The Irish standard., 1888-09-01

ghal, descendant of al ancient Gath
Ole family in Waterford. In 1898 he
was elected an Associate Of the Roya]
Academy, and two years subsequently
he became en- Academiciar on the vacancy
caused by the expulsion of James Barry
from the Academy, owing to the party
feeling and personal rancor he aroused
by his bitten lectures to the students, il
which he attacked his fellow aoade
miciana and proclaimed the degeneracJ
of Art ana the Academy. The election
OF an academician Is in the hands of the
body of academicians themselves, anc
| the election must be sanetioned-a mere
matter Of form, Of oourse-by diplomf
with the actual sign-mannal of the reign
ing Sovereign. The Royal Academy anc
all it's practices--from the election O.
members to the election Of pictures fol-
the annual exhibition-are now regarded
with suspicion and distrust, both in ar
tistic circles AID without; it is close
corporation; privileged body; and
though several attempts to reform il
have been made witlouS avail, its days,
as it stands, are as surely numbered as
are the days of the London Corporation
and the House Of Lords. When the
Dublin artists agitated for 9 charter Of
incorporation for their institution they
found jealous friend and supporter III
William Archer Shee. The scheme re-
ceived it's most violent and powerful op.
position from q Mr.. Comerford-fs gent
lennan who had obtained e very high
reputation as miniature painter in Dub.
lin, and who appears to have thought
that his success and position would be
imperilled by the impetus given to the
study of Art in Ireland by the establish
ment of the proposed Royal H1bernian
Academy, with power to confer honors
and distinctions on successful students.
After good deal Of agitation She Royal
Charter was granted to the Irish artists,
thanks, in great measure, 70 the exer-
tons of Shee and Sir Thomas Lawrence,
who at that time was President of the
ROYAL Academy.
Shee devoted nota little OF his time TO
literature. In 1905 he published
s'Rhymes on Art" in 1909 poem en-
titled elements of Art" and in 1928
"Alasco," a tragedy. The latter work
was sent by Shee, anonymously, to the
manager of Coyent Garden Theatre; ard
after being read by Charles Kemble, it
was accepted, the great tragedian him
self having decided to represent the
hero. The plot dealt with an unsuc-
cessful insurrection III that part Of Po-
land which fell to Prussia on the division
OF the unfortunate Kingdom. a copy of
the play was in the usual course sent to
the Lord Chamberlain as the Conservator
of Public Morals for the purpose of OBJ
tanning license for it's production. The
office at the time WAS held by the Duke
of Montrose, who selected George Col
man the Younger as reader OF new plays.
Colman, who had himself written some
licentious plays, refused to sanction tie
Of "Alasco' on the ground
that it was political, sneered at Monarch
ical institutions, and advocated revolu-
ton and rebellion. The affair got into
the Press and created sensation, which
was increased when Shee, the great por-
trait painter, announced publicly that he
was the author of the tragedy.
Several passages III the play, which
contained some very holy and whole
some truths and sentiments, were crossed
out altogether
Shee, in letter of remonstrance which
be wrote to the Lord Chancellor, de-
clared that in the tragedy there was not
zone sentiment, one line, or one word
disrespeotful to kings, or unfavorable to
monarchy or legitimate government OF
any description" The Duke of Mont
rose, however, had too great confidence
in the justice Of the Judgment of Cole
man the Younger, and SO the play con-
tinued banned; but Shee was able to
dispose of the MSS. to publisher for
$500, and on its publication it had a
much larger circulation than it would
have attained in the ordinary course Of
things. In 1926, when the No-Popery
feeling was rampant in England, Shee
wrote series Of letters, signed ''Oathe-
liens, . in the Morning Herald, on the
subject Of Emancipation.
sshae met lpnpell il 1875 at An even
ing part I'M London The artist We