16 



brated Sculptor, who made the beautiful statue of Dr. Babington, in St. Paul's, 

 London ; Mr. Danby, &c. 



We have a fine and capacious gallery for plaster casts after the antique, and 

 which is freely opened to students properly recommended. In the elementary 

 schools an aptitude for drawing is the only recommendation required. There are 

 annual exhibitions of the performances open to the public, and prizes for the best. 



VII. An extensive and valuable Library, deposited in a magnificent room, with 

 minor apartments connected therewith, and which is yearly becoming more valu- 

 able by the new purchases. Though, of right, open to members alone, yet it is 

 always easy of access by introduction. 



VIII. The Agricultural Department — for which an apartment of 230 feet in 

 length is now nearly completed — for the exhibition of useful implements, models, 

 &c. &c. A Veterinary Anatomical museum is attached to it, and lectures delivered. 

 In the spring, there are exhibitions, for prizes, of the finest breeds of animals — 

 the celebrity of which brings over many persons from England and Scotland. 



IX. Triennial exhibitions of Irish manufactures and productions. 



X. Monthly evening scientific meetings, to which persons not members are ad- 

 missible by tickets, and at which papers are read (coming from any quarter) which 

 have received the approval of a committee of inquiry : those of peculiar interest 

 are published. 



It will readily be conceived that an establishment of the nature described must 

 require considerable funds for its maintenance ; and besides the subscriptions and 

 admission fees of members, we receive annually from Parliament the sum of £5,600, 

 or thereabouts. The Irish Parliament, during the latter years of its existence, 

 granted annually £10,000 former Irish currency, which was as 108^ to 100 British ; 

 and for several years a similar grant was made to us by the Imperial Parliament, 

 but the amount was afterwards gradually reduced to our present allowance of 

 £5,600. I may be permitted to explain, also, that this reduction was not founded 

 on any alleged misapplication of the public funds placed at the disposal of the 

 Royal Dublin Society — for all the accounts are rigorously investigated by the com- 

 missioners of public accounts — but purely in a spirit of economy and reduction of 

 the national expenditure, from which other public institutions, even those establish- 

 ed for charity, suflfered at the time equally with ourselves. I have combatled this 

 parsimonious spirit, as bearing upon our scientific institution*, with some earnest- 

 ness, and at sundry limes, but in vain. 



It is the boast of our Society, that our superb palace, purchased from the Duke 

 of Leinster about thirty years ago at the price of £"20,000; our theatre, capable of 

 containing nearly 13,500 people; our laboratory and philosophy rooms; our draw- 

 ing schnols, and statue gallery since added, have been all the fruits of out individual 

 subKriptions and fees, and not derived from any part of the national funds, which 

 are solely devoted each year to the great objects for which the Society was incor- 

 [)orated — the promotion of science anil the useful arts. 



I have been led further than I anticipated, and fear I must apologise for having 

 trespassed on vmir pntienre. In conrlusion, permit me to express my earneel 



