( clx\'ii ) 



pylng in this country a position analogous to that of the Eoyal 

 Society in England, and, in Scotland, of the Eoyal Society of 

 EdinburghL. We feel bound to maintain it on the same level of 

 dignity with those bodies, and not to accept for it a subordina- 

 tion which, we doubt not, they would repudiate as unbecoming 

 their position. Those distinguished Societies have not been 

 placed under the financial or other control of the Science and Art 

 Department ; and when the step has been taken in relation to 

 them, it will be time enough, we submit, to propose it to us. 



"That a control exercised by the Department over the 

 Academy in monetary matters would extend to the scientific 

 and literary sphere, we have no doubt ; and we believe the 

 Department to be entii'ely unfitted to exercise any such 

 authority over the proceedings of a body like the Academy. 



' ' The Irish. Government is the natural guardian of the 

 rights of the body which is the chief representative of Science 

 and learned research in Ireland. It is likely to be better in- 

 formed than any other on our position, our deserts, and our 

 requirements. Our connexion with it has worked in a per- 

 fectly satisfactory manner. That this connexion should be 

 terminated, and the charge of our grant transferred to a Body 

 in London, appears to us an unnecessary disturbance of re- 

 lations which were not complained of. To quote words used by 

 the Academy in 1862, when deprecating a similar attempt, 

 such an innovation would ' compromise the honour and in- 

 terests of an important Ds'ational Institution, for an alleged 

 official convenience of the most inconsiderable kind.' 



"'We find it difficult to believe that the distinguished 

 nobleman who noAV presides over the Irish Government could 

 have consented to the transfer of the charge of the Academy's 

 vote,' if His Grace had been aware of the unreality of the 

 reasons assigned for the change. And we are confirmed in 

 this opinion by the fact that His Grace has lately marked his 

 confidence in the Academy by requesting, without any appli- 

 cation from us to that effect, that we would undertake the 

 editing of certain Irish Annals, the publication of which was 

 considered by His Grace important, but has been suspended by 

 the untoward action now complained of. 



