The Irish standard., 1888-09-01
IRISH GRAVES IN ENGLAND.
BY MICHAEL MAoDONAGH.
SIR MARr1N ARcHEE sHEE, P. R. A,

SIR MARTIN ARCHER SHEE, p. r. A.
Sir Martin Archer Shee-poet and
palnter-was born of an old Irish Gath
Ole family in Dublin on December goth,
1859. The name was originally O'Shea,
but, like many another "O"--and "Mac'
also-the Celtic prefix was dropped by
some ancestor, by accident probably,
and usage sanctioned the altered form
of the name; or the name was trans
orn1ed by design in order to give more
s'Englifed" tone to the patronyrnic, or
rather to remove from it, as much as
possible, all trace Of it's Irish origin.
The painter, however, was wont to boast
chat he was descended from the O'Sheas
of old. who in their day held kingly
sway over part Of ireland. The father
Of the subject of our sketch was merctl-
ant in Dublin in his early years, but oe-
fore his marriage he was stricken bind,
and, haYing had to give up business,
retired to Bray, where he lived Tor the
remainder of his life. This terrible
affection was cast upon him most tragl-
cally. He had some friends dining
with him at the time of the awful occur
renee. He was observed to start up sud-
denly from his chair, and without word
stagger out of the room. His friends
followed HIM upstairs in few minutes,
and found him in his bedroom OF his
knees engaged in prayer, with the light
Of the world shut out from his eyes for
eyer. Some years afterwards he married
q bliss Mary Archer, and the painter was
their fourth ana last child. His mother
having died when he was two years OF
age, young Shee was brought up by a
female relative. There are, OF course.
several stories told--ot the early indica-
lions in Shee of the artistic talent. It is
said that when he was six years Of age
his father brought him on visit to the
country house OF a friend, and as the
Sunday was wethe Was left alone indoors
while the rest Of the party went out to
Mass. On the return Of the family they
found the child copying with the handle
of pewter spoon on payer the illustra~
tions en- the Dutch tiles with which the
fireplace OF the parlor was decorated.
The boy was removed from Bray to
dublin in 1881, and sent to school to al
academy conducted by the Dominican
FriarB. He studied art in the evening
schools of the Royal Dublin Society,
where be mad very distinguished career,
wi1saing many medala, and when leaving
being presented with a silver palette in
recognition of his distinguished merit as
q dre1,ghssman. His father had died q
short time previously, and though Shee
was only fourteen years Of age at the
time he set himself up as a portrait pam
ter in crayons in Dame street. He got
on remarkably we'll, YES able to earn
very respectable income, and when he
tried his hand at portrait painting in oils
he was equally successful. Portrait
painting WAS indeed the forte Of shee
from the opening to the end Of his artis-
tic career. We are told ny Shee's son
a member OF the English Bar, who pub
lished life of his father in 1850 that
every young dandy in Dublin in these
GAYS had to deliver himself into the
hands Of q hairdresser for sn hour or two
hours every morning while his head was
being made beautiful with the aid OF
nurling-tongs, powder, and ponatum.
The artist turned those hours into very
good use. We all hsye heard Of the
man who learned seven languages during
the time which. in the course of some
years. his wife devoted to adjusting her
A,onnet when he asked hor out for walk.
s,hee almost made as good record. He
obtained sound knowledge Of the Greek
and Latin literatures during the opera
items of his hairdresser.
In l788-when he vas i'll his nine
teenth year--he determined on try
ing his fortune in London. He brought
with HIM to the English metropolis let
ters of introduction to James Barry, the
great historical painter, and to Edmund
Burke, the great statesmau-the two
most famous Irishmen, perhaps, then IN
London-and by Barry he was received
coldly, and by Burke warmly and gener-
ously. Il
His reception by Burke-to whom all
youpg Irishmen seeking their fortunes
in London looked for help-was, as 1
have said, warm and cordial ftNever
shall I forget y wrote Shee, 'sthe food OF
eloouence which poured from his lips as,
still holding my hand and pressing it
with atfectionaty cordially, he expatiated
in glowing terms on the claims and
ulories OF the art to which was about to
devote myself; and sought to kindle my
ardor by the prospects Of fame and dis