2 tO Obituary Notice. 



butions of English naturalists, special attention should be paid to 

 the researches of Continental observers ; and the result was the 

 starting of the ' Annals of Natural History,' with which, sub- 

 sequently, the well-known 'Magazine of Natural History' of 

 Loudon and Charlesworth was amalgamated." His name first 

 appears on the wrapper as co-editor in 1859. As Editor of the 

 'Annals' he became acquainted with most of the leading natu- 

 ralists, and made many life-long friends, his indebtedness to whom 

 be warmly acknowledges in the Preface to the Sixth Series. 



AVhile in Berlin and Giessen, Dr. Francis, in conjunction with his 

 friend and fellow-student Henry Croft, forwarded every month a 

 series of reports to the 'Philosophical Magazine' on the progress of 

 chemical science on the Continent ; but the space available in that 

 Journal being limited, they, on their return to England, started 

 the ' Chemical Gazette ' in 1842. Croft was compelled to re- 

 linquish the editorship before the fourth number appeared, being 

 appointed Professor of Chemistry at King's College, Toronto ; 

 and the ' Ga/.elte' was carried on by Dr. Francis alone until 1859, 

 when the pressure of other work compelled him to relinquish the 

 task, and the ' Gazette ' was incorporated with the then newly 

 founded ' Chemical News." 



In addition to furnishing translations of foreign scientific 

 papers to the ' Philosophical Magazine,' he also translated many 

 papers for Taylor's ' Scientific Memoirs,' in the conducting of 

 which, moreover, he had a very large share, although his name 

 did not appear on the titlepage. He also translated Beckmann's 

 ' History of Inventions ' for Bohn's Scientific Series. 



In 1851 his services to the 'Philosophical Magazine' over 

 many years, both in furnishing translations and in conducting 

 the Journal, were acknowledged by the appearance of his name 

 on the wrapper as co-editor, where it remained until his death. 

 During the whole period of fifty-three years be took an active 

 part in the management of the Magazine. His acquaintance 

 and, in many cases, warm personal friendship with scientific 

 men both in Great Britain and on the Continent, his sound 

 judgment, and tact made his services in this capacity invaluable. 



In 1841 he was elected Associate of the Chemical Society, 

 becoming a Fellow in the following year. He was also a Fellow 

 of the Linnean Society (1844), of the Eoval Astronomical (1851), 

 of the Geological (1859), and of the Physical (1876). _ 



In 1852 he joined Mr. Richard Taylor as partner in the firm of 

 Taylor and Francis, printers and publishers. He was one of the 

 oldest members of the Stationers' Company, having taken the 

 Livery in 1841. 



In 1862 he married Isabella Gray, daughter of Mr. Taunton, 

 M.R.C.S., of llatton Garden, but became a widower in 1899. 

 For some few years previous to his marriage Dr. Francis had lived 

 at Richmond, and for the rest of his life continued to reside 

 there — for the last thirty-one years at the Manor House, where 

 he died on the 19th of January last. 



