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DUB
tenance, clothing, and instruction of the children of
soldiers. In addition to the usual branches of an En-
glish education, the boys are taught the trades of tailors
and shoemakers, and the girls are instructed in needle-
work; both, when of proper age, are apprenticed
to handicraft trades, and, by a new charter in 1808,
the governors are empowered to place such children
in the regular army, as private soldiers, as are desirous
of entering into that service. The buildings consist of a
centre and two wings, 300 feet in length and three stories
high; there are extensive work-rooms for the children,
and a farm of 13 acres is attached to the school, which
is partly cultivated by the boys, whose time is divided
between employment and recreation, in which athletic
sports are encouraged: the school is supported by par-
liamentary grants and private donations: the average
annual expenditure is about £4500: the number of
children is about 200, of which one-third are girls.
The Hibernian Marine School was established by char-
ter about the year 1777, for the maintenance of chil-
dren of decayed seamen in the navy and merchants’
service; the number of boys in this school is 180,
who, when of proper age, are placed in the navy,
or apprenticed to masters of merchantmen: the build-
ing, situated on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, consists
of a centre and two wings; it is supported by par-
liamentary grants and private benefactions. The Society
for the Education of the Poor of Ireland, usually called
the Kildare-place Society, was founded in 1811. Its
object was the diffusion of a well-ordered and econo-
mical system of primary instruction throughout the
country, without any interference with the religious
opinions of the pupils, and the publication of cheap
elementary books. It was almost wholly supported by
large grants of public money, and built an extensive
model school for males and females, with other accom-
modations for offices and stores in Kildare-place. The
grants of public money have been withdrawn, and the
society now proceeds on a more confined scale by
voluntary contributions only. The Association for Dis-
countenancing Vice, formed in 1792, and incorporated
by statute in 1800, also founded and assisted schools, in
which education should be conducted upon Protestant
principles, and likewise received large parliamentary
grants, which were withdrawn at the same time as those
to the Kildare-place Society. To supply the place of these
institutions, a Board of National Education has been formed
for the education of children of all religious persuasions.
The commissioners, who were appointed by the lord-
lieutenant, are the Duke of Leinster; the Protestant and
Roman Catholic Archbishops of Dublin; the Rev. Dr.
Sadleir, senior fellow of T. C. D.; Rev. James Carlile,
minister of the Scotch Church; the Rt. Hon. Anthony R.
Blake, Chief Remembrancer of the Court of Exchequer;
and Robert Holmes, Esq., Barrister. They transact
their business in a large establishment in Marlborough-
street, formerly the town residence of the Marquess of
Waterford, at the rear of which three model schools
have been built, and a building is now being erected for
a lecture-room, museum, &c., with apartments for the
secretary and inspector; it is chiefly supported by
parliamentary grants. The Dublin Free School was
opened in School-street in 1808, for the instruction
of poor children of both sexes, on the system of Joseph
Lancaster: it is supported wholly by private sub-
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scriptions and a small weekly stipend from the pupils,
and is used both as a day and Sunday school. The
Sunday School Society was established in 1809, and
up to January, 1835, had in connection with it 2813
schools, attended by 20,596 gratuitous teachers and
214,462 pupils. There are several highly respect-
able schools on a new system, “The Feinaiglean,”
which takes its name from Professor Von Feinagle, a
native of Germany, who introduced it. The principal is
the Luxemburgh, formerly Aldborough House, which
was purchased from Lord Aldborough, who had ex-
pended upwards of £40,000 on its erection, and £15,000
raised in shares was laid out on it to adapt it for the
purpose.
INFIRMARIES FOR MEDICAL AND SURGICAL CASES.
Sir Patrick Duns Hospital, in Canal-street, was
founded for the relief of the sick, maimed, or wounded,
and as an appendage to the School of Physic for ex-
tending the sphere of medical practice, by a fund arising
from the produce of estates bequeathed by the founder
to the College of Physicians. The institution is under
the direction of a board of governors. The medical
department consists of two physicians in ordinary, one
extraordinary, a surgeon, and an apothecary; and the
house department, of a treasurer, registrar, providore,
and matron. Lectures are delivered twice every week,
during the medical season, by the professors of the
school of physic in rotation in the theatre, and clinical
lectures are also given at the bedside of the patient.
The building, which is capable of receiving 100 patients,
was commenced in 1803, and completed at an expense
of £40,000, of which sum, £9000 was granted by parlia-
ment, and the remainder was defrayed from the proceeds
of the estates, and by subscription. The building con-
sists of a centre and two projecting wings: the ground
floor of the centre contains apartments for the matron
and apothecary, the pupils’ waiting-room, and the
theatre; and in the upper story are the board-room of
the College of Physicians, the library, and the museum;
the wings contain the wards for the patients. Patients
who are not objects of charity are admitted on paying
£1. 10. per month during their continuance in the
hospital; the average annual income is upwards of £3000.
Steevens’ Hospital, near Kilmainham, was founded
by a bequest of Dr. Steevens, who, in 1710, bequeathed
his estate, amounting to £600 per annum for that
purpose; the hospital was opened in 1733. The
building forms a quadrangle, having a piazza round
the interior of the lower story, and a covered gallery
round that above it; attached to it is a small chapel:
the board-room contains a medical library. The resi-
dent officers are a surgeon, apothecary, Protestant
chaplain, steward, and matron. The funds, aided by
grants of public money, support 220 beds; this is
the largest infirmary in Dublin. Meath Hospital, ori-
ginally in Meath-street, was removed to the Coombe,
and ultimately to its present site in Long-lane, Kevin-
street; it is now the infirmary for the county. It con
tains a detached ward for fever cases, a fine theatre for
operations, and a spacious lecture-room. Mercer’s
Hospital, founded in 1734 by Mrs. Mary Mercer, is a
large stone building, situated between Mercer-street and
Stephen-street, containing 55 beds. A theatre for opera-
tions was added to it in 1831. The Charitable Infirmary,
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