THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 47 



was elected president. In Chesterfield the Society had a 

 true and appreciative friend, who did all in his power 

 to further its useful work, and who fully acknowledged 

 the benefits conferred on Ireland by its beneficent and 

 disinterested labours. He was born in 1694, and, from 

 the time of his entry on public life, he was known as a 

 brilliant politician, wit, and letter-writer. Although only 

 a short time Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to his good 

 government may be attributed the fact that the country 

 was peaceful during the rebellion in Scotland. He 

 aided all efforts for promoting its prosperity, and 

 undertook public works at a time when distress was 

 prevalent. Early in 1746, the Society applied to the 

 Government for a grant to help it in carrying out 

 its various projects, when His Excellency wrote to 

 the Duke of Newcastle in these terms : 



" The Dublin Society is really a very useful estab- 

 lishment. It consists of many considerable people, and 

 has been kept up hitherto by voluntary subscriptions. 

 They give premiums for the improvement of lands, 

 for plantations, for manufactures. They furnish many 

 materials for those improvements in the poorer and 

 less cultivated parts of this kingdom, and have 

 certainly done a great deal of good. The bounty they 

 apply for to His Majesty is five hundred pounds a 

 year, which, in my humble opinion, would be properly 

 bestowed." * 



On the 3rd of April appears a minute to the effect that 

 His Excellency had showed Mr. Prior a King's letter or 

 warrant for ^500 a year, during pleasure, for the benefit 

 of the Society. It was not, however, until the 8th of 

 May that the Letter was officially communicated. By it, 

 which bore date the 26th of March 1 746, the Society was 

 placed on the Civil Establishment of Ireland, for that 



1 Chesterfield's Letters, ed. by John Bradshaw, 1892, ii. 795 



