io8 A HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER VII 



THE DRAWING SCHOOLS 



The precise period at which the original drawing 

 school of the Society was opened is not now known, 

 as the volume of minutes in which it would have 

 been recorded is not forthcoming, but it may pro- 

 bably be assigned to the years 1742-46. 



Mr. Prior laid before Lord Chesterfield, in 1746, 

 a report on the Society's work in the field of fine 

 arts, and submitted a plan for an academy. 



On the 1 2th of March 1748, the Society communi- 

 cated to the press a statement, that on the competition 

 for the Madden premium of ^15 for the best drawing 

 by boys or girls under sixteen years of age, eighteen 

 candidates attended, who produced drawings, which 

 were hung, numbered, round two large rooms in the 

 Parliament House. The boys were directed to sit 

 round two tables, on which were placed busts, which 

 they were directed to draw before the Society ; this 

 task they readily performed in an hour's time. Most 

 of the drawings were excellent, and the candidates 

 placed in the first rank got two guineas, and those 

 in the second one guinea. On the 5th of November, 

 a similar plan was adopted, when the newspapers re- 

 ported that " as this day's entertainment had all the 

 appearance of a foreign academy for drawing, it is 

 hoped it will lay the foundation of establishing such an 

 academy among ourselves." 



