178 THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 



National Library and the Metropolitan School of Art, whilst the south wing 

 and the annexes smce added (extending from Kildare-street up to the rear 

 of Upper Merrion-street) were devoted to the Museum. In pursuance of the 

 Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, the powers and 

 duties of the Department of Science and Art, with regard to these institu- 

 tions and the Royal College of Science, have been transferred to the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland. 



The separation effected in 1877 between the Society and the Science and 

 Art institutions inaugurated a new era in the history of the Society. The 

 increased freedom and independence of the Society enabled it to strike out 

 new lines of action, and to devote itself more particularly to agricultural and 

 scientific pursuits, notably to its famous Horse Show. Despite, or perhaps 

 in consequence of, the laige sums of money which have been expended upon 

 the Show buildings, the Society is in a most flourishing financial condition, 

 with a large capital fund, and a yearly income of about ;^2 5,000. This 

 money is spent in the promotion of Science and its apphcations. Agriculture, 

 Art and Industries. These departments are under the control of three 

 distinct sections of the Council ; the three sections, meeting jointly, along 

 with the honorary officers, constitute the governing body of the Society, a 

 parhament in which the control and management of the affairs of the cor- 

 poration is completely vested. Each section of the Council is the nucleus 

 of a Committee which is intrusted with the detail work of the department to 

 which it belongs. The Council and the additional members to form the 

 Committees are elected annually by the Society. 



Of all the Society's undertakings the annual Horse Show is, without 

 doubt, the best known in this and other countries. In the fifth volume of 

 the late Sir John Gilbert's edition of the Dublin Calendar an interesting 

 letter of Sir William Temple's is quoted urging on the Earl of Essex, the 

 Lord Lieutenant of the day, the advisability of holding both a " horse fair 

 and races " every year for the space of a week in the " fairest green near the 

 city of Dublin. At each race may be two plates given by the King, one of 

 thirty pounds, and the other of twenty (besides the fashion), as the prizes for 

 the first and second horse . . . Besides these plates the wagers may be as 

 the persons please among themselves ; but the horses must be evidenced by 

 good testimonies to hav'c; been bred in Ireland. 



" For honour the Lord Lieutenant may ever be present himself, or, at 

 least, name a deputy in his room, and two judges of the field, who shall 

 decide all controversies, and, with sound of the trumpet, declare the two 

 victors. The masters of these two horses may be admitted to ride from the 

 field to the Castle with the Lord Lieutenant or his deputy, and to dine with 

 him that day, and there receive all the honour of the table. This to be done 

 what quality soever the persons are of ; for the lower that is, the more will 

 be the honour, and perhaps, the more the sport ; and the encouragement of 

 breeding will, by that means, extend to all sorts of men. 



" For the fairs the Lord Lieutenant may likewise be present every day 

 in the height of them, by himself or deputy ; and may with the advice of the 

 two chief officers in the Army then present chuse out one of the best horses 

 and two of the best geldings that appear in the fair, not under four, and not 

 above seven years old, for which shall be paid to the owners of them, after 

 sufficient testimony of their being bred in Ireland, one hundred pounds for 

 the horse, and fifty pounds apiece for the geldings. 



" The benefit of such an institution as this will be very great and various : 



