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SIR MARTIN ARCHER SHEE, P.R.A.

SIR MARTIN ARCHER SHEE, long known in art and letters, and for some years the oldest member as well as the President of the Royal Society, died at Brighton, on the 13th of August, in the eighty-first year of his age.  He was descended lineally from one of the Kings of Munster, in the third century, and his family in more recent times has been honorably distinguished.  He was born in Dublin, on the 23d of December, 1770.  He evinced extraordinary precocity in his art, and when but twelve years old obtained of the Irish Academy medals for figures, landscapes and flowers.  The author of “Wine and Walnuts,” as quoted in the London Athenaeum, gives the following account of his first appearance in the Great Metropolis: 

“I well remember this gentleman on his first arrival from Ireland to the British metropolis; he was introduced to the notice of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and to some other distinguished persons by his illustrious Friend and countryman Mr. Edmund Burke.  I was at that time making a drawing in the Plaster Academy in Somerset House, and perfectly recollect the first evening Mr. Shee joining the students there.  He selected the figure of the Discobolus for his probationary exercises to procure a permanent student’s ticket.  I need not say that he obtained it,—­for it was acknowledged to be one of the best copies that had yet been seen of that fine figure.  I further remarked that Mr. Wilton, the then keeper of the Royal Academy, was so pleased with the performance that he expressed a wish to retain it, after Mr. Shee had received his ticket; and Mr. Shee, with that politeness which marked his early career, presented it to the worthy old gentleman.”

Mr. Shee became an exhibitor at the Royal Academy for the first time in 1789.  He abstained from exhibiting in the following year, wisely husbanding his strength—­worked hard at his art—­gave his nights and days to Sir Joshua; and in 1791 took handsome apartments, and sent four portraits to the Exhibition.  In 1792 he removed to yet better rooms, and sent in all seven works to the Exhibition.  In the same year he walked as one of the students of the Royal Academy at the funeral of Sir Joshua Reynolds.  In 1793 he reached what is now the full Academical number of eight portraits.  The Exhibition of the following year contained his as yet most ambitious efforts:—­a portrait of a young lady as Miranda in “The Tempest,” and “Jephtha’s Daughter” from the Book of Judges.  In 1795 he exhibited a portrait of himself,—­and a portrait of Mr. Addington, afterward Lord Sidmouth.  In 1797 he exhibited in all ten works; including portraits of Pope and Fawcett the actors.  He continued equally industrious for many successive years; and was in such favor with his fellow artists that he was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1798, immediately