i894. ADDRESS TO THE MUSEUMS' ASSOCIATION. 23 



others which are rather out of place, and their development is 

 hampered by lack of funds and other causes. 



Although, through the kindness of the Rev. Dr. George Stokes, 

 I have been placed in possession of much interesting historical 

 information regarding the Scientific Societies of Dublin in the i6th 

 and 17th centuries, some of which appear to have possessed 

 collections, I have not as yet had the necessary leisure for following 

 up exhaustively the clues which he has placed in my hands, nor, 

 indeed, could I devote in this address the time and space necessary 

 for doing full justice to the subject ; but I have seen enough to prove 

 that the task, if undertaken, will be productive of interesting results, 

 and that it will show that in those early times a spirit of active 

 scientific enquiry was already in existence in Dublin, in which 

 such men as Sir Wm. Petty, Molyneux, Marsh, Pococke, Rutty, 

 Madden, Keogh, Berkely, St. George Ashe, Robert Boyle, and others 

 whose fame was not merely local, actively participated. Some of 

 their contributions to science are well-known, having been printed in 

 the early volumes of the " Philosophical Transactions." There was, 

 indeed, a very intimate relationship at the time between at least one 

 of these societies and the Royal Society of London. 



Trinity College. 



This grand institution, which for upwards of three centuries 

 has maintained its high position, successfully accomplished the 

 aspirations of its founders, and secured for itself respect and 

 admiration all the world over as a centre of light and learning, has 

 founded within its walls, and keeps still in active operation, several 

 Museums which, with the progress of scientific education, have been 

 gradually more and more specialised to meet the educational 

 necessities of the present day, as follows : — 



I. — Museum of Natural Philosophy. — Founded about the year 

 1730. It contains a collection of various philosophical instruments. 

 It is in the charge of the Professor of Experimental Philosophy. 



II. — Museum of Anatomy and Zoology. — The Zoological 

 Museum was founded in the year 1777, and contains a large series of 

 typical specimens. 



The objects of most general interest in this Museum are the 

 skeleton of the Irish giant, Magrath, and the only existing Irish 

 example of the Great Auk. 



Many of the older specimens were formerly in the private 

 Museum of the late Dr. Robert Ball, whose collections were merged 

 in those of the University in the year 1844, and who, up to the year 

 1857, was Director of the Museum. It has since been in the charge of 

 the Professors of Anatomy and Zoology. 



The Anatomical collections, formerly combined with those of 

 Pathology, are now arranged in the galleries of this Museum. 



