285 



" From this unavoidable delay, the zeal of many appeared to 

 cool, and the subscription for a time proceeded but slowly; but at 

 length, on the 27th of March, 1841, the Committee took the bold 

 step of authorizing Mr. Petrie and Dr. Aquilla Smith to offer £1000 

 for the Collection. 



" I should have mentioned that this sum was decided upon after 

 an exact valuation of the whole. The coins were valued by Dr. 

 Aquilla Smith, and the other antiquities, at Mrs. Dawson's special 

 request, by Mr. Petrie ; and the sum at which these gentlemen fixed 

 the value of the Collection was £1060. The Committee were of 

 opinion, therefore, that in offering the sum of £1000, they were 

 dealing fairly with the public fund entrusted to them ; while by 

 striking off about six per cent, from the amount of the valuation, 

 they were only allowing for the necessary expenses which would 

 have attended the sale of the Museum had it been submitted to a 

 public auction. 



" It was not, however, until the 26th of June following that a 

 final answer was obtained from the Dean's family to the proposal of 

 the Committee. On that day Dr. Smith reported that Mrs. Dawson 

 had consented to accept the offered sum, and also that she was will- 

 ing to allow three months from that date for its collection. 



" New efforts were then made by the Committee : circulars were 

 again sent out, and an address to the public was inserted in the 

 newspapers ; a deputation was appointed to wait on His Excellency 

 the Lord Lieutenant, who contributed £20 to the fund ; and in 

 short every exertion was made to rouse the friends of Ireland to the 

 importance of the great national object that was in view. 



" The success that has crowned these efforts is mainly owing to 

 the zealous manner in which the exertions of the Committee were 

 seconded by some other members of the Academy, who aided them 

 by their advice and counsel, and also by their invaluable and inde- 

 fatigable labours. Of these it is impossible to avoid naming Mr. 

 Carr and Mr. Hutton, as the individuals to whose cooperation the 

 Committee were most deeply indebted for the success of their un- 

 dertaking ; and although it is obviously improper to allude to any 

 individual of those who were members of the Committee itself, yet 

 I feel sure I shall be pardoned in departing from strict propriety so 



