free of expense. One for the human figure, one for landscape and ornament, and one for architecture; and many excellent painters have been made under the creditable protection of the Dublin Society. The names of those I recollect, during my time, I shall set down, apologising to such as have escaped my memory, lest they should think me unmindful or negligent, wilfully. In figure-Barry, Tresham, Peters, Hamilton, Shee, Cregan, R. L. West, Foster, Danby, Rothwell, Cuming; in miniature, chalk, and crayons-F. R. West, Haly, Sullivan, Collins, Madden, Pope, Stokers, Comerford, Cullen, Murphy, Byrne, Dunne, S. Lover; in landscape and figure, including drawing masters-Barrett, Carver, Butts, the two Roberts, Ashford, Fisher, O'Connor, Ellis, the three Mulvanys, four Brocases, Tracy, Doyle, Moreau; in architectureIvory, Sproule, A. Baker, Semple, Berrell, Taylor, Morrison, Byrne, young Baker. There has been a fourth school added to the academy for sculpture and modelling, where Behnes studied; two promising young students, Panormo and Galaher, have also made great progress in this school. Mr. Smith, master.-When I was sixteen years old, I obtained three tickets from a member of the Royal Dublin Society, to admit me as a pupil to be instructed in drawing; this was the usual mode of introduction.. I first went to the architectural school. Mr. Ivory was master, a gentle urbane character, but he appeared in a delicate state of health; he consigned me to his apprentice, Mr. H. A. Baker; he became at Ivory's demise the master, and has remained in that station to the present time (1836). Mr. Baker looked rather sternly at me, at least I thought so at that time, and said, 'Ho! I must get you into geometry.' I did not know what geometry really was, but I thought it was to get into trouble; however, he, seeing my plight, assumed a cheerful look, which was his natural look. and said, 'Come, I'll show you what geometry is.' He then put me to draw, and showed me the manner of using the instruments; we have been ever since that time good friends, and I hope will continue so. I next went to the landscape and ornament school, Mr. Waldron the master. His appearance was not flattering, nor did his severe look and habitual frown encourage me to stay long at his beck; for he seldom spoke, which was, I thought, a fortunate thing for me, his manner was so truly cheerless. I remained at his school about a month, and then I repaired to the figure school. When I entered the figure room, I was struck with the number of casts from the antique, the Hercules, Laocoon, &c., and felt a wish and hoped to be able to draw from those; in some time I delivered my card to the master, Mr. Francis Robert West, a worthy good-hearted man, but of peculiar manner. In person he was a smart, little, dapper man, very voluble in speech and rapid in delivery, used much action-even his features underwent many changes-opening his eyes wide-raising his eyebrows considerably and extending his mouth; his language good, yet he was subject to digression and habitual conclusive words, such as 'yes, yes'-'doubtless, no doubt'-and other pet phrases, which seemed to carry decision in all his harangues. Add to these a peculiar quaintness of manner, an averted eye, and a simplicity of look, rendered him quite a cha racter. I presented my card; he just looked at it, then glanced at me, and with head averted, said, So, you are come to draw the human figure.'-I then directed his attention to the back of the card, on which was written, by the gentleman who gave it me, an order to be furnished with drawing materials, and he would pay for them. During his reading he was assailed by a number of boys with their sketches for his opinion; he dispatched them quickly, with-to one, the nose more in, the chin more out; to another, your head is too large-yours has not got the turn-you must place your figure in the centre-dash it out, and begin again! Your mouth is too much open and your eyes shut-you must shut your mouth and open your eyes; having in routine given directions, he finished the reading of the card. Another boy, with a finished drawing as he thought, submitted his production, Oh! you have no character-you must labour until you get it, compare it, and amend—es, es !' His yes, yes, was like sounding the letter s twice, the first a long s, the second a small one. Then leaving his desk, he walked to the folding doors which opened to the figure-room, and calling John, he returned in quick pace to his post.-John returned with the materials, and Mr. West sketched a profile of a head, before me, to show me how to begin; he did it very expertly, and with great freedom of hand; he then desired John to place me at a desk with master Shee. So John led me to the desk, and I was most happily placed; for master Shee, though some years my junior, was capable and willing to assist me.We also drew together at the architectural school, and I was induced to put up a sheet of geometry for the medal, but it was adjudged to master Shee, as was every medal he looked for in any of the schools." The student here referred to was Sir Martin Archer Shee, author of " Rhymes on Art," subsequently elected president of the Royal Academy of London. The Dublin Society continued to meet in Grafton-street regularly until the year 1796, when, having erected more extensive buildings in another locality, they sold their interest in their house here for £3,000, and the buildings known as 112 and 113, Grafton-street have since been erected on its site. The Provost's house, built on a portion of the College gardens, was occupied for a considerable part of the last century (1774 to 1794) by the Hutchinson family, in addition to which the following peers also resided in Grafton-street: Lord Kinsale (1778), Viscount Grandison (1783); the Earl of Dunsany (1786); Lord Newhaven of Carrickmayne (1791), and Lord Massey of Duntryleague. James Reilly, a water-color miniature painter of some eminence, resided at no. 17 Grafton-street from 1774 to his death in 1788; and in the year 1776 Edward Hudson, a native of Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, the most eminent dentist of his day in Ireland, removed from George's-lane to number 69, Graftonstreet, nearly opposite to Anne-street, where he continued to reside for many years. Distinguished no less for intellectual acquirements than for professional skill, he became the associate of the leading characters of his time, and on the formation of the "Monks of St. Patrick" the important office of bursar to that fraternity was conferred upon him. Curran, in his early struggles, was much indebted to the friendship and liberality of Hudson, who, in predicting the future eminence of his despondent youthful friend, failed not to inculcate such sentiments as we find in the following extract: "Consider now and then, Jack, what you are destined for; and never, even in your distresses, draw consolation from so mean a thought, as that your abilities may one day render your circumstances easy or affluent; but that you may one day have it in your power to do justice to the wronged-to wipe the tear from the widow or orphan, will afford the satisfaction that is worthy of a man." "It would be injustice,' says Curran's son, "to suppress another passage. Having a little before chided his friend for neglecting to inform him of the state of his finances, Mr. Hudson goes on: "I think I shall be a man of no small fame to-morrow or * From the period of the opening of Carlisle bridge, the private residences in Grafton-street became gradually converted into shops. The "Black Lyon Inn" was located at the corner of Anne-street (1762), and the "City Tavern" (1787) also stood in Grafton street. The "Incorporated Society for the promotion of Protestant schools" held their committees in this street, previous to the erection of their house in Suffolkstreet (1758); the Tallow chandlers, or "Guild of St. George," had their hall in Grafton-street (1783); and there were also several lottery offices here, of which the best known was the "Lion's office," no. 101, corner of Suffolk-street. The noted Catherine Netterville (1770) had a magnificent residence in Grafton-street, which was the scene of the frightful suicide of Mr. Stone of Jamaica, her insane paramour. A forcible illustration of of the popular error relative to the value of the farthings of Queen Anne was furnished by the consequences of the discovery, in 1814, of one of those coins by George Home, an assistant in the shop of J. Miller, confectioner, no. 3 Graftonstreet. Home's refusal to surrender the coin, received in his employer's shop, was made the ground of a criminal prosecution, and he was sentenced by the Recorder to be confined for twelve months in Newgate, and subsequently imprisoned until he gave up the farthing; the court being ignorant that the scarcest of Queen Anne's farthings is not worth more than five pounds, the generality of them not exceeding a few shillings in value. The wealth subsequently accumulated by the industry of Home enabled him to erect the "Royal Arcade;" his success was, however, popularly ascribed to his having found a farthing of Queen Anne. next day, and though 'tis but the fame of a dentist, yet if that of an honest man is added to it, I shall not be unhappy. Write speedily to me, and if you are in want, think I shall not be satisfied with my fortunes-believe me I shall never think I make a better use of my possessions than when such a friend as Jack can assist me in their uses." With Edward Hudson in Grafton-street resided his cousin and namesake, Edward Hudson, the younger, who gave early indications of superior talents. Moore, who became acquainted with him in 1797, tells us that he was a remarkably fine and handsome young man, who could not have been at that time more than two or three and twenty years of age," and adds that, "Though educated merely for the purposes of his profession, he was full of zeal and ardour for everything connected with the fine arts; drew with much taste himself, and was passionately devoted to Irish music. He had with great industry collected and transcribed all our most beautiful airs, and used to play them with much feeling on the flute. I attribute, indeed, a good deal of my own early acquaintance with our music, if not the warm interest which I have since taken in it, to the many hours I passed at this time of my life tête-à-tête with Edward Hudson,-now trying over the sweet melodies of our country, now talking with indignant feelings of her sufferings and wrongs." This young dentist became one of the most intimate of Moore's friends, and was the only person entrusted with the secret of the latter having contributed political essays to the leading Irish journal of the day. Moore has himself enabled us to judge how far the origin of his Irish melodies is attributable to Edward Hudson, erroneously, however, stating that the latter was the nephew of his elder name-sake: "It was in the year 1797 that, through the medium of Mr. Bunting's book, I was first made acquainted with the beauties of our native music. A young friend of our family, Edward Hudson, the nephew of an eminent dentist of that name, who played with much taste and feeling on the flute, and unluckily for himself, was but too deeply warmed with the patriotic ardour then kindling around him, was the first who made known to me this rich mine of our country's melodies;-a mine, from the working of which my humble labours as a poet have since then derived their sole lustre and value," Edward Hudson, the elder, had repeatedly declined pressing solicitations to join the society of United Irishmen; his cousin, however, became deeply involved in their plans, and was appointed one of their provincial delegates, in which capacity he was sitting in council when arrested in March, 1798. Of his imprisonment Moore has left the following reminiscence : "When, in consequence of the compact entered into between government and the chief leaders of the conspiracy, the State Prisoners, before proceeding into exile, were allowed to see their friends, I paid a visit to this gentleman in the jail of Kilmainham, where he had then lain immured for four or five months, hearing of friend after friend being led out to death, and expecting every week his own turn to come. As painting was one of his tastes, I found that, to amuse his solitude, he had made a large drawing with charcoal on the wall of his prison, representing that fancied origin of the Irish harp, which, some years after, I adopted as the subject of one of the melodies : 'Tis believ'd that this harp, which I wake now for thee, And who often, at eve, thro' the bright waters rov'd, The beautiful allegorical design here commemorated was not conceived in the gloomy cell of Kilmainham, the sketch made by the prisoner being merely a reproduction of a vignette drawn by the elder Hudson and prefixed to an ode for St. Cecilia's day, written by him and printed for private circulation. The younger Hudson formed one of the Irish state prisoners confined in Fort George, after his liberation from which he retired to America, where he married the daughter of Patrick Byrne, the exiled publisher. The elder Hudson wrote several small political and scientific treatises; by his skill dental surgery was in Ireland first elevated to the rank of a profession; and mainly from his instructions his nephew, Blake, was enabled pre-eminently to advance our country's reputation in this branch of science. Surgeon Hudson died in 1821, at the age of 79, and those who are acquainted with the modern history of Irish literature, can testify that his intellectual and enlightened tastes have not been impaired in their transmission to his descendants. Wolfe Tone details as follows the origin of his alliance with his wife Matilda, who subsequently exhibited so noble an example of female fortitude and self-devotion :-- "About the beginning of the year 1785, I became acquainted with my wife. She was the daughter of William Witherington, and Author of the highly valued "Essay on the structure and formation of the teeth in man and various animals by Robert Blake, M.D., being principally a translation of his inaugural dissertation published at Edinburgh, September, 1798," 8vo. Dublin: 1801. |