. [ XIV ] 



refumed without fuccefs about the beginning of the 

 prefent century, when the Earl of Pembroke, then Lord 

 Lieutenant, prefided over a Philofophical Society efta- 

 bhfhed in Dublin College. In the year 1740 the 

 Phyfico-hiftorical Society, two volumes of whofe minutes 

 are ftill extant, was inftituted : under their patronage 

 Smith publifhed his Hiftory of Waterford. And in the 

 year 1772 the antient fliate of Ireland attracted the 

 attention of the Dublin Society, who appointed a 

 committee for the exprefs purpofe of enquiring into its 

 antiquities. The favourable reception their propofals 

 of correfpondence met with abroad evinced a difpo- 

 fition in foreign nations to aflifl the cultivation 

 of this branch of literature, of which the Royal 

 Irilh Academy acknowledge with gratitude they have 

 already received valuable proofs. The meetings of the 

 Antiquarian Committee after about two years ceafed ; 

 but the zeal of a very few of their members ftill conti- 

 nuing has given to the public feveral efTays, fmce com- 

 prized into four volumeg entitled Colle6tanea de Rebus 

 Hibernicis. About the year 1782 the Society from 

 which this Academy afterwards arofe was eftabliilied : it 

 confifted of an indefinite number of members, moft of 

 them belonging to the Univerfity, who at weekly meet- 

 ings read eflays in turn. Anxious to make their labours 

 redound to the honour and advantage of their country 



they 



