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 



