90 A HISTORY OF 



Myers 1 was ordered to prepare plans and estimates. 

 A consideration of 1600 was paid, and the rent 

 was 32, 5.r. During October and November 1767, 

 the meetings were held in the great room over the 

 gateway in Trinity College, and later, in the Parlia- 

 ment House. On the 3rd of December 1767, the 

 Society met for the first time in its new premises. 



The Gentleman's Magazine for 1786 (vol. Jan.-June, 

 p. 217) contains the following notice of the place : 



" This [is a] view (see opposite page) of a house erected 

 in Dublin for the use of the Dublin Society and the Com- 

 pany for carrying on the Inland Navigation from our city 

 to the river Shannon, commonly called the Grand Canal 

 Company. . . . This edifice stands upon the ground 

 formerly occupied by the late Earl of Mornington in 

 Grafton street, opposite the house of the Provost of Trinity 

 College. The building [on the left] is that which apper- 

 tains to the Dublin Society, whose room upon the second 

 floor from the street is about 40 feet long, and 20 wide, 

 and near 20 feet high ; fitted up all round with three sets 

 of mahogany glasses rising one above the other ; a hand- 

 some gilt and ornamented chair for the presiding member ; 2 

 decorated with an elegant fretted stucco ceiling, and ac- 

 commodated with two fireplaces, with chimneypieces of 

 Irish marble. On each side of these fireplaces is a large 

 white marble bust of one of the original promoters 3 of 

 the Society, which was instituted for the encouragement 

 of agriculture and useful arts, and whereof the President 

 and Vice-President of the London Society for Encourage- 

 ment of Arts are standing honorary members. Over the 



1 Christopher Myers was architect of Trinity College Chapel, and 

 a man eminent in his profession. He was father of Lieut-Col. Myers, 

 a distinguished officer, who was created a baronet, and died at Myers- 

 ville, now Wynberg, in 1789. 



2 This chair, which is still in use, was designed by James Mannin, 

 master of the school for ornamental drawing, and carved in 1767, 

 by Richard Cranfield. (Diet. Irish Artists, W. G. Strickland, i. 219.) 



3 These were Prior and Madden. The busts were executed in 

 by John Van Nost 



