135. "DEAR SIR, Heralds'-college, March 20, 1793. "Mr. Duncombe has lately put into my hands another volume of his intended History of Herefordshire to look over; but, being shortly going to join the Yorkshire Militia at Durham for about three weeks, and being otherwise so much engaged in business that I have not leisure to pay that attention to these matters that my inclination leads me to, I send it to you as he desires. From the slight view I have had of it, I think, if it was properly dressed up, and made the most of, it would not rank in the lowest order of such publications.

"I am going on Friday to Penshurst to be present at the ceremony of young Sidney's taking possession of the estate on his coming of age, and expect much pleasure from the hospitality which will be exhibited in the old hall on the occasion. His affairs have been so well managed in his minority, that I am told his estate will be between 4 and £.5000 per annum clear, after paying all Mrs. Perry's debts.

From yours sincerely,

J. C. BROOKE, Somt."

The RT. HON. WM. BURTON CONYNGHAM.

This gentleman was born in 1733, the younger son of the Right Hon. Francis Burton, Esq. M.P. for Coleraine and the County of Clare, by Mary, third daughter of Lieut.-Gen. Henry Conyngham, and niece to the first Earl Conyngham. He was returned to the Parliament of Ireland in 1761 for Newton Limavady, and in two subsequent Parliaments for Kellybeggs; was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 12th regiment of dragoons, which he resigned in 1775, and the same year took his place as Comptroller and Commissioner of the Barrack Board; and in 1777 was appointed Cashier or Teller of the Exchequer in Ireland, and a Member of his Majesty's Privy Council. On the decease of his uncle. Henry Earl Conyngham in 1781 he became possessed of the family estates in the county of Donegal, and of Slane in the County of Meath; and, together with his elder brother, who then succeeded

to the title of Baron Conyngham, had his Majesty's license to assume the name and arms of that family.

In 1789 he was Vice-Admiral of Ulster and a Governor of the county of Donegal. When the office of Vice-Treasurer in Ireland was suppressed in 1793, Mr. Conyngham was appointed one of the First Commissioners of the Board of Treasury, and he so continued to his death, which took place at Dublin, May 31, 1796, when, as he had never married, his estates devolved on his nephew, the present Marquis.

As a patron of antiquarian literature Mr. Conyngham was very conspicuous. In 1780 he was the principal founder of a Society of Antiquaries at Dublin, consisting of himself as President, the Rev. Mr. Archdall, author of the Irish Monasticon and Peerage, Mr. O'Connor the dissertator, Colonel (afterwards General) Valancey the amazing etymologist, Dr. Ellis, a physician, who created a Society of Natural History, Dr. Ledwich, and Mr. Beauford, of Athy. Matters went on very well until Governor Pownall addressed a letter to them, which Mr. Ledwich answered in the "Collectanea Hibernica," No. XI.; and by the lively jocular way in which he wrote, offended Colonel Valancey, who expatriated him from his Collectanea, and from a Society which immediately ceased *. On the form

* Gent. Mag. vol. LXVI. p. 528. In Whitelaw's and Walsh's History of Dublin," under the account of the Royal Irish Academy, is the following passage: "The first society of this kind established in the University about the year 1782, was called the Paleosophers. Their object was the investigation of antient learning, particularly the fathers of the Church. Dr. Percival had just returned from the Continent, and introduced the new system of chemistry, then almost totally unknown, and little attended to in this country. The investigation of this had excited a kindred zeal in pursuit of other sciences, and Dr. Percival proposed to Dr. Usher to establish a new society to promote it. In the year 1785, therefore, another association was formed; their object was the investigation of science and modern literature, and they denominated themselves Neosophers; into this

ation of the Royal Irish Academy, Mr. Conyngham was appointed Treasurer.

In 1786 Mr. Archdall dedicated his Monasticon Hibernicum to Mr. Conyngham, "as a testimony of respect for his many public and private virtues *."

Mr. Conyngham was the originator and patron of Murphy's magnificent work on the great monastic establishment of Batalha in Portugalt. Mr. Conyngham had himself visited that structure in 1783;

the Palosophers in a short time merged. They met at each others' houses, dined together once every fortnight, read essays and debated; they kept regular journals of their proceedings, but published no transactions. From these emanated the Royal Irish Academy, combining and enlarging the objects of both the former, and having distinct Committees for the investigation of Science, Antiquities, and Polite Literature."-"The Committee of Science meets on the first Monday of every month, that of Polite Literature on the second, that of Antiquities on the third, and the Academy at large on the fourth, at eight o'clock in the evening."

*Mr. Archdall was at that period Chaplain to Francis Lord Conyngham, Mr. C.'s brother. In 1789, when he published his Peerage, the seventh volume of which is dedicated to Henry Lord Conyngham, he was, through Mr. Conyngham's patronage, Rector of Slane.

"Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Views of the Church and Royal Monastery of Batalha, situated in the Province of Estremadura in Portugal; with the History and Description, by Fr. Louis de Sousa, with remarks. To which is prefixed an Introductory Discourse on the Principles of Gothic Architecture, by James Murphy, Architect. Illustrated with 27 plates. Lond. 1792-1796." Five Numbers, imperial folio, 15s. each. Mr. Murphy also published in quarto, 1795, “Travels in Portugal, through the Provinces of Entre Douro e Minho, Beira, Estramadura, and Aleintejo, in the years 1789 and 1790, consisting of Observations on the Manners, Customs, Trade, Public Buildings, Arts, Antiquities, &c. of that Kingdom." 24 plates. This was reviewed at some length in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LXV. pp. 848-955. Mr. Murphy also added in 1798 a second volume, intituled, "A General View of the State of Portugal, containing a Topographical Description thereof. In which is included, an account of the Physical and Moral State of the Kingdom; together with Observations on the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Productions of its Colonies. The whole compiled from the best Portuguese Writers, and from Notices obtained in the Country. Illustrated with 16 plates." Reviewed in Gent. Mag. vol. LXVIII. 960—963.

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and, with two other gentlemen who accompanied him in his travels through Portugal, had made some sketches of it. "These sketches, which are very correct representations of the original, gave Mr. Murphy so high an idea of that building as to excite in him an earnest desire to visit it; and Mr. Conyngham having generously offered his patronage and support, he set out for Dublin in a trading vessel, and arrived at Oporto in January 1789." Mr. Murphy concludes his preface with " acknowledging his obligations to this gentleman, by whose munificence he was enabled to carry on his work. The Portuguese have too much gratitude not to add their acknowledgments to him also for having made known the merits of this inimitable structure. Till now no part of it, as far as I could learn, has ever been published. The honour of presenting it to the world was reserved for a private gentleman, a native of Ireland, who, induced by no other motive than a love of the fine arts and a wish for the advancement of science, has expended upwards of £.1000 in rescuing this noble edifice from the obscurity in which it has lain concealed for ages. I have taken the liberty to dedicate this work to him, in consideration of his exemplary liberality, and as an humble testimony of my everlasting gratitude and respect." Above the dedication is placed a portrait of Mr. Conyngham, painted by Stuart and engraved by Schiavonetti. Mr. Conyngham subscribed for ten copies of the

work.

Mr. Conyngham's large collection of drawings of Irish antiquities, "from the time of the Druids to the Reformation," (mentioned before in p. 429) comprised views of almost every relic of antiquity in the country, with the plans of the most remarkable castles and abbeys. They were drawn by J. J. Barralet, Michael-Angelo Bigari, G. Beranger, John Fisher, Col. Valancey, Henry Pelham, Lord Carlow, J. G. Bliers, R. Kendrick, Samuel Hayes, Esq.

Thomas French, and J. Ralton. Many of them were engraved, and published in 1794 in the work intituled, "Grose's Antiquities of Ireland," in two volumes quarto. The Editor, Dr. Sedgwick, thus acknowledges the obligation: "To conclude, I beg leave to join my most grateful acknowledgements, with those of the Publisher, to the Right Honourable William Conyngham, who, with unexampled munificence, generosity, and patriotism, bestowed his noble collection of drawings for the use of this work, and at the same time indulged me with free access to his magnificent library, abounding in valuable MSS. and books on this subject. The following beautiful views are the truest panegyric on his taste and love of the arts."

The work is dedicated in the following terms:

"To the Right Honourable William Conyngham, one of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, and a Lord of the Treasury in Ireland, the munificent Patron of whatever can proinote the honour and happiness of that Kingdom, this volume *, formed, for the most part, from his noble collection of Drawings, is, with the most respectful gratitude, humbly inscribed by the Publisher, M. HOOPER."

Mr. Conyngham was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1790. His death occurred in Harcourt-place, Dublin, May 31, 1796. It was supposed that he had died intestate; and his property consequently devolved on his nephew the Viscount (now Marquis of) Conyngham; but some time after a will was found +, which divided his estates between his Lordship and his mother the Baroness dowager.

* The second volume, published in 1795, has no preface or dedication.

+ The remarkable manner in which it came to light was found related in the following memorandum of Gen. Valancey, made in his "Green Book," which contained an historical account of manuscript and printed documents relative to Ireland, and was sold at the sale of the General's library. "Mr. Burton Conyngham had free access to my library in my absence, leaving a receipt for such books as he took out. I was absent six years on duty in VOL. VI.

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