolomites,  on  lignites  and  the  silicified  woods  of 
Lough  Neagh  ;  Grubb  on  improvements  in  optical 
instruments  ;  Kane  on  physical  subjects.  The  only 
papers  printed  in  extenso  were  not  on  scientific  subjects, 
such  as  Mr.  Clibborn's  on  Banking,  and  Mr.  Coulter's 
reply  to  it.  The  evening  meetings  continued  to  be  held, 
but  they  gradually  became  less  scientific  in  character. 
In  1843,  by-laws  were  adopted  which  enabled  persons 
to  join  a  section  of  the  Society,  with  restricted  privileges; 
and  meetings  called  "  Sectional  Evening  Meetings " 
were  held.  The  manuscript  minutes  of  those  meetings, 
which  are  very  full  and  contain  a  good  deal  of  informa- 
tion of  historical  interest,  have  fortunately  been  pre- 
served. Some  of  the  papers  were  printed  in  extenso 
and  appear  as  appendices  in  the  Society's  Proceedings. 
For  example,  Mr  Antisell's  "Analysis  of  the  important 
soils  of  Ireland  " — the  earliest  record  of  work  of  this 
kind  in  the  country — appears  in  vol.  lxxx.  (1843-4)  ; 
Mr.  McCalla's  paper  on  Irish  algae  appears  in  vol. 
lxxxii.  (1845-6).  In  the  same  volume  will  be  found 
a  paper  by  Mr.  William  K.  Sullivan,  in  which  the 
"Wasteful  management  of  manure  heaps"  is  scientifi- 
cally treated.  In  vol.  lxxxiii.  (1846-7)  the  following 
papers  appear  : — "  The  effects  of  meteorological  con- 
ditions on  potato  disease,"  by  Edward  J.  Cooper  ;  "  The 
Irish  fisheries  as  an  industrial  resource,"  by  J.  C. 
Deane  ;  "  Irish  flora  and  fauna,"  by  Mr.  McCalla.  In 
the  same  volume  are  printed  two  scientific  papers 
which  were  read  at  agricultural  evening  meetings,  viz. 
Dr.  John  Aldridge  "  On  the  comparative  nutritive 
and  pecuniary  values  of  various  kinds  of  cooked  food," 
and  Sir  Robert  Kane  "  On  the  composition  and 
characters  of  certain  soils  and  waters  belonging  to  the 


362  A   HISTORY   OF 

flax  districts  of  Belgium,  and  on  the  chemical  com- 
position of  the  ashes  of  the  flax  plant."  In  vol.  lxxxiv. 
appears  a  paper  by  William  Hogan,  entitled,  "A  report 
of  the  result  of  experiments  made  in  1847  on  M. 
Zander's  method  of  propagating  potatoes  from  seed.', 
The  reports  of  the  proceedings  at  the  meetings  held 
from  November  the  28th,  1848,  to  June  the  7th,  1855, 
are  printed  in  a  volume  entitled  Reports  of  Scientific 
Meetings^  published  in  1855.  This  is  a  rare  volume  ; 
very  few  copies  seem  to  have  been  issued,  and  there  is 
only  one  in  the  Society's  possession.  A  short  notice 
of  the  contents,  so  far  as  they  seem  to  be  of  perman- 
ent interest,  will  not  be  out  of  place.  Irish  Fisheries 
and  allied  industries  are  dealt  with  by  Professor  Allman, 
Mr.  William  Andrews,  Mr.  J.  Knight  Boswell,  and 
Dr.  William  Barker.  The  manufacture  of  beet  sugar 
in  Ireland  formed  the  subject  of  communications  by 
Mr.  Samuel  Copland  and  Mr.  John  Sproule.  Mr. 
Copland  also  read  a  paper  "  On  the  history  and  cultiva- 
tion of  tobacco  with  reference  to  the  question  of  its 
profitable  cultivation  in  Ireland."  Professor  Edmund 
Davy  contributed  papers  on  the  manufacture  of  sul- 
phuric acid,  on  some  applications  of  peat  and  peat 
charcoal,  on  cabbage  as  food  for  the  horse,  and  on  the 
detection  and  preparation  of  salts  of  manganese.  Dr. 
E.  W.  Davy  read  papers  on  new  explosive  powders 
and  gun-cotton,  on  native  phosphate  of  lime,  on  a  new 
test  for  nitric  acid,  on  a  new  method  for  producing 
nitro-prussiates,  on  ozone,  on  a  new  test  for  strychnine, 
on  the  quantitative  analysis  of  urea,  on  the  determina- 
tion of  nitrogen  in  guano,  and  on  the  decomposition  of 
calp. 

Dr.  William  Barker's  communications  dealt  with 
black  rain,  the  preparation  of  charcoal  for  electrical 
purposes,  and  portable  fuel  for  Arctic  voyages.     Pro- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         363 

fessor  M.  H.  Harvey  read  papers  on  recently  discovered 
plants  new  to  Ireland,  and  on  various  substances  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  paper.  There  are  communica- 
tions on  Arctic  fossils  by  Professor  Scouler,  Mr.  Jukes 
and  Professor  Samuel  Haughton  ;  and  botanical  notes 
by  Mr.  David  Moore  and  Mr.  Isaac  Weld.  The 
registering  barometer  described  by  Mr.  George  Yeates 
in  1 85 1  was  evidently  the  precursor  of  the  automatic 
mercurial  barograph  constructed  by  Messrs.  Yeates  & 
Son,  which  has  been  in  the  hall  of  Leinster  House  for 
many  years.  Mr.  W.  K.  Sullivan  read  a  paper  on  the 
amount  of  sugar  in  Irish-grown  roots.  This  is  now  of 
interest,  as  it  shows  that  sixty-four  years  ago  the  fact 
was  established  (to  use  the  author's  words) — "  that 
the  climate  of  Ireland  is  remarkably  adapted  for  the 
growth  of  bulbous  roots  of  a  superior  quality,  whether 
for  the  manufacture  of  sugar  or  for  feeding  purposes." 
There  is  another  paper  by  Mr.  Sullivan  and  M. 
Alphonse  Gages  on  the  comparative  value  of  large  and 
small  roots,  one  of  the  conclusions  arrived  at  being — 
"  that  the  system  of  encouraging  the  growth  of  monster 
roots  which  has  hitherto  prevailed,  and  of  which  we 
have  such  examples  at  the  Society's  Show,  is  erroneous." 
Notwithstanding  this  exposure,  and  the  fact  that  no 
farmer  would  dream  of  growing  such  roots  for  profit, 
the  system  still  survives.  In  1849,  Mr.  Henry 
Hutchins  read  a  paper  "  On  aerial  travelling,"  and 
exhibited  to  the  meeting  drawings  of  the  method  pro- 
posed by  him  for  giving  direction  to  aerial  locomotive 
machines.  Unfortunately  this  paper  was  not  printed, 
and  there  is  nothing  to  show  what  Mr.  Hutchins'  pro- 
posal was.  At  that  time,  Henson's  flying  machine  was 
six  years  old,  but  the  first  attempt  to  make  a  dirigible 
balloon  is  attributable  to  Henri  GifFard,  of  injector  fame. 
There  are  in  the  volume  some  papers  of  purely  social 


364  A   HISTORY   OF 

or  economic  interest,  such  as  the  Earl  of  Devon's 
paper  "  On  the  social  condition  of  the  people  of 
Ireland,"  which  is  printed  in  full  ;  Mr.  Cheyne 
Brady's  paper  "  On  the  practicability  of  improving  the 
dwellings  of  the  labouring  classes,"  given  in  abstract  ; 
and  Dr.  George  Ellis's,  "  On  emigration  as  affecting  the 
West  of  Ireland,"  printed  in  full. 

The  necessity  for  wider  and  more  systematic  publi- 
cation of  the  Society's  work  was  now  fully  recognised. 
In  the  annual  report  to  the  President  of  the  Board 
of  Trade,  dated  December  the  31st,  1856,  the  Council 
said,  that  "  within  the  past  session  the  Council,  with 
the  sanction  of  the  Society,  issued  for  the  first  time 
the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  three  numbers 
of  which  have  now  been  published.  The  Council 
consider  the  publication  of  this  periodical  to  be  of 
great  importance  to  the  institution,  inasmuch  as  in  its 
pages  will  be  found  a  public  record  of  its  proceeding, 
as  regards  the  advancement  of  those  arts  and  sciences 
for  the  promotion  of  which  the  Society  was  incorpo- 
rated. As  the  record  of  the  scientific  and  educational 
departments,  it  will  be  found  to  awaken  a  degree  of 
interest  therein  which  cannot  fail  to  aid  rheir  extension, 
while  from  its  being  the  medium  of  publication  of 
those  communications  on  the  natural  and  applied 
sciences  made  to  the  Society  from  time  to  time,  the 
reputation  of  the  institution  will  be  enhanced.  The 
Council,  impressed  with  these  convictions,  have  urged 
upon  the  Society  the  advisability  of  its  working  out 
this  project  with  energy,  especially  sanctioning  a  liberal 
use  of  illustrations,  by  lithography  and  other  means, 
of  the  papers  that  may  from  time  to  time  be  published 
in  its  pages." 

The  Journal  continued  to  appear  until  the  year 
1876,  when  it  was  replaced  by  the  publications  devoted 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         365 

solely  to  the  Society's  scientific  work.  The  Journal 
was  more  widely  distributed,  and  it  was  sent  in  ex- 
change to  some  of  the  leading  scientific  societies. 
Seven  volumes  were  published  ;  the  principal  papers 
in  vol.  i.  are  McClintock's  "  Reminiscences  of  Arctic 
Ice-Travel  in  search  of  Sir  John  Franklin,"  with 
illustrations  of  the  fossils  found  in  the  course  of  the 
expedition  ;  Edmund  Davy,  on  a  simple  electro- 
chemical method  of  detecting  arsenic  ;  Mr.  Carte,  on 
the  climate  and  zoology  of  the  Crimea  ;  Dr.  J.  R. 
Kinahan  on  the  habits  and  distribution  of  marine 
Crustacea  on  the  eastern  shores  of  Port  Philip,  Australia, 
with  descriptions  of  undescribed  species  and  genera. 
The  same  author  contributed  a  paper  on  Crustacea 
collected  in  Peru,  the  high  seas,  and  South  Australia, 
and  described  some  new  species.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel 
Haughton  contributed  an  important  paper  on  the  tides 
and  tidal  currents  of  the  Irish  Sea  and  English 
Channel,  considered  with  reference  to  the  safe  naviga- 
tion of  those  seas  by  outward  and  homeward  bound 
ships.  The  volume  also  includes  an  appreciative 
memoir  of  Edmund  Davy,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Higgins 
as  professor  of  chemistry  to  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
in  1826,  and  held  that  office  until  his  death  in  1857. 
There  is  also  a  memoir  of  Mr.  Isaac  Weld,  a  vice- 
president  of  the  Society,  by  Mr.  L.  E.  Foot.  Mr. 
Weld  for  many  years  exercised  a  controlling  influence 
over  the  Society's  work,  and  the  writer  claims  that  it 
was  Mr.  Weld  who  suggested  the  Society's  triennial 
exhibitions  of  manufactures  which  culminated  in  the 
great  International  Exhibition  of  1853. 

Vol.  ii.  contains  a  paper  by  Mr.  Patrick  Buchan 
on  the  iron  ores  of  the  Connaught  coalfield,  and  notes 
by  the  Rev.  Professor  Haughton  on  a  mineralogical 
excursion  from  Cairo  into  Arabia  Petraea.     The  same 


366  A   HISTORY   OF 

author  contributed  a  mineralogical  description  of  rocks 
from  Nagpur,  Central  India,  and  described  some  new 
Orthocerata  from  Cork  and  Clonmel,  and  Cyclostigma,  a 
new  genus  of  fossil  plants,  from  Kiltorcan,  co.  Kil- 
kenny. Mr.  Edward  Brenan  gave  an  account  of  the 
discovery  of  mammoth  and  other  fossil  remains  at 
Shandon,  co.  Waterford,  and  Dr.  Robert  McDonnell 
contributed  a  paper  on  the  habits  and  anatomy  of 
Lepidosiren  annectens. 

The  principal  papers  in  vol.  iii.  are  those  by 
Professor  E.  W.  Davy  on  ferrocyanide  of  potassium 
as  an  analytical  agent  ;  further  contributions  by  Dr. 
Haughton  on  the  tidal  currents  of  the  Irish  Sea,  and 
a  paper  on  the  fossils  brought  from  the  Arctic  regions 
by  Captain  McClintock.  Dr.  David  Walker  contri- 
buted notes  on  the  zoology  of  the  Arctic  expedition 
under  McClintock.  Mr.  Thomas  Grubb  described 
a  new  table  microscope,  and  Mr.  John  Dowling  wrote 
on  the  comparative  value  of  the  different  feeding-stuffs 
for  horses.  Dr.  Henry  Lawson  suggested  the  forma- 
tion of  a  new  class  of  Annuloida,  to  include  Trematoda, 
Planaritf)  and  Hirudinei,  and  Mr.  William  Andrews 
wrote  on  the  cod  and  ling  fisheries  of  Ireland.  The 
volume  includes  a  catalogue  of  the  minerals  collected 
by  Sir  Charles  Giesecke  between  Cape  Farewell  and 
Baffin's  Bay  in  the  Arctic  regions.  Mr.  Charles  W. 
Hamilton's  paper  on  the  condition  of  the  Irish  agri- 
cultural labourer  in  1859  is  historically  interesting; 
the  tabulated  abstracts  of  the  answers  to  the  Society's 
agricultural  queries,  and  the  lists  of  labourers'  families 
which  accompany  the  paper  contain  much  curious 
information. 

The  following  papers  in  vol.  iv.  are  of  permanent 
interest : — A.  Leith  Adams  on  the  fossiliferous  caves 
of    Malta  ;    Dr.    Henry    Lawson    on    the    anatomy, 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY        367 

histology,  and  physiology  of  Limax  rnaximus ;  Mr. 
Andrews  on  the  salmon  fisheries  of  Ireland,  and  on 
the  sea  fisheries  and  trawling ;  Mr.  Scott  on  the 
mineral  localities  of  Donegal  ;  Mr.  Carte  and  Mr. 
Baily  on  a  new  species  of  Plesiosaurus,  which  they 
named  P.  Cramptoni — the  specimen  described  is  still  one 
of  the  treasures  of  the  Natural  History  Museum  ; 
on  the  chemistry  of  the  feeding  of  animals  for  the 
production  of  meat  and  manure,  by  Mr.  afterwards 
Sir  John  Burnet  Lawes,  bart.;  Mr.  H.  O'Hara  on 
the  Irish  coalfields  and  peat  ;  Dr.  Edmund  W.  Davy 
on  "  Flax,  the  practicability  of  extending  its  cultivation 
in  Ireland,  and  the  proper  management  of  the  crop." 
Dr.  Evory  Kennedy's  paper  on  the  "Neglect  of  sanitary 
arrangements  in  the  homes  and  houses  of  the  rich  and 
poor  in  town  and  country"  makes  one  wonder  how 
our  immediate  predecessors  managed  to  survive  in 
such  unhealthy  surroundings.  Dr.  Emerson  Reynolds 
contributed  to  this  and  succeeding  volumes  several 
papers  on  chemical  subjects,  and  on  spectroscopy. 

Vol.  v.  contains  a  paper  by  Mr.  Hoare,  and  several 
by  W.  Andrews,  on  Irish  fisheries  ;  the  latter  author 
also  contributed  papers  on  deep-sea  soundings,  the 
ichthyology  of  the  south  and  west  coasts  of  Ireland, 
and  on  the  pines  and  other  timber  trees  of  New 
Zealand.  An  account  of  a  submarine  earthquake  is 
given  by  Dr.  J.  M.  Barry,  and  Dr.  Oswald  Heer 
described  the  miocene  flora  of  North  Greenland  ;  the 
specimens  described  formed  part  of  the  collection  pre- 
sented to  the  Society  by  Captain  Colomb  and  Sir 
Leopold  McClintock.  Dr.  Mapother's  paper  on 
"  Labourers'  dwellings  and  the  efforts  made  to  im- 
prove them  "  is  of  considerable  interest.  The  oft- 
recurring  subject  of  the  manufacture  of  beet  sugar 
in  Ireland  is  dealt  with  by  Mr.  Baruchson.     A  paper 


368  A   HISTORY    OF 

by  Mr.  James  Hayes,  though  in  no  sense  scientific, 
is  of  great  interest  from  an  economic  point  of  view  ; 
it  was  read  in  1870,  and  is  entitled  "Suggestions  for 
the  organization  of  co-operative  farming  associations 
in  Ireland."  The  author  points  out  the  necessity 
for  a  better  division  of  labour,  especially  in  the  manu- 
facture of  butter  and  other  dairy  products  ;  shows  how 
well  fitted  these  and  other  agricultural  industries  are 
for  the  application  of  co-operative  methods  ;  and 
suggests  a  scheme  for  developing  the  principle.  The 
contribution  is  entitled  to  a  prominent  place  in  the 
history  of  the  co-operative  movement  in  Ireland. 

In  vols.  vi.  and  vii.  there  are  very  few  scientific 
papers,  containing  actual  contributions  to  knowledge, 
which  have  not  been  published  elsewhere.  It  had 
become  more  and  more  the  practice  of  authors  to  send 
contributions  to  scientific  societies  in  London,  or  to 
the  Philosophical  Magazine^  and  thus  to  secure  wider 
publicity  in  the  scientific  world.  The  principal  papers 
of  industrial  and  economic  interest  were  contributed 
by  Mr.  J.  R.  Wigham,  who  wrote  on  the  application 
of  gas  to  lighthouse  illumination  ;  by  Mr.  Hardman 
on  coal-mining  in  the  county  of  Tyrone,  and  by  Mr. 
Andrews  on  the  sea-coast  fisheries  of  Ireland.  The 
concluding  volume  of  the  series  consists  mainly  of 
abstracts  of  lectures  on  public  health,  a  subject  of 
perennial  interest.  The  Journal  contains  many  very 
interesting  reports  and  memoirs  by  Mr.  David  Moore, 
the  curator  of  the  Botanic  Garden,  by  Dr.  William 
Carte,  the  curator  of  the  Natural  History  Museum, 
and  by  Mr.  A.  G.  More  and  Mr.  William  F.  Kerby, 
his  assistants.  Each  of  the  volumes  contains,  in 
addition  to  the  original  communications  above  referred 
to,  reports  on  various  branches  of  the  Society's  work, 
and  especially  of  the  School  of  Art.    There  is  appended 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         369 

to  each  volume  a  meteorological  journal,  which  in- 
cludes the  barometric  and  thermometric  readings,  the 
rainfall  and  other  meteorological  records  taken  at  the 
Society's  Botanic  Garden,  Glasnevin,  every  day  from 
January  the  1st,  1856,  to  December  the  31st,  1876. 
The  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act  of  1877  profoundly 
influenced  the  Society's  scientific  work. 

It  was  fortunate  that  at  this  time  the  Council 
included  men  who  had  themselves  been  actively  en- 
gaged in  research,  and  who  quite  realised  the  manner 
in  which  the  interests  of  science  might  best  be  pro- 
moted by  such  a  complex  body  as  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society.  The  new  charter  placed  the  Society  in  a 
better  position  for  promoting  science  than  it  had 
previously  occupied.  For  a  few  years  after  the 
passing  of  the  Act  the  scientific  work  was  carried  on 
in  two  sections,  one  for  physical  and  experimental 
science,  and  one  for  natural  science.  The  second 
supplemental  charter  of  1888  gave  each  of  the  three 
branches  of  the  Society's  work,  science,  art,  and  agricul- 
ture, equal  representation  on  the  governing  body,  and 
the  by-laws  under  this  charter  provided  for  three  corre- 
sponding standing  committees.  There  was  thus  a  single 
committee  dealing  with  science  in  all  its  branches. 

In  accordance  with  the  agreement  made  with  the 
Government,  the  cost  of  printing  the  Society's  scientific 
publications  was  defrayed  by  the  Government  for  five 
years  from  the  date  of  the  passing  of  the  Act.  Since 
that  time  the  cost  of  printing  has  been  borne  by  the 
Society's  private  funds,  and  the  income  arising  out  of 
the  sum  of  £10,000,  the  first  payment  to  the  Society 
under  the  Act,  has  always  been  regarded  as  specially 
allocated  to  this  branch  of  work. 

The  new  series  of  scientific  publications  commenced 
in  1877,  and  consisted  of  Scientific  Transactions,  in  quarto 

2  A 


370  A   HISTORY   OF 

form,  and  Scientific  Proceedings,  in  octavo.  In  1909  it  was 
decided  to  adopt  an  intermediate  size  of  page  as  more 
convenient,  and  since  that  date  the  Society  has  issued 
but  one  scientific  publication  entitled  the  Scientific 
Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society.  This  is  sent  in 
exchange  to  all  the  important  scientific  societies  in  the 
world  ;  the  number  on  the  exchange  list  at  present  is 
474,  so  that  wide  publicity  is  ensured  for  every  paper 
printed  in  the  Proceedings.  Papers  of  a  purely  economic 
character  are  still  published  in  octavo  form  in  the  Economic 
Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  which  is  also 
widely  distributed  in  exchange  for  the  publications  of 
other  societies.  These  recent  scientific  publications 
are  easily  accessible  to  those  who  desire  to  consult 
them,  so  that  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  summarise 
their  contents  here. 

Votes  in  Aid  of  Research 

Votes  in  aid  of  scientific  research  are  of  compara- 
tively recent  origin,  though  it  had  been  the  practice 
for  a  long  time  to  afford  aid  in  experimental  investi- 
gations, especially  by  providing  apparatus  for  use  in 
the  Society's  own  laboratories. 

Since  1890  the  following  grants  in  aid  of  research 
have  been  made  by  the  Science  Committee  with  the 
sanction  of  the  Council : — Dr.  John  Joly,  on  the 
constant  of  gravitation,  £20  ;  Mr.  H.  H.  Dixon,  the 
locomotion  of  anthropoda,  £10  ;  Mr.  Calderwood, 
investigation  of  fishes  obtained  in  the  survey  of  1894, 
£50  ;  Professor  Sollas,  the  bog  slide  in  Kerry,  ^30  ; 
and  apparatus  for  anthropological  investigations  in 
Borneo,  £50  ;  Professor  Preston,  research  in  the 
magnetic  field,  £50  ;  Professor  C.  J.  Joly,  solar 
eclipse  expedition,  £ijo  ;  Dr.  Adeney,  measurement 
of  spark  spectra,  £20  ;  and  on  the  streaming  pheno- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         371 

mena  of  dissolved  gases  in  water,  £50  ;  Mr.  C.  S. 
Wright,  the  radio-activity  of  Antarctic  water,  £15  ; 
the  Clare  Island  Survey,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy,  £100  ;  Professor  T.  Johnson, 
the  Kiltorcan  fossils,  £6,   15*. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Society  granted  a 
sum  of  £10  per  annum  for  three  years  in  aid  of  the 
publication  of  annual  tables  of  constants  and  numerical 
data,  chemical,  physical,  and  technological,  under  the 
commission  appointed  by  the  seventh  International 
Congress  of  Applied  Chemistry. 

Science  Training  in  Schools 

In  1899  the  Committee  of  Science  and  its  indus- 
trial applications  submitted  a  report  to  the  Council,  in 
which  they  reviewed  the  condition  of  science  teaching 
in  the  Irish  Intermediate  Schools,  and  pointed  out 
that  the  position  indicated  a  complete  abandonment  of 
science  teaching  in  the  near  future.  The  report  con- 
tains statistics,  showing  the  total  number  of  boys 
presented  for  examination  in  all  subjects,  contrasted 
with  the  number  presented  in  science  subjects.  In 
1887,  for  example,  the  total  in  all  subjects  was  4613, 
and  of  those  41 13  presented  themselves  for  examina- 
tion in  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry.  Ten  years 
later  the  total  number  presenting  themselves  for  exa- 
mination had  risen  to  6661,  while  only  905  out  of 
that  number  entered  for  examination  in  the  science 
subjects  referred  to.  It  was  pointed  out  that  this 
great  falling  off  took  place,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
in  the  same  period  the  amount  paid  to  the  owners 
of  schools  in  the  form  of  result  fees  had  risen  from 
£10,000  to  upwards  of  £50,000  per  annum.  Owing 
to  the  almost  complete  absence  of  any  attempt  to  teach 
science  practically  in  the  Dublin  schools,  the  Society 


372  A   HISTORY   OF 

in  1890  introduced  short  systematic  courses  of  lectures 
on  science  subjects,  suitable  for  boys  and  girls.  The 
lectures  were  still  continued  when  the  report  was 
drawn  up.  The  committee  emphasised  the  necessity 
for  practical  work  in  science  teaching,  and  it  was  stated 
that  more  especially  to  promote  this  kind  of  study, 
the  Department  of  Science  and  Art  gave  grants  in  aid 
to  schools  which  fulfilled  the  requirements  of  their 
inspectors.  The  report  shows  that  the  amount  of 
these  grants  was  diminishing  at  an  alarming  rate.  In 
fact,  it  did  not  pay  to  teach  science,  and  the  committee 
urged  that  science  should  be  made  to  rank  equally 
with  literary  subjects  in  its  power  of  earning  result 
fees  for  the  schools,  and  exhibitions  and  prizes  for  the 
pupils. 

The  Council  sent  the  report  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant 
with  a  covering  letter  urging  that  "  education,  to  be 
efficient  and  to  fit  the  future  men  and  women  of  the 
country  for  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  must  be 
practical,  and  deal  more  with  things  and  less  with  words 
than  it  has  done  in  the  past.  Science  is  the  basis  of 
such  teaching,  and  it  is  certainly  a  singular  fact  that 
whilst  science  is  every  day  receiving  more  attention  in 
other  countries,  it  is  rapidly  passing  out  of  the  curri- 
culum of  Irish  intermediate  schools." 

The  Society  subsequently  learned  that  shortly  after 
the  Science  Committee  had  adopted  their  report,  the 
Lord  Lieutenant  had  appointed  a  commission  "  to 
inquire  into  the  system  of  Intermediate  Education  in 
Ireland  under  the  Act  of  1878,  its  practical  working, 
as  to  the  desirability  of  reforms,  and  as  to  the  necessity 
of  further  legislation. "  The  Act  of  1899,  creating 
the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruc- 
tion, placed  science  teaching  in  Ireland  in  a  much 
more  favourable  position  than  it  had  previously  occu- 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN  SOCIETY         373 

pied,  and  the  teaching  of  science  and  other  practical 
subjects  in  Irish  schools  is  no  longer  neglected. 

Prior  to  the  Act  of  1899  there  were  only  six 
secondary  schools  in  Ireland  with  laboratories  for  the 
teaching  of  experimental  science.  In  the  financial  year 
1 901-2,  154  schools  possessed  the  necessary  equip- 
ment ;  these  schools  were  giving  practical  instruction 
in  science  to  6615  pupils,  and  receiving  grants  in  aid 
amounting  to  £7577.  The  latest  return  (19 12-13) 
shows  that  the  practical  teaching  of  science  was  being 
carried  on  in  274  schools,  with  12,772  pupils,  receiving 
grants  in  aid  amounting  to  £21,129. 


The  Boyle  Medal 

In  June  1895  the  Committee  of  Science  and  its 
industrial  applications,  on  the  suggestion  of  Professor 
D.  J.  Cunningham,  f.r.s.  (then  one  of  the  honorary 
secretaries),  recommended  the  Council  to  institute  two 
gold  medals,  "  to  be  awarded  from  time  to  time  with  a 
view  of  encouraging  worth  in  the  different  branches  of 
science.7'  The  proposal  eventually  took  the  form  of 
a  single  medal,  to  which  the  name  of  Robert  Boyle 
was  attached.  The  reasons  which  influenced  the 
Society  in  selecting  the  name  of  Boyle  cannot  be  better 
expressed  than  in  the  words  of  Professor  John  Joly, 
f.r.s.,  who  had  succeeded  Professor  Cunningham  as 
secretary  when  the  medal  was  first  awarded.  Speaking 
at  the  evening  scientific  meeting  of  March  the  22nd, 
1899,  Professor  Joly  said  : 

"In  former  years  it  is  on  record  that  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society  occasionally  presented  medals  to  men 
distinguished  in  science.  But  the  Society  never  at 
any  time  possessed  a  medal  specially  instituted  for  the 
purpose — a  medal  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  a  great 


374  A   HISTORY   OF 

Irishman  and  destined  to  mark  the  Society's  apprecia- 
tion of  the  scientific  work  of  those  happily  still  living 
amongst  us.  The  awarding  of  such  a  medal  is  a  recent 
addition  to  the  functions  of  this  Society.  The  value 
of  such  an  institution  is  unquestionable  ;  it  is  to  the 
Society  a  power  of  speech,  a  means  of  expressing  her 
measured  opinion  that  the  work  of  the  recipient  is 
worthy  of  the  highest  honour. 

"  But  not  only  is  this  old  Society  thus  enabled  to 
speak  her  thoughts  and  to  place  them  upon  record, 
but  as  the  roll  of  the  Boyle  medallists  lengthens  with 
the  passage  of  time,  will  not  this  roll  be  an  honourable 
record  for  her  ?  The  greatest  Irishmen  will,  as  we 
hope,  have  their  names  inscribed  upon  it,  and  be 
numbered  among  those  who  have  honoured  her  by 
accepting  her  honours. 

"  It  was  not  without  due  consideration  that  the 
life-work  of  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle  was  chosen  as 
that  which  might  be  most  fitly  commemorated  by  this 
medal.  That  Boyle  did  more  for  science  than  any 
other  of  the  great  Irishmen  who  have  passed  away  is 
not  too  much  to  maintain.  His  name  is  not  indeed 
associated  with  any  profound  discovery  ;  the  celebrated 
law  by  which  it  is  known  to  every  educated  man  might 
have  been  achieved  by  a  lesser  mind.  Boyle  stands 
before  the  world  as  the  great  pioneer  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  experimental  method.  By  its  aid  he  shed 
light  on  many  dark  places  in  science.  Many  valuable 
methods  and  facts  have  their  origin  in  Boyle's  labours. 
His  wide  intellect  made  its  influence  felt  over  the 
entire  range  of  the  science  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

"  Boyle  first  distinguished  between  a  mixture  and  a 
chemical  compound.  He  defined  the  elements,  in 
a  manner  strangely  prophetic   of  the    most    modern 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY         375 

speculations  of  our  own  times,  as  all  compounds  of  one 
universal  matter,  to  the  various  modes  of  movement 
and  grouping  of  which  the  constitution  of  the  entire 
visible  part  of  the  universe  was  to  be  ascribed.  He 
showed  more  clearly  than  his  predecessors  that  air  was 
necessary  to  combustion  and  respiration.  He  prepared 
phosphorus  and  hydrogen,  although  he  failed  to  recog- 
nise the  independent  nature  of  the  last.  He  first  used 
vegetable  colour  tests  for  alkalinity  and  acidity,  and 
introduced  the  use  of  chemical  reagents  into  investiga- 
tion. He  believed  heat  to  be  a  brisk  molecular  motion 
and  not  a  material  substance,  thus  forestalling  in  part 
ideas  which  only  assumed  full  sway  in  this  present 
century.  He  first  suggested  the  freezing  and  boiling 
points  of  water  as  fixed  points  on  the  thermometer. 

"  Boyle  also  studied  light  (which  he  endeavoured  to 
weigh),  as  well  as  sound  (the  propagation  of  which  by 
the  atmosphere  he  is  said  to  have  first  demonstrated)  ; 
also  electricity,  magnetism,  and  hydrostatics.  He  in- 
vented what  is  practically  the  modern  air-pump,  and 
by  its  aid  made  many  new  experiments.  His  discovery 
of  the  elastic  law  of  gases  in  1 662,  fourteen  years  before 
Mariotte  confirmed  it,  is  known  to  all,  and  doubtless 
inspired  Hook  to  make  his  celebrated  investigation  into 
the  elastic  law  of  metals." 

"The  fitness  of  attaching  Boyle's  name  to  our 
medal  resides  not  alone  in  his  universality,  but  in  the 
fact  that  he  it  was  who  chiefly  introduced  the  scientific 
society  into  our  civilisation.  Lastly  he  was  an  Irishman. 
The  Oxford  Junior  Scientific  Club  has  celebrated  him  by 
founding  Boyle  Lectures.  To  these  the  greatest  living 
thinkers  have  already  contributed.  If  the  Royal 
Society  has  omitted  to  commemorate  him  with  a 
medal,  it  is  fitting  that  we  should  make  good  the  omis- 
sion, and  claim  what  is  our  own. 


376  A   HISTORY   OF 

The  medal  was  executed  by  Mr.  Alan  Wyon,  the 
well-known  medallist,  and  bears  on  the  obverse  a  pro- 
file of  Boyle  taken  from  the  bust  in  the  possession  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  with  the  following  inscrip- 
tion, which  the  late  Professor  Tyrrell  was  good  enough 
to  supply  : — In  Honorem  Roberti  Boyle  et  Augmentum 
Scientiarum.  Felix  qui  potuit  rerum  cognoscere  causas.  On 
the  reverse  is  a  modification  of  the  figure  of  Minerva 
which  was  adopted  as  the  seal  of  the  Society,  with 
the  inscription  : — Regalis  Societas  Dublinensis  condita  A.S. 

MDCCXXXI. 

The  medal  has  been  awarded  four  times,  and  on 
each  occasion  the  report  of  the  committee,  setting  forth 
the  grounds  upon  which  the  award  was  made,  was  pub- 
lished in  the  Society's  Scientific  Proceedings. 

Dr.  George  Johnstone  Stoney,  f.r.s.,  was  selected  in 
1899  as  the  first  recipient  of  the  medal,  in  recognition 
of  his  many  important  contributions  to  science,  especi- 
ally in  molecular  physics  and  the  kinetic  theory  of  gases, 
and  of  his  great  personal  influence  on  scientific  advance 
in  Ireland. 

A  year  later  the  medal  was  awarded  to  Professor 
Thomas  Preston,  f.r.s.,  chiefly  for  the  important 
advances  he  had  made  in  our  knowledge  of  the 
phenomena  of  radiation  in  a  magnetic  field,  and  the 
publication  of  his  well-known  text-books,  The  Theory  of 
Light,  The  Theory  of  Heat,  and  Spherical  Trigonometry. 

In  191 1,  Professor  John  Joly,  f.r.s.,  was  selected 
as  the  third  recipient  of  the  medal.  In  their  report 
recommending  the  award,  the  committee  "  direct 
attention  to  the  wide  range  of  subjects  covered  by  Dr. 
Joly's  researches,  as  well  as  the  general  excellence  of 
his  work.  His  researches  deal  with  various  branches 
of  physics,  geology,  mineralogy,  botany,  and  biological 
theory  ;  and  in  several  of  these  widely  different  subjects 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY         377 

he  has  enriched  our  laboratories  with  accurate  instru- 
ments of  research."  The  list  of  Dr.  Joly's  contribu- 
tions to  science  appended  to  the  report  extends, 
between  1883  and  1910,  to  eighty-one  publications, 
many  of  which  appeared  in  the  Society's  Transactions  and 
Proceedings, 

The  most  recent  occasion  on  which  the  medal  was 
awarded  was  in  19 12,  when  it  was  conferred  on  Sir 
Howard  Grubb,  f.r.s.  His  contributions  to  the 
scientific  publications  of  the  Society  covered  a  period 
of  forty-two  years.  Most  of  these  took  the  form  of 
communications  on  improvements  in  the  construc- 
tion and  mounting  of  telescopes  and  other  optical 
instruments.  It  was,  however,  more  especially  for  the 
skill  and  ingenuity  exercised  in  the  actual  construction 
of  the  instruments  that  Sir  Howard  Grubb's  name 
was  selected.  His  achievements  include  the  great 
Melbourne  telescope,  the  first  large  reflector  mounted 
equatorially  ;  the  Vienna  refractor,  then  the  largest 
refractor  in  existence  ;  the  Greenwich  refractor,  and 
many  other  optical  instruments,  including  a  new  form 
of  gun-sight,  and  the  submarine  periscope. 

Radium  Institute 

At  the  suggestion  of  Professor  John  Joly,  f.r.s., 
in  February,  19 14,  the  Science  Committee  recom- 
mended the  Council  to  establish  a  Radium  Institute, 
and  to  contribute  a  sum  of  £1000  towards  a  fund 
for  the  purchase  of  radium,  in  addition  to  the  sixty 
milligrammes  of  radium  bromide  which  the  Society 
had  purchased  ten  years  ago.  This  the  Council  agreed 
to  do.  To  carry  out  the  object  in  view,  a  large  sum 
of  money  was  required,  and  Lord  Iveagh  at  once 
undertook    to    contribute    ^1000,    Sir    John    Purser 


378  A   HISTORY   OF 

Griffith  very  generously  subscribing  another  £1000. 
Other  subscriptions  were  received  in  response  to  an 
appeal  made  to  the  members,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
Radium  Committee  was  in  a  position  to  conclude  a 
contract  for  200  milligrammes  of  radium  bromide, 
which  has  since  been  delivered  to  the  Society.  In 
the  meantime  the  small  quantity  in  the  Society's 
possession  has  been  in  constant  use.  The  emanation 
it  produces  is  pumped  off  at  certain  intervals,  in 
the  Society's  laboratory,  purified  by  means  of  liquid 
air,  and  transferred  to  minute  glass  tubes  which  are 
handed  over  to  the  surgeon  for  therapeutic  use. 
Already  new  methods  in  the  manipulation  and  appli- 
cation of  the  emanation  have  been  devised,  and  the 
results  obtained  in  its  therapeutic  application  are  most 
encouraging.  Though  the  quantity  of  radium  in  the 
Society's  possession  is  still  very  small,  it  will  admit 
of  a  more  extended  use  of  this  remarkable  substance, 
which  has  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  potent  agents 
that  science  has  placed  in  the  hands  of  man  for  the 
relief  of  human  suffering. 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY       379 


APPENDIX   I 

THE   SOCIETY'S   OFFICIALS 

1731-1914 


Presidents 

Lionel,  Duke  of  Dorset    . 

William,  Duke  of  Devonshire 

Philip,  Earl  of  Chesterfield 

William,  Earl  of  Harrington 

Lionel,  Duke  of  Dorset 

William,  Marquis  of  Hartington,  afterwards  Duke 

of  Devonshire    . 
John,  Duke  of  Bedford 
George,  Earl  of  Halifax     . 
Hugh,  Earl  of  Northumberland 
Francis,  Earl  of  Hertford  . 
George  William,  Earl  of  Bristol 
George,  Viscount  Townshend 
Simon,  Earl  Harcourt 
John,  Earl  of  Buckinghamshire 
Frederick,  Earl  of  Carlisle 
George,  Earl  Temple 
Robert,  Earl  of  Northington 
Charles,  Duke  of  Rutland 
George,  Marquis  of  Buckingham 
John,  Earl  of  Westmoreland 
John,  Earl  Camden  . 
Charles,  Marquis  Cornwallis 
Philip,  Earl  of  Hardwicke 
John,  Duke  of  Bedford 
Charles,  Duke  of  Richmond 
Charles,  Viscount,  afterwards  Earl  Whitworth 
Charles,  Earl  Talbot  .... 


I73I- 
1737- 
1745- 
1746- 
1751- 

1755- 

1757- 
1761- 

1763- 
1765- 
1766- 
1767- 
1772- 
1777- 
1780- 
1782- 

1783- 
1784- 

1787- 
1790- 

1795- 
1798- 
1801- 
1806- 
1807- 
1813- 
1817- 


737 
745 
746 

75i 

755 

757 
761 

763 
765 
766 
767 

772 

777 
780 

782 

7*3 
784 
787 
789 

795 
798 
801 
806 
807 

813 
817 

821 


38o 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Richard,  Marquis  Wellesley  ....  1 822-1 828 
Henry  William,  Marquis  of  Anglesey  .  .  1 828-1 829 
Hugh,  Duke  of  Northumberland  .  .  .  1 829-1 830 
Henry  William,  Marquis  of  Anglesey  .  .  1 831-1833 
Richard,  Marquis  Wellesley  ....  1 833-1 835 
Constantine,  Earl  of  Mulgrave,  afterwards  Mar- 
quis of  Normanby      1835-1839 

Hugh,  Viscount  Ebrington        ....  1 839-1 841 

Thomas  P.,  Earl  de  Grey .         ....  1841-1844 

William,  Lord  Heytesbury         ....  1 844-1 846 

John,  Earl  of  Bessborough         ....  1846— 1847 

George,  Earl  of  Clarendon          ....  1 847-1 852 

Archibald  William,  Earl  of  Eglinton  and  Winton 

(February-December)  1852 

Edward,  Earl  of  St.  Germans     ....  1853— 1855 

George  W.  F.,  Earl  of  Carlisle  ....  1855-1858 

Archibald  William,  Earl  of  Eglinton  and  Winton  1 858-1 859 

George  W.  F.,  Earl  of  Carlisle  .          .          .          .  1 859-1 864 

John,    Lord    Wodehouse,    afterwards    Earl    of 

Kimberley         ......  1864— 1866 

James,  Marquis,  afterwards  Duke  of  Abercorn    .  1 866-1 868 

John  Poyntz,  Earl  Spencer         ....  1 868-1 874 

Charles  William,  Duke  of  Leinster    .         .         .  1 874-1 887 

Laurence,  Earl  of  Rosse    .....  1887-1892 

Mervyn,  Viscount  Powerscourt          .          .          .  1 892-1 897 

Arthur  Edward,  Baron  Ardilaun        .         .         .  1 897-1913 

Thomas  Kane,  Baron  Rathdonnell     .         .         .  x9i3 

Vice-Presidents. 


Hugh  Boulter,  Primate     .... 

John  Hoadley,  Primate     .... 

George  Stone,  Primate       .... 

Charles  Cobbe,  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
James,    Earl    of    Kildare,    afterwards    Duke    of 
Leinster    ...... 

John,  Earl  of  Grandison   .... 

Humphrey,  Viscount  Lanesborough  . 

Sir  Arthur  Gore,  afterwards  Earl  of  Arran 

Sir  Thomas  Taylor,  Bart.,  m.p. 

*  Probably  elected  before  1750,  but  the  minutes  between  1746 
1750  are  not  now  extant. 


1731-1742 

1742-1747 

1747-1765 

♦1750-1765 


*I750-I773 

*i75o-i766 
*i75o-i768 
♦1750-1773 

♦1750-1757 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       381 

1757-1758 
1758-1776 
1758-1772 
1764-1787 
1764-1770 
1764-1767 

1765-1794 

i765-i773 
1767-1770 
1770-1803 
1772-1783 

1773-1782 
1774-1804 

1774-1775 

1775-1828 

1776-1822 
1783-1801 

1783-1792 
1785-1799 
1792-1810 
1799-1812 
1801-1817 
1803-1822 

1 804-1 809 

1809-1811 
1810-1813 
1812-1836 
1812-1849 
1813-1842 
1816-1820 
1820-1827 

1822-1833 
1822-1838 
1827-1831 


Robert  Clayton,  Bishop  of  Clogher    . 
Redmond  Morres,  m.p.      .... 

William  Bury  ...... 

Rt.  Hon.  John  Ponsonby,  Speaker  h.c. 
Sir  Robert  Deane,  Bart.    .... 

Isaac  Mann,  Archdeacon  of  Dublin  . 
Richard    Robinson,   afterwards    Baron    Rokeby 
Primate     ...... 

Thomas  Le  Hunte   ..... 

Theophilus  Brocas,  Dean  of  Killala    . 
John  Leigh       ...... 

Sydenham  Singleton  .... 

Richard  Woodward,  Dean  of  Clogher 

William,  Duke  of  Leinster 

Anthony,  Earl  of  Meath   .... 

Rt.  Hon.  John  Foster,  Speaker  h.c.;  afterwards 
Lord  Oriel         ..... 

Lodge  Morres,  afterwards  Viscount  Frankfort  dt 
Montmorency   ..... 

Morgan  Crofton        ..... 

John  Wallis 

Edmond  Sexten  Pery,  afterwards  Viscount  Pery 

Thomas  Burgh  ..... 

General  Charles  Vallancey 

Rt.  Hon.  David  La  Touche 

Charles  William,  Earl  of  Charleville  . 

Charles  Agar,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  afterwards 
Earl  of  Normanton    .... 

Rev.  Dr.  George  Hall,  provost  of  t.c.d.,  after 
wards  Bishop  of  Dromore  . 

Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Smyth  .... 

John  Chambre,  Earl  of  Meath  . 

Robert  Shaw,  afterwards  Sir  Robert  Shaw,  Bart 

John  Leslie  Foster,  M.P.,  Baron  of  the  Excheque 

Peter  Digges  La  Touche  .... 

Rt.  Hon.  George  Knox    .... 

The  Rev.  the  Hon.  John  Pomeroy,  afterwards 
Viscount  Harberton  .... 

Henry  Joy,  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer 

John  Henry  North,  m.p 


382 


A   HISTORY   OF 


John  Boyd        

Arthur,  Marquis  of  Downshire  . 

James  L.  Naper,  d.l 

Jos.  D.  Jackson,  serjeant  at  law,  afterwards  Justice 

of  the  Common  Pleas 
Henry  Kemmis,  q.c,  Assistant  Barrister     . 
Sir  William  Betham,  Ulster  King  of  Arms 
William  Thomas,  Earl  of  Clancarty  . 
John,  Marquis  of  Ormonde,  k.p. 
Charles  William,  Marquis  of  Kildare,  afterwards 

Duke  of  Leinster       .... 
George  A.  Hamilton,  m.p. 

Isaac  Weld 

James,  Lord  Talbot  de  Malahide 

Rt.  Hon.  Francis  Blackburne,  lord  chancellor 

Lundy  Edward  Foot  .... 

Rev.  Humphrey  Lloyd,  d.d.,  provost  t.c.d. 

Hon.  George  Handcock    .... 

Sir  Richard  Griffith,  Bart. 

Robert,  Lord  Clonbrock 

George  Woods  Maunsell,  d.l.    . 

Sir  George  Hodson,  Bart.  .... 

John  Francis  Waller,  ll.d. 

Laurence,  Earl  of  Rosse,  k.p.,  f.r.s.  . 

George  Johnstone  Stoney,  d.sc.  f.r.s., 

Mervyn,  Viscount  Powerscourt 

George  A.  Rochfort  Boyd,  d.l. 

Arthur  Edward,  Baron  Ardilaun,  d.l. 

George  Stephens,  Viscount  Gough,  d.l. 

James  L.  Naper,  d.l 

Charles  Kelly,  Q.c.  (County  Court  Judge)  . 

Charles  Uniacke  Townshend     . 

Sir  Howard  Grubb,  f.r.s.  .... 

James,  Duke  of  Abercorn,  k.g. 

Rt.  Hon.  William  H.  Ford  Cogan,  d.l. 

Samuel  Ussher  Roberts      .... 

Sir  Thomas  Pierce  Butler,  Bart. 

Charles  Stewart,  Marquis  of  Londonderry,  k.g 

Professor  D.  J.  Cunningham,  f.r.s.    . 

John  E.  H.,  Baron  de  Robeck,  d.l.    . 


1828-1836 
1831-1845 
1 833-1843 

1836-1858 
1836-1857 
1838-1853 
1842-1872 
1 843-1 847 

1845-1874 
1847-1871 
1849-1856 
1853-1883 
1856-1867 
1857-1863 
1868-1881 
1 863-1 868 
1868-1878 
1868-1893 
1871-1887 
1872-1887 
1874-1887 
1878-1887 
1881-1911 
1883-1892 

1887 
1887-1897 
1887-1895 
1887-1901 
1887-1905 
1 893-1 907 

i893 
i893-i9i3 
1891-1894 

1 894-1 900 
1894-1909 

1895 
1897-1906 
1 898—1 904 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       383 


Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Walter  Boyd 
Thomas  Kane,  Baron  Rathdonnell     . 
Charles  Owen,  The  O'Conor  Don,  h.m.l, 
Edward  Cecil,  Viscount  Iveagh,  k.p. 
Sir  James  Creed  Meredith,  ll.d. 
Sir  Charles  A.  Cameron,  c.b.,  m.d. 
Rt.  Hon.  Frederick  Wrench 
Captain  J.  Lewis  Riall,  d.l. 
Professor  John  Joly,  d.sc,  f.r.s. 
Anthony  Ashley,  Earl  of  Shaftesbury 
Charles  Mervyn  Doyne,  d.l. 

Honorary  Secretaries 

William  Stephens,  m.d. 
Thomas  Prior  . 
Rev.  Dr.  Whitcombe 
Rev.  Gabriel  Maturin 
Rev.  Dr.  John  Wynne 
William  Maple 
John  FitzPatrick 
Colombine  Lee  Carre 
Thomas  St.  George 
Holt  Waring    . 
Michael  Dally 
Abraham  Wilkinson 
Richard  Vincent 
Thomas  Burgh 
Thomas  Braughall 
Arthur  McGwire 
Rev.  Thomas  Smyth 
John  Leslie  Foster 
Jeremiah  D'Olier 
Henry  Joy 
John  Boyd 
John  Beatty,  m.d. 
Isaac  Weld 

C.  Stewart  Hawthorne 
Robert  Butler  Bryan 
Lundy  Edward  Foot 
Robert  Harrison,  m.d. 


1900 
1 902-1 91 3 
1 904-1 906 

1905 
1 906-1912 

1906 

1907 

1909 

1912 

1913 
1914 


I73I-I736 
1731-1751 

1732-1733 

1736- 

1750-1758 

1751-1762 

1764-1765 

1764-1771 

1765-1771 

1771-1785 

1772-1784 

1783-1803 

1784-1789 

1788-1792 

1792-1798 

1798-1808 

1803-1810 

1808-1813 

1810-1817 

1813-1822 

1817-1828 

1822-1831 

1828-1849 

1831-1834 

1834-1841 

1841-1857 

1 849-1 85 8 


3*4 


A   HISTORY   OF 


John  Francis  Waller,  ll.d 1855-1861 

Hon.  George  Handcock     .....  1 858-1 861 

Richard,  Lord  Dunlo,  afterwards  Earl  of  Clancarty  1 861-1866 

George  Woods  Maunsell,  d.l 1861-1871 

Laurence  Waldron,  d.l 1867-187 5 

George  Johnstone  Stoney,  f.r.s.          .          .          .  1871-1881 

Charles  Kelly,  Q.c.  (County  Court  Judge)  .          .  1 875-1 887 

George  F.  FitzGerald,  f.t.c.d 1 881-1889 

Charles  Uniacke  Townshend     ....  1 887-1 893 

Sir  Howard  Grubb,  f.r.s.  .          ....  1889-1893 

Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Walter  Boyd           .         .         .  1 893-1 900 

Professor  Daniel  J.  Cunningham,  f.r.s.       .          .  1894-1897 

Professor  John  Joly,  d.sc,  f.r.s.          .         .          .  1 897-1 909 

Robert  Romney  Kane  (County  Court  Judge)     .  1900-1901 

Thomas  Cooke  Trench     .....  1 901-1903 

Captain  J.  Lewis  Riall,  d.l.       ....  1 903-1 909 

Richard  G.  Carden,  d.l.    .....  1909 

Sir  Joseph  McGrath 1909 

Assistant  Secretaries 

Rev.  Dr.  Peter  Chaigneau          ....  1 762-1 774 

Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Lyster 17 74-1 808 

Bucknall  McCarthy 1 808-1 829 

Edward  Hardman 1 829-1 850 

William  Vicars  Griffith 1850-1852 

William  Edward  Steele,  M.B 1852-1877 

(In  1878,  Dr.  Steele  was  transferred  to  the  Science 
and  Art  Department.) 

Registrars 
William  Maple 
Patrick  Brien    . 
Rev.  Dr.  Peter  Chaigneau, 
Thomas  Lysaght 
Captain  P.  Theodore  Wilson 
Henry  Connor  White 

(In  1878,  Mr.  White  was  transferred  to  the  Science 
and  Art  Department.) 

Registrar  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 

Richard  Jackson  Moss,  F.I.C.,  f.c.s.     .          .         .  18; 


1731-1762 
1765-1798 
1798-1808 
1808-1819 
1819-1853 

1853-1877 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       385 


Anthony  Sheppard,  jun.,  m.p.     . 

I73I-I737 

Robert  Ross     ...... 

1737-1743 

Robert  Downes         ..... 

1 743-1 754 

John  Putland    ...... 

1754-1772 

Thomas  St.  George  ..... 

1772-1785 

Sir  William  Gleadowe  Newcomen,  bart.     . 

1785-1807 

Sir  Thomas  Gleadowe  Newcomen,  bart.     . 

1 807-1 814 

(From  1 8 14,  the  Bank  of  Ireland  has  acted  as 

Treasurer  to  the  Society.) 

2   B 


386 


A   HISTORY   OF 


APPENDIX    II 

(Seep.  68-9.) 


PREMIUMS   OFFERED   BY   THE   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 
IN   THE   YEAR    1766 

The  following  premiums  were  published  in  the  Society's  last  list 
of  premiums,  and  are  now  repeated  as  they  are  hereafter  to  be 
adjudged. 


Bog 

For  effectually  reclaimingthegreatest 
quantity  of  bog  (not  less  than  60  acres) 
so  that  in  the  year  1766  it  shall  be 
under  tillage,  a  gold  medal 

To  the  renter  of  land  who  shall  re- 
claim effectually  the  greatest  quantity 
of  bog  (not  less  than  30  acres)  so  that 
in  the  year  1766  it  shall  be  under 
tillage 

For  the  next  greatest  quantity,  not 
less  than  25  acres      .... 

For  the  next  greatest  quantity,  not 
less  than  20  acres      .... 

For  the  next  greatest  quantity,  not 
less  than  15  acres      .... 

For  the  next  greatest  quantity,  not 
less  than  10  acres      .... 

Every  claimant  is  to  lay  before  the 
Society  the  nature  of  the  bottom  of 
his  bog,  and  the  several  methods  he 
shall  have  taken  to  reclaim  it. 

Mountain 

To  the  renter  of  land  who  shall  bring 
in,  improve  and  effectually  manure,  to 


£      s.      d.  To  be  adjudged 


1767 

Jan.  15  th 


5o 


35 


25 


18 


12 


15th 
15th 
15th 
15th 
15th 


2 

IO 

o 

1767 

Jan.  15  th 

5 

o 

o 

„     15th 

7 

IO 

o 

„     15th 

THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      387 

the   satisfaction   of  the  Society,   the   £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
greatest   quantity  (not   less   than   15 
acres)  of  dry  mountain,  so  that  in  the 
year  1766  it  shall  be  under  tillage 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
10  acres    ...... 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
5  acres      

The  above  premiums  for  reclaiming 
dry  mountain  are  offered  for  each  of 
the  provinces  respectively. 

Wheat 

To  the  person  who  shall  sow  the 
greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less  than 
10  acres)  with  wheat  in  the  year  1766, 
and  before  the  12th  of  October,  the  1766 

seed  to  be  covered  with  the  harrow    .     20     o     o    Oct.  23rd 

To  the  person  who  shall  in  the  year 
1767  reap  the  greatest  quantity  of 
wheat  by  the  acre  from  no  less  than 
10  acres  of  land,  and  from  the  smallest  1768 

quantity  of  seed         .         .         .         .     20     o     o      May  5th 

The  above  premiums  for  the  en- 
couragement of  the  culture  of  wheat 
are  offered  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively. 

To  the  renter  of  land  who  shall  sow 
the  greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less 
than  10  acres)  with  wheat  in  the  year 
1766,    and    before  the    first   day   of  1766 

October    .         .         .         .         .         .     50     o     o    Oct.  23rd 

Every  claimant  must  give  the  Society 
an  account  of  the  nature  of  his  soil, 
the  number  of  ploughings  given, 
and  the  manner  of  manuring  and 
sowing. 

Parsnips 

To  the  renter  of  land  who  shall  sow 
the  greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less 
than  two  acres)  with  parsnips,  to  be 
made  use  of  only  in  feeding  cattle, 


388  A   HISTORY   OF 

giving  an  account  of  the  soil,  culture,  £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

produce,  and  their  effect  on  cattle  fed  1766 

with  them          .         .         .         .  10     o     o    Oct.  30th 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 

than  one  acre  .         .         .         .         .  500,,     30th 

Turnips 

To  the  renter  of  land,  not  already 
encouraged,    who    shall    in   the   year 
1766,   sow   the   greatest   quantity   of 
land  (not  less  than  five  acres)  with 
turnips      .         .         .         .         .         .     10     o     o       „     30th 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 
than  four  acres  .         .         .         .700,,     30th 

For  sowing  the  greatest  quantity  of 
land  (not  less  than  two  acres)  with 
turnips  in  drills,  horse-hoeing  the 
intervals    .         .         .         .         .         .600,,     30th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
one  acre    .         .         .         .         .         .300,,     30th 

These  premiums  to  encourage  the 
culture  of  turnips  are  offered  for  each 
of  the  provinces  respectively. 

Burnet 

For  sowing  or  planting  the  greatest 
quantity  of  land  (not  less  than  three 
acres)  with  burnet,  giving  an  account 
of  the  soil,  culture,  produce,  and  its 
effect  on  cattle  fed  with  it  .         .         .     12     o     o   Nov.  20th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
two  acres  .         .         .  .         .         .800,,      20th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
one  acre 400,,      20th 

Lucern 

For  sowing  or  planting  the  greatest 
quantity  of  land  (not  less  than  one 
acre)  with  Lucern,  giving  an  account 
of  the  soil,  culture,  produce,  and  its  1766 

effect  on  cattle  fed  with  it  .         .         .500  Nov.  20th 

Clover  Seed 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged who  shall  in  the  year  1766 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      389 

save  the  greatest  quantity  (not   less    £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
than  1 2  cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound  clover 
seed,  the  growth  of  land  of  his  own  1767 

holding      .         .         .         .         .  15     o     o     Jan.  29th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
8  cwt 700,,     29th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

4  cwt.        .         .         .         .         .         .500,,     29th 

White  Clover  Seed 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged who  shall  in  the  year  1766, 
save  the  greatest  quantity  (not  less 
than  2  cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound  white 
or  Dutch  clover  seed,  the  growth  of 
land  of  his  own  holding     .         .  10     o     o      ,,     29th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
1  cwt 500,,      29th 

Trefoyle  Seed 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged who  shall  in  the  year  1766, 
save  the  greatest  quantity  (not  less 
than  10  cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound 
Trefoyle  seed,  cleared  of  the  hull,  and 
the  growth  of  land  of  his  own  holding.     10     o     o      Feb.  5th 

For  the  next  quantity  not  less  than 

5  cwt 5     o     o        ,,     5th 

St.  Foin  Seed 

To  the  person  who  shall  save  in  the 
year  1766,  the  greatest  quantity  (not 
less  than  three  barrels)  of  clean  and 
sound  St.  Foin  seed,  the  growth  of 
land  of  his  own  holding     .         .         .     10     o     o        „      5th 

Hops 

For  producing  in  the  year  1767,  the 
greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  8  cwt.) 
of  good  merchantable  Hops  of  the 
growth  of  that  year,  a  sample  of  1 
cwt.  to  be  produced  to  the  Society     .     50     o     o    Nov.  12th 


390  A   HISTORY   OF 

Liquorice 

For  raising  in  the  year   1766,  the       £   s.    d.  To  be  adjudged 
greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  1 2  cwt.)  1 76 1 

of  Liquorice 12     o     o      Feb.  5th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
8  cwt.        .         .         .         .         .         .800         „     5th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

4  cwt 500         ,,     5th 

Mustard 

To  the  person  who  shall  produce 
the  best  and  greatest  quantity  (not  less  1 766 

than  10  barrels)  of  Red  Mustard  seed       800   Nov.  27th 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 
than  4  barrels 400,,     27th 

Millet 

To  the  person  who  shall  raise  the 
greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  1  cwt.) 
of  Millet 10     o     o       „     27th 

Rape  Seed 

For  raising  and  saving  the  greatest 
quantity  of  Rape  seed  from  boggy, 
rushy,  or  mountainous  ground,  not 
less  than  20  acres  cultivated  for  this 

purpose,  shall  entitle  any  claimant  to  [1767] 

the  first  premium  of  .         .         .         .     34     2     6   Jan.  22nd 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 
than  15  acres 22   15     o      „     22nd 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
10  acres 17     1     3      „     22nd 

An  account  of  the  methods  taken 
to  cultivate  the  ground  and  to  raise 
the  Rape  to  be  laid  before  the  Society. 

Weld 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged, who  shall  cultivate  and  save 
the  greatest  quantity  of  weld  or  bony-  1766 

moore,  not  less  than  10  cwt.       .         .600  Nov.  20th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

5  cwt.       .         .         .        4        .         .400,,     20th 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      391 

WOAD 

To  the  renter  of  land,  not  already      £    s.    d.  To  be  adjudged 
encouraged,  who  shall  grow  and  pre- 
pare for  the  dyer,  the  greatest  quantity  1766 
of  woad,  not  less  than  1  cwt.      .         .600   Nov.  20th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
70  lbs.  weight 400,,    20th 

Honey  and  Wax 

To  the  person  who  shall  have  the 
greatest  quantity  of  honey  and  wax, 
not  less  than  6  cwt.,  including  the 
hive  and  bees    ..... 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
5  cwt 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
4  cwt 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

3  cwt 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
2  cwt 

The  hives  are  to  be  weighed  in  the 
gross,  the  bees  being  alive  (which  is 
known  by  experience  not  in  the  least 
to  prejudice  them)  in  the  presence  of 
the  minister  or  curate  of  the  parish, 
or  any  Justice  of  Peace  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, or  any  other  person  of  a 
reputable  character,  known  to  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Society,  and  by  a  person 
appointed  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
bees. 

A  certificate  of  such  weight  and  the 
number  of  hives  must  be  signed  by 
such  minister,  or  curate,  or  Justice  of 
Peace,  or  reputable  person. 

The  person  weighing  the  hives  is  to 
make  an  affidavit  of  their  number  and 
gross  weight,  that  they  are  of  the  usual 
size  and  thickness,  and  that  to  the 
best  of  his  knowledge,  no  fraud  has 
been  practised  to  increase  their  weight. 

The  proprietor  of  the  bees  is  also 


30    0 

0 

Oct.  9th 

25    0 

0 

„     9th 

20     0 

0 

„     9th 

15   0 

0 

„     9th 

10     0 

0 

„    9th 

392  A   HISTORY   OF 

to  make  an  affidavit  that  the  number 
of  old  hives,  so  weighed,  attested,  and 
certified,  have  been  all  his  property 
for  six  months  before,  that  all  the  new 
hives  so  weighed,  attested,  and  certi- 
fied, are  swarms  from  the  old  hives, 
and  that  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge, 
none  of  those  hives  were  above  six 
Irish  miles  from  his  dwelling-house 
when  weighed  and  certified,  or  for  six 
months  before. 

These  certificates  and  affidavits  are 
to  be  produced  by  the  claimants  of 
the  premiums,  as  the  condition  upon 
which  only  they  can  receive  them. 

N.B. — The  weighing  of  bees  is  by 
no  means  difficult;  it  is  to  be  done 
after  sunset,  in  the  following  manner : 
a  linen  cloth  is  slipped  between  the 
hive  and  the  stool,  and  knotted  at  the 
top  of  the  hive,  which  is  then  lifted 
up  by  the  knot,  and  put  into  the  scale ; 
after  weighing  the  hive  is  again  put  on 
the  stool,  and  the  cloth  slipped  from 
under  it. 

It  is  found  by  experience  that  bees 
will  thrive  at  least  as  well  in  boxes  as 
in  hives,  and  it  is  recommended  that 
they  be  as  well  made  use  of  as  hives. 
Whereas  the  usual  method  of  ob- 
taining honey  from  stocks  of  bees,  is 
by  destroying  the  bees ;  and  whereas, 
it  is  found  by  experience  that  the  honey 
may  be  obtained,  and  the  bees  pre- 
served at  the  same  time,  by  which  large 
quantities  of  both  honey  and  wax  are 
collected,  the  Society  will  therefore 
give- 
To  the  person  who  shall  collect  the 
greatest  quantity  of  honey  or  wax  from 
stocks  of  bees  of  his  own  property 
within  the  year  1766,  without  destroy- 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


393 


ing  the  bees,  and  shall  leave  a  sufficient     £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
quantity   of   honey   for   their   winter  1766 

sustenance 10     o     o      Oct.  9th 

For  the  next  quantity     .         .         .700         „     9th 

Food  for  Bees 

To  the  person  who  shall  invent  the 
best  and  cheapest  food  for  bees  in 
the  winter  season,  without  sugar  or 
honey 500         ,,     9th 

Bee  Hives 

To  the  person  who  shall  make  the 
best  and  greatest  number  of  bee  hives, 
not  less  than  80  .         .         .         .300         ,,     9th 

For  the  second  number,  not  less 
than  40     .         .         .         .         .         .200         „     9th 

The  premiums  for  bee  hives  are 
promised  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively. 

Employing  Children 

To  the  person  (not  already  encour- 
aged by  any  other  Society)  who  shall 
have  employed  from  the  first  day  of 
September  1765  to  the  first  day  of 
September  1766,  in  any  manufacture, 
the  greatest  number  of  children  (not 
less  than  40,  and  not  exceeding  the 
age  of  13  years)  with  a  particular  ac- 
count of  their  work,  upon  the  affidavit 
of  the  person  employing  them,  and  the 
certificate  of  two  neighbouring  Justices 
of  the  Peace,  and  the  minister  or 
curate  of  the  parish,  if  in  the  country ; 
and  in  towns,  of  the  clergyman  and 
principal  residing  magistrate       .         .1200         „     9th 

For  employing  the  next  greatest 
number,  not  less  than  30   .         .         .800         ,,     9th 

Tanning 

The  sum  of  ,£100  will  be  given  in 
premiums,  at  the  rate  of  five  shillings 
for  every  Irish  hide  or  skin  which  shall 


394  A   HISTORY   OF 

be  completely  tanned  with  bog  myrtle  £  Sm  a.  To  be  adjudged 
only,  provided  the  number  of  hides  or 
skins  so  tanned  shall  not  exceed  400, 
and  if  it  should,  then  the  said  sum  of 
;£ioo  shall  be  distributed  in  propor- 
tion to  the  number  of  such  hides  or  1766 

skins 100     o     o     Nov.  6th 

The  sum  of  ^50  will  be  given  in 
premiums  at  the  rate  of  five  shillings 
for  every  Irish  hide  or  skin  which  shall 
be  completely  tanned  with  oak  dust 
only,  provided  the  number  of  hides 
or  skins  so  tanned  shall  not  exceed 
200,  and  if  it  should,  then  the  sum  of 
^■50  shall  be  distributed  in  proportion  1766 

to  the  number  of  such  hides  or  skins      50     o     o     Nov.  6th 

Saltpetre 

To  the  person  who  shall  produce 
the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than 
10   lbs.)   of  saltpetre  made  and  pre-  1767 

pared  in  this  kingdom        .         .         .     10     o     o   Jan.  22nd 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 
than  5  lbs 500,,     22nd 

Turbot  Fishery 

To  the  person  who  shall  promote 
and  establish  a  Turbot  fishery  on  any 
of  the  coasts  of  this  kingdom,  so  that 
there  shall  be  sold  from  said  fishery  in 
the  year  1766,  2000  at  the  least  of 
well-cured  merchantable  turbot .         .     30     o     o  Mar.  12th 

Stock  Fishery 

To  the  person  who  shall  promote 
and  establish  a  Stock  fishery  on  any 
of  the  coasts  of  this  kingdom,  so  that 
there  be  sold  from  said  fishery,  in  the 
year  1766,  10  cwt.  at  least  of  well- 
cured  merchantable  stock  fish    .         .     20     o     o      „     12th 

Flounder  Fishery 

To  the  person  who  shall  promote 
and  establish  a  Flounder  fishery  on 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


395 


any  of  the  coasts  of  this  kingdom,  so    £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
as  there  shall  be  sold  from  said  fishery 
in  the  year  1766  5  cwt.  at  least   of  1767 

well-cured  merchantable  flounders      .     n     7     6  Mar.  12th 

Note. — That  the  curing  of  flounders 
must  be  after  the  Dutch  method,  by 
very  little  salt,  and  the  fish  dried  in 
the  air  in  the  summer. 

Cod  and  Heak  Fishery 

To  the  person  who  shall  promote 
and  establish  a  Cod  and  Heak  fishery 
on  any  of  the  coasts  of  this  kingdom, 
so  as  there  shall  be  sold  from  said 
fishery  in  the  year  1766  10  cwt.,  at 
the  least,  of  well-cured  merchantable 
cod  or  heak 22150,,     12th 

Ling  or  Haddock  Fishery 

To  the  person  who  shall  promote 
and  establish  a  Ling  or  Haddock 
fishery,  on  any  of  the  coasts  of  this 
kingdom,  so  as  there  shall  be  sold  from 
said  fishery  in  the  year  1766  10  cwt., 
at  least,  of  well-cured  merchantable 
ling  or  haddock  .         .         .         .2215     c,,     12th 

Herrings 

To  the  owner  of  any  fishing-boat 
or  wherry,  not  less  than  26  feet  in  the 
keel,  who  shall  in  the  year  1766,  be- 
tween the  1  st  day  of  May  and  the 
1st  day  of  September,  on  the  east 
coast  of  this  kingdom,  between  the 
Lough  of  Carlingford  and  the  Hill  of 
Howth,  with  such  boat  in  any  one 
night,  first  take  any  quantity  of  her- 
rings not  less  than  three  mease,  which 
shall    be   sold   fresh    and    sound    in  [!766] 

Dublin  market n     7     6    Oct.  16th 

To  the  owner  of  any  fishing-boat 
or  wherry  not  less  than  26  feet  in  the 
keel,   who   shall    in   the   year    1766, 


396  A   HISTORY   OF 

between  the  first  day  of  May  and  the  £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

first  day  of  September,  on  the  east 

coast  of  this  kingdom,  between  the 

Hill    of    Howth    and   the    Head   of 

Wicklow,  with  such  boat,  in  any  one 

night,    first    take     any     quantity    of 

herrings,  not  less  than  three  mease, 

which  shall  be  sold  fresh  and  sound  1766 

in  Dublin  market       .         .         .         .     n     7     6     Oct.  16th 

To  the  owner  of  any  fishing-boat 
or  wherry  to  be  built  hereafter  not 
less  than  26  feet  in  the  keel,  who  shall 
in  the  year  1766,  between  the  first  day 
of  May  and  the  1st  of  September,  on 
the  east  coast  of  this  kingdom,  between 
the  Lough  of  Carlingford  and  the  Hill 
of  Howth,  with  such  boat  in  any  one 
night,  first  take  any  quantity  of  herrings 
not  less  than  three  mease,  which  shall 
be  sold  fresh  and  sound  in  Dublin 
market      .         .         .         .         .         .     11     7     6       „     16th 

To  the  owner  of  any  fishing-boat 
or  wherry  to  be  built  hereafter,  not 
less  than  26  feet  in  the  keel,  who  shall 
in  the  year  1766,  between  the  istday  of 
May  and  the  1st  day  of  September,  on 
the  east  coast  of  this  kingdom,  between 
the  Hill  of  Howth  and  the  Head  of 
Wicklow,  with  such  boat,  in  any  one 
night,  first  take  any  quantity  of  herrings 
not  less  than  three  mease,  to  be  sold 
fresh  and  sound  in  Dublin  market  11     7     6       „     16th 

Natural  History 

To  the  person  who  shall,  any  time 
within  five  years,  produce  a  Natural 
History  (such  as  will  be  approved  of 
by  the  Society)  of  any  County  in  this 
kingdom ;  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively 50     o     o 

Writing  on  Husbandry 

To  any  practising  farmer  who  shall 
write  a   farmer's    monthly    Kalendar, 


THE  ROYAL  DUBLIN  SOCIETY      397 

after  the  manner  of  Miller's  Gardener's  £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
Kalendar,  setting  forth  what  is  to  be 
done  each  month  in  relating  to  tillage,  1766 

pasture,  and  meadow  grounds    .         .  22  15     o    Oct.  23rd 


August  7th,  1766 

PREMIUMS   OFFERED   THIS   YEAR   FOR 
AGRICULTURE,   PLANTING,   &c. 

Bog 

For  effectually  reclaiming  the  greatest 
quantity  of  Bog  (not  less  than  30  acres), 
so  that  in  the  year  1767  it  shall  be  in  1768 

tillage  or  meadow      .         .         .         .     50     o     o     Jan.  14th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
25  acres 35     o     o       ,,     14th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
20  acres    .         .         .         .         .         .     25     o     o       ,,     14th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
15  acres 18     o     o       ,,     14th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
10  acres    .         .         .         .         .         .1200,,     14th 

Every  claimant  is  to  lay  before  the 
Society  the  quality  of  the  bog  before 
reclaiming,  the  several  methods  he 
shall  have  taken  to  reclaim  the  same, 
and  the  depth  and  breadth  of  the 
drains  he  shall  have  made.  No  person 
shall  be  entitled  to  any  of  the  above 
premiums,  unless  the  depth  of  the  bog 
before  reclaiming  shall  have  been  at 
least  four  feet  from  the  surface  to  the 
bottom  of  the  bog,  nor  shall  any  person 
receive  more  than  one  premium  for 
the  same  ground ;  everything  else  alike, 
renters  of  land  shall  have  the  pre- 
ference. 

The  above  premiums  for  reclaiming 
bog  were  first  published  in  July  1765, 
and  it  was  then  notified  that  they 
would  be  continued  for  five  years  from 


398  A   HISTORY   OF 

that  time,  so  that  they  will  be  given    £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
for  reclaimed  bog  which  shall  be  in 
tillage  or  meadow  in  the  year  1768, 
1769,  or  1770. 

For  every  renter  of  land,  not  hold- 
ing above  20  acres,  who  shall  effectu- 
ally reclaim  one  acre  of  red  unprofitable 
bog,  so  that  in  the  year  1769  it  shall 
be  under  tillage  or  meadow,  the  Society 
will  give  a  premium  of  Fifty  shillings. 
The  sum  of  Fifty  pounds  will  be  ap- 
propriated in  these  premiums  to  each 
province,  and  if  more  than  20  claim- 
ants, entitled  to  the  said  premium, 
should  appear  for  any  one  province, 
then  the  sum  of  ^50  will  be  divided  1769 

among  such  claimants        .         .         .   200     o     o      Dec.  7th 

The  like  premiums  will  be  continued 
for  bog  which  shall  be  brought  into 
meadow  or  tillage  in  the  year  1770. 

For  making  the  greatest  number  of 
perches  in  drains  through  unprofitable 
bog  (not  less  than  4000  perches),  to  be  1767 

at  least  5  ft.  wide  and  3  ft.  deep         .     16     00  Nov.  19th 

For  the  next  number,  not  less  than 
3000  .         .         .         .         .         .     12     o     o      „      19th 

For  the  next  number,  not  less  than 
2000 8     o     o      ,,      19th 

For  the  next  number,  not  less  than 
1000 400,,      19th 

The  like  premiums  for  cutting  such 
drains  through  unprofitable  bog,  will 
be  continued  for  another  year,  and 
adjudged  in  November  1768. 

Mountain 

To  the  person  or  persons  who  shall 
bring  in,  improve,  and  effectually 
manure,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Society,  the  greatest  quantity  of  dry 
mountain  (not  less  than  15  acres),  so 
that  in  the  year  1768  it  shall  be  in  1768 

tillage       .         .         .         .         .         .     22   10     o     Jan.  14th 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      399 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than     £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
10  acres 15     o     o     Jan.  14th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
5  acres 7   10     o       ,,     14th 

Every  claimant  must  lay  before  the 
Society  the  nature  of  his  mountain 
land  before  reclaiming,  and  the  several 
methods  he  shall  have  taken  to  re- 
claim it. 

The  like  premiums  will  be  con- 
tinued for  mountain  land  which  shall 
be  effectually  reclaimed  and  in  tillage 
in  the  year  1769  or  1770. 

Wheat 

To  the  person  who  shall,  in  the 
year  1767,  reap  the  greatest  quantity 
of  wheat  by  the  acre,  and  from  no  less 
than  10  acres  of  ground,  to  be  sown 
before  the  1st  of  November  1766, 
with  no  more  than  12  stone  of  seed  to 
the  acre,  half  of  the  seed  to  be  sown 
and  covered  with  the  plough,  and  then 
the  other  half  to  be  sown  on  the  same 
ground  and  covered  with  the  harrow     15     o     o      April  7th 

To  the  person  who  shall,  in  the  year 
1767,  reap  the  greatest  quantity  of 
wheat  by  the  acre,  and  from  no  less 
than  5  acres  of  ground,  to  be  sown 
before  the  first  of  November  1766, 
with  no  more  than  1 2  stone  of  seed  to 
the  acre,  half  of  the  seed  to  be  sown 
and  covered  with  the  plough,  and  then 
the  other  half  to  be  sown  on  the  same 
ground  and  covered  with  the  harrow.        7100       ,,      7th 

To  the  person  who  shall,  in  the  year 
1767,  reap  the  greatest  quantity  of 
wheat  by  the  acre,  from  no  less  than 
10  acres  of  ground  sown  with  10  stone 
of  seed,  and  no  more,  to  the  acre,  and 
which  shall  be  covered  only  with  the 
harrow 15     o     o        „      7th 

To  the  person  who  shall  reap  the 


400  A   HISTORY   OF 

greatest  quantity  of  wheat  from  the    £    s.    d.    To  be  adjudged 
same   ground    for   three    years    suc- 
cessively, beginning  in  the  year  1767, 
the  ground  to  be  sown  in  drills,  horse- 
hoeing  the  intervals,  and  no  less  than  1769 
one  acre 30     o     o     Dec.  14th 

No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  any 
of  the  above  premiums  for  the  culture 
of  wheat,  who  shall  not,  on  or  before 
the  first  day  of  January  1767,  by  letter 
to  the  Society's  Assistant  Secretary  to 
inform  him  that  he  intends  to  be  a 
claimant  of  one  or  more  of  the  pre- 
miums offered,  and  also  of  the  manner 
in  which  he  shall  have  prepared  his 
ground. 

To  the  renter  of  land  who  in  the 
year  1767  shall  sow  the  greatest  quan- 
tity of  land  with  wheat  (not  less  than 
10  acres)  and  before  the  1  st  of  October     500      Oct.  22  nd 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
8  acres      .         .         .         .         .         .400,,     22nd 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
6  acres 300,,     22nd 

Turnips 

For  sowing  in  the  year  1767  the 
greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less  than 
two  acres)  with  turnips  in  drills,  horse- 
hoeing  the  intervals  .         .         .         .600,,      29th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
one  acre    .         .         .         .         .         .300,,      29th 

An  account  of  the  soil  and  produce 
to  be  laid  before  the  Society. 

Parsnips 

For  sowing  in  the  year  1767  the 
greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less  than 
two  acres)  with  parsnips,  to  be  made 
use  of  only  in  feeding  cattle  or  swine, 
giving  an  account  of  the  soil,  culture, 
produce,  and  their  effect  on  cattle  fed  1768 

with  them 10     o     o      Feb.  25th 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      40 1 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than    £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
one  acre 500      Feb.  25th 

It  has  been  found  by  experience 
that  swine  will  thrive  remarkably  well 
by  being  fed  upon  parsnips. 

Carrots 

For  sowing  in  the  year  1767  the 
greatest  quantity  of  land  (not  less  than 
two  acres)  with  carrots,  to  be  made  use 
of  only  in  feeding  cattle,  giving  an 
account  of  the  soil,  culture,  produce, 
and  their  effect  on  cattle  fed  with  them  10     o     o         ,,     25th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
one  acre 500        „     25th 

See  a  pamphlet  lately  published  by 
the  Society  in  London  on  the  culture 
of  carrots  and  their  use  in  feeding 
cattle. 

Burnet 

For  sowing  or  planting  in  the  year 
1767  the  greatest  quantity  of  land  (not 
•  less  than  3  acres)  with  Burnet,  giving 
an  account  of  the  soil,  culture,  pro- 
duce, and  its  effect  on  cattle  fed  with  it  15     o     o         ,,     25th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
two  acres  .         .         .         .         .         .1000         ,,     25th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
one  acre 500        „     25th 

Lucerne 

For  sowing  or  planting  in  the  year 
1767  the  greatest  quantity  of  land 
(not  less  than  one  acre)  with  Lucerne, 
giving  an  account  of  the  soil,  culture, 
produce,  and  its  effects  on  cattle  fed  1767 

with  it  .         .         .         .         .500       Nov.  5th 

The  like  premium  will  be  given  for 
sowing  parsnips,  carrots,  burnet  and 
lucerne  in  the  year  1768. 

Clover  Seed 

To  the  person  not  already  encour- 
aged who  shall  in  the  year  1767  save 

2  c 


402  A   HISTORY   OF 

the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  12  £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound  clover  seed,  1768 

the  growth  ofland  of  his  own  holding  15     o     o      Feb.  1 8th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

8  cwt 700        „     1 8th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

4  cwt 500         „     1 8th 

White  Clover  Seed 

To  the  person,  not  already  encour- 
aged, who  shall  in  the  year  1767,  save 
the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  2 
cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound  white  or 
Dutch  clover  seed,  the  growth  of  land 
of  his  own  holding     .         .         .         .   10     o     o         ,,     18th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
1  cwt 500         „     18th 

Trefoyl  Seed 

To  the  person,  not  already  encour- 
aged, who  shall  in  the  year  1767,  save 
the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  10 
cwt.)  of  clean  and  sound  Trefoyle  seed, 
the  growth  of  land  of  his  own  holding  10     o     o        ,,     18th 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 

5  cwt 500         ,,     1 8th 

The  samples  of  Trefoyle  seed  pro- 
duced must  be  cleared  of  the  hull. 

The  like  premiums  will  be  given  for 
saving  the  aforesaid  grass  seeds  in  the 
year  1768. 

Hops 

For  producing  in  the  year  1768  the 
greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  8  cwt.) 
of  good  merchantable  hops,  of  the 
growth  of  that  year,  a  sample  of  1  cwt. 
to  be  produced  to  the  Society    .         .  50     o     o       Nov.  3rd 

This  encouragement  for  hops  was 
first  published  in  the  year  1765,  and 
it  was  then  notified  that  it  would  be 
continued  for  five  years  from  1767; 
the  like  premiums  will  therefore  be 
given  for  hops  produced  in  the  year 
1769,  1770,  1771  and  1772. 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


403 


HOP  POLES  £      s.      d.   To  be  adjudged 

To  the  person  possessed  of  hop 
yards,  who  shall  plant  out  with  any 
kind  of  timber  trees  any  piece  of  en- 
closed ground,  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  hop  poles,  no  less  than  a  rood 
being  allowed  for  each  acre  of  hop 
yard,  the  sum  of  £60  will  be  given  in 
premiums,  at  the  rate  of  £3  f°r  eacn 
rood  so  planted,  no  one  person  being  1767 

to  receive  a  higher  premium  than  £1 2     60    o    o    April  1 6th 

To  be  continued  for  five  years  from 
1767. 

No  person  can  be  entitled  to  any 
premium  who  shall  not  give  security 
for  preserving  his  plantation  for  seven 
years. 

Planting  and  Cutting  Sallows 

To  the  person  who  shall  in  the  year 
1770  cut  the  greatest  quantity  of  sal- 
lows fit  for  basket-makers  use  from 
not  less  than  1  acre  of  land  to  be 
planted  before  the  25th  March  1767, 
leaving  not  less  than  2000  standing  for 
hoops,  hop  poles,  and  timber     .         .   10     o     o 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
second  greatest  quantity     .         .         .600 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
third  greatest  quantity        .         .         .400 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
greatest  quantity  of  hoops  in  the  year 
1772  from  those  sallows  which  were 
left  standing  after  the  former  cutting, 
leaving  not  less  than  500  standing  on 
an  acre      .         .         .         .         .         .   10     o     o 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
second  greatest  quantity     .         .         .600 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
third  greatest  quantity        .         .         .400 

To  the  person  who  shall  in  the  year 
1775  cut  the  greatest  quantity  of  hop 
poles  or  hoops  from  those  sallows  left 


4o4  A    HISTORY    OF 

after  the  two  former  cuttings,  leaving   £      s.    a.  To  be  adjudged 
what  he  shall  think  proper  for  timber  10     o     o     April  16th 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
second  greatest  quantity    .         .         .600 

To  the  person  who  shall  cut  the 
third  greatest  quantity       .         .         .400 

No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  any 
of  the  aforesaid  premiums  for  sallows 
who  shall  not  send  an  account  of  his 
plantation  to  the  Society's  Assistant 
Secretary  before  the  first  day  of  April 
1767,  specifying  the  land  on  which, 
and  the  county,  barony,  and  parish  in 
which  such  plantation  is  made,  and 
the  person  for  whom  it  is  made ;  and 
whoever  shall  be  proprietor  of  such 
plantation  at  the  respective  times  of 
cutting  shall  be  entitled  to  be  a 
claimant  of  the  premiums  offered,  tho' 
he  did  not  make  the  plantation  him- 
self, but  is  possessed  by  descent,  pur- 
chase, or  otherwise :  such  proprietor 
shall  be  entitled  to  be  a  claimant  of 
the  premiums  for  the  second  or  third 
cutting,  tho'  he  shall  not  have  obtained 
one  for  the  first. 

Planting  Weymouth  Pines 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant  the 
greatest  number  of  Weymouth  pines 
(not  less  than  500)  under  five  years 
old,  between  the  1st  September  1766 
and  the  1st  April  1767,  not  nearer  to 
each  other  than  15  feet,  a  gold  medal         ...  „      16th 

Larix 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant  the 
greatest  number  of  Larix  (not  less  than 
1000)  under  five  years  old,  between 
1st  September  1766  and  1st  April  1767, 
not  nearer  to  each  other  than  15  feet, 
a  gold  medal ,,     16th 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      405 

OAKS  £      s.      d.    To  be  adjudged 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant 
between  the  1st  of  October  1766  and 
the  1st  of  April  1767  the  greatest 
number  of  oaks  (not  less  than  1000) 
under  five  years  old,  not  nearer  to 
each  other  than  15  feet,  and  shall  en- 
gage to  cut  them  down  close  to  the 
ground  within  12  months  after  plant- 
ing, a  gold  medal       April  1 6th 

Scotch  Fir 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant 
between  the  1st  of  September  1766 
and  the  1st  of  April  1767,  the  greatest 
number  of  Scotch  firs  (not  less  than 
5000)  under  five  years  old,  and  not 
nearer  to  each  other  than  10  feet,  in 
coarse  mountain  land,  a  gold  medal  .         ...  ,,     23rd 

Beech 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant  the 
greatest  number  of  Beech  (not  less 
than  2000)  under  five  years  old,  be- 
tween the  1  st  of  October  1766  and 
the  1st  of  April  1767,  not  nearer  to 
each  other  than  15  feet,  a  gold  medal         ...  „     23rd 

Sycamore  or  Ash 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant  the 
greatest  number  (not  less  than  5000) 
of  Sycamore,  Ash,  or  Norway  Maple, 
under  five  years  old,  between  the  1st 
of  October  1766  and  the  1st  of  Apiil 
1767,  not  nearer  to  each  other  than 
10  feet,  and  shall  engage  to  cut  them 
down  close  to  the  ground  within  12 
months  after  planting,  a  gold  medal  .         ...  ,,     23rd 

Planting  bog  with  sallows 

To  the  person  who  shall  plant  the 
greatest  quantity  of  bog  (not  less  than 


4o6  A   HISTORY   OF 

five  acres)  with  apple,  black  timber,  or   £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

chesnut  sallow  sets,  not  nearer  to  each 

other  than  10  inches,  a  gold  medal    .         ...  April  23rd 

All  the  above  plantations  must  be 
well  fenced  in,  and  secured  from 
cattle. 

The  above  premiums  for  planting, 
are  offered  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively. 

Nurseries 

That  improvers  in  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom  may  be  the  better  and  more 
conveniently  supplied  with  trees,  the 
Society  will  pay  for  every  person  in 
each  of  the  several  counties  of  Ireland 
who  shall  first  keep  a  well  enclosed 
nursery  of  forest  trees  (the  trees  in 
each  nursery  being  of  two  years  growth) 
a  yearly  rent  of  thirty  shillings  per  acre 
for  three  years,  for  the  ground  so 
occupied  in  a  Nursery ;  the  whole  of 
the  yearly  rent  promised  for  any 
Nursery  not  exceeding  ^7,  \os.  od.    .  240     o     c 

N.B.— Five  of  the  Grand  Jury  of 
the  Spring  Assizes  where  this  en- 
couragement shall  be  claimed  are  to 
certify  concerning  the  condition  of  the 
Nursery,  and  the  quantity  of  ground 
occupied  therein. 

The  Society  will  pay  the  above  rent 
on  the  conditions  mentioned,  the  first 
Thursday  in  every  month  of  May. 

Ditching 

For  making  the  greatest  number  of 
perches  in  ditching  (not  less  than  200 
perches)  between  the  1st  day  of 
October  1766  and  the  1st  day  of 
April  1767,  six  feet  wide  and  five  feet 
deep  perpendicular,  to  be  as  narrow  as 
possible  at  bottom,  and  well  quicked 
with  White  Thorn  or  Crab  Quicks, 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      407 


with  English  Elms  planted  quickways    £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

on  the  same  bed  with  the  Quicks,  or  a 

little  above  it,  in  the  face  of  the  ditch, 

and  distant  from  each  other  not  more 

than  two   perches,   with   one   or  two 

forest  trees  of  any  kind,  except  Ash 

between  the  Elms,  a  gold  medal         .         ...  April  9th 

For  the  second  number  of  perches, 
a  silver  medal „       9th 

For  the  third  number  of  perches, 
a  silver  medal „        9th 

To  the  lessee  paying  rent,  who  shall 
make  the  greatest  number  of  perches 
in  ditching  as  above,  not  less  than  200     12     o     o      ,,        9th 

To  the  second  number,  not  less  than 
150  .         .         .         .         .         .         .600,,        9th 

To  the  third  number,  not  less  than 
100  .         .         .         .         .         .         .400,,        9th 

The  above  premiums  for  ditching, 
are  promised  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively. 


Liquorice 

For  raising  in  the  year  1767  the 
greatest  quantity  (not  less  than  12 
cwt.)  of  good  sound  liquorice     . 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
8  cwt.        • 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
4  cwt.        ...... 

This  encouragement  for  liquorice 
was  first  published  in  the  year  1764, 
and  it  was  then  notified  that  it  would 
be  given  for  liquorice  raised  in  1766, 
1767  and  1768. 


12     o     o   Nov.  26th 


26th 


26th 


Rape  Seed 

For  raising  and  saving  in  the  year 
1768  the  greatest  quantity  of  Rape 
seed,  from  boggy,  rushy,  or  mountain- 
ous ground,  not  less  than  20  acres 
being  cultivated  for  this  purpose 


34 


1769 
Jan.  19th 


4o8  A   HISTORY   OF 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less     £    s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
than  15  acres 22   15     o    Jan.  19th 

For  the  third  quantity,  not  less  than 
10  acres    .         .         .         .         .         .1713,,    19th 

An  account  of  the  soil  and  culture 
to  be  laid  before  the  Society. 

Weld 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged who  shall  cultivate  and  save 

the  greatest  quantity  of  weld  or  bony-  1 767 

moore,  not  less  than  10  cwt.       .         .600       Jan.  3rd 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
5  cwt 4     0     o        „     3rd 

WOAD 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged who  shall  cultivate  and  pre- 
pare for  the  dyer  the  greatest  quantity 
of  woad,  not  less  than  1  cwt.      .         .600      Dec.  3rd 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
70  lb.  weight     .         .         .         .         .400,,     3rd 

Acorns 

For  sowing  and  well  securing  in  the 
year  1766,  1767,  or  1768  the  greatest 
quantity  of  land  (not  less  than  one  1769 

acre)  with  acorns,  a  gold  medal  .  ...  Jan.  19th 

To  the  person  who  shall  have  the 
greatest  number  (not  less  than  160  on 
every  acre)  of  oaks  in  a  thriving  con- 
dition on  land,  for  the  sowing  of  which 
with  acorns  he  has  claimed  the  above 
premium,  and  in  the  7th  year  after  the 
premium  has  been  claimed         .         .     20     o     o 

For  the  next  number  as  above        .     15     o     o 

For  the  next  number      .         .         .1000 

Saffron 

For  raising  and  saving  in  the  year 
1767  the  greatest  quantity  (not  less 
than  2  lb.  weight)  of  good  merchant-  1767 

able  saffron  ,     1200    Dec.  1  oth 


o 

Oct. 

I5th 

o 

J' 

15th 

o 

»> 

15th 

0 

JJ 

15th 

o 

5? 

15th 

THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      409 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less      £    s.    d.  To  be  adjudged 
than  1  lb.  weight       .         .         .         .600    Dec.  10th 

Honey  and  Wax 

To  the  person  who  shall  have  the 
greatest  quantity  of  honey  and  wax, 
not  less  than  6  cwt.  including  the  hive 
and  bees 30 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
5  cwt 25 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
4  cwt 20 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
3  cwt 15 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
2  cwt 10 

The  hives  are  to  be  weighed  in  the 
gross,  the  bees  being  alive,  (which  is 
known  by  experience  not  in  the  least 
to  prejudice  them)  in  the  presence  of 
the  minister  or  curate  of  the  parish, 
or  any  Justice  of  Peace  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, or  any  other  person  of  a 
reputable  character,  known  to  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Society,  and  by  a  person 
appointed  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
bees. 

A  certificate  of  such  weight,  and 
the  number  of  hives,  must  be  signed 
by  such  minister  or  curate  or  Justice 
of  Peace,  or  reputable  person. 

The  person  weighing  the  hives  is  to 
make  an  affidavit  of  their  number  and 
gross  weight,  that  they  are  of  the  usual 
size  and  thickness,  and  that  to  the 
best  of  his  knowledge  no  fraud  has 
been  practised  to  increase  their  weight. 

The  proprietor  of  the  bees  is  also 
to  make  an  affidavit  that  the  number 
of  old  hives  so  weighed,  attested,  and 
certified,  have  been  all  his  property  for 
six  months  before,  that  all  the  new 
hives  so  weighed,  attested,  and  certi- 


4i o  A   HISTORY   OF 

fied,  are  swarms  from  the  old  hives,    £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

and  that  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge, 

none  of  those  hives  were  above  six 

Irish   miles  from  his  dwelling  house 

when  weighed  and  certified,  or  for  six 

months  before. 

These  certificates  and  affidavits  are 
to  be  produced  by  the  claimants  of 
the  premiums,  as  the  condition  upon 
which  alone  they  can  receive  them. 

Whereas  the  usual  method  of  ob- 
taining the  honey  from  stocks  of  bees  is 
by  destroying  the  bees ;  and  whereas 
it  is  found  by  experience  that  the 
honey  may  be  obtained  and  the  bees 
preserved  at  the  same  time,  by  which 
larger  quantities  of  both  honey  and 
wax  are  collected :  The  Society  will 
therefore  give 

To  the  person  who  shall  collect  the 
greatest  quantity  of  honey  and  wax 
from  stocks  of  bees  of  his  own  property, 
within  the  year  1767,  without  destroy- 
ing the  bees,  and  shall  leave  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  honey  for  their  winter 
sustenance  .         .         .         .         .     10     o     o    Oct.  15th 

For  the  next  quantity     .         .         .700,,     15th 

Bee  hives 

To  the  person  who  shall  make  the 
best  and  greatest  number  of  bee  hives, 
not  less  than  80         .         .         .         .300,,     15th 

For  the  second  number,  not  less 
than  40  .         .         .         .         .200,,     15th 

The  premiums  for  bee  hives  are 
promised  for  each  of  the  provinces 
respectively. 

Discharged  Soldiers 

The  sum  of  ^200  will  be  given  in 
premiums  of  ^5  to  every  discharged 
soldier  or  sailor  not  already  encour- 
aged, who  hath  served  His  Majesty 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY      411 

out  of  Great  Britain  or  Ireland,  and  £  s.  d.  To  be  adjudged 
who  between  the  1st  of  November 
1766,  and  the  1st  of  November  1767, 
shall  take  a  lease  of  lives,  of  not  less 
than  five,  or  more  than  twenty  acres, 
in  the  province  of  Leinster,  Munster, 
or  Connaught,  producing  his  discharge, 
together  with  a  certificate  of  his  parish 
minister,  or  two  neighbouring  Justices 
of  the  Peace,  of  his  having  been  in 
possession  of  his  said  farm  one  year, 
and  also  of  his  industry  and  the  prob- 
ability of  his  continuing  on  his  said 
farm;  provided  the  number  of  such 
soldiers  or  sailors  shall  not  exceed 
forty,  and  if  it  should,  then  the  sum 
of  ,£200  shall  be  divided  according 
to  the  number  of  such  soldiers  or 
sailors 200  o     o     Nov.  19th 

Breeding  Mares 

To  the  person  or  persons  who  shall 
first  import  into  this  kingdom,  before 
the  1st  day  of  February  1767,  strong 
able  mares,  from  4  to  6  years  old,  and 
from  14I  to  15  hands  high,  fit  for  the 
plough  and  other  country  work,  and 
in  foal,  a  premium  of  five  pounds  will 
be  given  for  every  such  mare,  the 
number  not  exceeding  twenty     .         .  100     o     o    Feb.  12  th 

MANUFACTURES 

Iron  made  with  Coak 

For  making  the  greatest  quantity 
(not  less  than  two  tons)  of  tough  bar 
iron,  with  coak  only  or  Irish  coal 
charred,  the  iron  being  equal  in  good-  1767 

ness  to  that  made  with  wood  charcoal     50     o     o  Oct.  22nd 

A  sample  of  at  least  1  cwt.  must  be 
produced  to  the  Society,  and  satisfac- 
tory proof  will  be  required  of  the 
quantity  manufactured. 


4i2  A   HISTORY   OF 

STEEL  REEDS  £      s.     d.     To  be  adjudged 

In  making  silk  weavers'  steel  reeds, 
as  good  and  perfectly  made  as  any 
imported,  a  premium  of  twenty  shillings 
will  be  given  for  every  such  reed,  pro- 
vided the  number  shall  not  exceed  60, 
and  if  it  should,  then  the  sum  of  .£60 
will  be  divided  proportionably  to  the 
number  of  reeds  made  by  each 
claimant 60     o     o       Oct.  8th 

The  sum  of  £40  will  be  given  in 
like  manner  for  silk  weavers'  steel 
reeds  which  shall  be  made  as  above, 
between  the  1st  of  October  1767,  and 
the  1  st  of  October  1768      .         .         .     40     o     o        ,,     6th 

No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  any 
premium  for  making  steel  reeds,  who 
shall  not  engage  to  the  Society  to  take 
an  apprentice,  and  also  that  he  will 
continue  to  carry  on  in  this  kingdom 
the  making  of  steel  reeds  for  silk 
weavers  for  seven  years. 

And  for  ascertaining  the  number 
and  goodness  of  steel  reeds,  for  which 
the  above  premiums  will  be  given,  the 
Corporation  of  Weavers  of  the  city  of 
Dublin,  or  such  committee  as  they 
shall  appoint,  shall  examine  the  same, 
and  certify  to  the  Society  the  number 
of  them,  and  that  they  are  of  equal 
goodness  with  those  imported. 

Steel  wool  combs 

For  making  three  pitched  steel  wool- 
combs  of  equal  goodness  with  those 
imported,a  premium  of  twenty  shillings 
will  be  given  for  each  pair,  provided 
the  number  of  pairs  shall  not  exceed 
30,  and  if  it  should,  then  the  sum  of 
^30  will  be  divided  in  proportion  to 
the  number  of  pairs  made  by  each 
claimant 30     o     o         „     8th 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       413 


Stockings 

For  manufacturing  knitted  ribbed 
stockings,  such  as  are  now  imported, 
and  sold  from  4s.  6d.  to  6.9.  per  pair, 
to  weigh  5  lbs.  per  dozen,  to  measure 
24  inches  from  the  heel  to  the  top  of 
the  leg,  and  10  inches  from  the  toe  to 
the  heel,  and  to  be  made  of  soft 
worsted  of  3  threads,  spun  on  the 
small  wheel,  one  shilling  will  be  given 
as  a  premium  for  every  pair  of  such 
stockings,  provided  the  number  of 
pairs  shall  not  exceed  300,  and  if  it 
should,  then  the  sum  of  ^15  will  be 
divided  proportionably  to  the  number 
of  pairs  so  manufactured  by  each 
claimant    ...... 


d.    To  be  adjudged 


15     o     o    March  19 


Silken  gloves 

For  manufacturing  the  greatest 
number  of  pairs  (not  less  than  100 
pairs)  of  silken  gloves  or  mitts   .         .     10     o 

For  the  next  number  of  pairs,  not 
less  than  50 5     o 


11       26 
,,       26 


Bone  lace 

For  the  encouragement  of  the  manu- 
facture of  bone  lace  by  children  in  the 
work-house  of  the  city  of  Dublin,  30 
guineas  will  be  given  to  the  most 
deserving,  in  such  proportions  and  in 
such  manner  as  the  Rt.  Honble  Lady 
Arabella  Denny  shall  judge  will  most 
conduce  to  the  improvement  of  that 
manufacture  in  the  said  work-house  . 

To  any  manufacturers  of  bone  lace, 
except  of  the  city  work-house,  a  sum 
not  exceeding  30  guineas  will  be  given, 
as  the  Society  shall  judge  the  claim- 
ant's merit,  and  in  proportion  to  the 
value  of  bone  lace  which  each  shall 
have  manufactured     .... 


34     2     6      April  30 


34 


30 


4H  A    HISTORY    OF 

THREAD   LACE   KNIT   WITH   NEEDLES  £     s.      d.   To  be  adjudged 

For  manufacturing  thread  lace,  to 
be  knit  with  needles,  the  sum  of  15 
guineas  will  be  given  in  proportion  to 
the  respective  merit  of  the  claimants, 
no  less  than  4  yards  of  such  lace  in 
length,  and  2  J  inches  in  breadth,  shall 
entitle  any  person  to  a  premium :  re- 
gard will  be  had  to  the  fineness  and 
clearness  of  the  work,  and  the  beauty 
of  the  pattern 1 7     1     3       April  30 

Felt  hats 

For   manufacturing   the   best   Felt 
hats  of  lambs'  wool  only,  new  claim- 
ants to  produce  at  least  200,  and  old  1768 
claimants  to  produce  400 .         .         .     15     o     o        Jan.  21 

Pearl  barley 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged, who  shall  make  the  greatest 
quantity   (not   less    than    5    cwt.)   of  1767 

French  or  Pearl  barley       .         .         .     10     o     o        Feb.  19 

Employing  children 

To  the  person  not  already  en- 
couraged by  this  or  any  other  Society, 
who  from  the  1st  day  of  December 
1 766  to  the  1st  day  of  December  1767, 
shall  employ  in  any  manufacture,  the 
greatest  number  of  children,  (not  less 
than  40,  and  not  exceeding  the  age  of 
13  years)  upon  the  affidavit  of  the 
person  employing  them,  setting  forth 
their  number  and  the  work  they  shall 
have  done,  together  with  a  certificate 
to  the  same  purpose,  of  two  neighbour- 
ing Justices  of  the  Peace,  and  the 
minister  or  curate  of  the  parish,  if  in 
the  country ;  and  in  towns,  of  the 
clergyman  and  principal  residing 
magistrate  .         .         .         .         .     12     o     o       Dec.  10 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       415 


For   employing    the   next   greatest 
number,  not  less  than  30  . 


s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 

o     o       Dec.  10 


Smalt 

To  the  person  who  shall  produce 
the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than 
1  cwt.)  of  Smalt,  made  in  Ireland,  and 
of  Irish  materials,  equal  in  goodness 
to  any  imported,  and  giving  security  to 
continue  the  work      .         .         .         .     50     o 

Salt  petre 

To  the  person  who  shall  produce 
the  greatest  quantity  (not  less  than 
10  lbs.)  of  salt  petre,  made  and  pre- 
pared in  this  kingdom        .         .         .100 

For  the  second  quantity,  not  less 
than  5  lbs. 50 


i? 


»     *7 
»     17 


FINE   ARTS   AND   MECHANICS 


Painting 

For  the  best  original  landscape 
painted  in  oil  colours,  on  a  canvas  of 
4  feet  2  inches  in  length,  by  3  feet 
4  inches  in  height      .... 

For  the  best  original  full  length 
portrait  painted  as  large  as  the  life 

Pattern  drawing 

For  the  best  invention  in  pattern 
drawing,  either  in  foliage  or  flowers,  by 
boys  or  girls  under  the  age  of  18  years, 
each  claimant  to  produce  six  full 
patterns  proper  for  paper  hangings, 
carpets,  damasks,  or  some  other 
article  in  one  of  the  several  manu- 
factures      

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 


11     76 
11     7     6 


1767 
May  7 

»     7 


4 

0 

0 

5  5 

14 

3 

0 

0 

5? 

14 

2 

0 

0 

55 

14 

1 

0 

0 

55 

14 

£ 

5. 

d.  T 

o  be  adjudged 

6 

O 

o 

May  21 

4 

o 

o 

„        21 

3 

o 

o 

„       21 

2 

0 

o 

„       21 

4 

0 

o 

„       21 

3 

o 

o 

„        2  1 

2 

o 

o 

„       21 

I 

o 

o 

„        21 

416  A   HISTORY   OF 

Figure  drawing 

For  the  best  drawings  of  human 
figures  and  heads  by  boys  under  the 
age  of  18  years,  each  claimant  to  pro- 
duce 2  full  figures  and  2  heads  . 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  best  drawings  of  human 
figures  or  heads  by  girls  under  the  age 
of  18  years,  each  claimant  to  produce 
two  full  figures  and  two  heads    . 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

All  boys  or  girls  who  have  received 
the  first  premium  for  drawing  are  ex- 
cluded from  any  for  the  future 

Architect  drawing 

For  the  best  drawing  of  the  plans, 
elevations  and  section  of  an  house  in 
the  Corinthian  Order,  and  not  less 
than  120  feet  in  front,  by  boys  under 
the  age  of  18  years    .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  best  drawing  of  an  arched 
door  in  the  Doric  Order,  and  also  of 
a  window  in  the  Corinthian  Order, 
with  whole  and  half  pilasters  fluted    . 

For  the  next  best  .... 

For  the  next  best  .... 


Models 

For  the  best  model  in  wood  of  an 
house  of  no  less  than  50  feet  in  front 
with  first  and  second  stories,  to  be 
made  by  a  scale  of  not  more  than 
five-eights  of  an  inch  to  a  foot    .         .     n     7     6  ,,28 

For  the  second  best       .         .         .5139  »     28 


6 

16 

6 

>> 

28 

4 

11 

0 

55 

28 

3 

8 

3 

55 

28 

2 

5 

6 

55 

28 

1 

14 

ii 

55 

28 

1 

2 

9 

55 

28 

THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       417 

MEDAL  £      s.      d.    To  be  adjudged 

For  a  Copper  Medal  of  the  size  of 
an  English  Crown  piece,  which  shall 
be  best  executed  in  point  of  workman- 
ship and  boldness  of  relief,  the  subject 
to  be  King  William  passing  the  Boyne  ; 
the  medal  and  dye  to  become  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Society    .         .         .         .     22   15     o       May  21 

Print 

For  the  best  engraved  print  or 
Metzontinto  from  an  original  design  .       5    13     9  »     21 

Machine  for  draining  land 

For  a  plough  or  machine  of  the 
simplest  construction,  which  shall  with 
the  least  force,  cut  a  new  drain  of  at 
least  one  foot  in  depth  perpendicular, 
one  foot  eight  inches  wide  at  the  top, 
and  ten  inches  wide  at  the  bottom, 
both  sides  of  the  drain  to  be  equally 
sloping,  and  the  earth  to  be  equally 
thrown  out  on  both  sides  .         .  .     28     8     9        Oct.  22 

Certificates  of  the  machine  having 
performed  the  work  in  the  manner 
aforesaid,  must  be  delivered  in,  to- 
gether with  a  model  of  the  machine, 
which  model  is  to  become  the  property 
of  the  Society. 

Wheel  carriage 

For  the  best  wheel  carriage,  for  the 
use  of  the  farmer  or  manufacturer, 
which  shall  be  adjudged  by  a  com- 
mittee to  be  appointed  by  the  Society, 
as  most  effectually  constructed,  and 
on  the  simplest  principles,  for  removing 
the  greatest  weight  with  the  smallest 
power  and  in  the  shortest  time,  from 
any  one  given  point  to  another  on  a 
hilly  road n      7     6       Feb.  26 

A  model  to  be  produced  and  to  be- 

2  d 


4i 8  A    HISTORY    OF 

come  the  property  of  the  Society,  if   £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
the  contrivance  shall  have  sufficient 
merit  to  obtain  the  premium. 


FISHERIES 

TURBOT 

For  curing  Turbots  on  any  of  the 
coasts  of  this  kingdom,  so  as  there 
shall  be  sold  in  the  year  1767,  2000 
at  the  least  of  well-cured  merchantable  1 768 

Turbot       .         .         .         .         .         .     50     o     o       Mar.  10 

For  the  next  quantity,  not  less  than 
1000  .         .  .         .         .  30     o     o  „     10 

Whiteings 

For  curing  Whiteings  on  any  of  the 
coasts  of  this  kingdom,  after  the  man- 
ner practised  at  Tinmouth  in  Devon- 
shire, ,£20  per  cent,  will  be  given  on 
the  value  of  Whiteings  so  cured  and 
sold,  provided  the  same  shall  not  ex- 
ceed ^500,  and  if  it  should,  then  the 
sum  of  ^100  will  be  divided  in  pro- 
portion to  the  value  of  Whiteings  so 
cured  and  sold  by  each  claimant         .   100     o     o         ,,       10 

The  method  of  curing  Whiteings  at 
Tinmouth  is  by  slitting  open  and 
washing  them  with  sea  water,  then 
drying  them  in  the  sun,  and  now  and 
then  sprinkling  them  with  sea  water 
whilst  they  are  drying. 

Herring  Fishery 

To  the  owner  of  any  Fishing  Boat  or 
Wherry,  not  less  than  2  6  feet  in  the  keel, 
who  shall  in  the  year  1767,  between 
the  1st  day  of  May  and  the  1st  day  of 
August,  on  the  east  coast  of  this  king- 
dom, between  the  Lough  of  Carling- 
ford  and  the  Hill  of  Howth,  with  such 
boat  in  any  one  night,  first  take  any 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       419 

quantity  of  herrings,  not  less  than  three   £     s.     d.  To  be  adjudged 
mease,  which  shall  be  sold  fresh  and  1767 

sound  in  Dublin  market     .  .  .1176     Oct.  29th 

To  the  owner  of  any  Fishing  Boat 
or  Wherry,  not  less  than  26  feet  in  the 
keel,  who  shall  in  the  year  1767,  be- 
tween the  1  st  day  of  May  and  the  1st 
day  of  August,  on  the  east  coast  of 
this  kingdom,  between  the  Hill  of 
Howth  and  the  Head  of  Wicklow, 
with  such  boat  in  any  one  night,  first 
take  any  quantity  of  herrings,  not  less 
than  3  mease,  which  shall  be  sold  fresh 
and  sound  in  Dublin  market       .         .     n      7     6       ,,     29th 

To  the  owner  of  any  Fishing  Boat  or 
Wherry  to  be  built  hereafter,  not  less 
than  26  feet  in  the  keel,  who  shall  in 
the  year  1767,  between  the  1st  day  of 
May  and  the  1st  day  of  August,  on 
the  east  coast  of  this  kingdom,  be- 
tween the  Lough  of  Carlingford  and 
the  Hill  of  Howth,  with  such  boat  in 
any  one  night,  first  take  any  quantity 
of  herrings,  not  less  than  three  mease, 
which  shall  be  sold  fresh  and  sound 
in  Dublin  market       .         .         .         .     n      7     6       ,,     29th 

To  the  owner  of  any  Fishing  Boat 
or  Wherry  to  be  built  hereafter,  not 
less  than  26  feet  in  the  keel,  who  shall 
in  the  year  1767,  between  the  1st  day 
of  May  and  the  1st  day  of  August,  on 
the  east  coast  of  this  kingdom,  be- 
tween the  Hill  of  Howth  and  the 
Head  of  Wicklow,  with  such  boat,  in 
any  one  night,  first  take  any  quantity 
of  herrings,  not  less  than  three  mease 
to  be  sold  fresh  and  sound  in  Dublin 
market       .  .         .  .  .         .    11      7     6        ,,     29th 


DISCOVERIES 
Black  Lead 

To  the  person  who  shall  discover  a 


42o  A    HISTORY   OF 

£      s.      d.    To  be  adjudged 

mine   of  blacklead,    and   produce    a  1766 

sample  of  at  least  10  lbs.    .         .         .  40     o     o        Dec.  4th 

Fire  clay 

To  the  person  who  shall  discover 
within  20  miles  of  a  seaport  or  navig- 
able river,  a  fire  clay  such  as  the 
Stourbridge  clay,  and  fit  for  the  use 
of  glass  houses,  producing  a  sample 
of  a  ton  weight,  and  giving  security  to 
supply  glass  houses  and  all  other 
works  with  a  sufficient  quantity .         .   50     o     o         ,,     nth 

Fuller's  Earth 

To  the  person  who  shall  produce 
the  best  Fuller's  earth  (not  less  than 
5  cwt.)  discovered  in  this  kingdom     .   10     o     o         ,,     18th 

All  matters  for  which  the  Society 
offer  premiums  must  be  begun  after 
the  publication  of  such  premiums,  un- 
less there  be  a  particular  exception  in 
the  publication. 

The  Society  reserve  to  themselves  a 
power  of  giving  in  all  cases  such  part 
only  of  any  premium  as  the  perform- 
mance  shall  be  adjudged  to  deserve, 
or  in  case  of  want  of  merit,  no  part. 

A  candidate  for  a  premium  or  a 
person  applying  for  a  bounty,  being 
detected  in  any  disingenuous  methods 
to  impose  upon  the  Society,  shall  for- 
feit all  such  premium  or  bounty,  and 
be  incapable  of  obtaining  any  for  the 
future. 

The  Society  being  desirous  of  avoid- 
ing as  much  as  possible  the  multipli- 
cation of  oaths  in  the  disposal  of  their 
premiums,  request  that  the  nobility, 
magistrates,  gentry  and  clergy  in  their 
several  districts  will  give  their  atten- 
tion, when  applied  to  for  certificates 
of  the   merit  of  any  candidate  for  a 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY       421 

premium,  to  examine  the  pretensions 
of  such  person,  that  the  Society  may 
not  be  under  the  necessity  of  tender- 
ing an  affidavit  to  him,  which  they  ap- 
prehend has  sometimes  occasioned 
the  misapplication  of  their  fund,  and 
the  guilt  of  perjury. 

All  claimants  of  premiums  are  re- 
quested to  send  in  their  claims  at 
latest  on  the  day  before  such  premiums 
are  to  be  adjudged,  directed  to  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Peter  Chaigneau,  at  the 
Society's  House,  in  Shaw's  Court, 
Dame  Street. 

By  order  of  the  Society. 


422 


A   HISTORY   OF 


APPENDIX    III 


LIST   OF   WORKS   OF   ART   IN    LEINSTER   HOUSE 
Portraits   in  Oils 


Thomas  Braughall 

Right    Hon.    John    Foster    (Lord 

Oriel),  last  Speaker  of  the  Irish 

House  of  Commons 
Richard  Kirwan,  f.r.s. 
Sir  Charles  Giesecke 
General  Vallancey 
Thomas  Pleasants 
Isaac  Weld    . 
Jasper  R.  Joly,  ll.d. 
Mervyn,  Viscount  Powerscourt 
George  Johnstone  Stoney,  f.r.s 
Charles  Uniacke  Townshend 


John  Comerford. 

Sir  William  Beechey. 

Hugh  D.  Hamilton, 
Sir  Henry  Raeburn. 
Solomon  Williams. 
Solomon  Williams. 
Martin  Cregan,  p.r.h.a. 
S.  Catterson  Smith,  r.h.a. 
Sarah  Purser. 
Sir  T.  A.  Jones ;  p.r.h.a. 
William  Orpen,  r.h.a. 


John  Lord  Bowes  lord  chancellor!  Ahxander  p 

{coloured  crayons)        ...  J 
George    Daunt,    surgeon    {coloured^  Akxander  Pop^ 

crayons)     .         .         .         •         J 


Beggar  Woman  and  Child 

Two  Landscapes 

A  Seaport 

Two  Landscapes 

Two  Landscapes 

Fruit  Piece    . 


George  Gratton. 

William  Ashford,  p.r.h.a. 

Van  Bredall. 

George  Barret,  r.a. 

Unknown. 
f  Michelangelo  Pace  (called  Di 
\       Campid  glio). 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


423 


Wolf  caught  in  a  Trap 

Landscape     . 

Cymbeline     . 

Lady  Lyster  . 

St.  Paul  Preaching 

St.  Paul  released  from  Prison 

Departure  of  King  George  iv 

Kingstown 
Polyphemus  . 
Narcissus 

Two  Battle  Scenes 

Dead  Game  . 

Dead  Game  {three  pictures) 

Boors  {two  pictures) 

Magdalene  in  the  Wilderness 

Holy  Family 

Holy  Family 

Peg  Woffington  {unsigned) 


.     M.  F.  Quadal. 

f Jan    Frans     Van    Bloemen 
"  (       (called  Orizonte). 
.    James  Barry ;  r. a. 
.    James  Northcote,  r.a. 

Nicholas  Pons  sin. 
■    J.  G.  Cuyp. 

\  T.  C  Thompson,  r.h.a. 

Poussin. 

Francois  Boucher. 
'  f  Jacques   Court ois  {le  Bour- 
•\      guinon). 

William  Goiu  Ferguson. 

Unknown. 
.     Egbert  Van  Heemskerk. 
.     P.  Francesco  Mo  la. 
.     He?idrik  Van  Balen. 

Unknown. 
.    John  Lewis. 


(Copy  or  replica  of  a  portrait  of  1753,  now  in  England.  It  differs 
from  the  original  in  colour  of  hat  and  mantle  This  portrait  has  been 
ascribed  to  Reynolds  and  Latham.  See  Strickland's  Dictionary  of  Irish 
Artists. ) 


Miss  O'Brien  .... 

Portrait  of  a  Lady,  time  of  James  1 
Portrait  of  a  Gentleman,  time  of) 

James  1  {two  pictures)  .  .J 

Portrait  of  a  Lady 
Portrait  of  Mr.  Bowdon 
A  Lady  reading  {portrait  of  Miss\ 

Vigne,  the  artist3 s  sister-in-latv)  .) 

St.  Mark 

Jacob's  Dream       .... 
Two  Battle  Pieces 


Adoration  of  the  Shepherds  . 


Unknown. 
Unknown. 

Unknown. 

Sir  Peter  Lely. 
William  Cuming,  r.h.a. 

George  Chinnery. 

Salomon  Koninck. 
Jakob  Jordaens. 
Jan  Van  Hughtenburgh. 

Erasmus   Quellin  or    Quel- 
linus. 


Science  and  Agriculture  (Ceres  and] 

Triptolemus)  monochro?ne  (see  p.  ~  Peter  de  Gree. 

92) J 

A  painted  table  top  {design  for  ceil-\ 

ing  of  St.  Patrick's  Hall,  Dublin  \  Vincent  Waldre. 

Castle.) I 


424 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Two  engravings    (by    Vivares)    of  the    Giant's    Causeway   from 

drawings  by  Susanna  Drury,  for  which  she  was  awarded  ^25 

prize  in  1740  (see  p.  57). 
Twelve  Engravings  of  Irish  scenery  ^ 

(six  of  Killarney  and  six  of  Car-  j- 

lingford  Lough) 


Jonathan  Fisher,  1772. 


King  George  the  Fourth   (marble)    William  Behnes  (completed 
statue).       .  .  .  .  ./       by  C.  Panormo). 

King  George  the   Fourth   (marble  j  n 
statue) J 

Erected  by  the  Linen  Merchants  of  Ireland  to  commemorate  His 
Majesty's  visit  to  the  Linen  Hall,  Dublin,  23  August,  182 1.  Afterwards 
presented  to  the  Society. 


Busts   in   Marble 


Thomas  Prior         .... 
Samuel  Madden,  d.d.     . 
William  Maple       .... 
Philip,  Earl  of  Chesterfield    . 
Professor  Gregory  Von  Feinagle     . 
Henry,  Marquis  of  Anglesey,  lord\ 

lieutenant  ./ 

Thomas  Philip,  Earl  de  Grey,  lord\ 

lieutenant  .         .         .         .         ./ 
Alexander  Nimmo,  c.e. 
Sir  Richard  Griffith,  Bart. 
Sir  F.  Leopold  McClintock,  admiral 
Right    Hon.    Francis    Blackburne,^ 

lord  chancellor  .         .         .         ./ 


John  Van  Nost. 
John  Va?t  Nost. 

Patrick  Cunningham. 
Jolui  Van  Nost. 

Thomas  Kirk. 

R.  W.  Sievier. 

Terence  Far r ell,  r.h.a. 

John  Ed.  Jones. 

Sir  Thomas Farrell, p. r.h.a, 

Joseph  R.  Kirk,  r.h.a. 

Shakspere  Wood. 


Discobolus  (marble)       .         .         .     M.  Kessels  (Rome,  1820). 

(Bequeathed  by  Mrs.  Anne  Putland,  1856) 

Bust — Flora  (marble)    .         .         .     Attributed  to  J.  Gallagher. 
Bust — Mercury  (marble) 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       425 

Cave   Scene.      Drunken   Banditti,!  T/wmas  ^ 

(bas  relief  in  marble) .         .         .) 

Venus   and    Cupid    (bas    relief  in)  Thomas  Kirk. 

marble)      .         .         .         .         .J 

Amazon  (bronze)  ....  After  Kiss. 
Girl  playing  at  Tali  (bronze  after  the  antique  at  Berlin). 

Figure  of  Hibernia         .         .         .  Edward  Smyth. 


Busts   in   Plaster 


Daniel  O'Connell 

William,  Duke  of  Cumberland 

Frederick,  Duke  of  York 

Edmund  Burke 

Henry  Grattan 

Dean  Swift  (two  busts) 

Lord  Byron  (two  busts) 

Sir  Walter  Scott 

Humphrey  Lloyd,  d.d. 

Arch.  Hamilton  Rowan 

Cardinal  Manning 

John  Hanning  Speke 

Earl  of  Clarendon,  lord  lieutenant 

George  Tierney 

Oliver  Goldsmith 

Lord  Plunket,  lord  chancellor 

George  Canning 

Hon.  Robert  Boyle 

Archbishop  Ussher 

Earl  of  Eglinton,  lord  lieutenant 

John  Philpot  Curran 

George,  Prince  of  Wales 

Duke  of  Wellington 

Sir  Edward  Stanley 

Bust  (unknown)     . 

Edmund  Burke  (statuette) 

Oliver  Goldsmith  (statuette) 

Two  Statuettes  (unknown) 


C.  Panormo. 
M'Donald. 


William  Be/ines. 
Chr.  Moore. 


C.  Panormo. 

Joh?i  H.  Foley. 
John  H.  Foley. 


CORRIGENDA 

Page  245,  line  9,  for  '  Le  Touche'  read1  La  Touche.' 

,,     248,  line  10,  and  page  344,  line  5  from  end,  for  '  1830'  read 

'1831.' 
„     363,  line  i,  for  '  M.  H.  Harvey  '  read  '  W.  H.  Harvey.' 


INDEX 


Abercorn,  James,  ist  Duke  of,  291, 380 

Abercorn,  James,  2nd  Duke  of,  382 

Academy,  Royal  Irish,  house  in  Grafton 
Street  (1767),  91 

Acetylene  gas,  Professor  Davy's  dis- 
covery, 360 

Acorns :  premiums  for  sowing  and 
securing,  68,  408 

Acton,  Thomas,  92 

Adair,  Henry,  176,  177,  267 

Adair,  Samuel  F.,  292 

Adams,  A.  Leith,  on  the  fossiliferous 
caves  of  Malta,  366 

Adare,  Lord,  274 

Addison  [Joseph],  188,  189 ;  connec- 
tion with  Ireland,  188 

"Addison's  Walk,"  Botanic  Garden, 
188 

Adeney,  Dr.,  370 

Admission  of  members,  mode  of,  216, 
246,  247,  249,  260-1  ;  House  of 
Commons  Select  Committee  on,  260 

Admission  to  membership  :  fee,  io,  83, 
214,  216,  249,  261,  273. 

See  also  under  Subscriptions 

Aeronautics,  235  and  n.  ;  a  paper  on, 
363 

Agricultural  Association  of  Ireland, 
formation  of  proposed,  253 

Agricultural  chemistry :  Dr  Kirwan's 
paper  on  the  applicability  of  manures 
to  soils,  359 

Agricultural  chemistry,  lectures  in,  at 
the  cattle  show,  345 

Agricultural  evening  meetings,  361 

Agricultural  Hall  (Ballsbridge),  311-12, 

3*7.  347.  349 
Agricultural  implements,  premiums  for, 

57,  58 
Agricultural  Improvement  Society,  297. 

And  see  Royal  Agricultural  Society 

of  Ireland 
Agricultural  labourer  (Irish),  paper  on 

condition  of,  366 
Agricultural  Museum,   277,   340,   349 ; 

earliest  instance  of  formation  of  and 

exhibition  (1733),  22 


Agricultural  Organisation  Society,  333 

Agricultural  School  at  Taghmon,  the, 
223 

Agricultural  Shows,  295,  311,  344  et 
seq.  ;  Government  suggestion  for  re- 
moval of,  to  Phoenix  Park,  311 

Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland.  See 
Royal 

Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland,  298, 
347 

Agricultural  Society  of  the  Hundred  of 
Salford,  137 

Agriculture:  the  chief  original  object 
of  the  Society,  234 ;  Society's  work 
for,  92,  x^6etseq.,  141,240,247-8,253, 
277,  344  ;  encouragement  to,  ceases 
on  formation  of  the  Farming  Society, 
223;  revived  interest  of  members  in, 
234  253  ;  inquiry  into  condition  of, 
in  Ireland,  234,  235,  244;  Society 
receives  legacy  for  the  encouragement 
of,  149  ;  premiums  offered  for  essays 
and  schemes  in,  252-3.  And  see 
Baker,  John  Wynn 

Agriculture,  prize  for  the  best  work  on 
(in  1759),  84 

Agriculture  and  husbandry  in  Ireland 
in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, 136,  138 ;  implements  of,  in 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
138 

Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruction 
(Ireland)  Act  (1902),  299,  317 

Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruction 
Department,  337 

Agriculture,  English  Board  of,  93, 
221 

Agriculture,  Flemish  mode  of,  recom- 
mended, 244 

Agriculture,  Irish  Department  of, 
316-17,  372 

See  also  under  Committee  of  Agri- 
culture 

Albert  Institution,  Glasnevin,  340 

Alcoholic  liquids,  estimation  of  strength 
of,  Dr.  Kirwan's  paper  on,  359 

Aldborough,  Earl  of,  78,  149 


427 


428 


A   HISTORY  OF 


Aldridge,  Dr.  John,  on  the  compara- 
tive nutritive  and  pecuniary  values  of 
cooked  food,  361 

Aldworth,  Richard,  220 

Ale  brewing,  premiums  for,  62,  64 

Algae,  Irish,  paper  on,  361 

Allan,  Air.  (banker),  165 

Allen,  Joseph,  155 

Allen,  Viscountess,  mortgagee  of  Sir  R. 
Levinge's  bequest  to  the  Society,  82 

Allen,  William  (of  Coleraine),  premium 
for  tanned  hides,  72 

Allman,  Professor,  cited,  362 

Alment,  Mary  (Taylor  prize),  135 

American  Philosophical  Society  in  cor- 
respondence with  Dublin  Society,  227 

Andrews,  Mr.,  204 

Andrews,  William,  papers  contributed 
to  Scientific  Reports  by,  362,  366, 
367.  368 

Anglesey,  Henry  W.,  Marquis  of,  130, 
380  ;  bust  of,  by  Sievier,  248 

Anketell,  Oliver,  premiums  for  plant- 
ing trees,  60,  65 

Anne's  Coffee  House,  occasional  meet- 
ings of  the  Society  in,  21 

Annuloida,  paper  on,  366 

Anster,  Dr.  John,  178  and  «.2,  231 

Antiquarian  Committee  formed  (1772), 
146-7 

Antisell's,  [T.],  "Analysis  of  the  im- 
portant soils  of  Ireland,"  361 

Antrim  County,  farming  society  in, 
222 

Antrim  County,  marble  quarries  in,  155 

Arabin,  Henry,  104,  177 

Arbuckle,  James,  38 ;  poem  by, 
addressed  to  the  Dublin  Society,  38 
et  seq. ;  edits  Letters  of  "  Hiber- 
nicus  "  (1725),  38 

Archdall,  Captain,  291 

Archdall's  Monasticon,  172 

Archdeacon,  Thomas,  235 

Archer,  Graves  Chamney,  122 

Archer,  Lieut.  Joseph,  Account  of 
Dublin  (Statistical  Surveys),  184 

Archer,  William,  librarian  (afterwards 
of  the  National  Library),  179 

Architect  drawing  :  premiums  for,  416 

Architectural  drawing :  school  for, 
116,  122,  123,  127,  130,  132;  pur- 
chases of  books  for,  114,  117  ; 
awards  to  pupils  in,  115  ;  number  of 
pupils  attending,  127 

"  Arctic  ice- travel  in  search  of  Sir  John 
Franklin,"  365 

Arctic  regions,  catalogue  of  minerals 
collected  in  the,  366 

Arctic.     See  Fossils 


Ardilaun,  Lord,  President  of  the  Society, 
v,  287,  321,  380,  382  ;  mace  presented 
by,  288.     See  also  under  Guinness 
Argyle,  Duke  of,  224 
Armagh,  Dean  of,  145  n.1 
"  Arms  "  of  the  Dublin  Society,  220,  224 
Arran,  Lord,  199,  380 
Arsenic,   method   of    detecting,   paper 

on,  365 
Art  Exhibition,  317 
Art  of  Dyeing  Wool  and  Woollen  Stuffs , 

199 
Art  Industries  Exhibition,  317,  320-1 
Art  Industries  Hall,  320 
Art  pupils  sent  to  study  on   the  Con- 
tinent, 112 
Art  scholarships.     See  Taylor 
Artisan  class  in  a  large  city,  character- 
istics of,  206 
Artists,  Exhibition  of  Irish,  118,  125 
Artists,  sculptors,  &c.  :  list   of  noted, 
who     received     instruction     in     the 
schools  (to  1836),  130 
Artists,  Society  of  Irish,  96,  118,  124, 

125 
Arts,  Committee  of,  16 
Asbestos,  specimens  of,  presented,  221 
Ashe,  Dr.  St.  George,  3 
Ashford,  William,  118   and  n.1,  122; 
his   collection    of  statues,  &c.   pur- 
chased by  the  Society,  117 
Asses.     See  Spanish  Asses 
Assistant    Secretaries    of    the     Royal 

Dublin  Society,  list  of  the,  384 
Associate    Annual    Subscribers,     216, 

261 
Associates,  admission  of  ladies  as,  311 
Atkinson,    Alexander,     premiums    for 
instruments   for    spinning,    &c.    fus- 
tians, 57 
Atkinson,  Anthony,  premium  for  hops, 

58 
Atkinson,  Dr.,  147 

Attendance  at  meetings,  150-1,  218,  246 
Austria :   Archdukes  John   and    Lewis 

of:  honorary  members,  230 
Autumn  cattle  show,  344,  346 

Babington,  John,  medal  for  drawing, 

US 

Bacon,  Thomas,  61 

Baggot,  John,  premium  for  draining 
bog,  61 

Bagot,  Rev.  Canon,  331 

Bagot,  Charles  E.,  134 

Baily,  [W.  H.],  paper  contributed  to 
the  Journal,  367 

Baker,  Henry  Aaron,  master  Architec- 
tural School,  105,  117,  118,  127,  130 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY       429 


Baker,  John  Wynn,  his  work  for  the 
Society,  137,  140;  works  on  agri- 
culture by,  137,  139 ;  plan  of,  for 
educating  youths  in  husbandry,  137- 
138 ;  salary  and  grants  to,  138,  139  ; 
death,  139  ;  will,  139  ;  Arthur  Young's 
remarks  on,  140 

Baker,  Mrs.,  premium  for  lace,  62 

Baker,  Robert,  premium  for  lace,  58 

Baker,  Sarah,  139 

Bakewell,  Robert,  163 

Balbriggan,  cotton  manufacture  at,  153 

Balfour,  Right  Hon.  A.  J.,   303,  315, 

335 
Bill,    F.   Elrington,   Correspondence  of 

Swift,   cited,    30-1,    188,    189,   245  ; 

History  of  County  Dublin,  cited,  45 

n.,  86,  145  n.  1,  quoted,  85 
Ballinasloe  cattle  show,  344 
Ballsbridge,  302,  311  et  seq.,  317,   318, 

350  n.  ;  south  hall,  312,  347 
Ballsbridge  cattle  shows,  311,  312,  348, 

349       ,  .     1 

Ballycastle  collieries,  22  and  n.1 

Ballyweel  Harbour,  grant  for  erecting 
quay  to  land  fish,  71 

Bangor,  1st  Viscount,  7 

Banim,  John,  96 

Banking,  papers  on,  read  at  the  Even- 
ing Scientific  Meetings,  361 

Barbadoes  Natural  History  Society,  in 
correspondence  with  R.D.S.,  217 

Barber,  Rupert,  premium  for  green 
glassware,  65-6,  66  n.2 

Barber,  Mrs.  (Swift's  friend),  66  n.2 

Barbor,  Dr.  Constantine,  85 

Barclay,  Mr.,  his  invention  of  a  screw 
pump,  43 

Barintrinsky,  Prince  :  honorary  mem- 
ber, 230 

Barker,  Dr.  William ,  professor  of  Natu- 
ral Philosophy,  278,  362  ;  contribu- 
tions to  the  Evening  Scientific  Meet- 
ings, 362 

Barley,  premiums  for  sowing,  58 

Barley  Committee,  the,  349 ;  prizes 
offered  by,  349 

Barometer,  registering  (Yeates),  363 

Barret,  George,  artist,  130,  132 

Barrett,  John,  &  Co.,  premium  for  de- 
stroying seals  on  north-west  coast, 
7i 

Barrington,  Rev.  Benjamin  (Dean  of 
Armagh),  145  and  n.1,  199 

Barry,  James,  artist,  120-1  ;  Society 
subscribe  to  fund  for  his  benefit,  120  ; 
his  "Cymbeline"  in  possession  of 
the  Society,  121 

Barry,  Dr.  J.  M.,  367 


Barrymore,  Lord,  12 

Baruchson's,  [A.],  paper  on  the  manu- 
facture of  beet  sugar  in  Ireland,  367 

Bassani  family,  121  n2 

Beamish,  G.,  335 

Beans,  Michael,  premium  for  twilled 
stockings,  57 

Beans,  premiums  awarded  for  plant- 
ing, 73 

Beatty,  Dr.  John,  Hon.  Sec,  249,  383 

Beatty,  Dr.  W.,  267 

Beauclerk,  Mr.,  books  of,  purchased, 

i73 
Beaufort,   Rev.   Dr.   D.  A.,  219,   220, 

228 
Beaune   &   Co.,   of  Brussels,   offer  to 

establish  cloth  manufacture,  73 
Bee  hives,  premiums  for,  393,  410 
Bees,  Instructions  for  Managing  Bees, 

21  and  n.1 
Bees,  premiums  awarded  for  honey  and 

wax,  391,  409 
Bees,  preservation  of,  220,  392,  410 
Bees,  weighing  of,  392 
Bees'  winter  food,  premium  for  inven- 
tion of,  offered,  393 
Beet  sugar  manufacture  in  Ireland,  362, 

367 
Behnes,  William,   sculptor  (a  student 

at   modelling    school),   127  and  n., 

128,  129,  242 
Belfast,  glass  manufacture  in,  74 
Bell  and  La  Touche,  factors  in  Jamaica, 

69 
Bell  casting  in  Dublin,  69 
Belmore,  Lord,  220 
Benson,  Sir  John,  282 
Beranger,     Gabriel,     117;      translates 

foreign  works,   174  ;  Memoir  of,  by 

Sir  William  Wilde,  174 
Beresford,    Rt.     Hon.    John   Claudius, 

Lord  Mayor,  104,  106 
Berkeley,  George  (Bishop  of  Cloyne),  4, 

9,  31,  32,  81 ;  his  Querist,  32 
Bermingham,  Mr.  (of  Roscommon),  88 
Berthelot,  cited,  360 
Bertrand,  Mr.,  113 
Berwick,  Mr.,  176 
Betham,   Sir  William,  230,  232,  270, 

280,  283,  382 
Bianconi,  Charles,  278,  279 
Bibliotheca  Botanica  (A.  Von  Haller), 

purchased  for  the  Library,  173 
Billies,  for  worsted  weaving,  premiums 

for,  208 
Bindon,  Francis,  portrait  painter,  &c. , 

27,  66,  78,  no 
Birch,  Major,  presents  Roman  remains, 

swords,  &c. ,  159 


43° 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Blackburne,   Rt.    Hon.    Francis,    285, 

382 
Blacker,  James,  94 
Blacker,  W. ,  prize  essay,  253 
Black  lead,  premium  offered  for   dis- 
covery of,  419 
Blake,  Captain  Francis,  seeks  aid  in 

making  kelp  from  seaweed,  &c. ,  72 
Blakeney,  Wm.,  Lord,  statue  of,  50 
Blankets,  premium  awarded  for,  68 
Blaquiere,  John  (Baron  De  Blaquiere), 

151-2 
Bleaching,  359  ;  sulphuret  of  lime  as  a 

substitute  for  potash  in,  359 
Blind,  books  for  the,  269 
Blood,  Edmond,  bell  founder,  memo- 
rialises the  Society,  69 
Bloomfield,  Sir  Benjamin,  230,  231 
Blow,    Daniel,    premium   for    erecting 

paper  mill,  65 
Blue  Coat  Hospital,   in  ;   boys  to    be 
instructed  in  the  drawing  schools,  118 
Bliimenbach,  163 
Board  of  National  Education,  341 
Board  of  National    Education    Com- 
missioners, 343 
Board     of    Trade,     Society's     annual 

report  to  (1856),  quoted,  364 
Boardman,  John,  176,  229 
Bog  butter,  scientific  examination  of, 

358 
Bog  draining  and  reclamation,  12,  20, 
61,  65,  68,  145  and  n.2,  169,  241,  386, 
397 
Bog  slide  in  Kerry,  370 
Boggs,    Gardiner,    premiums   for    her- 
rings, 70 
Bogs,  Irish,  Commission  on,  169;   MS. 

reports  on,  made  for  R.D.S.,  180 
Bolton,  Edward,  premium  for  hops,  58 
Bolton,    Theophilus     (Archbishop     of 

Cashel),  io,  20 
Bone  lace,  58,  61,  141,  413 
Bosquet,    David,    manufactures    sheet 

lead  and  copper,  73 

Boswell,  J.  Knight,  362 

Botanic  Garden,  premises  in  Mecklen- 

burgh  St.  taken  for  a  (1739),  88,  186  ; 

premises  at  Summer  Hill,  186 

Botanic  Garden,  Glasnevin,   the,    186 

et  seq.  ;  establishment   of,    186-7, 

263,   35 S  ;    part  of  boundary  wall 

blown   down,  271  ;    professor  and 

lecturer   appointed,    159-60,    355 ; 

recommendations  of  the  professor, 

1830  .  .  .      194-5  '<      expense     of, 

190  ;  experiment  with  apprentices, 

192-3 ;   fully  described,  1818  .  .   . 

194;  number  of  visitors  to  (1835-6), 


195 ;    in    1861  .  .   .   197 ;    friction 
between  the  Government  and  the 
Society  as  to  Sunday  opening  of, 
197 ;     extent     of,      in     1861  .   .  . 
197;    Society's    connection    with, 
ceases,  197  ;  progress  since,  197 
Catalogues  (class),  191 
Conservatories,  196 
Fete,  287 
Gardens,   different  classes   of,    194; 

Hortus  Hiberniczts ,  194 
Herbarium,  197 
Hothouses,  191,  192,  193,  196 
Meteorological     observations,     359, 

369 
Museum,  197 
Norfolk  Island  pine,  193 
Orchid  house,  197 
Palm  house,  193,  196 
Staff,  work  of  the,  357 
Victoria  House,  197 
Botanical     papers     in     the     Society's 

Transactions,  359 
Botany  lectures  at  cattle  show,  345 
Botany  premiums,  160 ;    for  discovery 

of  new  Irish  plants,  227 
Boulter,  Hugh,   Primate,   10,    13,    28, 

30.  380 
Boyd,  H. ,  20 

Boyle,  Henry,  Earl  of  Shannon,  27 
Boyle,   John,   5th  Earl  of  Orrery,  29, 

30 
Boyle   Medal,   the   (scientific),    373    et 

seq. 
Boyle,    the    Hon.     Robert,    373;    the 
scientific  work  of,  374-5  ;  the  Boyle 
Lectures,  375  ;  mentioned,  1,7 
Boyse,    Mr.,   establishes    a    school    of 

agriculture  at  Taghmon,  223 
Boyton,  Mr.,  premium  for  hats,  63 
Bradshaw,   John,    edition  of  Chester- 
field's Letters,  quoted,  47,  48,  75,  76 
Brady,  Cheyne,  paper  on  the  improve- 
ment  of  labouring   class  dwellings, 
364 
Brady,  Nicholas  William,  gold  thread 
manufacturer,       memorialises       the 
Society,  69 
Brady,  Sir  Maziere  (Bart.),  69  n.1,  284 
Braughall,  Thomas,   Hon.  Sec,   115, 

255,  256,  383 
Bread  :  How  to  make,  without  barm  : 

a  letter,  50 
Breaking-up  ground,  premiums  for,  58, 

59 

Breeding  stock  entries  at  Ballsbridge 
cattle  shows,  348 

Brenan,  Edward,  paper  on  fossil  re- 
mains in  co.  Waterford,  366 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


43 1 


Brereton,  Win.,  brewer,  premium  for 
using  Irish  hops,  61 

Brett,  Richard,  202 

Brewery,  in  Ulster,  premium  awarded 
for  a,  72 

Brewing,  articles  on,  37;  premiums 
for,  61,  62,  64 

Bride,  Patrick,  187 

Brien,  John,  collector,  &c. ,  93 

Brinkley,  Bishop,  statue  of,  128 

Brinkley,  Dr.,  221 

Brisbane,  Sir  Thomas,  254 

British  Association,  meetings  in  Dublin, 
254,  286 

British  Dairy  Farmers' Association,  331 

British  Museum  Library,  181 

Broad  cloth,  premiums  for,  63-4 

Brocas,  Henry,  Master  of  the  Orna- 
ment School,  118,  132 

Brocas,  Theophilus,  Dean  of  Killala, 
199  and  n.,  381 

Brooke,  Henry,  28  ;  the  Interest  of  Ire- 
land by,  84 

Brooke,  Robert,  premiums  for  cotton, 
velvets,  &c,  72,  153 

Brophy,  Peter,  229 

Browne,  William,  126.     See  Mossop 

Browne,  William,  premium  for  cottons, 
&c,  72 

Bryan,  Robert  B.,  Hon.  Sec,  177,  272, 

383 
Buchan,    Patrick,   paper   on   the    iron 

ores  of  the  Connaught  coalfield,  365 
Buckingham,  Marquis  of,  154,  379 
Buckles,  premiums  for,  57 
Building.     See  Gaol,  Houses 
Bulbous  roots :   on  the  growth  of,   in 

Ireland,  363;  comparative  value  of 

large  and  small  roots,  363 
Bulls,  &c. ,  premiums  for,  63 
Burgh,    Captain   Thomas,   Hon.    Sec. 

and   Vice-President,    115,  219,    381, 

383 
Burgh  (or  Bourgh),  Thomas,  25,  28 
Burke,  Edmund,  121 
Burke,  Joseph,  bequest  to  the  Society, 

290 
Burlington  and  Cork,  Lord,  27 
Burnet,    premiums  for   cultivation  of, 

388,  401 
Burton,  Sir  Frederick,  279 
Burton,  Samuel,  122 
Burton,    Colonel   William   (afterwards 

the  Right  Hon.  Wm.  Conyngham), 

115,  146,  221-2 
Burton,  Right  Hon.  Francis,  221 
Busts  in  marble  and  plaster,  in  Leinster 

House,  424,  425 
Busts,  purchase  of,  by  the  Society,  42 


Butler,  John,  288 

Butler,  John  Thomas,  discovers  lapis 
calaminaris  in  Sligo,  84 

Butler,  W.  D.,  premium  for  plans,  254 

Butt,  Isaac,  270 

Butter-making,  331  ;  serious  conse- 
quences of  foreign  rivalry,  331  ;  co- 
operation in,  332 

Buttons  :  premiums  for,  57 

By-laws  of  the  Society,  1766  .  .  .  140-1, 
285,  310 ;  1837  .  .  .  267 ;  as  to  sub- 
scriptions and  arrears,  146,  152,  214  ; 
as  to  committees,  215,  216  ;  to  enable 
persons  to  join  a  section  of  the 
Society,  276,  361.     See  also  Fellows 

Byrne,  Thomas,  premium  for  ale,  62 

Byron,  English  Bards  and  Scotch 
Reviewers ,  quoted,  116 

Cabbage  as  food  for  the  horse,  362 
Cake-basket    in    silver,    presented    for 

reclaiming  bog,  145-6 
Calamine  stone,  an  award  for  produc- 
ing, 84  and  n.1 
Caldbeck,  Mr.,  150 
Calderwood,  Mr. ,  370 
Calderwood,     Robert,      gold     thread 

manufacturer,  69 
Caldwell,  Andrew,  115,  187 
Callage,  Rev.  Andrew,  221 
Callan,  Professor,  269 
Calves,  on  a  method  of  feeding,  51 
Cam,    John,    engaged      as    itinerant 

adviser  in  husbandry,  50 
Campbell,  Rev.   Mr. ,  awarded  a  silver 

medal  for  an  Essay  on  Perfecting  the 

Fine  Arts,  &c,  114 
Canning,  Rt.  Hon.  George:  honorary 

member,  230 
Carhampton,  Lord.   See  Luttrell,  Simon 
Carlisle,  George  W.   F.,  Earl  of,  286, 

380 
Carpet :  premium  awarded  for  a,  59 
Carrots :      cultivation      of,      premium 

offered  for,  401 
Carson,  Rev.  Joseph,  287 
Carte,    Dr.     William :    papers   contri- 
buted to  the  Journal  by,  365,    367, 

368 
Carteret,  Lord,  188 
Carve,  Thomas,  his  scarce  works  (cir. 

1640-6)  in  the  Joly  collection,  179 
Carver,  Mr.,  (artist),  113 
Casey,  Anne,  premium  for  lace,  61 
Casey,  Laurence,  premium  for  ale,  62 
Casey,  Mary,  premium  for  edging,  62 
Cash,   John  C.   (a  former  pupil),  and 

his    plans    of    public    buildings    in 

Dublin,  152 


432 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Castle  (or  Castles),  Richard  (architect), 

63,  78  and  n.1,  79,  99 
Castlebar,  lace  manufacture  at,  141 
Cattle,  breeding  of,  premiums  for,  315  ; 

Government  assistance  to  Society  for, 

315  ;  the  Spring  Show  as  a  stimulus 

to,  347 
Cattle:    premiums    for,    63,    64;    pre- 
miums for  essay  on  fattening,  253 
Cattle  :  sale  of,  by  auction,  346 
Cattle  shows,  223,  248,  271,   280,  344 

et  seq.  ;     number   of  visitors  to,   in 

1849.  .  .  280.    See  Spring,  Autumn, 

Winter ;  also  Breeding  Stock  entries 

at 
Cawdor,  Lord,  131 
Cedars  of  Lebanon,  medal  awarded  for 

planting,  72 
Century  Magazine,  cited,  103  n. 
Ceres    and    Triptolemus,    emblematic 

painting  by  de  Gree  (1788)  in  Society's 

possession,  92,  423 
Chaigneau,  Rev.  Dr.  Peter,  384,  421 
Chair  of  the   President  (1767),  still  in 

use,  90 
Chais,  Rev.  C,  142 
Chalmers,  William,  122 
Chamber  Music  Committee,  the,  329- 

33o  .   . 

Chambers,  Hope  and  Glen,  recipients 
of  a  premium  for  exporting  herrings, 
70-1 

Chamney  &  Co.,  carry  potatoes  by 
Grand  Canal,  73 

Champion,  Thomas,  premium  for  hats, 

63 

Chapman,  William,  92 

Charitable  Musical  Society,  profits  of  a 
play  at  Society's  disposal,  for  en- 
couragement of  husbandry,  &c,  60-1 

Charlemont,  Lord,  113,  146,  218,  231 

Charter,  application  for,  contemplated 
(1732),  20 

Charter  of  the  Society  (1750),  53,  75 
et  seq.,  84,  106,  304,  309;  original 
warrant  for,  presented  to  the  Society, 
76  «.2 

Charter,  supplemental  (1866),  289,  304 
et  seq. ,  369 

Charter,  second  supplemental  (1888) 
and  statutes,  304,  308,  369 

Chebsey,  Thomas  &  Co. :  premium 
for  glass  manufacture,  74 

Chemical  laboratory  established,  157, 
355-6  ;  practical  instruction  in  chemis- 
try given,  356;  description  of  the  labo- 
ratory, 328 ;  apparatus  for  liquefaction 
of  air  and  of  hydrogen  in,  328-9; 
radium  emanation  outfit  in,  329 


Chemistry     and    natural    philosophy, 

lectures  in,  160-1,  227,  356 
Chemistry,  papers  on,  referred  to,  367 
Chesterfield,  Philip  Stanhope,  Earl  of, 

9,  46-8,  83,  379  ;  on  Dublin  Society's 

charter,  75-6  ;  Letters  of,  quoted,  47, 

48  ;  bust  of,  48  ;  otherwise  mentioned, 

78,  85,  108 
Chevenix,    Dr.     Richard    (Bishop    of 

Waterford),  85 
Children,    employment   of:    premiums 

offered  to  employers,  393,  414 
Chinnery,  George,  painter,  149  ;  picture 

by,  purchased,  118 
Christ  Church  Cathedral :    Dean  and 

Chapter  of,  lease  Glasnevin  grounds, 

&c,  81,  187,  191 
Cider  and  its  manufacture :    Society's 

interest  in,  18-19,  37  ;  premiums  for, 

5°.  58>  59.  °4.  05.  68 
Cider  trees,  inventory  of,  at  Summer- 
Hill  ground, 186 
Circumferenter  (sinecal),  221  and  n. 
Clanbrassil,  Lord,  172 
Clancarty,  William  T.,  Earl  of,  280, 

382 
Clanwilliam,  Lady,  199 
Clare,  county,  Farming  Society  in,  222 
Clare,  county,  mineralogical  survey  in, 

iS4 
Clare  Island  Survey,  371 
Clarendon,  George,  Earl  of,  279,  380 
Clarendon,  Lady,  279 
Clark,     David,    bounty     for    carding 

machines,  &c,  204 
Clays,  discovered,  154-5 
Clayton,   Robert   (Bishop  of  Killala), 

11,  38! 
Clayton,  Mrs.,  11 
Clibborn,  Edward,  255,  267  ;  paper  on 

Banking  by,  269,  361 
Cloncurry,  Lord,  231,  233 
Clonfert,  Bishop  of,  46 
Close,    Lieut.-Col.,    gold    medal    for 

essay,  253 
Cloth,  premium  for  black,  68 
Clover  seed :    premiums  for,  388,  389, 

401,  402 
Coal,    bituminous :      experiments    on, 

358 
Coal,  search  for,  155  ;  districts  :  survey 

of,    by    Richard   Griffith,  jun.,    162, 

163,  168 
Coalfields,  papers  on,  367,  368 
Cobbe,  Captain,  12,  21 
Cobbe,  Charles  (Archbishop  of  Dublin), 

28,  80,  82,  380 
Cod  and  heak  fishery:   premiums  for, 

395 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      433 


Coin,  an  inquiry  into  the  state  of,  in 
Ireland  (1734),  32 

Coins  and  medals,  catalogue  of,  176,177 

Coke,  Thomas  William  (of  Norfolk), 
afterwards  Earl  of  Leicester,  231,  232 

Coleman,  Mr.,  338,  340 

Colgan's  Acta  Sa?ictorum,  a  complete 
copy  in  the  Joly  collection,  180 

College  of  Physicians,  Dublin,  187 

Colles,  Edward  R.  P.,  Society's 
librarian,  170,  179,  267,  269,  285 

Colles,  William  (of  Kilkenny),  19-20 

Collieries  at  Ballycastle,  22  and  n.1 

Collins  (artist),  113 

Collins,  Dr.,  279 

Colomb,  Captain,  367 

Combermere,  Lord,  130 

Comerford,  John,  artist,  122,  124,  256; 
rejected  as  a  member,  228 

Commerce,  Select  Committee  of,  ap- 
pointed, 149 

Commerell,  Abbe,  219 

Commissioners  of  Public  Works,  cited, 

359 
Committee  of  Agriculture,  73-4,  315 
Committee  of  Agriculture  and  Planting 

formed,  248 ;    premiums  offered  by, 

252-3 

Committee  of  Arts,  16 

Committee  of  Economy,  95 

Committee  of  Fine  Arts,  122  et  seq., 
216 

Committee  (Select), House  of  Commons, 
to  inquire  into  the  Society  (1836), 
252,  2$8  etseq.,  325  ;  its  Resolutions, 
260 ;  Reports  of  the  Society's  Com- 
mittee on  the  Resolutions,  264 

Committees,  by-laws  as  to,  215,  216 

Committees  of  management,  264-5,  267 
See  also  Standing  committees 

Cones.     See  Spruce  and  Deal 

Congested  Districts  Board,  Ireland 
(1891),  323,  336 

Connaught :  premium  for  essay  on 
improvement  of  husbandry  in,  253 

Connolly,  Lady  Louisa,  199 

Connor,  Chr. ,  medal  for  ornament 
drawing,  114 

Connor,  Robert,  premiums  for  drawing, 
ii5 

Constants  and  numerical  data,  chemi- 
cal, &c,  grant  in  aid  for  tables  of, 
37i 

Constitution  of  the  Society,  14  et  seq., 
249,  27S.  276,  304-5 

Conyngham,  Burton,  255 

Conyngham,  Lord,  bequest  by  (1782), 
7i 

Conyngham,  Lord  (1853),  283 


Conyngham,    Rt.    Hon.    Wm.    (name 

assumed  by  Col.  William    Burton), 

71,  173,  174,  221-2.     See  also  -under 

Burton 
Cooper,  Austin,  228 
Cooper,  Edward  J.,  paper  on   potato 

disease,  361 
Cooper,  Sir  William,  143 
Co-operative     farming      associations : 

suggestions   for  the  organization  of, 

in  Ireland,  368 
Coote,  Rev.   Charles,  gold  medal  for 

sowing  turnips,  145 
Coote,  Sir  Charles,  183 
Copal  varnish,  grant  for  making,  218 
Copland,  Samuel,  362 
Copley  Medal   of    the    Royal   Society 

conferred  on   Dr.   Richard   Kirwan, 

158 
Copper,  sheet  lead  and,   manufacture, 

73 

Coppinger,  Rev.  Dr.  (R.C.  Bishop  of 
Cloyne),  challenges  Townsend's  Sur- 
vey of  Co.  Cork,  184-5 

Coquebert  de  Moubray,  Citizen : 
honorary  member,  230 

Corballis,  James,  267 

Corballis,  John  R.,  251 

Cork,  Bishop  of,  46 

Cork,  county:  Townsend's  Survey  of, 
challenged    on     religious    grounds, 

184-5 

Cork  Institution.     See  Royal 

Cork,  school  for  teaching  worsted  spin- 
ning at,  207  ;  lectures  in  chemistry, 
&c. ,  at,  227 

Corn  Laws  :  Society's  inquiry  into  oper- 
ation of,  234-5 

Cornwallis,    Marquis,    President,    224, 

379 

Corporation  of  Tallow  Chandlers  and 
Soap  Boilers  of  Dublin,  and  the 
condition  of  Irish  soap  manufac- 
ture, 358 

Corrigan,  Andrew,  290 

Cosby,  Pole,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  60 

Cottages  and  allocation  of  land  to 
them,  prize  essay,  253 

Cottages,  plans,  &c. ,  of,  premiums  for, 

254 
Cotter,  Rev.  Joseph,  silver  medal  for 

his  bass  and  tenor  horn,  244 
Cottingham,     George,     premium     for 

planting  trees,  73 
Cotton,  Archdeacon  Henry,  272 
Cotton,  cottons :  premiums  for,  72 
Cotton  manufacture,  Society's  interest 

for,  153,  204 

2  E 


434 


A   HISTORY  OF 


Coulter,  Dr.,  254,  361 

Council  of  the  Society,  261,  265,  285, 
289  ;  resolutions  of  the  Select  Com- 
mittee as  to,  261-2 ;  Society's 
views  and  decision  as  to,  264,  265, 
267 ;  members  to  be  admitted  to 
meetings  of,  267 ;  first  members  of, 
267-8  ;  first  report  of  the,  268  ;  min- 
utes of  meetings  first  printed,  276 

Cowan,  John,  146 

Cowley,  Abraham,  cited,  38 

Cox,  Master,  plaster  figure  of,  n  1 

Cox,  Sir  Richard,  4,  28 

Cradock,  Frederick,  librarian,  178 

Cramer,  Mr.,  176 

Crampton,  Sir  Philip,  Bart.,  270; 
memorial  to,  97 

Cranfield,  Richard,  carver,  90  n2,  in, 

113.  114 
Crawley,  John,  sent  to  study  art  on  the 

Continent,  112 
Cream  separator,  centrifugal,  332 
Cregan,  Martin,  artist,   119,  120,  and 

Crimea,  climate,  &c. ,  paper  on,  365 
Crofton,  Morgan,  115,  152,  255,  381 
Crofts,   Wills,  premium  for  manuring 

with  lime,  66 
Cromwell's  Excursions  in  Ireland,  119 
Crooked     Staff  (now    Ardee     Street), 

Dublin,  62  and,  n. 
Crosbie,  Lancelot,  premium  for  cider, 68 
Crosbie,  Richard,  aeronaut,  235  n. 
Crosbie,  Sir  Paul,  235  n. 
Crouset,  Anthony,  loan  for  cultivation 

of  mulberry  trees,  84 
Crowley,  Henry  :   Taylor  prize,  135 
Crustacea,    papers   on,    by   Dr.    J.    R. 

Kinahan,  365 
Cuming,    William,   122;    portrait   by, 

purchased,  118 
Cunningham,  Professor  D.  J.,  373,  382, 

384 
Cunningham,   Patrick,    sculptor,  109, 

no,  in,  113 
Cyclostigma,  paper  on,  366 

Dairy  Farmers'  Association  (British), 

33i 

Dairy   industries,   efforts    to    improve,    ; 

33i 
Dairy  methods,  change  in,  332  ;  travel- 
ling educational  dairy,  331-2  ;  centri- 
fugal cream  separator,  332 
Dairy  produce,  co-operation  in,  333 
Dairy   produce,  foreign :     committee's 

recommendations  as  to  (1816),  235 
Dairy  school  at  Glasnevin,  332 
Dairy  school  (Munster)  at  Cork,  332 


Dairy  shows,  331 

Dally,  Edward,  premium  for  planting 

cider  trees,  65 
Dally,  Michael,  Hon.  Sec,  218,  383 
D'Alton,  John,  252 

Daly,  John,  premium  for  dyeing  cloth,  62 
Damask  linen,  premiums  for,  57,  64 
Darner,  John,  offers  prizes  for  spruce 

and  deal  cones,  62 
Danish  forts  and  raths,  premiums  for 

planting  trees  in,  73-4 
Da  Ponte  family,  121  n2 
Dargan,  Wm,,  280,  281,  282,  283 
Darley,    Frederick,    architect   of    con- 
servatories, Glasnevin,  196,  279 
Darley,  John,  gold  medal  for  ditching, 

I4S 

Dartis,  William,  medal  for  ornament 
drawing,  114 

Dartrey,  Lord,  146 

Daubeny,  Dr.,  286 

Daubussarques,  Col.  Jacques,  79 

Daubussarques,  Madeleine,  79 

Davies,  David,  premium  for  velvet,  62 

Davis,  Denis,  premium  for  improving 
ploughs,  58 

Davis,  Thomas  Osborne,  Hogan's 
statue  of,  128 

Davit  and  O'Cannon,  premium  for  de- 
stroying seals  on  north-west  coast,  71 

Davy,  Edmund,  professor,  of  chem- 
istry, 245,  358  ;  reports  to  the 
Society  on  work  done,  358-9  ;  ex- 
amination of  bog  butter,  358  ;  of 
bituminous  coal,  358 ;  investigation 
of  Irish  soap  manufacture,  358  ;  con- 
tributions to  the  Evening  Scientific 
Meetings,  254,  269,  360-2  passim; 
determines  the  composition  of  acety- 
lene gas,  360;  on  a  simple  method 
of  detecting  arsenic,  365  ;  Memoir 
of,  contributed  to  the  Journal,  365 ; 
mentioned,  268,  277,  325,  340 

Davy,  Dr.  Edmund  W. ,  papers  contri- 
buted to  the  Evening  Scientific 
Meetings,  362 ;  paper  on  Ferro-cya- 
nide  of  potassium,  366;  paper  on 
Flax,  contributed  to  the  Journal,  367 

Davy,  Sir  Humphry,  lectures  on  chem- 
istry, 161,  259;  becomes  honorary 
member  of  the  Society,  230 ;  men- 
tioned, 359 

Davy,  Sir  Thomas,  and  Son,  326 

Dawson,  Thomas,  an  English  farmer, 
instructs  in  agriculture,  91-2 

Deal,  red,  premium  offered  for  cones 
of,  62 

Deane,  J.  C. ,  on  Irish  fisheries,  361 

Deane,  Sir  Robert,  Bt.,  8q,  86,  381 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      435 


Deane,  Sir  Thcmas,  and  Son,  326 

De  Blaquiere,  Baron,  151-2 

de  Floretti,  Chevalier  :  honorary  mem- 
ber, 230 

de  Glatigny,  Mrs.  Eliza,  premium  for 
lace,  67 

de  Gree,  Peter,  117  and  n.  ;  his  em- 
blematical painting  for  Hawkins  St, 
house  (1788),  still  in  Society's  posses- 
sion, 92,  423 

de  Grey,  Thomas  P. ,  Earl,  132,  133,  380 

Delamain,  Henry,  premium  for  earthen- 
ware, 68 

de  Lacy,  Sylvester,  245 

Delany,  Patrick  (Dean  of  Down),  28-9, 
188 

Delany,  Mrs.,  formerly  Pendarves  and 
Granville,  29,  85  ;  Correspondence  of, 
cited,  n,  29,  66  n.2,  143 

Delville,  Glasnevin,  188 

Denny,  Lady  Arabella,  142,  143,  199, 
204 

Denny,  Arthur,  143 

Dent,  E.  J. ,  Mozart's  Operas,  cited,  167 

Department  of  Agriculture  and  Techni- 
cal Instruction  for  Ireland,  316-17, 
372 

Derry,  Bishop  of,  89,  146 

de  Salis,  Count,  first  member  formally 
introduced,  228 

De  Saussure,  work  on  agricultural 
chemistry,  cited,  359 

Desbrisay,  Captain  Theophile,  79 

Design,  School  of.   See  School 

Devon,  Earl  of :  paper  on  the  social  con- 
dition of  the  people  of  Ireland,  364 

Dick,  Professor,  346 

Dillon,  Arthur  Richard  (Archbishop  of 
Narbonne),  147 

Dillon,  Lord,  premium  for  planting 
and  enclosing,  74 

Dimity,  corded  :  premiums  for,  72 

Ditching,  premiums  and  awards  for, 
145,  406-7 

Dixon,  H.  H.,  370 

Dixon,  John,  premium  for  drawing,  no 

Dixon,  W.  Macneile,  his  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  cited,  142  n.1 

Dobbs,  Arthur,  6,  8,  21,  38,  43;  essay 
on  Trade  and  imports  of  Ireland, 
cited,  4,  8 

Dodder,  sheet  lead  and  copper  mills 
on  the,  73 

Dodsley,  Robert,  his  Preceptor,  used 
in  the  drawing  schools,  112 

D'Olier,  Isaac  M.,  177,  267 

D'Olier,  Jeremiah,  104,  228,  383 

Domestic  consumption,  articles  of: 
premiums  for,  63 


Domvile,  Rev.  Benjamin,  145  and  n.1 
Domvile,  Sir  Compton,  145  n.1 
Donegal,    a    paper     on     the    mineral 

localities  of,  367 
Donoughmore,  Baroness,  143 
Donoughmore,  Lord,  143,  175 
Dorset,  Duke  of,  (Lionel  C.  Sackville), 

8,  13.  379 

Dowling,  John,  366 

Downes,  Bishop,  188 

Downes,  Lord,  230,  231 

Downes,  Robert,  80,  385 

Down  Survey — barony  maps,  148 

Downshire,   Arthur,   Marquis  of,   247, 
248,  344,  382 
1    Drawing,  premiums  for,  64,  108-9,  no, 
in,  114-15,  119,  416 

Drawing  schools,  the  :  probable  period 
of  opening,  108  ;  the  competitions 
for  the  Madden  premiums,  108-9, 
no,  in,  114,  115;  distinguished 
artists  adjudicating  in  the  competi- 
tions, no,  114;  Mr.  Robert  West's 
academy  taken  over,  109  ;  instruction 
in  drawing  given  at  the  academy  in 
Shaw's  Court,  110-11  ;  progress  in 
the  art  of  drawing  in  Dublin  due  to 
encouragement  by  the  Society,  110- 
iii,  133;  agreements  with  models, 
in  ;  the  masters,  111-12  ;  collection 
of  statues  and  busts  in,  in,  112,  117  ; 
the  Recollections  of  John  O'Keefe, 
112  ;  the  student's  text-book,  112  ; 
Joseph  Fenn's  plan  of  instructions 
for,  112  ;  encouragements  to  pupils, 
112-13, 115,  116, 119-20 ;  the  Grafton 
Street  premises,  113  ;  question  of  con- 
tinuance of  the  school  for  figure  draw- 
ing, 113-14  ;  the  superintending  com- 
mittee, 115;  progress  of  the  schools, 
115-17;  removal  to  Poolbeg  Street, 
117;  the  Living  academy,  117-18, 
125  ;  purchase  of  works  of  art  for,  117, 
118, 129  ;  the  new  premises  in  Poolbeg 
Street,  121,  124;  report  and  recom- 
mendations of  the  committee  of  fine 
arts  (1809)  on,  122  etseq.  ;  resolutions 
referred  to  the  Committee  of  Fine 
Arts  (Nov.  1813).  .  .  124-5;  number 
of  pupils  receiving  instruction  during 
1813-1819  .  .  .  126;  the  benefits  of 
the  schools  in  training  boys  and  girls, 
126-7, 130  ;  money  voted  for  erecting 
schools  (1823)  .  .  .  128  ;  exhibition 
of  pupils' drawings,  130-1  ;  a  list  of 
noted  artists  who  had  received  in- 
struction in  the  Society's  schools, 
130-2  ;  the  annual  distribution  of 
prizes  and  address,   132-3  ;  consoli- 


436 


A   HISTORY   OF 


dation  of  the  drawing  and  modelling 
schools  as  the  Government  school  of 
design,   134;    free   admission    until 
1849  •  ■  •  I35  !  fees  first  paid,  135  ; 
Society's  control  over  drawing  schools 
ceases  in  1878  .  .  .  135;  mentioned, 
152,  158,  247 
Drogheda,  Lady,  199 
Dromore,  Bishop  of,  46 
Drummond,  Thomas,  Hogan's  statue 

of,  128 
Drury  [P.]  (artist),  no 
Drury,  Susanna,  57,  424 
Dublin  City — 
Anne's  Coffee  House,  21 
Antrim,  Lord,  his  house  in  1761,  89 
Ballsbridge.     See  under  B. 
"  Black  Horse,"  Plunket  St.,  61 
Blue  Coat  Hospital,  in,  118 
"  Brow  of  the  Hill,"  Sycamore  Alley, 

62 
Christ      Church      Cathedral.        See 

under  C. 
Coote  St. ,  100 
Crooked  Staff  (now  Ardee  St.),  62 

and  n. 
"  Crown  and  Glove,"  George's  Lane, 

62 
Crow's  Nest,  Crow  St.,  3  and  n. 
Custom  House  Coffee  House,  62 
Dyers'  Company,  199 
Foundling  Hospital,  138  and  n.,  143 
Hibernian  Marine  School,  118 
"  Horse  Shoe,"  Thomas  St.,  62 
Lazers'  Hill,  65,  66  n. 
Lying-in  Hospital,  79 
Magdalen  Asylum,  Leeson  St.,  143 
Merchants'  Guild,  95 
Molesworth    (formerly    Mynchens') 

fields,  98 
Molesworth  Street,  101 
Newcomen  House,  112  n.,  2t8  n. 
Newcomen's  Bank,  218  u. 
Phoenix  Park,  21,  38 
Pleasants'  Asylum,  237 
Shearmen,  Company  of,  199 
Swift's  Hospital,  46  n. 
Tallow  Chandlers,    &c. ,    Company, 

Theatre  Royal,  96,  97 
Tolka  River,  192 
Trinity  College,  78,  95,  254 
Tyrone  House,  78 
University  of  Dublin,  187 
Weavers'  Company,  198 
Wide  Street  Commissioners,  94,  95 
Zoological  Gardens,  270 
Dublin      County,     statistical     survey, 
154  n.,  183-4 


Dublin  Evening  Mail,  250 

Dublin  Evening  Post,  222 

Dublin  Exhibition  and  Winter  Garden 
Company,  318 

Dublin  Horse  Show,  349  et  sea.  ;  jump- 
ing competitions,  351  ;  general 
arrangements,  351  ;  the  judging  ring, 
351  ;  financial  results,  351-2  ;  entries 
and  attendance,  352-3  ;  early  experi- 
ence at  Ballsbridge  premises,  352  ; 
sale  of  horses  by  auction  at,  353 

Dublin  industries,  exhibition  of,  at 
Paris  Exhibition  1855  •  •   •   32° 

Dublin  Journal,  Q.2.1 

Dublin  Journal  of  Medical  Science ,  255, 
278 

Dublin  News  Letter,  the,  34 

Dublin  Philosophical  Society,  precursor 
of  the  Dublin  Society,  2-4  ;  Trans- 
actions of  the,  3 

Dublin,  premium  for  plans  of  public 
buildings  in,  152 

Dublin  Science  and  Art  Museum  Act, 

293.  295'  301 
Dublin  Society,  the  connection  of,  with 
earlier  associations,  2-4  ;  foundation 
of,  6  ;  title  and  object  of,  6,  7,  10,  35, 
90 ;  minutes  of  first  meeting,  6 ; 
strong  clerical  element  among  earlier 
members,  10-n,  31;  the  account  of 
the  design  and  method  of  proceeding, 
12  ;  characteristics  of  the  Society's 
methods,  12,  23 ;  appreciation  of 
Dutch  methods  by,  13,  31  ;  consti- 
tution of  the  Society,  14  et  sea. ,  249, 
275,  276,  304-5;  election  of  officers, 
13,  17-18,  21,  80;  progress  and  work 
of  the  Society,  18  et  sea.,  49-51; 
subjects  assigned  to  members,  20,  44  ; 
application  for  a  Royal  Charter  con- 
sidered, 20;  formation  of  an  agri- 
cultural museum  by,  22  ;  first  appear- 
ance of,  in  the  public  press,  23  ;  list 
of  the  members  in  1733  ...  24  etseq.  ; 
the  loan  and  bounties  system,  32,  141  ; 
the  "  Weekly  Observations  "  :  papers 
on  useful  subjects  issued  by  the 
Society,  34  et  seq.  ;  observations  on 
Husbandry,  34,  35 ;  papers  on  im- 
ported commodities,  36,  51 ;  and  the 
non-use  of  the  natural  advantages  of 
Ireland,  36;  subscriptions  andarrears: 
rules  for  the  better  regulation  of  the 
Society,  43-4,  83-4  ;  appointment  oi 
new  committees,  44;  the  Society 
placed  on  the  Civil  Establishment  of 
Ireland,  47-8 ;  engagement  of  an 
itinerant  husbandman,  50  ;  interest  in 
the  question  of  employment  for  the 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      437 


people,  51 ;  inauguration  of  the 
system  of  premiums,  52  et  seq.  ;  Dr. 
Madden's  Letter  to  the  Dublin  Society 
on  the  improving  their  fund,  53  ;  re- 
semblance of  Society's  work  to  that  of 
the  present-day  Congested  Districts' 
Board,  71  ;  the  Royal  Charter,  20,  53, 
75-6,  84, 106,  304,  309  ;  meeting  places 
of  the  Society,  12,  88  et  seq.  [and  see 
under  names  of  places,  houses,  &C.)  ; 
meeting  place  :  extraordinary  meet- 
ings, 21  ;  experiments  in  agriculture 
by,  136  et  seq.  ;  impression  made  by 
the  Society's  methods,  141  ;  the  anti- 
quarian committee,  146-7;  period  of 
transition  in,  159;  abandonment  of 
the  premium  system,  159  ;  connection 
with  the  silk  and  woollen  industries, 
ig8etseq.;  finances  of  the  Society,  209 
et  seq.  ;  survey  of  the  general  work 
of,  during  the  late  eighteenth  and 
early  nineteenth  centuries,  217  et  seq.  ; 
widespread  influence  of,  217  ;  as  pro- 
totype of  societies  for  the  diffusion  of 
knowledge,  222 ;  summary  of  the 
Society's  activities  from  its  founda- 
tion, 240  et  seq.  ;  assumes  title  of  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society,  241 ;  relief  of 
distress  in  Ireland  by,  in  1822  .  . .  243  ; 
House  of  Commons  Committee's  re- 
port on  the  estimates  of,  246-7 ; 
points  in  issue  with  the  Government : 
a  deputation  to  confer  as  to  modifica- 
tions in  theconstitutionof  the  Society, 
249-50,  251 ;  the  Lord  Lieutenant's 
proposals,  249-50  ;  Select  Committee 
of  the  House  of  Commons  :  inquiry 
into  the  administration  of  the  Society, 
250,  252,  258  et  seq.,  273,  325,  344; 
resolutions  of  the  committee,  260  et 
seq.  ;  attitude  of  the  Society,  264-6 ; 
the  new  by-laws,  267  ;  management 
confided  to  a  Council,  267-8,  276; 
differences  with  Government  as  to 
Select  Committee's  recommenda- 
tions, 273  et  seq.  ;  amended  by-laws, 
276 ;  superintendence  of  the  educa- 
tional staff  transferred,  283-4  ;  the 
supplementary  charter,  289 ;  the 
"Memorandum  of  Provisions,"  292 
et  seq.  ;  the  Second  Supplemental 
Charter  and  Statutes,  304  ;  action  to 
secure  freedom  from  Government  con- 
trol, 316-17;  as  the  Agricultural 
Society  of  Ireland,  321  ;  view  as  to 
co-operative  trading,  333  ;  resump- 
tion of  agricultural  work  by,  344 
See  also  references  under  names  of 
Subjects 


Dublin      University    Magazine,     167, 

178  n.2,  270 
Duchess    of    Leinster,    ship    built     at 

Kingstown,  277 
Dudley,  Earl  of,  320 
Duffin,  Mr.,  his  mill,  &c.  at  Glasnevin, 

purchased,  191 
Dun,   Thomas,   premium    for    dyeing 

cloth,  62 
Duncannon,  Lord,  procures  casts,  &c, 

for  drawing  school,  in 
Dutch    methods    in    agriculture,    hus- 
bandry,   &c,    Society's  appreciation 

of,  13,  31 
Dutch  works  translated  for  the  Society, 

174-5 
Dutton,  Hely,  Observations  on  Survey 

co.  Dublin,  183,  184 
Dyeing,    12,     13    n.1,    22,    204,    359 1 

premiums  for,  62 
Dyers  of  Dublin,  the,  address  of  thanks 

to  the  Society,  199 
Dyton's  Gazette,  141 

Ealy,  Samuel,  premium  for  hops,  58 
Earthenware,  premium  for,  68 
Earthquake,  submarine,  paper  on,  367 
Eblana   Depicta,  by    Pool   and   Cash, 

i52 

Eccles,  Sir  John,  186 

Economic  Proceedings  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society,  370 

Edgeworth,  Maria,  229 

Edgevvorth,  Richard  Lovell,  his  inven- 
tion as  to  wheeled  carriages,  229-30 

Edinburgh,  Duke  of,  290,  352-3 

Education  (Elementary).  See  Exami- 
nations 

Edwards,  Benjamin,  premium  for  glass 
manufacture,  74 

Elgin  marbles,  casts  from,  127;  cast 
room,  237 

Elk,  fossil,  from  Limerick,  presented, 

245  .  ... 

Elkington,  Mr. ,  instruction  in  the  art 

of  draining  land  by,  93-4 
Ellis,  Dr.  George:  paper,  On  emigra- 
tion as  affecting  the  West  of  Ireland, 

364 
Ellis,  Welbore  (Bishop  of  Meath),  n 
Ellis,  William,  The  Country  Gentleman 

and  Shepherd's  Sure  Guide,  51 
Elrington,  Rev.  Charles,  221,  230,  232 
Elrington,  Thomas  (Bishop  of  Ferns), 

232 
Embroidery,  premium  for,  62;  section 

for,  added  to  exhibition,  320 
Emigration  (West  of   Ireland),   paper 

on,  364 


438 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Employers  and  Labourers  (Mr.  Ber- 
mingham's  proposal  on  relations  be- 
tween), 89 

Employment  for  the  people :  Society's 
interest  in,  51,  63,  64 

Enamelled  watchplates,  a  prize  for,  6.15 

Encyclopddie,  the,  purchased  for  the 
library,  173 

"  English  tongue,"  care  of,  recom- 
mended to  the  Society  by  Bishop  of 
Down,  42 

Engraved  print,  premium  offered  for, 

417 

Ennis,  Jacob,  113,  130,  131 

Ensor,  George,  premium  for  plan  of 
small  houses,  63 

Escritoire,  1753,  now  in  the  Society's 
possession,  89 

Esterhazy,  Prince  Nicholas,  230 

Esterhazy,  Prince  Paul,  230 

Esterhazy,  Count  Joseph,  230  (honorary 
members) 

Estimates  and  expenditure  of  the 
D.S.  :  recommendations  of  House  of 
Commons  Committee  on,  246,  262 

Etruscan  vases,  collection  of,  be- 
queathed to  the  Society,  245 

Eustace,  Clotilda,  189 

Eustace,  Sir  Maurice  (of  Harristown), 
189 

Evelyn  [John],  cited,  1 

Evening  Scientific  Meetings,  the,  254, 
269,  360  et  seq.  ;  minutes  of,  contained 
in  the  Society's  Proceedings,  1836-9, 
360;  reports  of,  1848-55,  362 

Examinations  in  elementary  education, 
established,  287 

Exhibition,  the  Great  Industrial,  1853, 
in  connection  with  R.D.S. ,  281  et 
seq.;  H. M.  Queen  Victoria  visits  it, 
282 

Exhibition  of  art  industries,  317,  320 ; 
Hall,  320.     See  Industrial 

Exhibition  of  fine  arts  and  art  manu- 
factures, 317 

Exhibition  of  Irish  artists,  1801,  118, 
125 

Exhibitions  of  manufactures,  246,  253, 
271,  280,  317  et  seq.,  365 

Experimental  Philosophy,  lectures  in, 
160 

Experiments,  rules  as  to,  15 

Exshaw,  Alderman,  228 

Factory  of  the  Society  in  Poolbeg 
Street,  91,  92,  93  ;  object  of  the  insti- 
tution, 93;  sale  of  implements  of 
husbandry  at,  93 

Fagan,  James,  277 


Fairfield,  Chas.  G.,  282 

Falkiner,  C.  Litton,  Essays  Relating  to 

Ireland,  cited,  80 
Farm  prizes,  324 

Farm  produce  exhibition,  277,  346,  349 
Farmer's     Monthly     Calendar,     prize 

offered  for  a,  69,  396 
Farmhouses,  premiums  for  plans,  &c. , 

254 

farming:  Dublin  Society's  scheme  to 
improve,  by  itinerant  instruction  and 
example  holdings,  322,  323;  prize 
holdings  at  Swinford,  co.  Mayo,  322  ; 
during  period  following  the  Irish 
Land  Act,  324 

Farming  Association.   See  Co-operative 

Farming  Societies,  222 ;  number  of,  in 
receipt  of  grants  from  the  Dublin 
Society,  298  ;  beneficial  effects  of  the 
Society's  efforts  for,  298 ;  General 
Farming  Society,  1800-28  .  .  .  222-3 

Farming  Society,  the,  159,  222-3,  234> 
247  ;  cattle  shows  held  by,  344  ;  care 
in  awarding  the  prizes,  344  ;  received 
a  subsidy  from  the  Dublin  Society, 
344.  See  Antrim,  Clare,  Fermanagh, 
Kerry,  Kildare,  Louth,  Mayo,  Ros- 
common 

Farms,  premium  for  essay  on  consoli- 
dation of,  252 

Farren,  Wm.,  177 

Faulkner,  George  ( ' '  Peter  Paragraph  ") , 
printer,  83;  his  bust  of  Dean  Swift 
presented  to  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral, 
83  ;  mentioned,  22  n.1,  29,  51 

Faulkner's  Dublin  Journal,  34,  80,  92, 
113,  136,  141 

Feinagle.     See  Von  Feinagle 

Fellows,  by-laws  providing  for  election 
of,  proposed,  308,  310 

Felt  hats,  premiums  for,  414 

Fenn,  Joseph,  Instructions  given  in  the 
Drawing  School,  D.S.,  &C,  112 

Ferguson,  Mr.,  designs  glasshouses  at 
Glasnevin,  196 

Fermanagh  Farming  Society,  222 

Finances  of  the  Society,  209  et  seq.  ; 
grants  of  public  money  to,  209,  211, 
213  ;  Commissioners  of  Imprest  Ac- 
counts requisition  for  particulars, 
209-10  ;  Committee  of  Inquiry  into 
state  of  Society's  funds,  210  ;  petition 
to  Parliament  for  assistance,  211; 
financial  responsibilities  in  1803,  212; 
annual  expenses  in  1803,  212; 
financial  position  after  the  acqusition 
of  Leinster  House,  213;  reduction 
in  the  grant  of  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment,   213 ;    estimates    for    1832-3, 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


439 


213-4;    House   of    Commons    com- 
mittee's recommendations  on  Society's 
estimates  and  funds,  246,  262.     And 
see  under  Parliamentary  grants 
Fine  Arts,  the,  premiums  for, '41 5 
Fine  Arts  Exhibition,  288,  317 
Fingal,  steam  yacht  used  in  the  fishing 

survey,  335,  336 
Finlayson,  Rev.  John,  Inscriptions  in 

Christ  Church  Cathedral,  cited,  81 
Fire  clay,  premiums  for,  420 
Fish  :   premiums  for  catching,   curing, 
and  exporting,  64,  66,  70,  394  et  sea., 
418-19 ;  letter   as   to  crimping   cod, 
&c,  59 
Fisher,  Jonathan,  artist,  113,  122 
Fisheries,  French  works  on,  translated, 

71 

Fisheries  (Irish),  as  an  industrial  re- 
source, paper  on,  361  ;  and  allied 
industries,  362  ;  a  paper  on  the  cod 
and  ling  fisheries  of  Ireland,  366  ;  on 
the  salmon  and  other  fisheries,  367  ; 
on  sea  coast  fisheries,  368  ;  a  paper 
on  the  destruction  of,  by  trawling, 
23 ;  articles  on,  published  in  the 
Transactions,  359  ;  necessity  for  sur- 
veys, harbours,  &c. ,  243 

Fisheries  :  Society's  efforts  to  promote 
the  fishing  industry,  243,  333  et  sea.  ; 
survey  of  the  fishing  grounds,  334-5, 
370  ;  report  on  the  west  coast  fisheries, 
336 ;  investigation  of  the  life  history 
of  food  fishes,  336-7.  See  also  under 
Fish,  Flounder,  and  Sea  Fisheries 

Fisheries,  treatise  on,  1738  ...  23 

Fisheries  and  Fishery  Laws,  committee 
to  consider,  71 

Fishing  industry,  earliest  notice  of  the 
Society's  interest  in,  1733  ...  22 

FitzGerald,    Geo.    Francis,    secretary, 

3°9.  310 

Fitzgerald,  Lord  Edward,  100 

Fitzgerald,  George,  bounty  for  land 
surveying  instrument,  221 

Fitzwilliam,  Lord,  106,  118 

Flax:  culture  of,  18,  23,  24,37;  pre- 
miums for,  56 

Flax  dressing,  32 ;  premiums  for,  57  ; 
articles  on,  37 

Flax,  on  the  cultivation  of,  a  paper  by 
E.  W.  Davy,  367 

Flax  plant,  papers  by  Sir  Robert  Kane, 
on, 361-2 

Flax  seed,  premiums  for,  56 

Flora  Danica,  purchased  for  the  Lib- 
rary, 173  and  n. 

Flora  Rustica  Hibernica,  projected  by 
the  Society,  191 


Flounder  fishery,  premium  for  promo- 
tion of,  394 

Flynn,  John,  premium  for  catching 
fish,  66 

Fodder  crops,  experiments  on  cultiva- 
tion of,  357 

Foley,  John  Henry  (sculptor),  133, 
279;  original  cast  of  his  "Youth  at 
the  Stream,"  presented,  133 

Folkes,  Martin,  46 

Fombally,  Mr.,  premium  for  buff,  64 
and  n. 

Food,  cooked,  comparative  nutritive 
and  pecuniary  values  of,  a  paper  on, 
361 

Foot,  Lundy  Edward,  Hon.  Sec.  and 
V.-P. ,  133,  272,  279,  280,  282,  285, 
287,  382,  383  ;  memoir  of  Isaac  Weld 

by.  365 

Foot,  Simon,  267 

Foote,  Samuel,  cited,  83 

Ford,  Mr.,  115,  204 

Forester,  James,  premium  for  drawing, 
no 

Forts.     See  Danish 

Fossiliferous  caves  of  Malta,  paper  on, 
366 

Fossils,  Arctic,  papers  on,  363,  366; 
remains,  discovery  of,  paper  on,  366 

Foster,  Anthony,  Chief  Baron,  84,  85 

Foster,  John  Leslie,  Baron  of  the  Ex- 
chequer, 104,  254,  269,  381,  383 

Foster,  Rt.  Hon.  John  (Lord  Oriel), 
225-6;  portraits  of,  120,  131,  225, 
226;  mentioned,  85,  91,  120,  190, 
222,  340,  381 

Fox,  Richard,  177 

Frankfort  de  Montmorency,  Lord,  106, 
141  n.%,  228,  381.  See  also  Morres, 
Lodge 

Franklin,  Lady,  281 

Franklin,  Sir  John,  254,  281,  287  ; 
McClintock's  reminiscences  of  travel 
in  search  of,  365 

Fraser's  book  on  Fisheries,  243 

Freeman's  Journal,  28 

Freemasonry  in  Vienna,  164 

French  Revolution  and  French  litera- 
ture, numerous  works  on,  in  Joly 
collection,  179 

French,  Humphry,  account  of,  25,  29- 

30 

French,  Robert,  gold  medal  for  re- 
claiming bog,  145  and  n.2 

Friendly  Brothers  of  St.  Patrick  erect 
statue  of  Lord  Blakeney,  50 

Fruit  trees  raised  in  nurseries,  pre- 
miums for,  58 

Fry,  William,  285 


44° 


A   HISTORY    OF 


Fuller,  Joseph,  premium  for  reclaiming 

bog,  61 
Fuller's  earth,    pits   discovered,   154; 

premiums  for,  420 
Fustians,  production  of :  premiums  for, 

57.  59.  64,  72 

Gaelic  Society,  the,  cited,  175  n. 

Gages,  Alphonse,  363 

Gallagher,  John,  sculptor,  128,  129, 
and  n. 

Gandon,  James,  architect,  231,  232-3; 
mentioned,  105,  122,  124 

Gaol,  county,  prize  for  plan  of  a,  144-5 

Gardeners,  school  for,  193 

Garnett,  George,  345 

Garstin,  J.  Ribton,  on  Maces,  Swords, 
and  other  hisignia,  cited,  288 

Geale,  Alderman  Benjamin,  198 

General  Farming  Society.  See  Farm- 
ing Society 

General  Meeting  of  the  Society,  resolu- 
tion as  to,  261 

Gent,  Mr.  (Kilkenny),  premium  for 
fining  flax,  57 

Gentleman  s  Magazine,  The,  quoted, 
90 

Geoghegan,  Samuel,  328,  329 

Geoghegan,  William  Purser,  329 

Geological  map  of  Ireland  (Griffith's), 
169 

George  II,  King,  84;  statue  of,  on  St. 
Stephen's  Green,  proposed  removal 
to  Leinster  Lawn,  106 

George  III,  King,  address  to,  on  his 
accession,  84 

George  IV,  King,  becomes  Patron  of 
the  Society,  241  ;  visit  to  Ireland  and 
to  Leinster  House,  241-2  ;  statues  of, 
126,  242,  424 

German  works  translated  for  the  Society, 

175 

Giant's  Causeway,  the,  7,  43  ;  speci- 
mens from,  for  the  Society,  155; 
paintings  (S.  Drury)  and  engravings 
of,  57,  424 
Gibal,  Mr. ,  premium  for  buff,  64 
Giesecke,  Charles  Lewis  (Karl  Ludwig 
Metzler),  163  et  sea .;  friend  of  Goethe 
and  the  supposed  original  of  Wilhelm 
Meister,  164;  associated  with  Mozart, 
164 ;  study  of  mineralogy  by,  164  ; 
elected  professor  of  mineralogy  in 
the  Dublin  Society,  163,  165  ;  travels 
in  Greenland,  165  ;  reports  of  minera- 
logical  excursions  by,  166,  358  ;  cata- 
logue of  minerals  collected  by,  in 
the  Arctic  regions,  366 ;  manuscript 
volumes   on    mineralogy,    180;    pre- 


sented with  gold  medal,  165  ;  death 
of,   166 ;    tablet    to  the   memory   of, 
167;  his  portrait  by  Raeburn,   167; 
the  autograph  albums  of,  167  ;  bio- 
graphical notes  on,  167  ;  mentioned, 
157,  180,  271 
Gieseckite,  165  and  n. 
Giffard,  Henri,  dirigible  balloon  of,  363 
Gifford,     Rev.     R.     N.,    premium    for 

planting  trees,  68 
Gilbert,  Sir  John,  History  of  Dublin, 
cited,  3,  83,  100,  126,  147,  235  n.1; 
quoted,  199 
Gilborne,  John,  85 

Gladwell,  Thomas,  premium  for  ale,  62 
Glasnevin,  Albert  Institution,  340 
Glasnevin,  Society's  Botanic  Garden  at, 

187  el  seq. 
Glasnevin,  turnpike  gates  removed,  192 
Glasnevin  watermill,  191  and  n.,  192. 

See  Botanic  Garden 
Glass  gilding,  bounty  for,  218 
Glass  manufacture,  premiums  for,  74 
Glassware,  premiums  for,  65,  66 
Glass  (window)  manufacture,  244 
Gloves,  premiums  for  manufacture  of, 

4*3 

Goethe's  Faust,  first  rendering  of,  into 
English  verse,  178 

Goethe's  Wilhelm  Meister,  164 

Gold  mines  of  Wicklow,  359 

Goldberg,  Citizen  :  honorary  member, 
230 

Gore,  Sir  Arthur  (afterwards  Earl  of 
Arran),  80,  380 

Gorges,  Mr.,  163 

Grafton  Street  house,  premises  of  the 
Society  (1767-1796),  89-94,  Il3>  de- 
scription of,  90-1  ;  chimney-pieces 
in,  90,  94 

Graham,  Henry,  122 

Graham,  William,  art  student,  114; 
grant  for  his  maintenance,  114 

Graham's  Dyke  (Scotland),  a  paper  on 
Roman  inscriptions  found  in,  21 

Grahl,  John,  bounty  for  gilding  cut 
glass,  218 

Grand  Canal  Company's  ground  at 
Glasnevin  purchased,  191 

Grandison,  John,  Earl  of,  80,  380 

Grant,  Right  Hon.  William,  241 

Granville,  Mary.     See  Delany,  Mrs. 

Grass,  premiums  for,  63 

Gratton,  George  (artist),  works  of,  pur- 
chased, 119,  124 

Graves,  Rev.  Robert  P.,  Memoir  of  Sir 
W.  R.  Hamilton,  256 

Grayson,  Anthony,  premium  for  velvet 
and  silk,  68 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      44 1 


Green,  Charles,  337 

Green,  Rev.  William  Spotswood,  re- 
ports on  fishery  problems  and  survey, 
334,  335,  336  ;  appointed  inspector  of 
Irish  fisheries,  335 

Greene,  Arthur,  (Ennis),  bounty  voted 
towards  dyeing,  &c. ,  204 

Greene,  F.  W.,  155 

Greenland,  paper  on  miocene  flora  of, 

367  . 

Gregg,  Thomas,  premium  for  herrings, 
70 

Gregory,  Mr.  (of  Coole),  159 

Gresham  College,  London  (Philoso- 
phical Society),  cited,  1 

Grierson,  George,  224 

Griffith,  Sir  John  Purser,  378 

Griffith,  Sir  Richard  John,  mining 
engineer,  sketch  of  his  career,  169  ; 
his  duties,  169,  382 ;  mineralogical 
survey,  159,  162-3,  168,  358 ; 
geological  map  of  Ireland,  163,  168, 
169 ;  bust  in  Leinster  House,  169  ; 
mentioned,  224,  228,  258,  259,  283, 
284,  357 

Grubb,  Sir  Howard,  awarded  the  Boyle 
Medal,  377  ;  contributions  to  science, 
377;  mentioned,  327,  382,  384 

Grubb,  Thomas,  269,  271,  361,  366 

Guild  of  Merchants,  Dublin,  95 

Guinness,  Sir  Arthur  Edward,  287,  292, 
302.     See  Ardilaun,  Lord 

Guinness,  Benjamin  Lee,  junior,  287 

Guinness,  Sir  Benjamin  Lee,  Bart,, 
231.  283 

Guinness,  Samuel,  176,  228 

Guinness,  William,  premium  for  geo- 
metry, art  school,  115 

Gumley,  Patrick,  award  to,  for  fishing, 
69-70 

Gumley,  William,  medal  for  ornament 
drawing,  114 

Gun-cotton,  paper  on,  362 

Gunne,  Richard,  18 

Haddock    fishery,  premiums  offered 

for,  395 
Haddon,  Professor  A.  C. ,  335 
Haliday,  Charles,  255,  256 ;  collection 

of  pamphlets  presented  to  the  Royal 

Irish  Academy,  256 
Haliday  Pamphlets,  cited,  ix,  5,  n,  21 

n.\  22  nnA  and3,  24  n.1,  53  and  n., 

67,76^.3,  137,  139,  142,  144,  156  «.2, 

184,  203,  204  n.,  224  n. 
Hamilton,  C.  W. ,  258,  259;  paper  on 

the  condition  of  the  Irish  agricultural 

labourer,  366 
Hamilton,  Colonel,  174 


Hamilton,  G.  A.,  284,  382 
Hamilton,  Harriet,  artist,  158 
Hamilton,  Henry,  presents  a  mould  of 
the    Apollo    Belvedere,    128 ;    men- 
tioned, 176 

Hamilton,  Hon.  Baron,  premium  for 
cottons,  velvet,  &c. ,  72,  153 

Hamilton,  Hugh  Douglas,  artist,  114, 
122,  130,  131,  158,  225 

Hamilton,  James,  invents  a  method  of 
sea  fishing,  69 

Hamilton,  Lord  George,  302 

Hamilton,  Sir  William  Rowan,  251, 
255.  256,  274 

Hamill,  Hugh,  177 

Hancock,  Neilson,  287 

Hand,  Richard,  bounty  for  gilding 
glass,  220 

Handcock,  Hon.  George,  282,  382,  384 

Handcock,  Rev.  Dr.,  229 

Harcourt,  Earl,  151,  379 

Hardman,  Mr.,  paper  on  coal  mining 
in  Tyrone,  368 

Hardwicke,  Philip,  Earl  of,  President, 
224,  379 

Harlequin,  s.s.,  335 

Harrington,  William,  Earl  of,  80,  379 

Harris,  Henry,  lessee  Theatre  Royal, 
Dublin,  takes  over  Society's  pre- 
mises in  Hawkins  Street,  96 

Harris,  Walter,  46  ;  collection  of  MSS. 
purchased,  172-3  ;  MSS.  described, 
172 ;  his  MS.  Life  of  Sir  Richard 
Cox,  180 

Harrison,  Dr.,  279,  280,  285,  383 

Hart,  Surgeon  John,  245 

Hartley,  Travers,  198 

Hartwell,  William,  silver  medal  and 
premium  for  landscape,  &c. ,  114,  115 

Harty,  Dr.,  228,  258,  259,  268 

Harvey,  W.  H.,  Professor  of  Botany, 
194,  278,  363 

Hatfield,  Mr.,  inquiry  into  hop  culture, 
22 

Hats,  premiums  for,  63,  64,  414 

Haughton,  Professor  Samuel,  363; 
contributions  to  the  Journal,  365-6 

Hawarden,  Lord,  280 

Hawker,  William,  80 

Hawkins,  Margaret,  premises  held 
under  lease  from,  95 

Hawkins,  William,  95 

Hawkins  Street,  premises  in,  acquired 
(1786),  92;  Society  meets  in  (1796- 
1815),  94,  106;  further  premises  in, 
acquired,  94  ;  described  (1818),  96  ; 
site  occupied  from  1820  by  the 
Theatre  Royal,  94,  96 ;  mentioned, 
125 


442 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Haycock,  Esther,  premium  for  em- 
broidery, 62 

Hayes,  James,  on  co-operative  farming 
associations,  368 

Hayes,  Major,  335 

Hearn,  Dr.,  premium  for  cider,  65 

Heer,  Dr.  Oswald,  367 

Helott,  M.,  translator  of  The  Art  of 
Dyeing  Wool,  &c,  199 

Hely  Hutchinson,  Right  Hon.  John, 
142,  143,  and  n.1 

Hemp,  culture  of,  22,  243 

Hemsworth,  Thomas,  premium  for 
making  bog  profitable,  65 

Henry,  Joseph,  presents  marble  figures, 
117 

Henson's  flying  machine,  363 

Herring  fishery :  premiums  offered  for, 

70.  395~6'  418-19 
Herrings,     Irish,     sold     in     Antigua, 

Jamaica,  St.  Kitts,  70-1 
Hertford,  Marquis  of,  155 
Hibernia,  figure  of.     See  Minerva 
Hibernian  Journal,  cited,  356 
Hibernian  Marine  School,  boys  of,  to 
be  instructed  in  the  drawing  schools, 
118  and  n.2 
Hibernian  silk  and  woollen  warehouses, 

198  et  seq. 
Hibernian  Society  of  Artists,  memorial 

to  the  Dublin  Society,  125 
Hickey,  Thomas,  198 
Hickey,      Rev.      William      ("Martin 
Doyle"),    223-4;    work  of,  for  Irish 
agriculture,  223-4 
Hicks-Beach,  Sir  Michael,  302 
Higgins,  William,  professor  of  chemis- 
try and  mineralogy,    157,    161,   355, 
357  ;  analysis  of  meteoric  stone,  228  ; 
chemical    apparatus    purchased    for 
use   of,    355-6 ;    paper  on    the   use 
of  sulphuret   of  lime   in   bleaching, 
359;  death  of,  245;  mentioned,  358, 

365 

Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of 
Scotland,  298,  347 

Hill,  Edward,  187 

Hill,  John  (of  Eden  quay),  192 

Hincks,  Rev.  Thomas  Dix,  192,  226 
and  n.,  227 

Hoare,  Mr. ,  paper  on  Irish  fisheries,  367 

Hoban,  James,  103  n.  ;  premium  for 
drawing,  115 

Hodson,  Sir  George,  135,  382 

Hoey,  Peter,  premium  for  figure  draw- 
ing, 114 

Hoey,  William,  20 

Hogan,  John,  sculptor,  128;  list  of  his 
most  celebrated  statues,  128 


Hogan,  William,  junior,  229 

Hogan,  William,  paper  on  experiments 

in  propagating  potatoes  from  seed, 

362 
Hogarth,  Richard,  premium  for  carpet, 

59 

Holmes,  Robert,  345 

Holt,  Ernest  W.  L. ,  335,  336,  337 

Homes  of  the  Society,  88  et  seq.  ; 
earliest  meeting  places,  88,  90;  pre- 
mises in  Mecklenburgh  Street,  88 ; 
Shaw's  Court,  88-9  ;  Grafton  Street, 
89-94, 113  ;  Poolbeg  Street  premises, 
91-4  passim,  113;  premises  in  Haw- 
kins Street,  92,  94,  95-8,  106,  125  ; 
Kildare  Street,  Leinster  House,  78, 
95,  96,  98  et  seq.,  213,  271,  296,  325. 
See  also  under  names  of  places,  cfc. 

Hone,  John  C.  (artist),  122 

Honey  and  wax,  premiums  for,  391, 
409 

Honorary  secretaries  of  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society,  list  of  the,  383-4 

Hop  culture,  12,  22,  and  n.3,  37  ;  pre- 
miums for,  56,  58,  59,  64,  389,  402 

Hop  poles,  premiums  for,  403 

Hopkins,  Rev.  Mr.,  186 

Hops,  Irish,  premium  for  using,  in 
brewing,  61,  64 

Horan,  Robert,  premium  for  cider,  65 

Horn,  silver  medal  for  bass  and  tenor, 
244 

Horse  and  cattle  breeding:  Govern- 
ment assistance  to  Society  for,  315, 
316,  317;  premiums  for,  315,  411; 
administration  of  the  horse  breeding 
scheme,  316;  register  of  stallions, 
316 

Horse  shows,  290,  312,  318,  321,  341, 
345 ;  the  fire  in  Paddock  Hall : 
concrete  stalls  erected,  314  ;  Dublin 
Horse  Show,  349  et  seq. 

Horses,  feeding  stuffs  for,  papers  on, 
362,  366 

Horses  (stallions),  premiums  for,  63,  64 

Hort,  Josiah  (Bishop  of  Kilmore),  11, 

83 

Horticultural  Society,  the,  223 

Hosiery  trade,  instructors  in  making 
gig-frames  paid,  208 

Hoskins,  James,  executes  a  statue  for 
art  schools,  115 

Houghton,  Edward,  176 

Houghton,  Mr.  (sculptor),  premiums 
for  sculpture,  59,  61 

Houses,  prize  for  plans  for  building,  63 

Howard,  Gorges  Edmond,  142 ;  His- 
tory of  the  Irish  Exchequer  by,  142 

Howard,  John,  219 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


443 


Howth,  Lord,  28,  350 

Huguenots  in  Dublin,  &c. ,  referred  to 
in  the  documents  of  the  Society,  33, 
64.  73,  79',  French  refugee  a  prize 
winner,  68 

Hume,  Rev.  Travers,  interest  in  Glas- 
nevin  purchased,  191 

Hume,  Sir  Gustavus,  78 

Hunter,  Mary,  premium  for  portrait  in 
oils,  114 

Hunter,  Matthew,  premium  and  medal 
for  drawing,  115 

Hunter  [Robt.J  (artist),  113 

Huntingdon,  Dr.  Robert,  ^amiti.1 

Husbandry:  Society's  interest  in,  18, 
19,  234;  early  methods  exemplified, 
23  ;  catalogue  of  books  in,  prepared, 
*9  ;  Sir  William  Parsons'  inventions, 
32  ;  the  "  Weekly  Observations,"  34, 
35;  factory  and  repository  for  imple- 
ments of  husbandry,  91,  93;  sale  of 
implements  made  by  J.  W.  Baker, 
138  ;  show  of  implements  of,  345 

Hutchins,  Henry,  paper  on  aerial 
travelling,  363 

Hutchinson,  Dr.  Francis  (Bishop  of 
Down),  20,  23  ;  his  works,  42  and  n. 

Hutton,  Robert,  167,  258,  259 

Hutton,  Misses,  167 

Ichthyology,  S.  and  W.  coasts  of 
Ireland,  paper  on,  367 

Icofiology,  purchased  for  the  library,  173 

levers,  John  A.,  premium  for  planting 
old  Danish  fort,  74 

Imports  into  Ireland  and  the  non-use 
of  natural  advantages,  36 

Industrial  Exhibition,  1853  .  .   .  282 

Ingram,  Dr.,  F.T.C.D.,  287 

Instrumental  Music  Club,  330 

Intermediate  Education  in  Ireland,  in- 
quiry into,  372 

International  Congress  of  Applied 
Chemistry,  371 

International  Exhibitions,  317,  318 

Inventions,  premiums  for,  59,  417 

Ireland,  Dr.,  146 

Ireland,  condition  of  agriculture  in, 
after  the  Revolution,  4;  backward 
condition  of  the  country  in  1731, 
52-3 ;  inquiry  into  the  embarrassed 
situation  of  the  agricultural  interest 
in  (1816),  234-5 ;  papers  on  imports 
and  the  non-use  of  the  natural  ad- 
vantages of  Ireland,  36 ;  paper  on 
social  condition  of  people  of,  364  ; 
Society's  work  in  north-west  of,  in 
1783,  like  that  of  present  Congested 
Districts  Board,  71 


Irish  Artists,  Exhibition  of  1801,  118 

Irish  Artists,  Society  of,  118  ;  file  Bill 
in  Chancery  against  the  Society  for 
injunction,  96 

Irish  Farmer's  and  Gardener's  Maga- 
zine, 224 

Irish  Farmers'  Gazette,  quoted,  351 

Irish  Historical  Tracts,  Thorpe  Collec- 
tion purchased,  180-1 

Irish  history  and  topography,  works  on, 
a  special  feature  of  the  Joly  collec- 
tion, 179 

Irish  Intermediate  Schools,  science 
teaching  in,  371,  372,  373 

Irish  manufactures  exhibitions.  See 
Manufactures 

Irish  manuscripts :  in  the  Joly  collec- 
tion, 180  ;  preserved  in  Copenhagen, 
252 

Iron  manufacture,  with  "  coak"  or 
Irish  coal,  premium  for,  411 

Iron  ores,  Connaught  coalfield,  paper 
on,  365 

Ironwork,  decorative,  premium  for,  65 

Irvine,  Rev.  Aiken,  bequest  of  books, 
182 

Iveagh,  Viscount,  377,  383 

Ivory,  Thomas,  master  of  the  architec- 
tural school,  in  and  «.,  114,  116, 
218  n. 

Jackson,  Rev.  Dr.,  20 

Jaffray,  Robert,  198 

Jameson  [Robt.],  professor  of  miner- 
alogy, 162 

Jarvis,  Thomas,  103 

Jesse,  Henry,  bequest  to  Society,  149 

Jocelyn,  Robert  (Lord  Newport),  Lord 
Chancellor,  45,  46,  83 

Jocelyn,  Sir  Robert,  Bart.,  45 

Jocelyn,  Thomas,  45 

Johnson,  Dr.,  176 

Johnson,  Dr.  Samuel,  cited,  53,  142, 
189 

Johnston,  Francis,  105 

Johnston,  Professor  S.  P.,  quoted,  2 

Johnson,  Professor  T.,  371 

Joly,  Professor  C.  J.,  370 

Joly,  Dr.  Jasper,  gift  to  the  Library, 
179 

Joly  collection  of  books,  MSS.,  &c, 
179-80 

Joly,  Professor  John,  383,  384;  grant 
in  aid  of  research  to,  370 ;  quoted 
on  the  Boyle  Medal,  373-4  ;  awarded 
the  Boyle  Medal,  376 ;  list  of  con- 
tributions to  science  by,  377;  suggests 
establishment  of  a  Radium  Institute, 
377 


444 


A   HISTORY   OF 


Jones,  Humphrey,  premium  for  hops, 
58 

Jones,  John,  sculptor,  278 

Journal,  R.  S.  A.  I.,  cited,  174 

Journal  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society 
(1856-1876),  364  et  sea.  ;  object  and 
character  of,  364  ;  principal  contents 
of  the  seven  volumes  of,  365  et  sea. 

Journal,  Society  for  preservation  of 
memorials  of  the  Dead,  cited,  81 

Joy,  Miss,  271 

Joy,  Rt.  Hon.  Henry,  chief  baron,  271, 

381,  383 
Joy  &  Co.,  premium  for  cottons,  &c, 

72 
Jukes,  Mr.,  363 
Juveniles,  Christmas  lectures  for,  356 

Kane,  Alderman,  21 

Kane,  Sir  Robert  J.,  professor  of 
Natural  Philosophy,  R.D.S.,  278; 
career  of,  255  ;  work  and  lectures  of, 
for  the  Dublin  Society,  268,  269,  271, 
277,  278,  285,  346  ;  contributions  by, 
to  the  Evening  Scientific  Meetings, 
361  ;  on  the  soil  and  waters  of  flax 
districts  and  on  the  ashes  of  the  flax 
plant,  361-2 

Karsten,  D.  Ludwig  Gustavus,  Descrip- 
tions of  Minerals  in  the  Leskean 
Museum,  156  and  n.2 

Kavanagh,  Walter,  220 

Kearney,  Abbe",  147 

Kearney,  Rev.  Dr.,  20 

Keating's  History  of  Ireland,  transcript 
of,  in  the  Joly  collection,  180 

Keating,  John,  premium  for  oxen  in 
ploughing,  65 

Kelly,  Lawrence,  Irish  Prefect,  College 
of  Lombards,  Paris,  146 

Kelp  from  sea  wrack  :  Captain  Blake's 
discovery,  72 

Kelp  making,  359 

Kemmis,  Henry,  Vice-President,  285, 
382 

Kemp,  Robert  (Cork),  establishes  spin- 
ning jennies,  &c. ,  205 

Kenmare,  Lord,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  68 

Kennedy,  Dr.  Evory,  paper  on  the 
neglect  of  sanitary  arrangements, 
&c,  367 

Kennedy,  J.  G. ,  72 

Kennedy,  Martin,  premium  forplanting 
cider  trees,  65 

Kerby,  William  F.,  368 

Kerry,  Thomas,  1st  Earl  of,  143 

Kerry  (North)  Farming  Society,  223 

Kerry  volcano,  22  and.  n.2 


Kershaw,  Edward,  premium  for  fustian, 

59 
Kiernan,  John,  187,  188 
Kildare  Farming  Society,  222,  233 
Kildare,   James,   20th    Earl   (Duke   of 

Leinster),   80,   98  et  sea.,   146,   280, 

291,    380;     his     mansion,    Leinster 

House,  99  ;  the  foundation  stone,  99 
Kildare,  Marquis  of,  president,  291 
Kildare  Place,  No.  1  .   .  .  291 
Kildare  Street  premises.     See  Leinster 

House 
Kilkenny  City,  enlightened  views  on 

employment  in,  63 
Kilkenny  County,  Tighe's  Survey  of, 

183 
Killaloe,  Bishop  of,  115 
Killybegs  fishery,   Lord  Conyngham's 

bequest  devoted  to  extension  of,  71 
Kilmacduagh,  dean  of,  745 
Kilmaine,  Lord,  230 
Kinahan,     Rt.      Hon.     Robert,     lord 

mayor,  283 
Kinahan,  J.   R.,   papers  on  Crustacea 

contributed  to  the  Society's  Journal, 

365 

Kilronan  parish,  co.  Roscommon, 
Conyngham's  statistical  account  of, 
presented,  221 

King,  Archbishop,  on  the  Bogs  and 
Loughs  of  Ireland,  cited,  20  ;  his  Col- 
lectanea, 172 

King,  Dr.  Charles  Croker,  professor 
of  anatomy,  R.D.S.,  278 

Kingsborough,  Lord,  140 

Kingstown,  dockyard  and  shipbuilding 
at,  277 

Kingstown  Harbour,  rusting  of  iron  in 
sea  water  of,  359 

Kirk,  J.  R. ,  master  of  the  modelling 
school,  134 

Kirk,  Thomas,  sculptor,  124,  126 

Kirvvan,  Martin,  158 

Kirwan,  Dr.  Richard,  156,  158  ;  pre- 
sented with  medal  of  Irish  gold,  158  ; 
Elements  of  Mineralogy  by,  156,  158  ; 
his  "burning-glass,"  158;  method  of 
estimating  milk  and  alcohol,  paper 
on,  by,  359  ;  outline  plan  for  the 
management  of  the  mines  of  Ireland, 
359  ;  paper  on  manures  and  soils,  359  ; 
mentioned,  71,  169,  211 

Knox,  Rt.  Hon.  George,  vice-president, 
177,  241,  381 

Kramer,  — ,  master  of  the  King's  private 
band,  cited,  244 

Laban,  Mr.,  success  in  tanning,  144 
Laboratory  in  1836  .   .   .   325 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      445 


Labourers'  dwellings,  improvement  of, 
paper  on,  364  ;  paper  on,  contributed 
to  the  Journal,  367.  See  Agricultural 
Labourer 

Lacam,  John,  medal  for  landscape, 
114 

Lace,  exhibition  of,  320 

Lace,  made  on  catgut,  67 

Lace,  premiums  for,  56,  58,  6i,  62,  64, 
67,  413,  414 

Lace,    thread   for,   premium    awarded 
for,  59 
See  also  Bone  Lace 

Ladaveze,  Mr.,  115 

Ladies,   admission   of,   as    associates, 

3" 

Lafeldt  cream  separator,  332 

Landed  property,  prize  essay  on 
management  of,  253 

Lane,  D.  H.,  335 

Lanesborough,  Humphrey,  1st  Earl  of, 
80,  88,  89,  380 

Langrishe,  Sir  Robert,  228 

Lanigan,  Rev.  Dr.  John,  Society's 
librarian,  71,  175-6,  177,  180,  228; 
Instihitiones  Biblicce  by,  175 ;  Ec- 
clesiastical History  of  Ireland  by, 
176 

Laocoon,  cast  of,  presented,  117 

Lapham,  Samuel,  premium  for  cottons, 
&c,  72 

Lapis  cala/uinaris  discovered  in  Sligo, 
84 

Lardner,  Dr.  Dionysius,  238  ;  lectures 
for  the  Society,  238  ;  Cabinet  Cyclo- 
pedia, 238 

La  Touche,  David  Digges,  79 

La  Touche,  Rt.  Hon.  David,  vice-pre- 
sident, 117  and  ».,  236,  381 

La  Touche,  George,  bequest  of  Etrus- 
can vases,  245 

La  Touche,  James  Digges,  79 

La  Touche,  Peter  Digges,  vice-pre- 
sident, 104,  236,  381 

La  Touche,  Robert,  345 

Laurence,  Edward,  92 

Laval  cream  separator,  332 

Lawes,  Sir  John  Burnet,  367 

Lawless,  Valentine  B.  See  Cloncurry, 
Lord 

Lawrence,  Dr. ,  272 

Lawson,  Dr.  Henry,  366-7 

Leacan,  book  of,  formerly  in  Lombards 
College,  Paris,  now  in  Royal  Irish 
Academy,  147 

Lead  and  copper  (sheet)  manufactured, 

T  73 

Leader,  Nicholas  P.,  104,  177 

Lecky,  W.  E.  H.,  cited,  4,  32-3 ;  Ire- 


land in  the  Eighteenth  Century, 
quoted,  5 

Lecture  Theatre,  325,  326 ;  the  new 
buildings,  326  et  sea. ;  ventilation, 
326,  327,  328;  cost,  327;  seating 
accommodation,  327 ;  false  ceiling, 
327 ;  the  screen  for  lantern  projec- 
tions, 327-8  ;  the  platform,  328 ; 
the  organ,  328 

Lectures  on  steam-engines,  &c. ,  237- 
8 

Lectures  in  provincial  towns,  277,  283, 
285 

Lectures  in  chemistry  and  natural 
philosophy,  160-1,  246,  356;  after- 
noon lectures,  356 ;  Christmas  lectures 
for  juveniles,  356 

Lectures,  question  of  gratuitous  ad- 
mission to,  247,  263,  266 

Lee,  Mr.  (Wexford),  premium  for 
hops,  58 

Lee  [Anth.]  (artist),  no 

Lee  and  Kennedy,  190 

Leech,  Charles,  134 

Legacy  to  the  Society,  149 

Legacies  to  the  Society,  intimation  of, 
rewarded,  84 

Le  Hunte,  Francis,  6,  9 

Le  Hunte,  P.,  229 

Le  Hunte,  Richard,  9 

Le  Hunte,  Thomas,  199,  381 

Le  Hunte,  Major,  220 

Leicester,  Thomas  Coke,  Earl  of,  231-2 

Leigh,  John,  152,  381 

Leinster,  agriculture  in,  247 

Leinster  coalfields,  168,  169 

Leinster,  Duchess  of,  199 

Leinster,  Augustus  Frederick,  Duke  of, 
104 

Leinster,  Charles  William,  Duke  of, 
279,  280,  291,  380,  382 

Leinster,  James,  1st  Duke  of.  See 
Kildare,  Earl  of 

Leinster,   William    Robert,    Duke    of, 

103.  114.  3Sl 
Leinster  House,  vi,  78,  95-6,  98  et  seq.  ; 
James  Malton's  account  of,  100-3; 
pictures  in,  102,  422-3  ;  mantelpieces 
in,  104  ;  the  registrar's  office  in,  104  ; 
acquired  by  the  Society,  104,  106, 
107,  213;  alterations  and  rearrange- 
ments, 105,  107;  the  "kitchen," 
106,  325;  the  lawn,  106;  expendi- 
ture on  the  house  and  new  buildings, 
107  ;  stable  and  coach  houses,  127  ; 
damaged  by  storm,  271  ;  additional 
buildings  and  alterations  for,  272; 
works  of  art  in,  149,  158,  422  et  seq.; 
accommodation       in,       under       the 


44-6 


A    HISTORY   OF 


"  Memorandum  of  Provisions,"  292- 
303  passim 

Leland,  Dr.  Thomas,  142 

Le  Neve,  cited,  272 

Lennox,  Lady  Emily,  99 

Lepidosiren  annectens,  habits,  &c.  of, 
paper  on,  366 

Leske,  Nathaniel  Gottfried,  arranged 
the  cabinet  called  Leskean,  156 

Leskean  cabinet  of  mineralogy,  the, 
97,  156,  157,  355 ;  restoration  of, 
157.  165 

Leupold,  Jacob,  Laws  of  Mechanics,  31 

Levinge,  Richard,  82 

Levinge,  Sir  Richard,  2nd  Bart., 
bequest  to  D.  S.  and  Chancery  pro- 
ceedings thereon  (1735-6),  82 

Library,  the,  170  et  seq.  ;  the  earliest 
volumes  acquired  by,  13  ;  rule  govern- 
ing the  purchase  of  books,  170 ;  the 
catalogues  of,  170-2,  175,  176,  178  ; 
presentation  of  books  by  Dr.  Tenni- 
son,  172;  purchase  of  the  Harris 
collection  of  manuscripts,  172-3 ; 
purchases  of  books,  173-4,  178,  246  ; 
translations  from  Dutch  and  German 
works,  174-5  ;  appointment  of  Dr. 
Lanigan  as  librarian,  175;  appoint- 
ment of  Dr.  Samuel  Litton,  176, 
178  ;  regulations,  176,  263  ;  librarian's 
salary  and  duties,  176;  assistant 
librarian  appointed,  176 ;  standing 
committee  of,  177;  presentation  to, 
by  Mr.  Thomas  Pleasants,  177-8 ; 
in  1826,  178 ;  the  Joly  collection, 
179-80 ;  Thorpe  collection  of  Irish 
Historical  Tracts,  180-1  ;  pamphlets 
in,  181  ;  bequest  by  the  Rev.  William 
Tew,  181  ;  statistics  as  to  usefulness 
of,  181  ;  transferred  to  the  National 
Library  of  Ireland,  173,  181,  182, 
293,  353  ;  the  Society's  share  in  the 
management  of  the  National  Library, 
353-4 ;  part  of,  reserved  to  the  Dublin 
Society,  182,  354  ;  various  bequests 
of  books  to  the  new  library,  181, 
182  ;  the  "  Tighe  bequest,"  182  ;  the 
new  library  building,  303 ;  amount 
spent  in  purchase  of  books  for  the 
new    library,    354 ;     catalogue     of, 

354 
Liebig,  cited,  359 
Lighthouse   illumination,   gas   applied 

to,  paper  by  J.  R.  Wigham,  368 
Limax  maximus,  paper  on,  367 
Linen  Board,  the,  72,  75 
Linen,  damask,   premiums  for,  57,  64 
Linen  manufacture,  promotion  of,  28, 

37.  59 


Linen  Manufacture :  Trustees,  91 

Linen  rags,  premiums  for  collection  of, 
64,  67 

Linnaeus,  cited,  355 

Liquorice,  premiums  for,  390,  407 

Literary  work,  premiums  for,  66-7 

Litton,  John,  law  agent,  239 

Litton,  Dr.  Samuel,  Society's  librarian, 
176,  194,  245,  259,  260,  278  ;  profes- 
sor of  botany,  178,  194 

Live  stock  show,  248 

Livingstone,  Dr.,  attends  British  Asso- 
ciation meeting  in  Dublin  (1857),  287 

Lloyd,  Dr.  Bartholomew,  254 

Lloyd,  Rev.  Humphrey,  286,  382 

Loan  and  bounties  system,  32,  84,  113, 
141,  204;  first  instance  of,  32 

Locker,  John,  silversmith,  145 

London  Institution  for  Diffusing  Know- 
ledge :  its  plans  to  be  adopted  by 
the  Society,  160 

London  Veterinary  College.  See  Royal 
Veterinary  College  of  London 

Longfield,  John,  silver  medal  for  plant- 
ing, 145 

Longfield,  Thomas  H.,  167 

Longford  county.     See  Quarries 

Lough  Neagh,  silicified  woods  of: 
Scouler  on,  361 

Louth  Farming  Society,  222 

Lovel,  J.  C,  donation  in  aid  of  the 
dairy  industries,  332 

Lucas,  Charles,  79 

Lucern,  premiums  for  cultivation  of, 
388,  401 

Luttrell,  Simon,  Lord  Carhampton, 
85,86 

Lynch,  James,  lecturer  in  hydraulics, 
mechanics,  &c. ,  160 

Lyne,  John,  premium  for  catching 
fish,  66 

Lyon,  Dr.  John,  46  and  tiA 

Lysaght,  Thomas,  collector  and  soli- 
citor to  the  Society,  225,  228,  384 

Lyster,  Rev.  Dr.,  assistant  secretary, 
227,  384 

Lyster,  Thomas  W. ,  librarian,  National 
Library,  179 

Macbride,  David ,72,  x/s^andn. ,  173  ; 
New  Method  of  Tanning,  144 

McCalla,  Mr.,  paper  on  Irish  algae, 
361  ;  on  Irish  flora  and  fauna,  361 

McCarthy,  Bucknall,  assistant  secre- 
tary, 227,  384 

McClintock,  Sir  F.  L. ,  career  of,  280-1 ; 
reminiscences  of  Arctic  ice  travel  in 
search  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  365  ; 
mentioned,  287,  366,  367 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      447 


McCready,  John,  premium  for  drawing, 

US 

McDaniel  (or  McDonnell),  Michael, 
premium  for  paper,  64 ;  premium 
for  erecting  paper  mill,  65 

McDonald,  William,  224 

McDonnell,  Sir  E.,  283 

McDonnell,  Michael.     See  McDaniel 

McDonnell,  Dr.  Robert,  paper  contri- 
buted to  the  Journal,  366 

McDonnell,  Sir  W.,  282 

McDonnell,  Mr. ,  assistant  librarian,  176 

Mace  of  the  Society,  288,  289 

McEvoy,   William,  Taylor  prizeman, 

135 

McGwire,  Arthur,  hon.  secretary,  211, 

383 

Mackenzie,  Sir  George,  165,  167 

Maclean,  Misses,  premium  for  lace 
thread,  59 

MacClery,  Henry,  premium  for  damask 
linen,  57 

McMahon,  Denis,  premium  for  sowing 
land,  59 

McManus,  Henry,  133,  134 

Macrory,  R.  J.,  135 

Madden,  Francis,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  73 

Madden,  Sir  Frederick,  librarian  of  the 
British  Museum,  255 

Madden,  James,  seal  cutter,  113 

Madden,  Dr.  John,  6,  52 

Madden,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  manufactures 
thread  in  co.  Deny,  145 

Madden,  Rev.  John,  145 

Madden,  Mary,  ne'e  Molyneux,  52 

Madden,  Samuel,  D.D.  ,v,  46,  52;  "  Pre- 
mium "  Madden,  53 ;  system  of  pre- 
miums for  the  encouragement  of 
learning  and  industries,  32,  36,  46, 
S2>  53>  54  et  seQ->  63,  66;  premiums 
for  drawing  by  boys  or  girls,  108, 
109,  in,  114;  Re/lections  and  Reso- 
lutions and  other  works  by,  52-3, 
237  ;  Letter  to  the  Dubli?i  Society  on 
improving  their  Fund  (1739),  53  et 
seq. ;  urges  the  encouragement  of  Irish 
industries,  54  ;  work  in  procuring  the 
Society's  Royal  Charter,  53,  75,  76; 
bust  of,  by  Van  Nost,  53,  90  n.3 

Madder,  13  and  n.1,  32  ;  premiums  for, 
64 

Madox's  History  of  the  Exchequer 
cited,  142 

Magnussen,  Professor,  252 

Magrath,  John,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  60 

Maguire,  Colonel  Hugh,  premium  for 
planting  trees,  65 


Malt  liquor,  premiums  for,  56 

Malta.     See  Fossiliferous 

Malting,  359 

Malting  barley,  improvement  in,  349 

Malton,  James,  his  description  of 
Leinster  House  quoted,  100-3 

Management  of  the  Society,  261-2, 
264,  265,  267.  See  also  under  Council 
and  Committees 

Manganese  salts,  detection  and  pre- 
paration of,  362 

Mann,  Dr.  Isaac,  Bishop  of  Cork,  83, 
172,  381 

Manners,  Lord,  130 

Mannin,  James,  master  in  the  drawing 
school,  90 7Z.2,  in,  112,  114,  131 

Mannin,  John,  medal  for  landscape, 
114 

Manufactures,  Exhibitions  of  Irish, 
253,  271,  280,  317  et  seq.,  365;  at 
Manchester,  319,  320 

Manufactures,  premiums  offered  for, 
411  et  seq. 

Manure  heaps,  wasteful  management 
of:  a  paper  on,  361 

Manures,  applicability  of,  to  soils  :  Dr. 
Kirwan's  paper  on,  359 

Manuring,  premiums  for,  58,  63,  66 

Manuscripts  :  Harris  collection  of,  pur- 
chased, 172-3;  relating  to  Ireland, 
committee  of  inquiry  appointed, 
146-7 

Map,  Taylor  and  Skinner's  large  scale 
continuous  road  map,  award  for,  152 

Maple,  William,  registrar,  6,  10,  13,21, 
29,  43,  80,  383,  384;  presented  with 
gold  medal,  84 

Mapother,  Dr.,  paper  on  "  Labourers' 
dwellings,"  &c. ,  367 

Maps  of  Ireland,  by  Grierson,  19 

Maps  of  the  Roads  of  Ireland  Surveyed, 
152  and  n.1 

Maps.  See  Down  Survey  and  Geolo- 
gical 

Marble  quarries  found,  155  ;  black 
marble  (Kilkenny),  19;  specimens 
from  Galway,  159 

Mares,  no  premium  granted  for, 
in  1753  ...  68 

Marine  laboratory,  337 

Markham,  Mr.,  287 

Marsh,  Dr.  Narcissus,  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  3;  MS.  Diary  of,  cited,  4 
and  n.i ;  the  Library  founded  by,  in 
Dublin,  2  nA,  4  n.i,  177,  178,  287 

Marsh  and  boglands,  draining  of,  12 

Maryborough,  spinning  school  at,  207 

Mason,  W.  S.,  184 

Massereene,  Lord,  280 


44  8 


A    HISTORY    OF 


Mathewson,  Richard,  premium  for 
blue  "  sugar  loaf"  paper,  66 

Matthews,  John,  piece  of  sculpture, 
6i 

Maturin,  Rev.  Gabriel  Jacques,  Hon. 
Secretary,  33,  383 

Maule,  Henry  (Bishop  of  Meath),  80 

Maunsell,  Rev.  Dr.,  gold  medal  for 
potato  culture,  224  and  n. 

Maunsell,  Ven.  William  R.,  245 

Maxwell,  Arthur,  premium  for  manur- 
ing with  sea  sand,  &c. ,  66 

Mayo  Farming  Society,  222 

Meade,  George,  122 

Mechanic  arts,  Society's  interest  in, 
19  ;  premiums  for,  417 

Mecklenburg  Street,  premises  in,  taken 
for  Botanic  Garden,  88 ;  premises 
and  meetings  in  (1739-40),  88 

Medal,  premium  offered  for  a,  417 

Medals,  recipients  of  Society's  gold,  72, 
145.  225 

Medals  in  the  museum,  catalogue  of, 
176,  177 

Medals — not  money  premiums,  to  be 
given  to  those  possessing  ^500  a 
year,  71 

Medals  of  the  Society  :  designs  for,  220  ; 
Mossop's  medal,  220 

Meeting-places  of  the  Society.  See 
Homes  of  the  Society 

Members  in  1733,   list  of,  24  et  seq. 
number    of,    at    end    of    1742,    60 
list  of  names  of,  in  the  Charter,  76 
members    of    the    voluntary  society 
elected  subsequent  to  the  date  of  the 
Charter,  77;  regulation  as  to  honor- 
ary, 215  ;  list  of  members  present  at 
meetings  first  printed,  225;    formal 
introduction  of  new  members,  228  ; 
rule  as  to  choice  of  a  subject  of  in- 
terest by  each  member,  17,  18,  44 

Membership  :  election  to,  by  ballot,  14, 
84  ;  regulations  as  to  membership 
and  arrears  of  subscriptions,  43 ; 
composition  fee  for  life  membership, 
83,  285  ;  first  instance  of  rejection  of  a 
candidate  for,  86 ;  period  of  decline 
in,  due  to  steps  taken  with  regard  to 
arrears  of  subscription,  151  See  also 
under  Admission  and  Subscriptions 

Membership  and  by-laws,  214  et  seq. 

Memorandum  of  Provisions,  as  to 
Leinster    House,    &c.    (1877),    292, 

325 
Memorials    of    manufacturers    to    the 

Society,  69 
Memory,  Feinagle's  system  of,  229 
Mendicity,  Society  for  the  Suppression 


of,  occupy  Society's  premises  in  Pool- 
beg  Street,  95 

Mercier,  R.  E. ,  catalogues  the  Library, 
*75 

Merino  factory  at  Kilkenny,  208 

Meteoric  (Tipperary)  stone,  analysis  of, 
157,  228 

Meteorological  records  taken  at  the 
Botanic  Garden,  returns  of,  359,  369 

Metternich,  Prince  Victor,  honorary 
member,  230 

Metzler,  Karl  Ludwig.     See  Giesecke 

Meyler,  Dr.  Anthony,  lecturer  on  ven- 
tilation, 238,  250 

Microscope,  paper  on  the,  366 

Mihil,  Mrs. ,  premium  for  lace,  67 

Milk,  estimation  of  richness  of,  Dr.  Kir- 
wan's  paper  on,  359 

Millard,  J.,  The  New  Art  of  Memory, 
229 

Miller,  Dr.  James,  163 

Miller,  Joseph,  premium  for  tanning,  67 

Millet,  premiums  for,  390 

Mills,  Charles,  223 

Milton,  John,  224 

Milward,  Dawson,  331,  332  ;  Report  on 
the  Butter  Manufacture  of  Denmark 
and  other  Countries,  1879  ...   331 

Minchin,  Humphrey,  229 

Mineralogical  Museum,  or  School,  154 
et  seq. ,  159,  165  ;  the  work  of  Donald 
Stewart,  154-6 ;  purchase  of  the 
Leskean  cabinet,  156-7 ;  appoint- 
ment of  a  professor  of  chemistry  and 
mineralogy,  157  ;  purchase  of  manu- 
scripts and  drawings  concerning 
mineralogy,   geology,    and    mining, 

157  ;  communication  established  with 
the  Imperial  Museum,  Vienna,  157; 
the   work    of  Dr.    Richard    Kirwan, 

158  ;  donation  of  shells,  &c. ,  158 ; 
gift  of  volcanic  specimens  and  hard 
woods,  159  ;  premium  offered  for  the 
best  geological  and  mineralogical 
survey  of  co.  Dublin,  161 ;  opening 
of  the  museum,  161  ;  a  professor  of 
mineralogy  and  geology  appointed, 
162 ;  appointment  of  a  mining  en- 
gineer ;  the  work  of  Richard 
Griffith,  jun.,  162-3,  168-9;  election 
of  C.  L.  Giesecke  to  the  professor- 
ship, 163,  165;  number  of  specimens 
of  minerals  in,  165 

Mineralogical    excursion    into   Arabia 

Petrsea,  paper  on,  365 
Mineralogical  description   of  rocks  in 

Central  India,  on,  366 
Minerva  (or  Hibernia),   figure   of,  97, 

220,  425 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      449 


Mining  Board,  project  for  formation  of 

a,  157 
Mining  engineer  appointed,  162 
Minutes   of  the  Society,  the,  ix ;  first 

signed    by  chairman    in    1759,   89; 

missing  books  of,  49,  86,    108,   137, 

380  n. 
Mitchell.  Dr.  George,  156  n.2,  157 
Modelling,  premiums  for,  no,  in 
Modelling  school,  123,  124,  127,  132  ; 

usefulness  of,   to  silver  trade,    130  ; 

consolidated   into    the    Government 

School  of  Design,  134 
Models,  premium  offered  for,  416 
Moira,  Lord,  146 
Molesworth,  family,  98,  105 
Molesworth,  John  (second Viscount),  98 
Molesworth,  Richard  (third  Viscount), 

98 
Molesworth,    Robert    (first   Viscount), 

S.98 
Molyneux,   Sir  Capel,  his  mansion  in 

Peter  Street,  89 
Molyneux,  Mary.     See  Madden 
Molyneux,  Samuel  (father),  2 
Molyneux,  Samuel  (grandson),  4 
Molyneux,  Sir  Thomas  (son),  2,  4,  6, 

7-8,  52 
Molyneux,   William    (son),  founder  of 

the  Dublin  Philosophical  Society,  2, 

3.  4.  5-  7.  52 

Monaghan,  Charles,  premium  for  im- 
proving ploughs,  58 

Montgomery,  Alexander,  115 

Mooney,  John,  premium  for  surveying 
instrument,  59 

Moore,  Ambrose,  94 

Moore,  Andrew,  premium  for  herrings, 
70 

Moore,  David,  curator  of  the  Botanic 
Garden,  195,  196,  279,  363,  368 

Moore,  Sir  Frederick  W. ,  curator, 
Botanic  Garden,  196 

Moore,  Rev.  Henry,  177 

Moore,  Maurice  Crosbie,  228 

More,  A.  G. ,  368 

Morpeth,  Lord,  Chief  Secretary,  249 

Morres,  Lodge,  204,  381.  See  also 
Frankfort  de  Montmorency 

Morres,  Redmond,  K.C.,  when  on  cir- 
cuit as  Judge,  viewed  lace  manufac- 
ture at  Castlebar,  141  and  «.2,  199, 
38 1 

Morris,  Mr.  William,  92 

Moss,  Richard  Jackson,  Registrar  of  the 
Society,  291,  295,  384 

Mosse,  Bartholomew,  79 

Mossop,  William,  medallist,  126,  224 ; 
his  medal  of  the  D.S. ,  220 


Mossop,  Stephen,  96,  125,  126,  166 

Motto  of  the  Society,  79 

Mountain  land,  reclamation  of  dry, 
65.  386,  398 

Mountjoy,  Lord,  220 

Mountney,  Baron  Richard,  when  on 
circuit,  took  premium  lists  for  distri- 
bution, 141  and  n.1 

Mountnorris,  Earl  of,  195 

Mozart,  164;  opera  of  the  Magic 
Flute,  Giesecke  wrote  libretto  of, 
104 

Mulberry  (white)  tree  cultivation,  84 

Mulhall,  William,  premium  for  re- 
claiming mountain  land,  65 

Mullins,  George,  premium  for  land- 
scape, 114 

Mulvany,  George  F.,  132 

Mulvany,  John  George,  115,  131,  132 

Mulvany,  Thomas  James,  96,  131, 
132 

Munster  Agricultural  Magazine,  226 

Munster  Dairy  School,  Cork,  332 

Murray,  Nathaniel  (engraver),  113 

Murray,  Most  Rev.  Dr.,  R.C.  Arch- 
bishop of  Dublin,  rejected  as  a 
member   on   political  grounds,   251, 

259 
Museum  of  Irish  Industry,  255,  284-5, 

356 
Music,  Chamber,  Committee,  329-30 
Musical  recitals,  323,  329  et  seq.  ;  ana- 
lytical notes  on  the  music  performed, 
330  ;  scores  of  the  pieces  obtainable 
in  cheap  form,  330 
Muskerry,  Lord,  86 
Mustard  seed,  premiums  for,  390 
Myers,  Christopher,  90  and  n.1,  91 
Myers,  Lieut. -Col.,  90  n.1 
Myersville,  now  Wynberg,  90  n.1 

Naper,  J.  L.  W.,  251,  252,  345,  382 
Napoleon,   numerous   works   on   cam- 
paigns  of,    in    the  Joly    collection, 
179 
National  Gallery  of  Ireland,  287 
National  Library  of  Ireland,  173,  179, 
181,    353,    354;    number   of  readers 
attending,  181  ;  relation  to  the  Royal 
Dublin  Society,  182,  353-4 
National  Museum,  197,  247,  264 ;   art 

collections,  245 
Natural  History  of  any  (Irish)  county, 

premium  offered  for  a,  69,  396 
Natural  History  Building,  286,  317 
Natural  History  Museum  founded,  355 
Natural  philosophy  and  chemistry,  lec- 
tures in,  160-1,  356 
Navigation:  Telfier's  instrument,  48-9 

2  F 


45° 


A   HISTORY    OF 


Nedley,  Michael,  premium  for  killing 
rats,  63 

Newcomen,  Sir  Thomas  G. ,  Hon. 
Treasurer,  227,  385 

Newcomen,  Sir  William  G. ,  Hon. 
Treasurer,  187,  218,  227,  385 

Newcomen  House,  112  «.,  218  n. 

Newcomen's  bank,  218  n. 

Newenham,  Mr.,  176 

Newport,  Lord.     See  Jocelyn,  Robert 

Newton,  Isaac,  246 

New  Zealand,  paper  on  trees  of,  367 

Nicholson,  Bishop,  Letters  cited,  188 

Nicholson,  William,  72 

Nimmo,  Alexander,  bust  of,  277-8 

Niven,  Ninian,  head  gardener  at  Glas- 
nevin,  195,  254;  his  Visitors  Com- 
panion to  the  Botanic  Gardens,  196 

Noble,  Archibald,  premium  for  plant- 
ing trees,  60 

Norfolk,  Duke  of:  hon.  member,  224 

Northumberland,  Hugh,  Duke  of,  129, 
248,  249,  380 

Northumberland,  Duchess  of,  130,  249 

Norton,  Mary,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  60 

Nost,  John.     See  Van  Nost 

Nowland,  Thomas,  208 

Nummarium,  the,  149,  177 

Nummys,  John,  21 

Nurseries  :  enclosures  of  forest  trees, 
premium  for,  406 

Nurserymen,  premiums  to,  for  taking 
apprentices,  193 

O'Brien,  Daniel,  premium  for  ale,  62 

O'Brien,  Sir  Lucius,  154 

O'Brien,  William  Smith,  258,  290; 
bequest  of  pictures  by,  298 ;  the 
rising  of,  in  1848,  270;  troops  quar- 
tered on  Society's  premises  during 
rising  of,  278 

O'Connell,  Daniel,  276 ;  Hogan's 
statue  of,  128 

O'Connell,  Morgan  J.,  279 

O'Connell,  Morgan  J.,  Mrs.,  ne'e  Bian- 
coni,  279 

O'Dowd,  D. ,  322 

Oeder,  George  Christian,  173  n. 

Officials  of  the  Society  (1731-1914),  list 
of,  379  et  seq.  ;  account  of  ballot  held 
for  election  of,  in  1732,  21  ;  annual 
election  of,  in  1750,  80  ;  new  rules  as 
to,  227 

O'Gorman,  Chevalier  Thomas,  to  in- 
quire as  to  Irish  MSS.,  &c,  in  Paris, 
146 

O'Hara,  H.,  paper  on  Irish  coalfields 
and  peat,  367 


O'Keefe,    John,    Recollections    of    {re 

Drawing  Academy),  cited,  112 
O'Keely,    John,   medal    for    drawing, 

US 

Oldham,  Mr.,  277 

Oldis,  David,  premium  for  osiers  and 
willows,  68 

O'Neil,  — ,  118 

O'Neill,  Charles,  Irisn  principal,  Col- 
lege of  Lombards,  Paris,  146 

Optical  science  :  Mr.  T.  Grubb's  con- 
tributions to,  361  ;  Sir  Howard 
Grubb's  contributions  to,  377 

Organ  in  the  Lecture  Theatre,  the, 
328,  33° 

Organ  recital,  328 

Oriel,  Baron.  See  Foster,  Right  Hon. 
John 

Ormsby,  Rev.  George,  premium  for 
draining  bog,  68 

Orpen,  Dr.  T.  H.,  228 

Orrery,  Earl  of,  29,  30;  Remarks  on 
the  Life  and  Writings  of  Jonathan 
Swift,  29,  30 

Orthocerata,  paper  on,  366 

Osiers  :  no  premiums  granted  for  plant- 
ing in  1753,  68  ;  premiums  in  1754, 
68 

Osiery  of  the  Society,  in  Wexford,  84 

O' Toole,  Archbishop  Laurence,  187 

Owen,  James  H.,  designs  palm  house, 
G'asnevin,  196 

Oxford  Junior  Scientific  Club,  375 

Oxford  Philosophical  Society,  cited,  1 

Oxmantown,  Lord,  marble,  &c,  on  his 
estate  in  Longford,  155 

Ozier,  Francis,  premium  for  velvet  and 
silk,  68 

Pack,  Faithful  Christopher,  claims  to 

have  recovered   an  Italian  mode   of 

painting,  121 
Page,  Anne,  premium  for  lace,  61 
Paintings,  premiums  and  awards  for, 

57,  61,  64,  66,  114,  119,  135,  415 
Panormo,  Constantine, sculptor:  master 

of  the   modelling   school,    128,    129 

andn.,  132,  134,  242 
Paper-making  mill  :  premiums  for,  65 
Paper  manufacture,  22,  363;  premiums 

for,  64,  67  ;  "  sugar  loaf"  paper,  66 
Papers  printed  by  the  Society,  a  minute 

as  to  (1737),  36 
Papworth,  John,  master  of  architectu- 
ral school,  132 
Paris,  College  of  the  Lombards,  Irish 

MSS.,  &c. ,  in,  146 
Parke,   E.,   superintends  buildings  at 

Glasnevin,  190-1 


THE   ROYAL  DUBLIN   SOCIETY      451 


Parker,  —  ,uses  Fuller's  earth  in  woollen 

manufacture,  154 
Parliament  Act    regulating   wages    of 

silk  weavers,  200 
Parliament  House,  the   Society  meets 

in  the,  6,  12,  88,  90 
Parliamentary   grants    in    aid    of   the 

Dublin  Society,  86,  87,  144,  187,  209 

etseq.,  218,  240,  258,  260;    House  of 

Commons  select   committee,    258  et 

seq. 
Parnell,   Sir   John,    aids    in    spinning 

worsted,  207 
Parnell  (the  poet),  resided  at  Glasnevin, 

188 
Parr,  [Saml.],  cited,  142 
Parsnips,  premiums  for,  387,  400 
Parsons,  Sir  William,  his  "  terrier  "  for 

pulling  up  small  trees,  32 
Parvisol,  Mr.,  premium  for  hats,  63 
Pasleyjoshua,  executor  of  T.  Pleasants' 

will,  237 
Pasture,  premium  for  essay  on  laying 

down  ground  for,  253 
Paterson,    John,  premium  for  a  table 

decoration,  65 
Pattern  drawing,  premiums  for,  415 
Patton,  John,  Society's  librarian,  178, 

179,  285 
Paulet,  John,  premium  for  tapestry,  65 
Paulet,  Richard,  premiums  for  tapestry, 

66,  67 
Payne  (of  Pall  Mall),  173 
Peacock,  Joseph,  96 
Peall,  Thomas, lecturer  in  the  veterinary 

establishment,  160,  338,  339 
Pearce,  Sir  Edward,  28 
Pearl  barley,  premiums  for,  414 
Peat,  359  ;  paper  on,  367 
Peat,  premium  for  essay  on  converting 

it  into  fuel,  253 
Peat  and  peat  charcoal,  362 
Peat   bogs — scientific    examination    of 

bog  butter,  358 
Peers,  Edward  and  Nicholas  (brewers, 

of  Lisburn),  premium,  72 
Pelham,  Mr.  Secretary,  224 
Pembroke,  Earl  of,  231,  311,  313 
Pendarves,  Mrs.     See  Delany,  Mrs. 
Penrose,  William,  premium   for  glass 

manufacture,  74 
Percival,  Dr.  John,  339 
PercivaJ,  Dr.  Robert,  155,  187 
Percy,  — ,  former  pupil,  executes  pre- 
sentation plate,  130 
Pergolesi,  Michael  Angelo,  Society  sub- 
scribes to  his  volume  of  Designs  in 

Etruscan  style,  116 
Perpetual  motion  machine,  219 


Perry  and  M alone,  premium  for  printing 

with  letters  of  their  own  making,  65 
Persepolis  ruins,  casts  from,  presented 

to  the  Society,  245-6 
Peter,    A.,   Account   of  the  Magdalen 

Chapel,  Dublin :  its  Foundress,  &*c. , 

cited,  143  n.2 
Peters,  Matthew  William,  sent  to  study 

painting  in  Italy,  112,  130 
Petrie,  George,  119,  122,  278     Memoir 

of,  by  Dr.  William  Stokes,  119 
Petrie,  James,  119,  122 
Petty,  Sir  William,  1,  2  andn.,  7,  21, 

143,  148 
Petty,  Anne  (daughter),  2  n.,  143 
Pharmacopoeia  Pauperum,  for  dispen- 
sing medicine  to  the  poor,  erected 

by  the  Society,  144 
Philips,  Ambrose,  30 
Philosophical  lectures,  160-1 
Philosophical  Magazine,  255,  368 
Philosophical  Society's  rooms  (Trinity 

College),  meetings  in,  6,  88,  90 
Photographic  work,  laboratory  for,  328 
Physico-Historical  Society  (1744-1752), 

45-6,  53  ;  minute  book  of,  preserved, 

45  ;  histories  of  counties  projected  by, 

46 
Pilkington,  Rev.  Matthew,  13 
Pim,  Thomas,  jun.,  319,  321 
Place,  Francis,  premium  for  engine  for 

beetling  linen  cloth,  59 
Place,  Thomas,  premium  for  a  stallion, 

63 
Planchard,     Nicholas,     premium     for 

black  cloth,  68 
Planting  trees  and  sallows,  premiums 

for,   58,  59,   61,  63,   65,   68,  73,   74, 

403  et  seq. 
Plants  in  enclosures,  74 
Plants,    newly   discovered   in   Ireland, 

paper  on,  363 
Plate  glass,  premiums  for,  74 
Plate,  presentation,  executed  by  former 

pupils  of  drawing  schools,  130 
Pleasants  asylum  for  orphan  girls,  the, 

237 

Pleasants,  Thomas,  236,  237  ;  bequest 
of  pictures  and  prints,  127,  193,  239  ; 
conditions  of  bequest,  237;  presen- 
tation of  books  and  other  gifts  to 
Society,  177-8,  237  ;  presentation  for 
the  Botanic  Garden,  193;  munificent 
provision  of  a  tenter  house;by,  178,  206 
and  n.  ;  contributes  to  erection  of 
a  hospital,  178;  reprints  Madden's 
Reflections  and  Resolutions ,  52,  237  ; 
will  of,  236,  237  ;  portrait  of,  237. 

Pleasants,  William,  237 


452 


A    HISTORY   OF 


Plesiosaurus  P.  Cramptoni,  367 

Plough,  Ploughs:  drain  plough,  38,417  ; 
three-coulter,  38  ;  trial  of,  in  Phoenix 
Park,  21,  38;  premium  awarded  for 
improving,  58 

Ploughing,  instruction  in,  23,  50 

Ploughing,  subsoil,  premium  for  essay 
on,  277 

Ploughing  with  oxen,  premiums  for,  65 

Plowman,  Frederick  Prussia,  studied 
under  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  115 

Plunket,  Catherine,  premium  for  edg- 
ing, 62 

Plunket,  Sir  Horace,  333 

Pococke,  Richard  (Bishop  of  Ossory), 
46,  78, 112 

Pomeroy,  The  Rev.  the  Hon.  John, 
104,  381 

Pool,  Robert  (a  former  pupil),  and  his 
plans  of  public  buildings  in  Dublin, 
152 

Poolbeg  St.  premises  of  the  Society, 
1781-1815,  91-6;  first  used  as  re- 
positoryfor  implements  of  husbandry, 

9i-3 
Poole,  T.  H. ,  335 
Pope,  Alexander,  bust  of,  by  Roubiliac, 

23.S 

Portlock,  Capt.  Joseph  E.,  258,  260 

Portraits  and  Works  of  Art,  in  Leinster 
House,  422  et  seq. 

Portuguese  trade,  woollen,  &c. ,  204 

Potato  crop,  inquiry  into  failure  of,  321 

Potato  crop  failure  (1822),  efforts  to 
relieve  distress,  357 

Potato  cultivation,  224,  323,  359  ;  in- 
vestigation of  disease,  277  ;  experi- 
ments in  spraying,  323-4  ;  effect  of 
meteorological  conditions  on  disease, 
a  paper  on,  361  ;  on  experiments  in 
propagating  from  seed,  a  paper,  362 

Potato  starch,  investigation  of,  357 

Potatoes  brought  to  Dublin  by  canal, 
premium  for,  73 

Poultry  rearing,  premiums  for  essay  on, 
252 

Poultry  show,  345 

Power,  Robert,  premium  for  planting 
trees,  73  ;  premium  for  taking  ap- 
prentices, 193 

Powerscourt,  Mervyn,  Viscount,  Pre- 
sident, 287,  380,  382 

Pozzuolana,  discovered  at  Larne,  155 
and  n. 

"  Premium,"  Madden.  See  Madden, 
Samuel 

Premium  system  inaugurated,  52  et 
seq.  ;  the  objects  for  premiums,  58, 
59,  63  {and  see  undernames  of  objects) ; 


paucity  of  claimants  in  1753,  68 ; 
premiums  offered  in  the  year  1766, 
68-9,  386^  seq.  ;  by-law  as  to  wealthy 
people  :  their  claims  to  be  recognised 
by  medals,  71  ;  encouragement  to 
poor  renters  of  land,  71-2  ;  abuses 
and  deceptions,  72  ;  beneficial  results 
in  increasing  acreage  and  trees,  73  ; 
implements  of  husbandry  instead  of 
money  premiums,  93 ;  decline  in 
agriculture  notwithstanding,  136; 
affected  by  arrears  of  subscriptions 
and  discontinued,  149-50;  general 
directions  to  candidates,  420-1 

Prendergast,  J.  P.,  256 

President,  rules  as  to  the,  14,  290-1 

Presidents  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 
list  of  the,  379-80 

Preston,  Professor,  370,  376 

Prince  Consort,  Vice- Patron  of  the 
Society,  277,  312  ;  visits  of,  to  the 
Botanic  Garden  and  Exhibitions, 
197,  279,  280,  288 ;  statue  of,  on 
Leinster  Lawn,  290 

Prince  of  Wales,  288,  311 

Printing  and  typemaking,  premium  for, 

65 

Prior,  Thomas,  Secretary  to  the  Society, 
9,  80-2,  383 ;  monument  to,  9,  80-1 ; 
marble  bust  of,  by  Van  Nost,  9, 
90  ?i.z ;  mentioned,  6,  12,  13,  21,  23, 
28,  38,  43,  46,  108 

Prittie,  Colonel,  silver  mines  of,  in  co. 
Tipperary,  21 

Probate  Duties  Grant,  the,  315,  320 

Proceedings  of  the  Society,  index  to, 
178  ;  General  Index,  228  ;  minutes 
of  Evening  Scientific  Meetings  and 
Sectional  Evening  Meetings  in,  360, 
361 

Property  of  the  Society  :  resolution  of 
Select  Committee  as  to,  260 ;  views 
of  the  Society,  264 ;  declaration  by 
the  Society  as  to,  266 

Prout,  Professor  Ebenezer,  330 

Public  buildings  in  Dublin,  premium 
for  plans  of,  152 

Public  Gazetteer,  the,  141 

Pue's  Occurrences,  11,  23,  34,  44,  59, 
60,  62 

Pullein,  Rev.  Samuel,  premium  for 
best  written  book,  66-7 

Putland,  George,  interest  in  Glasnevin, 
191,  192 

Putland,  John,  Treasurer,  385 ;  pre- 
sented with  gold  medal,  84 

Quarries  of  flags,  slate,  and  marble, 
co.  Longford,  155 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY 


453 


Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Royal  Dublin 

Society,  1856-61,  287 
Queen's  College,  Cork,  255 
Queen     Victoria    visits     the     Botanic 

Garden    and    Exhibition,    197,   279, 

281,  282 
Querk,  Matthew,  premium  for  blankets, 

68 
Quilting,  premiums  for,  72 

Radium  Committee,  378 

Radium  emanation  outfit,  329 

Radium  Institute,  377-8 

Raeburn,  Sir  Henry,  167 

Rags,  premiums  for  collection  of,  for 

making  paper,  64,  67 
Rain,  black,  paper  on,  362 
Ranalow,  Mr.,  premium  for  sculpture, 

59 
Randal,  Robert,  premium   for   paper, 

64 
Rankin,    — ,    uses    Fuller's    earth    in 

woollen  manufacture,  154 
Rape  seed,  premiums  for,  390,  407 
Rape  transplantation,  a  method  of,  51 
Rathlin     Island,     20,     155 ;     Raglilin 

Church  Catechism,  20 
Raths.     See  Danish 
Rats,  killing  of,  premiums  for,  63 
Rawdon,  Sir  Arthur,  Bart.,  82 
Rawdon,  Isabella,  82 
Raymond,  Miss,  premium  for  lace,  62 
Raymond,  Samuel,  premium  for  cider, 

68 
Raynal,  Abbe,  219 
Reclaiming   land,    premiums    for,  63, 

65.  386,  398 
Reeves,  Dr.  (Bishop  of  Down),  232,  257 
Registrar,     the     office     of,     abolished 

(1798),  220;  new  rules  as  to  (1808),  227 
Registrars  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 

list  of  the,  384 
Reiley,  [Jas.],  (artist),  113 
Reilly,  Edmund,  198 
Reilly,  Philip,   premium   for   draining 

bogs,  65 
Reilly,  Richard,  printer  to  the  Society, 

37.6i 
Rentals,     Incumbered    and      Landed 

Estates   Court,   bequeathed    to   the 

Society,  290 
Renters  (small)  of  land,  premiums  for, 

7i 
Reports  of  Scientific  Meetings,  362 
Research,  grants  in  aid  of,  370 
Reyly,  Daniel,  premium  for  tapestry, 

65 
Reynell,  Richard,  gold  medal  for  tree 
planting,  72 


Reynolds,  Dr.  J.  Emerson,  291 ;  papers 

contributed  to  the  Journal,  367 
Reynolds,  Sir  Joshua,  115,  120  «.i,  121, 

236 
Rhames,  Aaron,  8,  11,  18,  24 
Riall,  Capt.   T-   Lewis,  Vice-President, 

68,  383,  384 
Rickey,    — ,    uses     Fuller's     earth    in 

woollen  manufacture,  154 
Rigby,  Mr.,  269 
Riggs   or    Ricks,   Catherine,   premium 

for  edging,  62 
Riverston,  Lord,  220 
Roberts,  Eliz. ,  premiums  for  lace,  58, 

61 
Roberts,  Hugh,  109 
Roberts,    Lewis,   premium   for  sowing 

acorns  and  timber  seeds,  68 
Robertson,  Charles,  114,  122 
Robertson,  James,  331 
Robertson,  Walter,  114 
Robinson,  Charles,  96,  118 
Robinson,  Rev.  Thomas  Romney,  276 
Robinson,  Thomas,  276 
Roche,  John,  premium  for  buckles,  &c, 

57 
Roe,  George,  282,  283 
Roe,  Henry,  80 

Roman  inscriptions,  a  paper  on,  21 
Roscommon,  Weld's  survey  of,  183-4  ■" 

Farming  Society,  222 
Rose,  premiums  for  new  species,  227 
Ross,  Capt.  Sir  James  C. ,  280 
Ross,  Sir  John,  254 
Ross,   Robert  (of  Rostrevor),  31,  186, 

385 
Rosse,  Laurence,  Earl  of,  382 
Rosse,  William,  Earl  of,  274,  285 
Rossmore,  Lady,  238 
Rothe,  David  (R.C.  Bishop  of  Ossory), 

his    Analecta    Sacra     in    the     Joly 

collection,  179-80 
Roubiliac,  bust  of  Alexander  Pope  by, 

235 

Rowan,  Hamilton,  105 

Royal  Agricultural  Association  of 
Ireland,  297 

Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England, 
298.  347 

Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland, 
297  ;  objects  of,  297  ;  incorporated  by 
Royal  Charter,  298  ;  support  of  local 
farming  societies,  298 ;  provincial 
shows  held  by,  298-9,  311  ;  mode  of 
aiding  local  societies,  299  ;  joint  effort 
with  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  for 
the  improvement  of  Irish  dairy 
industries,  331 ;  the  travelling  edu- 
cational dairy  of,  331  ;  amalgamation 


454 


A   HISTORY   OF 


with  Royal  Dublin  Society  suggested, 
296,   297 ;    surrender  of  charter  and 
transfer  to  Royal  Dublin  Society,  303, 
308,  321 ;  mentioned,  331,  350,  352 
Royal  College  of  Science  for  Ireland, 

356 

Royal  Cork  Institution,  226  n.,  245 

Royal  Hibernian  Academy,  132 

Royal  Institution,  225. 

Royal  Irish  Academy :  transfer  to 
Leinster  House  proposed,  291,  296; 
amalgamation  with  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society  suggested,  296,  297 ;  protest 
on  the  subject  of  abstract  science, 
306,  307;  Haliday  pamphlets  in 
Library  of,  5  ;  the  Book  of  Leacan  in, 
147;  Transactions  of,  cited,  165, 
239,  360;  mentioned,  91,  113,  149, 
158,  174.  219,  220,  221,  255 

Royal  Irish  Art  Union,  133 

Royal  Society  of  London,  1-2,  3,  38, 
42,  297;   Transactions  of,  cited,  239, 

294  , 
Royal  Veterinary   College   of  Ireland, 

343 
Royal  Veterinary  College  of  London, 

338,  340,  342 
Rules  of  the  Society,  14  et  seq.,  43-4, 

83-4 
Rumford,    Count  Von,    224,    225;    his 

"  kitchens,''  225 
Rural  economy,  lectures  in,  339 
Russia,     Grand     Duke      Michael    of: 

honorary  member,  230 
Rutty,  Dr.  John,  Natural  History  of 

County  Dublin  obtains   a   premium, 

46,  69 
Ryan,  Dr.,  176 

Sadleir,  Mr.  (aeronaut),  235 
Sadleir,  T.  U.,  Records  of  the  Georgian 

Society,  quoted,  100 
Saffron    growing,    18 ;    premiums   for, 

64,  408-9 
Sailors,      discharged,     taking     farms, 

premiums  for,  87,  410 -n 
Sainfoin  seed,  premiums  for,  389 
St.  Bel,  Mr.,  professor,  London  College 

of  Veterinary  Medicine,  338 
St.    Brigid    of  Sweden,    Orationes  of, 

unique  copy  in  the  Joly  collection, 

179 
St.   Columba's  College,   Rathfarnham, 

257 
St.  George,  Archibald,  177 
St.  George,  Thomas,  218,  383,  385 
St.  Lawrence,  Lord,  290,  350 
Sallows,    planting    and    cutting,    pre- 
mium for,  403,  405 


Salmon  fisheries,  &c,  Ireland:  paper 

on,  367 
Salt,  premiums  for,  62,  64 
Salt  made  at  Glenarm,  62 
Saltpetre,  premiums  for  production  of, 

394,  415 
Sandes,  Rev.  Dr.,  251 
Sandes,   Lancelot,    silver    cake-basket 

presented  to,  for  reclaiming  bog,  145 
Sandon,  Lord,  291,  292 
Sanitary  arrangements.     See  Kennedy, 

Dr.  Evory 
Saunders,  Morley,  155 
Saunders's  News-Letter,  92,  356 
Scanlon,  James,  and  Co.,  premium  for 

destroying  seals  on  north-west  coast, 

7i 

Schikaneder,  cited,  164 

School  of  Art,  no;  reports  on,  368. 
See  under  Architectural,  Drawing, 
Modelling 

School  of  Design  (Government)  in  con- 
nection with    R.D.S.   opened    1849, 

133-4 

Schools,  management  of,  264 

Schreiber,  Baron,  157 

Science  and  Art  Museum,  291  et  seq. 

Science  and  Art  Museum  Act,  293,  295, 
301 ,  303,  305 ,  31 1 ,  325,  340  ;  influence 
of,  on  the  Society's  work,  369 

Science  lectures  for  boys  and  girls, 
372 

Science  teaching  by  the  Society,  356; 
gradually  passes  out  of  the  Society's 
hands,  356 

Science  training  in  schools,  371-3 

Scientific  Meetings,  Reports  of,  362 

Scientific  papers  discussed  at  the  Even- 
ing Scientific  Meetings,  360 

Scientific  Proceedings,  370,  376 ;  the 
new  series,  370;   the  exchange  list, 

37° 

Scientific  publications  of  the  Society, 
cost  of,  369 

Scientific  research,  grants  in  aid  of,  370 

Scientific  staff:  lecturing  and  other 
work  of,  356-7 

Scientific  Transactions,  369 

Scientific  work  of  the  Society,  254  ;  sur- 
vey of ,  35Setsef.,  369 

Scott,  Dr.,  premium  for  discovering 
new  Irish  plants,  227 

Scott,  Tohn,  149 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  Life  of  Swift,  cited, 

245 

Scott,  Mr.,  on  the  mineral  localities  of 
Donegal,  367 

Scottish  Society  of  Improvers  in  Agri- 
culture, \  n. 


THE    ROYAL    DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


455 


Scouler,  Dr.,  professor  of  mineralogy, 
167,  269,  363  ;  contributions  by,  to  the 
Evening  Scientific  Meetings,  361 

Sculpture,  school  of,  124.  See  Model- 
ling School 

Sculpture  and  the  Fine  Arts  :  premiums 
and  awards  for,  59,  61,  64,  in,  114, 

128 

Sea  fisheries  :   premiums  for  catching, 

curing,  and  exporting  fish,  69-70,  71  ; 

defence  of  fishermen  by  the  Society, 

70 
Sea-fishing,  award  for  a  machine  for,  69 
Seal  of  the  Society,  the,  79,  224,  376 
Seals     in     north-west     coast     fishing 

grounds,    premiums   for   destruction 

of,  71 
Secondary  Schools,    science    teaching 

in,  373 
Secretaries:  rules  as  to  the,  15  ;  Hono- 
rary   and    Assistant,    of  the    Royal 

Dublin  Society,  list  of  the,  383-4 
Seguin,  Henry,  medal  for  plans,  &c. , 

115  ;  executes  stipple  engraving,  116  ; 

Society  subscribes   to   his   School  of 

Fencing,  116 
Seppings,    Sir    Robert,     Bart.  ;     hon. 

member,  255 
Sexton,  Joseph,  premium  for  building 

paper  mill,  65  ;  premium  for  paper,  67 
Seybert,  Adam,  227 
Seymour,  Sir  Michael,  230 
Shannon,  Earl  of,  27 
Shannon,  Lady, 199 
Shannon   river,    survey   and   chart   of, 

presented,  146 
Shaw,     Sir     Robert,     Vice-President, 

152  «.2,  229,  381 
Shaw's  Court,   Dame  Street,  Society's 

house  in,  1757-67  .  .  .  88-90 
Shedlock,  J.  S.,  330 
Shee,  Sir  Martin  Archer,  P.R.A. ,  116, 

129,  255  ;  medal  for  portraits,  115 
Sheehan,  — ■  (artist),  113 
Sheep-rot,  recipes  for,  printed  by  the 

Society,  51 
Sheffield,  Earl  of,  230 
Sheldon,  Professor  J.  P.,  331 
Shelly,  Charles,  premium  for  planting 

trees,  60 
Sheppard,  Anthony,  jun.,  10,  13,  21,  23, 

24,  31  and  n. ,  385  ;  sen. ,  31  a?id  n. 
Sheridan,  Dr.  Thomas,  30,  31  n.,  142 
Shipbuilding,  encouragement  of,  277 
Shorthorns  in  cattle  show,  346,  347 
Shuldham,  Mr.,  marble  on  his  estate  in 

Longford,  155 
Sidmouth,  Lord,  211 
Sidney,  F.  J.,  285 


Silk  manufacture,  in  Dublin,  198  et seq.  ; 
unemployment  among  the  weavers, 
199  ;  superintendence  of  manufacture 
and  regulation  of  wages  by  the  Dublin 
Society,  200,  240 ;  ruling  of  the 
Society  as  to  female  labour,  200 ; 
state  of,  in  Ireland,  200-1  ;  number 
of  persons  engaged  in,  in  Dublin, 
200,  201 ;  the  question  of  wages  of 
silk  winders,  201-2  ;  premium  for  raw 
silk  manufacture,  84 

Silk  warehouse  established  for  re- 
tail trade,  198-9 ;  the  patronesses, 
199  ;  value  of  stock  and  returns  of 
sales,  199  ;  toasts  among  the  weavers, 
199;  Society's  connection  with, ceases, 
200,  202  ;  Society  asked  to  resume 
responsibility,  200;  investigation  of 
the  title  to,  202;  Considerations  on 
the  Silk  Trade  in  Ireland,  quoted, 
202-3 

Silk  weavers'  steel  reeds,  premiums  for, 
412 

Silver  cake-basket,  premium  in  1769, 
purchased  for  National  Museum, 
145-6 

Silver  mines  in  Tipperary,  21 

Simon,  James,  his  Account  of  Irish 
Coins,  46  and  n.2 

Sims,  Edward,  premiums  for  bulls,  &c. , 

63 
Sinclair,   Sir  John,   president,  English 

Beard     of     Agriculture,     93,     221  ; 

honorary  member,  224 
Sinclair,  R.  G.  (organist),  328 
Singleton,  Sydenham,  152,  38 t 
Sirr,  Major,  228 
Skelton,  Rev.  Philip,  46,  52 
Skerries  fishermen  obtain  awards,  69,  70 
Slate  quarries  found,  155 
Slater's  Culture  of  Flax,  18 
Slater  (or  Slator),  Thomas,  premiums 

for  paper,  64,  67 
Slater,  William,  premium  for  erecting 

paper  mill,  65 
Stealer's  Newspaper,  69,  141 
Sleater,  William,  141 
Sligo,  Marquis  of,  222 
Small  Holdings,  improvement  in  tillage 

in,  321  et  seq. 
Smalt,  premium  for  manufacture  of,  415 
Smilie,  John,  &  Co.,  premium  for  glass 

manufacture,  74 
Smith,  S.  Catterson,  R.H.A.,  134,  179, 

422 
Smith,  Dr.  Charles,  45,  46  ;  History  of 

Cork,    46;    History    of   Kerry,    46, 

cited.  22  ;z.2 
Smith,  Henry,  quoted,  347 


456 


A    HISTORY   OF 


Smith,  John,  premium  for  reclaiming 
mountain  land,  65 

Smith,  Mr.,  of  Deanston,  lectures  on 
draining  land,  277 

Smithheld  (Dublin)  cattle  shows,  344 

Smyth,  Edward,  master  of  modelling 
school,  97,  118,  124,  132,  221 

Smyth,  John,  master  of  modelling 
school,  124,  132 

Smyth,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas,  Hon.  Sec, 
226,  381,  383 

Soap  manufacture  (Irish),  investigation 
of  the  condition  of,  358 

Social  and  economic  subjects,  papers 
on,  363-4 

Society  of  Artists,  124,  125 

Society  of  Arts,  England,  120,  121  and 
».i,  140;  work  of,  for  agriculture, 
140 

Soils  of  Ireland,  paper  on  the  analysis 
of,  361 

Soldiers,  discharged,  taking  farms, 
premiums  for,  87,  409-10 

Sollas,  Prof.,  370 

Somerly.G.  B.,  168 

Southwell,  Lord,  46 

Spaight,  William,  74 

Spanish  asses  in  cattle  show,  345 

Spanish  asses,  no  premium  granted 
for, in  1753  ...  68 

Spectroscopy,  paper  on,  367 

Spencer,  John  P.,  Earl,  290,  380 

Spinning  :  an  essay  advocating  promo- 
tion of,  36 

Spinning  school,  at  Cork,  207 

Spring  cattle  show,  312,  319,  344,  345  ; 
prizes,  345,  346;  member  visitor's 
book  at,  346  ;  entry  fee  on  each  head 
of  cattle,  347;  shorthorns  in,  346, 
347  ;  as  a  stimulus  to  cattle  breeding, 
347;  change  of  site  mooted,  348; 
breeding  stock  entries,  348  ;  auction 
sales  revived,  348 

Sproule,  John,  362 

Spruce,  cones  of  black,  premiums 
offered  for,  62 

Stallions,  premiums  for,  315,  316 

Standing  committees,  the,  44,  216, 
289,  369  ;  authority  to  elect,  conferred 
on  Society  by  the  supplementary  char- 
ter, 289;  of  the  original  Society,  14. 
See  also  Committees  of  Management 

Stannus,  Col.,  245 

Staples,  Sir  Thomas,  279 

Statistical  Surveys  of  Counties,  154  »., 
182-4,  2ii,  243 

Steam-engine,  lectures  on  the,  238 

Stearne's  collection  of  manuscripts,  172 

Steel,  Mr.,  model  of  a  machine  with 
sails,  43 


Steele,  Dr.  W.  E. ,  assistant  secretary, 

283,  287,  291,  384 
Steele,  Joshua  (Barbadoes),  217 
Steenstrup,  Prof.  K.  J.  V.,  cited,  167 
Stephens,   Dr.   William,   6,   9,   12,  13, 

20,  21,  33,  383 
Stewart,  Donald,  mineralogical  survey 

by.  !54,  155-  156 

Stewart,  Sir  Robert,  330 

Stock  fishery,  premium  offered  for  pro- 
motion of,  394 

Stockings,  premiums  for  manufacture 
of,  57.  413 

Stoker,  Henry,  premium  for  drawing, 
114 

Stokes,  Rev.  Professor  G.  T.,  78 

Stokes,  Dr.  Whitley,  168,  278 

Stokes,  Dr.  William,  119,  278 

Stokes'  Worthies  of  the  Irish  Church, 
cited,  183 

Stone,  George  (Archbishop  of  Armagh), 
Vice-President,  80,  380 

Stoney,  George  Johnstone,  career  of, 
285-6 ;  first  recipient  of  the  Boyle 
Medal,  286,  376 ;  mentioned,  302, 
3°4.  3°9.  376.  382,  384 

Stopford,  Thomas,  82 

Strangford,  Lord,  46 

Strickland,  W.  G.,  cited,  132;  Dic- 
tionary of  Irish  Artists,  cited,  90  n.2  ; 
112,  122  n.1,  423 

Sturdy,  John,  premium  for  watch  plates, 

65 
Subscriptions:  life,  83,  150,  240,  261, 

285;  annual,  10,  83,  214,  216,  240, 

249,  261,  273-4 
Subscriptions  and  arrears,  43-4,   146, 

149-50,  152,  156  n.1 ;  213,  247,  261 ; 

by-laws   as  to,    146,  152-3;    arrears 

suable  for  by  civil  bill,  150,  156  nA ; 

action  for  arrears  followed  by  decline 

in  membership,  151 
Subsoil  ploughing,  premium  for  essays 

on,  277 
Sugar  in  Irish-grown  roots,  paper  on, 

363.     See  Beet 
Sullivan,   William    K.,    paper  on   the 

wasteful    management     of    manure 

heaps,  361 ;  on  the  amount  of  sugar 

in   Irish-grown   roots,   363 ;    on   the 

comparative  value  of  large  and  small 

roots,  363 
Sulphuric  acid  manufacture,  362 
Summers,      William,     premium      for 

cottons,  &c. ,  72 
Survey   of  the   general    work   of   the 

Society  during   late  eighteenth  and 

early  nineteenth  centuries,  217  et  sea. 
Surveying  instruments,  awards  for,  59, 

221 


THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN    SOCIETY 


457 


Swede  turnip  introduced  into  Ireland, 
357 

Sweepstake  at  cattle  show,  345 

Sweetman,  Walter,  282 

Swift,  Dean,  friendship  for  Delany, 
28 ;  and  for  Humphry  French,  29  ; 
attitude  of  the  Earl  of  Orrery  to,  29, 
30;  views  of,  as  to  the  Sheppards, 
31  and  n.1 ;  ballad  attributed  to, 
42 ;  not  a  member  of  the  Dublin 
Society,  30-1;  D rapier's  Letters,  5, 
30 ;  Gulliver  s  Travels,  30 ;  Corre- 
spondence quoted,  31  n.  ;  three  letters 
of,  presented,  245 ;  bust  of,  in  St. 
Patrick's  Cathedral,  83 ;  portraits 
of,  and  bust  by  Bindon,  27;  men- 
tioned, 13,  42,  46  n.x\  66  n.2;  83, 
188,  189 

Swift's  Hospital,  46  n.y 

Swinford  district,  experiment  in  en- 
couragement of  tillage  in,  22,  36,  37, 
322 

Synge,  Edward  (Bishop  of  Clonfert), 


Taaffe,  Rev.  Denis,  translates  and 
catalogues  Dutch  and  German  works, 
175  and  n. 

Taghmon  Agricultural  School,  223 

Talbot  de  Malahide,  Lord,  284,  382 

Tanning,  359;  with  tormentil  roots, 
10,  67;  David  Macbride's  method, 
72,  144 

Tanning,  premiums  for,  393 

Tanning  trade,  report  on,  by  the  com- 
mittee of  commerce,  149 ;  tanned 
hides,  premium  for,  72 

Tapestry,  premiums  for,  64,  65,  66,  67 

Taylor  Art  Scholarships,  134-5 

Taylor,  Charles,  secretary,  London 
Society  of  Arts,  225 

Taylor,  Capt.  George  Archibald,  art 
scholarships  founded  by,  134-5 

Taylor,  Sir  Thomas,  Vice-President, 
80,  380 

Taylor,  William  B.,  96 

Taylor  and  Skinner,  award  for  a  large 
scale  continuous  road  map,  152 

Tear,  — ,  former  pupil,  executes  pre- 
sentation plate,  130 

Teddyman,  Mr.,  32 

Telfier,  William  (of  Glasgow),  his  in- 
vention for  measuring  true  run  of  a 
ship  at  sea,  48-9 

Templeton,  John,  premium  for  dis- 
covering new  Irish  plants,  227 

Tennison,  Dr. ,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  pre- 
sentation to  the  library  by,  172 

Tenter-house,  built  in  the  Liberties  by 
Pleasants,  205-6,  206  n. 


Terrass,  155  and  n. 

Tew,  Miss  (of  Kingstown),  181 

Tew,  Rev.  William  (of  Ballysax),  be- 
quest of  books,  i8r 

Theatre  Royal,  Dublin,  96,  97  n.1 

Thewles,  Wentworth,  gold  medal  for 
reclaiming  bog,  145 

Thompson,  Sir  Benjamin  (Count  von 
Rumford),  224,  225 

Thompson,  Thomas  C,  96 

Thompson,  William,  premium  for  a 
painting,  66 

Thornbald,  Mary,  premium  for  lace,  58 

Thorp,  Alderman,  105 

Thorpe,  Thomas,  181 

Thorpe  collection  of  Irish  historical 
tracts  purchased,  180-1 

Thorwaldsen,  cited,  128 

Thread-making,  encouragement  to,  56, 

145 
Thwaites,   George,    brewer,    premium 

for  using  Irish  hops,  61 
Tickell,  John,  his  candidature  rejected, 

86 
Tickell,  Major  Thomas,  187-8,  189 
Tickell,   Thomas   (of    Glasnevin),    the 

friend    of   Addison,    86,    188,    189 ; 

Elegy  on  the  death  of  Addiso?i  by,  189 
Tides  and  currents  of  the  Irish  Sea  : 

papers  on,  365,  366 
Tighe,  Robert,  bequest  of  books,  182 
Tighe,  Sterne,  20 
Tighe,  William,   premium  for  sowing 

acorns  and  timber  seeds,  68 
Tighe,  W. ,  Survey  of  Co.   Kilkenny, 

183 
Tillage  :  Society's  work  for  encourage- 
ment of,  22,  36,  37,  50,  322;  in  the 

Swinford  district,  321-3 ;    premiums 

for,  58,  59,  63  et passim 
Timber  seeds,  sowing  of,  premiums  for, 

68 
Timber  trees,  premiums  for  planting, 

58,  59,  60,  61,  63,  65,  68,  73,  74 
Timbrell,  Henry,  129 
Timbrell,  James  Christopher,  sculptor, 

presents   his   first   lithographic    pro- 
duction, 129 
Tipperary  county  Survey,  manuscript 

materials  for,  180,  184 
Tisdall,  Henry,  solicitor  to  the  Society, 

150,  225 
Tisdall,   Rev.  William  (Swift's  rival), 

245 
Titian,  121  «2 
Tobacco,  question  of  cultivation  of,  in 

Ireland,  a  paper  on,  362 
Todd,    Rev.    James   Henthorn,   S.F. , 

T.C.D.,  255,  257 
Todd  Lectureship,  257 


45  8 


A    HISTORY    OF 


Tolka  river,  Glasnevin,  in  Society's 
grounds,  192 

Tormentil,  roots  use  J  for  tanning,  10, 
67  and  n.2 

Townsend,  Rev.  Horace,  Survey  of 
County  Cork  challenged  on  religious 
grounds,  184,  185 

Townsend,  Lady,  199 

Townshend,  A.  F. ,  337 

Townshend,  Charles  Uniacke,  292, 
382,  384 

Tra?isactio7is  of  the  Dublin  Society  : 
question  of  publication  of,  considered, 
238  ;  character  and  contents  of,  339, 
344.  359  et  se1>;  articles  on  veterinary 
subjects  in  the,  338 

Transit  instrument,  gold  medal  to  Mr. 
Grubb  for,  271 

Trant,  Mr.,  115 

Travers,  Robert,  178 

Treasurer,  rules  as  to  the,  15 

Treasurers  to  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 
list  of  the,  385 

Trees,  premiums  for  planting,  60,  61, 
65,  68,  72,  73,  220,  403  et  sea.;  neces- 
sity for  planting,  244 ;  amounts  of 
grants  for  plantations  between  1784 
and  1806,  73 

Trefoyle  seed,  premiums  for,  389,  402 

Tresham,  Henry,  130,  131 

Trimlestown,  Lord,  38 

Trinity  College,  Dublin,  78,  95,  254; 
a  student  of,  elected  a  member,  229 

Troye,  Philip,  premium  for  tapestry,  67 

Tudor,  Jane,  premium  for  drawing,  64 

Tudor,  Joseph,  premium  for  a  painting, 
61 

Tuke,  J.  H.,  334 

Tull,  Jethro,  11,  12;  Horse  Hoeing 
Husbandry,  it,  172;  Essay  on  the 
Principles  of  Tillage  and  Vegetation, 
12 

Turbot  fishery:  premium  offered  for 
promotion  of,  394,  418 

Turnips,  premiums  for,  58,  145,  388  ; 
large  quantities  sown,  66 

Tweedie,  John,  196 

Twigg,  Andrew  R.,  122  ;  presents  por- 
trait of  General  Vallancey,  120 

Tyrone  county,  paper  on  coal  mining 
in,  368 

Tyrrell,  Professor,  376 

Underwood,  John,  head  gardener  at 
Glasnevin,  190;  catalogues  compiled 
by, 191 

Uniacke,  Maurice,  premium  for  plant- 
ing trees,  61 

University  of  Dublin,  187 


Vallancey,  General  Charles,  appre- 
ciation of,  147-9 ;  literary  works  of, 
148,  174;  copies  of  the  Barony  Maps 
by,  148  ;  portraits  of,  120,  149  ;  men- 
tioned, 71,  146,  155,  174,  175,  204, 
211,  223,  229,  381 

Van  Beaver,  John,  premium  for  tapes- 
try, 61,  65 

Van  Lewen,  Dr.  John,  13 

Van  Lewen,  Letitia,  13 

Van  Nost,  John,  sculptor,  50 ;  monu- 
ments, &c.  by,  48,  53,  81,  90  n. 3; 
mentioned,  iog-114  passim  ;  bust  by 
his  sister,  no 

Vansittart,  Rt.  Hon.  Nicholas,  230 

Vases.     See  Etruscan 

Vavesseur,  Mr.,  142 

Velvet,  velveteens  :  premiums  for,  62, 
64,  68,  72 

Ventilation,  lectures  on,  238 

Verschoyle,  Richard,  104 

Vesey,  Agmondisham,  151 

Vesey,  Capt.  C.  Colhurst,  290 

Veterinary  College,  the,  337  et  sea.  ; 
veterinary  medicine  as  a  science, 
337-8,  340;  interest  of  the  Dublin 
Society  in,  338  ;  the  veterinary  estab- 
lishment, 160,  338  ;  general  charac- 
ter and  scope  of  the  lectures  in, 
338-9  ;  fees,  339  ;  museum,  339,  340, 
341  ;  scheme  for  a  Veterinary  Insti- 
tution, 339;  the  veterinary  professor- 
ship, 340,  341  ;  foundation  of  a  ve- 
terinary school  considered  by  the 
Society,  211,  341,  342;  memorial  to 
the  Treasury  prepared,  341  ;  financial 
difficulties  :  the  guarantee  fund,  342- 
3 ;  Royal  Veterinary  College  of  Ire- 
land incorporated  by  charter,  343; 
changes  in  the  charter,  343 ;  the 
government  of  the  college  transferred, 

343 

Veterinary  Surgeons,  Association  of, 
in  Dublin  projected,  341 

Vice-patrons,  lords-lieutenants  the,  291 

Vice-presidents  of  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society,  list  of  the,  380-3 

Vice-presidents,  rules  as  to,  14  ;  attend- 
ance of,  at  Society's  meetings,  151,152 

Vida,  Marcus  Hieron. ,  translations 
from,  67  and  n.1 

Vienna,  Museum  of  Mineralogy,  in 
communication  with  Society's  mu- 
seum, 157 

Vierpyle,  Simon,  carver  in  statuary, 
113  and  n. 

Vincent,  Richard,  Hon.  Sec,  219,383 

Vine,  Guthrie,  The  National  Library 
of  Ireland,  cited,  180  «.] 

Voltaire  cited,  12 


THE    ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY      459 


Von  Feinagle,  Professor  Gregor,  lec- 
tures on  Mnemonics,  &c. ,  229 

Von  Haller,  Albrecht,  x;  Bibliotheca 
Botanica  of,  173 

Von  Rumford.     See  Rumford 

Wade,  John  (chemist),  144 

Wade,  R.  C,  290,  350 

Wade,     Dr.     Walter,    professor     and 

lecturer    in   botany,    160,    187,    194, 

355  ;   lectures  in  rural  economy  by, 

339  ;   the  Flora  Dublinensis  of,  189  ; 

papers   by,   in  the  Society's  Trans- 
actions,  359  ;    mentioned,   187,    224, 

228,  245,  357 
Waldron,  William,  118 
Walker,  Alderman,  60 
Walker,    Dr.     David,    notes     on    the 

zoology  of  McClintock's  Expedition, 

366 
Walker,  Thomas,  245 
Wallace,  Thomas,  177 
"  Wallace,"  a  lion  in  a  Dublin  mena- 
gerie, model  for  pupils  of  drawing 

school,  129 
Waller,  John  Francis,  Hon.  Sec.  and 

V.-P.,  285,292,  382,384 
Wallis,  John,  Vice-President,  115,  219, 

38i 
Walsh,  Andrew,  premium  for  planting 

old  Danish  forts,  74 
Walsh,   Edward,    premium   for  velvet 

and  silk,  68 
Wand  of  the  hall  porter,  the,  224 
Warburton,     Richard,     premium    for 

planting  old  Danish  forts,  74 
Warburton,  cited,  142 
Ward,  Michael,  6,  7 
Ward,  Philip,  24 
Ware,  [Harris'],  cited,  20 
Ware,  James,  46 
Waring,  Henry,  premium  for  osiers  and 

willows,  68 
Waring,  Major,  115,  383 
Warner,  Rev.  Ferdinando,  his  works, 

&C,  172  and  n. 
Watchplates,  premium  for,  65 
Waterford,  glass  manufacture  in,  74 
Waterford  county,  mineralogical survey 

in,  154 
Watkins,   Bartholomew,    premium   for 

landscapes,  126  and  n. 
Watkins,  B.  Colles,  artist,  126  n. 
Watson,    William,     presents     to    the 

Society    King's     Warrant    for    the 

charter,  76  ». 
Watson's  Almanac,  1741-2  ...  58 
Watts,  Mr.,  assistant  professor  in  the 

veterinary  establishment,  160,  338 
Weaver.Thomas,  mineralogist,  157,  163 


Weavers,   corporation   of,    petition    to 

Parliament,  198 
Weavers,  silk,  198,  202 ;    petition  the 
Society   for   aid   against   unemploy- 
ment, 199 
Webster,  Joseph,  202 
Weekly  Observations,  Dublin  Society's, 

34  et  sea.  ;  37  and  n. 
Weld,  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  [son],  44-5,  246 
Weld,   Isaac  [great  grandson],    Hon. 
Sec. ,  appreciation  of,  246  ;  survey  of 
county  of  Roscommon  by,  183,   184  ; 
mission   to  the  Treasury,  249 ;    evi- 
dence  before    House   of   Commons 
Select  Committee,  259,  325.     Obser- 
vations on  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 
and  its  existing  Institutions   (1831), 
by,  249  ;   otherwise  mentioned,  132, 
149,  165,  176,  177,  258,  280,  285,  363, 
382,  383 ;  memoir  of,  contributed  to 
the  Journal,  365 
Weld,  Rev.  Nathaniel  [father],  46,  246 
Weld,  Dr.  Richard,  85 
Weld  cultivation,  premiums  for,  390,408 
Wellington  trophy,  97  and  n.2 
Werner,  [A.  J.J,  cited,  156,  163 
West,  Francis  R.  [son],  120  n.% 
West,  Robert  [father],  {master  of  figure 
drawing),  109  ;  drawing  academy  of, 
in  George's  Lane,  taken  over  by  the 
Dublin  Society,  109  ;  mentioned,  no, 
in,  116,  117,  118,  120  «.2,  131,  132 
West,  Robert  L.  [grandson],  120  and 

n.%,  122,  130 
West,  Mr.  (of  Clontarf),  163 
Westropp,  Dudley,  cited,  146 
Wexford  county,  mineralogical  survey, 

Wheat,    special  competitions  for,   58 ; 

premiums  for,  59,  60,  and  n. ,  387,  399 
White,  Annie  C,  Taylor  prize,  135 
White,    Henry    Conner,    Registrar    of 

the  Society,  283,  384 
White  House,   Washington,  stated  to 

have    been    modelled    on    Leinster 

House,  103 
White,  John,  Glasnevin,  191 
White,  Luke,  229 
White,     Major-General     Sir     Henry, 

bequest,  128  and  n. 
Whitecombe-Whetcombe,     Rev.      Dr. 

John,  6,  8,  21,  383 
Whitefoord,  Caleb,  120 
Whiteings, premiums  offered  for  curing, 

418 
Whitelaw  and  Walsh,  History  of  Dublin 

cited,  96,  194 
Whitton,    Benj.,  premium  for  scythes, 

&c,S7 

Wicklow,  county,  gold  mines,  359 


460       THE   ROYAL   DUBLIN   SOCIETY 


Wicklow,  county,  mineralogical  survey 

in,  154-5 
Wide   Street   Commissioners,    Dublin, 

lease  premises  to  the  Society,  94,  95 
Wigham,  J.   R.,  paper  on  lighthouse 

illumination  by,  368 
Wignacourt,  Grand  Master,  Knights  of 

Malta,  coat  of  mail  of,  159 
Wilde,    Dr.,   afterwards  Sir  William, 

270 ;  cited,  3  ;  memoir  of  Beranger, 

cited,  174 
Wilder,  James,  1 13-14 
Wilkinson,   Abraham,  Hon.  Sec,  152 

and  n.2  ;  218,  226,  383 
Wilkinson,  George,  311 
Wilkinson,  Maria,  1  s2  n.2 
William  IV.  (King) ,"248 
Williams,    Richard,  &  Co.,    premium 

for  plate  glass  manufacture,  74 
Williams,     Solomon     (painter),     124, 

and  n.,  125,  149,  237 
Willis,  Henry,  &  Sons,  328 
Willows ;     no    premiums   granted  for 

planting  in  1753  ...  68  ;  premiums  in 

1754 ...  68 
Wilson,   Sharp   &   Co.,   premium    for 

salt  for  curing  fish,  62 
Wilson,     Captain    Theodore,    House- 
keeper and  Registrar,  105,  227,  228, 

239,  283.  384 

Wilton,  Joseph,  sculptor,  London,  112 

Window  glass  manufacture,  244 

Wine,  blackberry,  currant,  &c,  pre- 
miums for,  63 

Winter,  Anne,  182 

Winter,  John,  bequest  of  books,  182 

Winter  show,  346,  349;  fat  stock  and 
poultry  show,  349 

Woad,  growth  and  preparation  of, 
premiums  for,  391,  408 

Wood,  Herbert,  Addison's  Connection 
with  Ireland,  cited,  188 

Wood,  Sir  H.  T.,  History  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  Arts,  cited,  121  n.x 

Wood-carving  section  (Art  Industries 
Exhibition),  320 

Woodburn,  William,  122 

Woodhouse,  Samuel,  122 

Woodroofe,  Dr.,  278 

Woodward,  Richard  (Dean  of  Clogher), 
Vice-President,  146,  381  ;  his  pam- 
phlet on  Rights  of  the  Poor,  143-4 


Woollen  cloth :  manuscript  by  Sir 
Wm.  Petty  on  manufacture  of,  21 

Woollen  industry  :  in  Dublin,  205,  206  ; 
the  tenters,  206  n.  ;  bounties  for 
encouragement  of,  204  ;  premium  for 
steel  wool  combs,  412 

Woollen  Warehouse,  204  et  seq.  ;  argu- 
ments urged  against,  204,  206-7 ; 
Portuguese  trade,  204;  manufacture 
of  woollen  goods  in  Cork,  205  ;  tenter 
house  built,  205-6 

Worsted  industry,  premiums  for,  64, 
204,  208 

Worsted  spinning,  taught  to  children, 
67-8;  a  school  at  Cork,  207;  a 
school  at  Maryborough,  207 

Wright,  C.  S.,  371 

Wrixon,  Henry,  premium  for  manuring 
with  lime,  66 

Wyatt,  Mr.,  102 

Wybrants,  H.,  279 

Wynne,  Rev.  Dr.  John,  80,  383;  pre- 
sented with  gold  medal,  84 

Wyon,  Alan,  medallist,  376 

Yeates,  George,  description  of  a  re- 
gistering barometer,  363 

Yeates  &  Sons,  mercurial  barograph, 363 

Yeates,  Isaiah,  premium  for  wheat,  58 

Yelverton,  Matthew,  premium  for 
turnips,  58  ;  premium  for  exceptional 
crop  of  wheat,  60;  Arthur  Young's 
explanation  of  it,  60  n. 

York,  Duke  and  Duchess  of,  visit  to 
Dublin  Horse  Show,  353 

Yorke,  Sir  William,  house  of,  in 
William  St. ,  89 

Young,  Alexander,  70 

Young,  Arthur,  140 ;  observations  on 
the  work  and  influence  of  the  Dublin 
Society,  v ;  Tour  in  Ireland,  by, 
140;  on  Yelverton 's  record  crop  of 
wheat,  cited,  60  ?i.  ;  on  Chief  Baron 
Anthony  Foster,  85 ;  Six  Months' 
Tour,  &c. ,  edited  by  J.  W.  Baker, 
139  ;  visit  to  farm  of  J.  W.  Baker, 
140;  on  silk  trade  in  Ireland  cited, 
203  ;  otherwise  mentioned,  72,  86, 
145  n.2,  259 

Zander,  M.,  method  of  propagating 
potatoes  from  seed,  362 


Printed  by  Ballantvne,  Hanson  &>  Co. 
at  Paul's  Work,  Edinburgh 


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