THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 75 



CHAPTER V 



THE SOCIETY'S CHARTER, AND ITS FURTHER 

 PROGRESS. (1750-1767) 



So far back as the year 1739, Dr. Madden had advo- 

 cated the procuring of a Royal Charter by the Society ; 

 the matter was not, however, taken up in earnest until 

 1748, when, on the 15th of September, we find Lord 

 Chesterfield, 1 who was always a firm friend, writing to 

 him in terms that indicated his fear lest incorporation 

 might possibly be injurious to its best interests. " The 

 Dublin Society," he said, " has hitherto gone on ex- 

 tremely well, and done infinite good ; why ? Because 

 that, not being a permanent incorporated Society, and 

 having no employments to dispose of, and depending 

 only for their existence on their own good behaviour, 

 it was not a theatre for jobbers to show their skill 

 upon ; but, when once established by Charter, the very 

 advantages which are expected from, and which, I 

 believe, will attend that Charter, I fear may prove fatal. 

 It may then become an object of party, and parliamen- 

 tary views (for you know how low they stoop) ; in 

 which case it will become subservient to the worst, 

 instead of the best designs. Remember the Linen 

 Board, where the paltry dividend of a little flax seed 

 was become the seed of jobs, which indeed produced 

 one hundredfold. However, I submit my fears to 

 your hopes ; and will do all that I can to promote 

 that Charter, which you, who, I am sure, have con- 



1 Letters, ed. John Bradshaw, 1892, ii. 887. 



