THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 109 



Eight boys who obtained premiums for drawing 

 in 1747 were pupils of Mr. Robert West's academy, 

 in George's lane. In 1749, it was announced that the 

 Madden premiums for drawing were secured princi- 

 pally by his pupils. The Society had already arranged 

 for his instructing a certain number under its auspices, 

 eventually taking over the school itself. West, who 

 was born in Waterford, had studied under Boucher and 

 Vanloo on the continent. On the 27th of May, on ad- 

 judication of the Madden premiums, twenty-eight boys 

 presented themselves and produced specimens. They 

 had been employed for two months in drawing from 

 the round copies of bustoes, group figures, as well 

 as subjects from the life, " a lusty naked man " being 

 placed on the middle of a large table, when the boys 

 were placed on seats all round so as to draw the 

 figure in different attitudes. 16 were distributed in 

 sums varying from 2s. 6d. to one guinea. " They 

 improve every day in their skill, and it is hoped 

 that several good geniuses for drawing will in time 

 appear, much to the credit of this little academy, 

 who perform so well beyond all expectations." On 

 the adjudication in February 1750, thirty candidates 

 appeared, when the boys were directed to draw " the 

 face of a remarkable man, Hugh Roberts, which most 

 of them did off-hand very well." 



From the year 1750, a good deal of attention was 

 paid to the drawing school, as it will have been seen 

 that the Society was determined to cultivate this art 

 among the young people of the city to the utmost 

 of its power. In May of that year, there is a note that 

 Van Nost, the sculptor, had taken as apprentice 

 Patrick Cunningham, who received his earliest in- 

 struction under the auspices of the Society, for which 

 he subsequently executed several commissions. Such 



