DUBLIN SOCIETY. 9; 



the public revenues to make private factions the more impor- 

 tant. 



Great honour is due to Ireland for having given birth to the 

 DUBLIN SOCIETY, which has the undiiputed merit of being 

 the father of all the flmilar focieties now exifting in Europe. 

 It was eftabliflied in 1731, and owed its origin to one of the 

 moft patriotic individuals which any country has produced, 

 DR.. SAMUEL MADAN. For fome years it was fupported 

 only by the voluntary fubfcriptions of the members, forming a 

 fund much under a thoufand pounds a year ; yet was there 

 fuch a liberality of fentiment in their conduct, and fo pure a 

 love of the public intereft apparent in all their tranfactions, as 

 enabled them with that fmall fund to effect much greater 

 things than they have done in later times fince parliament has 

 granted them regularly ten thoufand pounds a fefiions. A well 

 written hiftory of their tranfactions would be a work extremely 

 ufeful to Ireland ; for it would explain much better than any 

 reafoning could do, the proper objects for the patronage both 

 of thefociety and parliament. I (hall confine myfelf to a few- 

 general obfervations. It was inftituted, as their charter ex- 

 prefTes, for the improvement of agriculture, and for many years 

 that material object pofTefTed by far the greateft part of their 

 attention ; but when their funds by the aid of parliament grew 

 more confiderable, they deviated fo far into manufactures, (in 

 which branch they have been continually increafing their ef- 

 forts,) that at prefent agriculture feems to be but a fecondary 

 object with them. During the life time of that ingenious but 

 unfortunate man, Mr. "John Wynn Baker^ his fupport drew fo 

 many friends of agriculture to their meetings, that the premi- 

 ums in its favour were very numerous ; fince his death, the 

 nobility and gentry not having the fame inducement to attend 

 the tranfactions of the fociety, they were chiefly directed by 

 fome gentlemen of Dublin, who underftand fabrics much bet- 

 ter than lands, and being more interefted in them, they are at- 

 tended to, perhaps, in too exclufive a manner. It would be te- 

 dious to enter into an examination of many of their mea- 

 fures, there are fome, however, which demand a few re- 

 marks. 



In order to encourage the manufacture of Irifl* woollen 

 cloths, and Irifh.filks, the fociety have two warehoufes *, in 

 one of which filk is fold on their account, wholefale and retail. 

 and in the other cloth ; both are fent to them by the weaver, 

 whofe name is written on the piece, and the price per yard on 

 it : nothing but ready money is taken ; the ftock of filks ge- 

 nerally amounts to the value of twelve or thirtee'n thoufand 

 pounds in hand ; and of woollens to ten or eleven thoufand 

 more j and the expences in rent and falaries of thefe ware- 

 houfes 



* The 'woollen tuareboufe ivas opened May 29, 1773 ; t but for 

 . 18,1765. 



