SOCIETY OF ARTS. This society has been for so long a period connected with the progress of manufactures in this country, that it will be right to trace briefly its history. The object of this Society is 'to promote the arts manufactures, and commerce of this kingdom, by giving honorary or pecuniary rewards, as may be best adapted to the case, for the com munication to the Society, and through the Society to the public, of all such useful inven tions, discoveries, and iniprOvements as tend to that purpose.' It was projected in the year 1753 ; but the first public meeting took place in March, 1754. The plan was formed by Mr.William Shipley, a drawing-master, who acted for some time as secretary to the Society; and it was carried into effect by a few noble men and gentlemen, among whom appear the names of Lord Folkstone, Lord Romney, and Dr. Stephen Hales. The services of Mr. Shipley were acknowledged by the Society voting to him, in 1758, a gold medal, for his public spirit, which gave rise to the Society ;' and subsequently by the publication of his portrait as a frontispiece to the fourth volume of their Transactions.' The Society began, immediately after its formation, to advertise premiums for the encouragement of young persons of both sexes in the various depart ments of the fine arts; for improvements in agriculture and manufactures ; for mechanical inventions; and for promoting the cultivation of valuable plants in British colonies.
For several years after the formation of the Society of Arts, there was no authorised publi cation of the papers communicated to the committees, or for making known the results of its labours. The publication of such infor mation in an annual volume of Transactions' was contemplated sodn after the commence ment of the Society's operations ; but the first volume did not appear until the year 1783. Many of the papers however, which would otherwise have appeared in such a work, were published, with the sanction of the Society, in Dossie's ' Memoirs of Agriculture and (Economical Arts,' of which the first volume appeared in 1708, and the third and last in 1782. Some further particulars respecting the early proceedings of the Society are supplied by a Register of the Premiums and Bounties given by the Society instituted in London for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, from the origi nal institution in the year 1754 to the year 1776 inclusive.' This register, which was prepared by a committee of the Society, and is arranged in a tabular form, was printed in folio, in 1778.
The total amount of pecuniary rewards be stowed by the Society down to 1776 was, according to the ' Register' above referred to, 23,551/. 18s. 2d.; or, including the coat of medals, and pallets, 24,016/. 4e. 8d. This register was continued by manuscript additions to the end of 1813 ; and from these it appears that the pecuniary rewards bestowed from 1777 to 1813 amounted to about 2757/. 10s.,
and that the medals and pallets distributed were 188 in gold and 404 in silver. Later thaia this there does not appear to be any con: densed statement of the operations of the Society; but it has been stated for some years past, in their advertisement to the public, that upwards of 100,000/., derived from volun , tary subscriptions and legacies, b been expended in pursuance of their plan. It may be briefly remarked, lit the words of the secre: tary's address at the distribution of prizes in 1841, that ' at a time when it stood alone in offering encouragement' to the fine arts, it effected much good in that department ; and that it can now point with proud satisfaction to the names of Bacon, Nollekens, and Flaxman, Cosway and Lawrence, Sharp and Sherwin, Pingo, Merchant, and Wyon, with' many other eminent artists, the early manifes tations of whose genius were noticed by the Society in a manner which, there can be no doubt, assisted very materially in its develope ment. ' Still more important perhaps have been the effects of the Society's encouragement of poor operatives, in improving the processes with which they are practically acquainted. The history of those inventions connected with weaving, which have been the objects of their encouragement within the last forty years, was adverted to in the address just quoted, as an illustration of what the Society have effected ; about twenty pecuniary rewards having been given, chiefly to Bethnal Green and Spital-i fields weavers, for inventions of great utility.
As before stated, the first volume of the Society's ' Transactions' was published in 1783. For forty-seven years from that time a volume appeared annually ; but since 1829 the volumes have been biennial, An index to the first twenty-five volumes was published in 1808, and two others, embracing respectively from the twenty-sixth to the fortieth, and from the 'forty-first to the fiftieth, have since appeared. In 1774 the Society removed from' their original premises, opposite Beaufort Buildings, Strand, to their present house in the Adelphi, which was erected purposely for them ; and in the years 1777-83 Barry deco rated their great room with a series of pictures. The Society of Arts has taken an active part in encouraging the Great Exhibition of 1851 ; many of the officers and influential members of the Society are also members of the Commissions and Committees relating to the Exhibition ; and there can he no doubt that we are in part indebted for this admirable and honourable display to the proceedings of the Society. It would have been pleasant if this Exhibition had formed a centenary com memoration of the Society, in addition to its other attractions ; in 1854 such a centenary period will actually occur.'