Biographical Notice of the late Richard Taylor, F.L.S. 59 



Wilks; but on his birthday in the year 1803, at the age of 

 twenty-two, he estabUshed himself, in partnership with his 

 father, in Blackhorse Court, Fleet Street, from whence he soon 

 after removed to Shoe Lane, and subsequently to Red Lion 

 Court. His press speedily became the medium through which 

 nearly all the more important works in scientific natural history 

 were ushered into the world ; and the careful accuracy by which 

 all its productions were distinguished led to a rapid extension of 

 its use. It was immediately adopted by the Linnsean Society; 

 the Royal Society and many other learned bodies succeeded; 

 individual members naturally followed the example of the 

 Societies to which they belonged ; and the same valuable qualities 

 which had rendered it so acceptable to men of science were 

 equally appreciated by those engaged in other pursuits. The 

 beautiful editions of the Classics which proceeded from it, soon 

 rendered his favourite device (the lamp receiving oil, with its 

 motto of " Alere flammam '*) as familiar to all who had received a 

 classical education in England as it had been from the beginning 

 to the world of science. It would be tedious to enumerate even 

 the more important of these works ; but there is one in all 

 respects so remarkable as to deserve especial mention. This is 

 the facsimile of the Psalms from the Codex Alexandrinus, edited 

 by the Rev. H. H. Baber, '^at whose chambers in the British 

 Museum,'^ says Mr. Taylor in his Diary, under date of the 11th 

 Nov. 1811, " I have collated the proofs of the first and second 

 sheets with the Codex letter by letter, and I intend, if possible, 

 to do the same for all the rest." A more striking proof could 

 not be adduced of his strict attention to the accuracy of his 

 press, and of his persevering devotion even to the minutest 

 duties of his profession. 



In the year 1807 he became a Fellow of the Linnsean Society, 

 and at the anniversary of 1810 he was elected Under-Secretary, 

 an office which he retained for nearly half a century, and in 

 which he earned for himself the cordial esteem and good-will of 

 every member of the Society. In his Diary, under date of 

 the anniversary of 1849, he notes that he had "served with 

 M'^Leay, Bicheno, Dr. Boott, and Mr. Bennett, under the suc- 

 cessive presidencies of the founder Sir J. E. Smith (the intimate 

 and dear friend of my parents and my warm friend), of the 

 Earl of Derby, the Duke of Somerset, and my excellent friend 

 Dr. Stanley, Bishop of Norwich." To the names of the Presi- 

 dents he might subsequently have added those of Mr. Brown 

 and Mr. Bell; and he must have felt, though he was too modest 

 himself to note it down, how highly he was esteemed by them 

 all for his strict sense of honour, the amiability of his disposi- 

 tion, and his entire devotion to the interests of the Society. 



