262 
aiding by my pencil others more versed in antiquarian research than I 
can ever hope to be, and in this way help to record, in as faithful a man- 
ner as I am capable of, an interesting class of relics, some of which have 
been preserved in Ireland from the earliest Christian times, and which 
are not surpassed in Northern Europe for quaintness or originality. 
My object in making this presentation to the Library of the Academy 
arises from a wish to increase its value to the antiquary; and I think 
it only right that these drawings should not be usable, except under the 
same conditions as those imposed on our manuscripts. The only per- 
sonal reward which I venture to seek is, that those gentlemen who may 
find occasion to copy from them, or otherwise use them, will have the 
courtesy to mention the source from whence their information was 
derived. 
Resotvep,—That the special thanks of the Academy be presented to 
Mr. Du Noyer for his valuable donation. 
Mr. Epwarp Crizzorn read a paper— 
ON THE NUMBER, QUALITY, USES, AND RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE WELLS IN 
OR NEAR DUBLIN, ATTRIBUTED TO OR NAMED AFTER ST. PATRICK: CONSI- 
DERED IN RELATION TO A GREAT ECONOMIC PUBLIC SUPPLY OF WATER, IN 
ADDITION TO THAT NOW POSSESSED BY THE CITY. 
Mr. Crrssorn stated that his attention was called to the subject-matter of 
the present communication by Alderman Atkinson, M.R.1.A., calling on 
him, and informing him that Mr. B. L. Guinness, M.R.I.A., had lately 
presented the citizens of Dublin with £100, to enable them to place the 
poor of Dublin in such a position as to have at their disposal a copious 
supply of water fit for drinking. Having discussed this matter with 
Mr. Atkinson, it was agreed that an application should be made to Tri- 
nity College to allow the spring well at the end of Dawson-street to be 
utilized for the purpose of supplying passengers with water. This well 
was reputed to be the original well of St. Patrick. The application to 
the College gave rise to a call on Mr. Clibborn that he should prove that 
this was so. He immediately commenced inquiries in the neighbour- 
hood, for the purpose of ascertaining the local traditions bearing on the 
point, in the hope of substantiating the popular belief; but these tradi- 
tions tended to disprove the usual impression that this well really was 
the original well of St. Patrick. Mr. Gilbert’s ‘‘ History of Dublin” 
having led to an opposite conclusion, Mr. Clibborn, with a view to ascer- 
tain on which side the probability lay of this well being St. Patrick’s or 
not, continued his investigations. His first reference to any authority 
on the subject was to Swift’s translation of Jocelyn’s “‘ Life of St. Pa- 
trick,” written in the twelfth century, in which we read that St. Patrick, 
having performed several miracles at Finglas, crossed the water, proba- 
bly the Tolka River. Then, pursuing his course toward Dublin city, he 
arrived at a certain point about one mile from the village of Ath-cliath, 
which Mr. Clibborn inferred was the original of Oxmantown, set down 
