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The Dublin Philosophical Society was founded in 1683 by William Molyneux with the assistance of his brother
Sir Thomas Molyneux Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Molyneux, 1st Baronet FRS (14 April 1661 – 19 October 1733) was an Irish physician. Life Molyneux was the youngest son of Samuel Molyneux of Castle Dillon, County Armagh, Master Gunner of Ireland and his wife M ...
and the future Provost and Bishop
St George Ashe St. George Ashe, D.D. (3 March 1657 – 27 February 1718) was an Irish mathematician and university administrator who, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, served as Church of Ireland Bishop of Cloyne, Clogher and Derry, in succession. Fr ...
. It was intended to be the equivalent of the Royal Society in London (with which it maintained cultural ties) as well as the Philosophical Society at the University of Oxford. Whilst it had a sometimes close connection with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, its closest institutional connection was with Trinity College Dublin.


Society

The society was originally intended to be a paper reading society, however it also included many demonstrations of the latest science and mathematical endeavour of the time. Members would meet regularly within Trinity College Dublin and at Crow Street, Temple Bar, Dublin at a location commonly referred to as "The Crow's Nest". This location housed the society's garden and laboratory, as well as containing a large meeting room and a small repository for the society's belongings. Among its most prominent members were William Petty, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, Archbishop
William King William King may refer to: Arts *Willie King (1943–2009), American blues guitarist and singer *William King (author) (born 1959), British science fiction author and game designer, also known as Bill King *William King (artist) (1925–2015), Ame ...
and Bishop
George Berkeley George Berkeley (; 12 March 168514 January 1753) – known as Bishop Berkeley (Bishop of Cloyne of the Anglican Church of Ireland) – was an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immate ...
. The majority of its members were graduates of Trinity College, Dublin, a number of whom were Fellows, including the then current and later Provost of the college. Although it played a small role in intellectual Dublin life, it inspired the foundation of the Dublin Society founded in 1731 (which became the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
in 1820) and the
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...
in 1785. Whilst at the time no particular precedent existed for Trinity College, Dublin to recognise it, it can be considered the college's first such society.


History

The Dublin Philosophical Society had a somewhat tumultuous existence. It held its first meeting on 15 October 1683 within the Provost's lodgings at Trinity College Dublin, however it is thought to have existed from sometime in September 1683. It existed most prominently from 1683 until 1698, 1701 until 1731. Having garnered a significant reputation of studious diligence, on 18 December 1683, then Provost Robert Huntington acting on behalf of the society wrote to Robert Plot of the Royal Society asking for assistance in printing the papers of its members. Hereafter the relationship between both societies became cemented, with many papers being printed in
Philosophical Transactions ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society. In its earliest days, it was a private venture of the Royal Society's secretary. It was established in 1665, making it the first journa ...
and for a number of years the society flourished, circulating papers from various academic fields. From then on, the Provost played a vital role in protection and assistance of the society, becoming its Senior Patron, a role the position still holds. Provisionally Dr Charles Willoughby was placed in charge of the society. On 1 November 1684 William Petty was duly elected the first president of the society, with William Molyneux elected as the first secretary. The appointment of Richard Talbot as
Lord Deputy of Ireland The Lord Deputy was the representative of the monarch and head of the Irish executive (government), executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and then the Kingdom of Ireland. He deputised prior to 1523 for the Viceroy of Ireland ...
impeded some work of the society to a small degree, having earlier petitioned
James II James II may refer to: * James II of Avesnes (died c. 1205), knight of the Fourth Crusade * James II of Majorca (died 1311), Lord of Montpellier * James II of Aragon (1267–1327), King of Sicily * James II, Count of La Marche (1370–1438), King C ...
to deny the society of a royal charter in 1686. The society struggled greatly during the Revolution of 1688, a time which during few meetings took place, but papers were still presented to members. Finally struggling on until the year 1698, when, due to political upheaval the society was forced to adjourn for almost ten years, sometimes meeting sporadically from some time after the Battle of the Boyne. During this time William Molyneux died and the society did not recommence activity until 1701 when his son
Samuel Molyneux Samuel Molyneux FRS (16 July 1689 – 13 April 1728) was an amateur astronomer and politician who sat in the British House of Commons between 1715 and 1728 and in the Irish House of Commons from 1727 to 1728. His work with James Bradley attemp ...
was elected Secretary.
Sir Thomas Molyneux Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Molyneux, 1st Baronet FRS (14 April 1661 – 19 October 1733) was an Irish physician. Life Molyneux was the youngest son of Samuel Molyneux of Castle Dillon, County Armagh, Master Gunner of Ireland and his wife M ...
is recorded as having been a continued member of society in all its incarnations and most likely continued to be until his death in 1733.


Council and Members of the Dublin Philosophical Society

Having been at what seems the centre of learned culture in 17th century Dublin, the society boasted many historically famous members. Many of these were members, fellows, professors of Trinity College Dublin, clergymen, medical practitioners and members of the judiciary.


Council

Dating of the society's sessions are counted from 1 November 1684, due to the first elections of officers taking place at that time.


Members of the Society

What follows is a complete list of known members of the society. *
William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy (1653–1692), was an Anglo-Irish soldier. Early life William Stewart was born in 1653, the son of Sir Alexander Stewart, 2nd Baronet, of Ramelton. His family was from Donegal, Ulster Scots, and Protes ...
. * Robert Reading, first and last Baronet Reading. *
George Berkeley George Berkeley (; 12 March 168514 January 1753) – known as Bishop Berkeley (Bishop of Cloyne of the Anglican Church of Ireland) – was an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immate ...
, Anglo-Irish philosopher. * Cyril Wyche, Chief Secretary for Ireland. * Sir Richard Bulkeley, 2nd Baronet, Fellow of Trinity College. * Samuel Foley, Bishop of Down and Connor, one of the earliest members of the society. * Dudley Loftus, Vicar General of Ireland, Judge of the Prerogative Court of Ireland, Senior Master of Chancery and great-grandson of Adam Loftus. * Allan Mullen, eminent Irish anatomist. *
William King William King may refer to: Arts *Willie King (1943–2009), American blues guitarist and singer *William King (author) (born 1959), British science fiction author and game designer, also known as Bill King *William King (artist) (1925–2015), Ame ...
, Archbishop of Dublin, Scholar of Trinity College Dublin. * Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke,
Lord President of the Council The lord president of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the ...
and
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kingdo ...
. *
St George Ashe St. George Ashe, D.D. (3 March 1657 – 27 February 1718) was an Irish mathematician and university administrator who, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, served as Church of Ireland Bishop of Cloyne, Clogher and Derry, in succession. Fr ...
, Bishop of Cloyne, Fellow, Provost of Trinity College Dublin. * Jonathan Swift, Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer. *
William Palliser Sir William Palliser CB MP (18 June 1830 – 4 February 1882) was an Irish-born politician and inventor, Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1880 until his death. Early life Born in Dublin on 18 June 1830, Palliser was the fourth of the eight ...
, Professor of Divinity at Trinity College Dublin, Bishop of Cloyne and Archbishop of Cashel. *
Sir Thomas Molyneux, 1st Baronet Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Molyneux, 1st Baronet FRS (14 April 1661 – 19 October 1733) was an Irish physician. Life Molyneux was the youngest son of Samuel Molyneux of Castle Dillon, County Armagh, Master Gunner of Ireland and his wife Ma ...
, Irish physician and Fellow of the Royal Society. *
Samuel Molyneux Samuel Molyneux FRS (16 July 1689 – 13 April 1728) was an amateur astronomer and politician who sat in the British House of Commons between 1715 and 1728 and in the Irish House of Commons from 1727 to 1728. His work with James Bradley attemp ...
, son of William Molyneux, elected secretary of the society in 1706. *John Madden, father of Samuel Madden who co-founded the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
. *John Bulkeley (most likely brother of Sir Richard Bulkeley, 2nd Baronet). *Robert Clements, father of Irish politician and financial figure Nathaniel Clements. *Francis Cuff, friend of William Molyneux who lived in Peter's Place. *Dr. Christopher Dominick, father Elizabeth Dominick grandmother of
Augustus FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster Augustus Frederick FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster, etc. (21 August 1791 – 10 February/October 1874) was an Anglo-Irish peer and freemason, styled Marquess of Kildare from birth until 1804. He was born and died in Carton House. FitzGera ...
. * Edward Smyth, Professor, Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin and Bishop of Down and Connor. *John Worth,
Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral The Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral is the senior cleric of the Protestant St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, elected by the chapter of the cathedral. The office was created in 1219 or 1220, by one of several charters granted to the cathedral by Ar ...
. *Richard Acton, Fellow of Trinity College. *Dr. Richard Chamberlin. *John Baynard, Archdeacon of Connor. *
Sir Patrick Dun Sir Patrick Dun (January 1642 — 24 May 1714) was an Irish physician, and president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Life He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the son of Charles Dun and his wife Catherine Burnet and the nephew of P ...
, physician, and president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. *Henry Eenerly. *J. Finglass. *Mark Baggot. *Dr. Daniel Houlaghan. *John Keogh *John Stanley. *Jacobus Silvius. *Samuel Walkington, Archdeacon of Ossory, elected to the society in 1693. *Paul Rieaut. *Sir
John Hely Sir John Hely (born c. 1650 – died 7 April 1701) was an English-born judge in Ireland, who held office as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, and who was the founder of the prominent landowning Hely family of Foulkscourt Castle, Johnstown, County ...
, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and
Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas The chief justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland was the presiding judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland, which was known in its early years as the Court of Common Bench, or simply as "the Bench", or "the Dublin bench". It was one of the s ...
. * Sir Richard Cox,
Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...
and Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench for Ireland * Bryan Robinson, physician, academic and writer. *
Richard Helsham Richard Helsham (1683 – 1 August 1738) was an Irish physician and natural philosopher at Trinity College Dublin. He was the inaugural Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy from 1724 and Regius Professor of Physic ...
, physician, fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, and first to hold the professorship of natural philosophy on the foundation of Erasmus Smith. *
Thomas Prior Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
, author, and founder of the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
. * Samuel Madden, author, and founder of the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
.


Continuation of the Society

The Dublin Philosophical Society continued under the new guise of the Medico-Philosophical Society, from 1756 until 1831.
John Rutty John Rutty (1697–1775) was a Dublin Quaker physician and naturalist born in Melksham, Wiltshire, England. He was the author of many texts including ''A methodical synopsis of the Mineral Waters of Ireland'' (1757) and ''An Essay towards the Nat ...
, Dr. Hugh Hamilton (uncle to later University Philosophical Society Patron George Alexander Hamilton),
David MacBride David Macbride (1726–1778) was an Irish medical writer. He is now remembered mainly for his work on the treatment of scurvy. Life Born at Ballymoney, County Antrim, 26 April 1726, he was the son of Robert McBride, Presbyterian minister there, ...
, George Cleghorn, all of whom had delivered several papers to the Dublin Philosophical Society and continued the practice of paper reading. The papers presented could cover natural history, natural philosophy, medicine, ethics, as well as politics, similar in style and subject matter to those of the Dublin Philosophical Society. Whilst a significant proportion of the members had studied at Trinity College Dublin it was predominantly aligned with Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. While the society may have existed outside of Trinity College Dublin for the first time in seventy-three years, the tradition established by the society of having academic papers published in
Philosophical Transactions ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society. In its earliest days, it was a private venture of the Royal Society's secretary. It was established in 1665, making it the first journa ...
continued in within the college.


Restoration to Trinity College

In November 1842 to mark the original session date the Dublin Philosophical Society was reformed under its original name. One hundred and sixty years after its inception the society fully returned to Trinity College Dublin in February 1843 becoming the Dublin University Philosophical Society, with then Provost Franc Sadleir as its senior patron and George Alexander Hamilton as vice-patron, with
Richard Whately Richard Whately (1 February 1787 – 8 October 1863) was an English academic, rhetorician, logician, philosopher, economist, and theologian who also served as a reforming Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. He was a leading Broad Churchman ...
the
Archbishop of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin is an archepiscopal title which takes its name after Dublin, Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the other in the Church of Irelan ...
. In keeping with tradition the society met each Monday, offering its members the opportunity of reading papers on scientific, philosophical and literally subjects. Some years later the society dropped the "Dublin" prefix becoming known as the University Philosophical Society as it is in the college today.


Inspiration for other societies

The society was the inspiration for the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
which had its first meeting in the society's rooms in 1731.Provost's Address to Members of the Royal Dublin Society
"The very first meeting of the Dublin Society in 1731 – when it wasn't yet Royal – was in the rooms of the Philosophical Society in Trinity College."

" The Philosophical Society is generally regarded as a forerunner of the Royal Dublin Society which was founded in 1731."
It also inspired the cadet society, the Physio-Historical Society of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, lasting from 1744 until 1777. The
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...
founded in 1785, drew the inspiration for its creation from the society.


References

{{Authority control 1683 establishments in the British Empire Organisations based in Dublin (city) Learned societies of Ireland