52 A HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER IV 



DR. MADDEN'S AND THE SOCIETY'S PREMIUM 

 SYSTEMS. (1739-1790) 



A great stimulus and impetus were now about to 

 be given to the working of the Society, through the 

 public spirit and generosity of one of its leading spirits. 

 Samuel Madden, d.d., son of John Madden, m.d., 

 was born in Dublin in 1686. His mother, Mary 

 Molyneux, was sister of William and Sir Thomas 

 Molyneux. He succeeded to the family estates in 

 Fermanagh in 1703, and resided at Manor Water- 

 house in that county. Madden was ordained, and 

 became rector of Galloon, and subsequently of Drum- 

 mully, which was a family living; and in 1729 the 

 well-known Philip Skelton became his curate, and 

 tutor to Dr. Madden's children. 



On the 1 2th of April 1733, Dr. Madden became 

 a member of the Society. In 1730 he had propounded 

 a scheme for the encouragement of learning by a 

 system of premiums, contributing largely himself. 

 This was adopted by the University, and the details 

 are fully explained in a Proposal for the General En- 

 couragement of Learning in Dublin College, 173 1 . His 

 Reflections and Resolutions proper for the Gentlemen of 

 Ireland as to their conduct for the service of their country 

 was printed in Dublin in 1738. This work was re- 

 printed in 1 8 1 6 by Thomas Pleasants, but without the 

 original preface, the existence of which was denied by 

 the editor. The backward condition of the country 



