The Squares Of Dublin

Earl of Barryrmore. - Earl of Llandaff. - Eccentricities. - Luke White. - Honourable Julia White. - Sir Thomas Staples. - Antrim House .- Lord Frankfort. - Beautiful Miss Deane Grady. - Duke’s Lawn. - Duke of Rutland’s Fountain. - National Gallery. - Henry Doyle, C.B.-Academy of Music.

Merrion Square comes next in importance to Stephen’s Green so far as regards size but it has not the same claim to length of years. As compared to Stephen’s Green, it is a mushroom locality, being built in 1762**, **the period when the exodus of the nobility took place from the Liberties. The north side was the first built, the houses here being nearly, if not all, the work of Ensor. They are well planned, the rooms large and elegantly proportioned, and the staircases good.

The largest was built for Lord Llandaff of eccentric reputation, Lord Llandaff was descended from the rich and eccentric Mr. Mathews, owner of Thomastown Castle, Tipperary, who presents an extraordinary instance of extravagance almost amounting to insanity. This gentleman, who was possessed of so large a fortune as £10,000 a year, spent it all in entertaining his friends, who were invited to his house, not as guests, but as to an hotel, in which they had their private apartments, where they could, if they wished, order their meals and be served at their own table; the formula delivered to each guest on his arrival being, “This is your castle; here you are to command as in your own house; you may breakfast, dine, and sup here whenever you please, and invite any of the company as are most agreeable to you, or you may dine in the common parlour, where a daily ordinary is kept; but from this moment you are never to consider *me *the master of the house, but only as one of the guests.”

As may be imagined, such a house was never empty, and all manner of guests, from the most riotous to the extremely sober, succeeded one another, drank their host’s wine, rode his hunters, and, as is usual in such case, considered themselves not the least indebted to their entertainer.

One of his guests was Dean Swift, who, having heard of this strange freak from Dr. Sheridan, expressed a wish to meet so consummate an idiot, and was at once invited by Mr. Mathews. The Dean, it is said, enjoyed the freedom of this Liberty Hall so much, that for him Mr. Mathews broke a rule to which he invariably adhered, that of never pressing a guest to remain longer than the original time fixed.] who after a while tired of his new residence, and sold it to the still more eccentric Earl of Barrymore, [About the beginning of the present century, and even recollected by old gentlemen about town who were alive when the first Exhibition was opened, lived some three or four members of an Irish noble family who enjoyed a discreditable notoriety. Lord Barrymore, the eldest, ran a short career, and bore the nickname of Hellgate; his brother, the Hon. Henry Barry, was lame or club-footed, and was dubbed Cripplegate; while the Hon. and Rev. Augustus Barry, even less reputable than the other two, went by the name of Newgate, for the rather illogical reason that he had been a tenant of every gaol in the kingdom save that one. There was a sister, of whom little is known save that she became Lady Milfort, and that from her ready and copious use of oaths she received from the refined lips of the Prince Regent the sobriquet of Billingsgate.] who, having a house already at the corner of the square (in Holles Street), incorporated the two houses, which have been since redivided, Lord Llandaff’s house being No. 32*, Lord Barrymore’s extending to Holles Street, No. 31*.**

No. 14**, of which an illustration is here given, was the residence of Sir Philip Crampton, who in his day had an almost universal reputation as an able physician. Carlyle dismisses him as “a not very deep-working doctor of physic.” In 1849, **however, Sir Philip was advanced in years, although even then a very handsome man. After his death. the house (which was remarkable for an extraordinary pear tree, the pride of the inhabitants of the square) was occupied by another medical man of note, Doctor Hamilton: his widow now resides at No. 14.

Another large house on the north side is No. 12***, ***now the residence of Lord Ashbourne, the Chancellor of Ireland. This beautiful house was at one time occupied by the Hon. Julia White, for many years a well-known figure in Dublin society. She was a daughter of Viscount Gort, and had married one of the four sons of Luke White, whose gigantic fortune came from his finding a lottery ticket between the leaves of a book he had bought. With this ticket he drew a prize of £20,000, which, in his clever hands, was increased, it was said, to half a million. The Hon. Julia, who was one of the most good-natured women living, had a feminine weakness - she liked to improve her natural charms by the addition of a little more colour than nature had given her. As time went on and eyesight failed, her touch grew bolder, with a result that was more startling than becoming. Some of the Dublin wits persuaded her that the once popular song “Giulia gentil del bel color” was written in her praise, a compliment she accepted in all good faith.

The east side of Merrion Square, which was planned and many houses built by Samuel Sprole, a pupil of Sir William Chambers, had for its centre block the fine mansion erected by Surgeon Hume, who sold it to Viscount Gort, father to the Hon. Julia. Having a house in Kildare Street, this nobleman never occupied his purchase, but resold it to Robert Latouche, M.P. for Harristown. In 1820** Mr. Latouche was succeeded by Philip Doyne, a banker, who divided the house, the smaller portion being his residence. In 1829 **the larger mansion was bought by Mr. Staples, Q.C., afterwards Sir Thomas Staples, who inhabited it until his death in 1870.

As it stands, No. 45 - now the residence of Sir John Banks, K.C.B.-is an imposing mansion. The hall and staircase are a fine introduction to the elegantly designed drawing-rooms, where the chimney pieces are by Wedgwood.

Another interesting mansion on the east side is the one formerly called Antrim House, built in 1778** **by Randal William, sixth Earl and first Marquis of Antrim. The architect was Ensor; and although the rooms are large and well proportioned, they lack the elegance which distinguishes Sprole’s houses. Here festivities on a magnificent scale took place. In 1794 we read that the Marchioness of Antrim gave a most superb rout, ball, and supper in the season to a very brilliant and extremely numerous assemblage of the first rank and fashion. His Excellency the Earl of Westmorland, Lord-Lieutenant, and most of the nobility in town were present.

The grand Scots Ballet was on this occasion first performed by the following ladies: Lady Letitia MacDonald, Lady Beresford, Lady Anne Butler, Lady Augusta Forbes, Lady Theodosia Meade, both the Hon. Misses Gardiner, both the Misses Montgomery, Lady Leitrim, both the Hon. Misses Clements, Miss White, Miss Latouche, and Miss Ponsonby.

“The fair *danseuses *were in uniform dresses of white muslin, trimmed with blue ribbons, blue sashes, and petticoats trimmed with silver fringe; head-dresses-white turbans, spangled with silver, and blue feathers. The music, which was all in the Scots style, was composed for the occasion. The ballet commenced with a strathspey in slow time, and the figures of the dance varied with the tunes, which had an excellent effect. The ballet, on its commencement, excited such admiration as to attract the whole company to the ball-room, which scarcely allowed the charming performers room to move. But by the polite and persuasive interference of the noble Marchioness the room was tolerably cleared, and the press of the company restrained by barriers of ribbon held by noblemen. The curiosity of the company, however, was afterwards gratified by the kind consideration of the ladies in repeating the ballet.”

After the death of the Marchioness of Antrim in 1801 (her daughters having succeeded to the title and estates of the Marquis), Antrim House was sold, and converted into an hotel. In 1814** it was bought by Sir Capel Molyneux, who removed from his house, No. 4, Westland Row. In 1828 the house was divided by Lord FitzGerald and Vesey, an eminent politician, who was beaten at the Clare election, 1828, **by Daniel O’Connell, an event which led to Catholic Emancipation.

At No. 16, East, lived Lord Frankfort, one of Ireland’s best and faithful friends; at No. 7, Lord Carhampton; at No. 23, Viscount Longueville. The Earl of Wicklow had a large mansion on the south side of the square, the corner of Fitzwilliam Street (now divided); the Earl of Limerick, No. 2,** South; the Countess of Massereene at No. 4, South; Viscount Lifford, No. 31, South ; Lord De Vere, No. 25, **North.

A somewhat remarkable house on the east side was that of Mr. Deane Grady (who took an active part in the Act of Union), which was known as the House of Lords from the fact of the three beautiful Miss Gradys having married into the peerage as Lady Roche, Lady Edward Chichester, and Lady Massereene.

I have the portrait of the last of these beauties before me now; and as I look at the glorious eyes, the smiling mouth, and the arch expression of the girlish face, I do not wonder that her conquests were many. Like Mrs. Nickleby, she could count the proposals of marriage she received on the fingers of both hands.

“An awful flirt!” I hear Miss Prude exclaim. But what of that? All is fair before marriage; and the beautiful Olivia was the best of wives and the fondest of mothers.

On the south side of the square, No. 30, lived Daniel O’Connell, called the Liberator. This was in the height of his popularity, which sank to zero before his death. If he had not thrown himself so violently into politics, he would have risen to great eminence in his profession, the Bar, where his fervid eloquence and extraordinary quickness in grasping a situation generally carried everything before him. It was from the balcony at No. 30 that O’Connell addressed the crowd, which had waited patiently for hours in a downpour of rain, on the evening of his liberation from Richmond Prison.

No. 18 on the south side was for many years the residence of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, whose mother, Alicia Le Fanu, was sister to the erratic genius Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Through this lady, who wrote novels (but not such good ones as did her delightful mother, authoress of “Sidney Biddulph”), a considerable measure of the cleverness and a good deal of the eccentricity of the Sheridans descended to Joseph Le Fanu.

Eccentricity in his case took no unpleasant shape, beyond a nervous shrinking from society, which distressed his friends, who knew how eminently calculated he was to play a distinguished part on the world’s stage. Even in his childhood this distaste for society showed itself; and when friends came to visit his parents, he would get out on the roof, and stay there until they were safely off the premises. Mr. Le Fanu’s power of telling weird, ghostly tales has hardly been surpassed, even by Maturin, who excelled in the art of thrilling his readers.

The west side Qf Merrion Square is principally remarkable for the Duke’s Lawn, with the handsome view of the mansion itself. Facing it next the railings stands the handsome ornamental fountain, erected by the Duke of Rutland during his viceroyalty, 1786. The fountain was from the design of Coade; the frieze represented the story of the Marquis of Granby [Called “Generous” Granby, from his exceeding benevolence, which injured his fortune. He was Commander-in-Chief during the Seven Years’ War.] relieving a soldier’s family in distress. The sculpture has long since been hacked away, the fountain being at different times shamefully treated; but what remains is still a picturesque object, as will be seen from the illustration.

In 1853 the building of the first Exhibition held in Ireland was erected on the Duke’s Lawn by Mr. Dargan, altogether at his own expense. Dargan was one of the first Irish millionaires who thought of benefiting his country. His example has since been nobly followed by the family of Guinness.

Mr. Dargan was distinctly a man of the people ; his statue, which stands opposite the National Gallery, represents a sturdy, commonplace individual. We must confess that picturesque Dublin has not been fortunate in the marble effigies of her most distinguished citizens. In the centre of the lawn stands a fine statue of the late Prince Consort by Foley. This site would seem to have been appropriately chosen for one whose efforts through life had been directed towards the improvement of education and the development of art in every branch.

The formation of the National Gallery, which faces Merrion Square, a very handsome building in the Renaissance style, was commenced in 1859,** **one year before Prince Albert’s death. Had he lived, it would have received the cordial support he gave to all such attempts to educate the masses. The collection in the Dargan Hall or Sculpture Room consists mostly of casts from the antique which have been obtained (by a Treasury order) from the British Museum, aided by the funds of the Ancient Art Society. The statuary, although useful to students, is not by any means up to the Picture Galleries, which contain some really fine pictures; and considering the small sum at the disposal of the Committee, this is extremely creditable. In this regard much was due to the exertions of the late director, Mr. Henry Doyle, C.B., [Henry Doyle was one of the four sons of the eminent caricaturist H. B., and he was brother to the popular artist Dicky Doyle. The Doyles were all clever, and three at least of the brothers possessed social gifts of no ordinary kind. It may be said that such gifts are, in a certain degree, a dangerous possession, especially in youth, as they interfere with more solid advantages. I remember the late Mr. John Forster remarking to the late Lord Lytton, that the Doyles never worked until the wolf was at the door. But in all this account must be taken of artistic nature, which does not easily submit to drudgery. Henry Doyle’s popularity was evinced by the sincere regret felt for his rather sudden death.], who exercised wonderful judgment in securing at small expense good pictures for the gallery, and so forming a nucleus for future extension.

A debt of gratitude is likewise due to Henry Doyle for the formation of the National Historical and Portrait Gallery, [The first idea of this collection was suggested to Mr. Doyle by the interesting Exhibition of National Portraits which formed part of the attractions of the Dublin Exhibition, 1872. For this a most delightful catalogue was written by Percy FitzGerald, Esq. At this exhibition treasures of art which had long been lying in lumber-rooms in the deserted mansions of the nobility were brought to light. Here appeared for the first and last time the only portrait extant of the celebrated beauty Miss Ambrose, who has been made famous by Lord Chesterfield’s sobriquet “the dangerous Papist.” It was a very patrician face, but the blue eyes had a rather cold expression. The picture, which belonged to More O’Farrell, Esq., was consumed with other family pictures, when Ballina, Mr. O’Farrell’s seat in Kildare, took fire.], which comprises “authentic historical pictorial records, not only of eminent Irishmen and Irishwomen, but also of those whose lives serve in *any way *to illustrate her history or throw light upon her social, literary, or artistic records.”

The result of Mr. Doyle’s efforts has been a* *unique and most attractive collection, to which additional interest is given by the number of old engravings, principally mezzotints (Ryland and Bartolozzi), from the “Chaloner-Smith Collection,” which Lord Iveagh, with rare generosity, has presented to the nation.

The present director, Mr. Walter Armstrong, whose judgment in such matters is well known, has rearranged the Portrait Gallery with excellent effect.

Mr. Moore, whose remarks on Dublin are by no means flattering, comments on the fact that on every door in Merrion Square there is a brass plate; “for,” as he adds, “there are more doctors and lawyers in Dublin than in any city in the world.” This we may take for granted is not the result of a close study of the City Directory as compared with other directories; it is a mere haphazard observation: “the brass plate,” although it meets the eye frequently, can find its parallel in Cavendish Square and Harley Street.

Mention has already been made of this fine square, situated on the north side of the City. The record, however, would be incomplete without a reference to the philanthropic exertions of Dr. Bartholomew Mosse, who may be said to have created the square by the rather unusual method of building a hospital.

Dr. Mosse, who was clever enough to grasp the fact that there is nothing like pandering to the popular taste if you want to get money, began his operations by buying the Barley fields (now Rutland Square). Here, as before stated, he laid out the New Gardens, supplying them with all the attractions to draw the populace. There was an orchestra, a band of music, niggers, and a coffee-room, all on the plan of Vauxhall or Ranelagh. Such *alfresco *entertainments were to the taste of the Dublin folk, who frequented the gardens, and with the money thus obtained Dr. Mosse started his hospital.

He afterwards confessed he began it with only £500. He was a man of resource, and followed up his first start by a new departure. Lotteries were all the fashion; especially suited were they to the Irish people, whose superstitious nature made them dream of a lucky number, which, strange to say, did sometimes turn up the winning figure.

The Lord Justice, however, refused to sanction Dr. Mosse’s wheel of fortune, albeit it was set going for a most laudable purpose. The Doctor, nothing daunted, had another card up his sleeve: he petitioned the House of Commons, with the result that a grant of £6,000 –a paltry sum! - was voted. Governors and guardians were appointed, and in 1757** **the first stone was laid. The building, which was from one of Cassels’ best designs, was carried out with no stint. It forms a fine object, standing on the south side of the square, facing Great Britain Street.

The presence of a hospital, however well designed, at* *the very entrance to a fashionable square would seem to us nowadays a very serious drawback. People in the last century were, however, less squeamish. Of the 14 noblemen who had either begun or had finished building fine mansions round the New Gardens, no one seems to have abandoned the idea of occupying them with the exception of Lord Kingsland, whose house in Great Britain Street faced the Hospital. This close proximity was not pleasant; his Lordship therefore never resided there.

As time went on the popularity of the New Gardens waned, and it was found necessary to add to the attractions by adding rooms for balls, etc. The Round Room, 80 feet in diameter, was designed’ by Ensor. In 1784 the Pillar Room, one of the best dancing-rooms in the United Kingdom, was added, also the large and smaller concert-rooms, from the designs of F. Johnson.

The funds of the Hospital were in a state of chronic depression, and in 1785** **the Governors were granted the duty on private sedan-chairs. This was very high £1.15s. on each sedan, and there were in the City 260 private chairs. [A curious little book, “A List of the Proprietors of Sedan-chairs, 1787,’ gives a numerical account of all sedan-chair owners.].

The Duke of Rutland, who was Viceroy in 1786-87, and his Duchess, one of the most beautiful women of the day, patronized the Rotunda, and during the Castle season, “in the weeks intermediate with the Castle balls,” assemblies were held, to which admittance could only be obtained through lady patronesses. The subscriptions were somewhat high: annual tickets, six guineas for gentlemen; ladies, three guineas.

After the Union the Rotunda languished, while the sear and yellow of decay fell upon the New Gardens; the houses of the nobility in Rutland Square displayed the ominous flag of house agents, their noble owners having ceased to occupy them. The last resident nobleman in Dublin, Lord James Butler, lived at No. 18, the house built by Lord Farnham, and afterwards purchased by the Marquis of Ormonde, Lord James Butler’s father. [No. 18 was decorated by Angelica Kauffmann. During the interval of years between the Union and Lord James’s purchase of the house, No. 18 was occupied by John Vance, M.P., his wife being well known in Dublin society.]

Mountjoy Square

built after the Union in 1820, is** significant of the change that had befallen the City. Here we have houses for second-class respectability ; they have a family likeness to the houses in Bloomsbury - Gower Street, to wit. Mountjoy Square has lost even the small prestige it* ***had; its early occupants, judges of the Court and barristers, having moved over to the other side of town.” **

Fitzwilliam Square **

Thackeray speaks enthusiastically of this little square - calls it a noble place, “the garden of which is full of flowers and foliage; the leaves are green, and not black, as in similar places in London. The red-brick houses,” he adds, “are handsome.”

The whole tenor of these remarks takes one by surprise. As compared with Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square, the genteel air of Fitzwilliam Square, so evidently of this century, would hardly, one would suppose, appeal to a man of letters; but then Thackeray was practical and very English; he liked the order and the gentility, and he knew nothing of the past traditions which are dear to the “Emerald Islanders,” as the writer of” Pendennis” calls us, who “love great folks and sham trains, and the memory of George IV.” But where did he find the red-brick houses? That is a puzzle.

When George IV. visited Dublin in 1821,** **he was loud in praise of the beauty of the squares, especially Stephen’s Green, although at that time the exodus of the nobility from Dublin had begun to materially affect the leading localities of the City. In connection with the King’s admiration the following lines appeared in some street ballad

‘Twas how he thought each scene so fair,

‘Twas how he praised each street and square,

‘Tis a pity people don’t live there,

Oh wirra-sthrew!

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