150 A HISTORY OF 



deficiency in the funds, the Society would be unable 

 to continue the premium system. They were to be 

 informed that on payment of 20 guineas all further 

 claims would be discharged, and they were to be con- 

 sidered as life members. In case of non-payment, 

 their names were to be inserted in the Dublin and 

 London papers, when they would no longer be con- 

 sidered members of the Society. In April 1792, the 

 collector was directed to inform every member in 

 arrear, of certain clauses in an Act of Parliament 

 passed in the last session (32 George III, ch. 14, sees. 

 5 and 6), with a request to discharge the arrears. By 

 this Act, arrears might be sued for by civil bill, pro- 

 vided that if they did not exceed sixteen guineas, and 

 one-fourth were discharged by a certain day, such 

 payment should be deemed in full satisfaction. Should 

 any defaulter pay twenty guineas, he might be 

 deemed a life member. Any money so paid was 

 to be applied towards the purchase of a cabinet of 

 mineralogy, of models for the drawing schools, and for 

 the establishment of a Botanic Garden. In November 

 1793, Mr. Henry Tisdall, attorney, having taken all 

 necessary steps towards getting in arrears, but without 

 success, was directed to prepare a case for counsel, to 

 advise that further steps should be taken, pursuant to 

 the Act of Parliament. Having obtained Mr. Cald- 

 beck's opinion, he was authorised to commence pro- 

 secutions against defaulters. Mr. Caldbeck, who was 

 a member, returned his fee, begging that " his services 

 might be accepted as a small mark of that gratitude 

 which every Irishman owed to the Society." By July 

 1795, a bill of ^493 had been incurred to Mr. Tisdall 

 for the recovery of arrears. They amounted, on the 

 1st of November 1794, to £3957, Js. 3^. 



For some time, the attendance of members at the 



