DISCOURSE OF W. B. TAYLOR. 331 



report of the Secretary, namely of encouraging and supporting 

 original research in the different branches of science. - - - It 

 would be difficult for the Secretary — however unwilling to intrude 

 anything personal on this occasion, to forbear mentioning that it 

 was entirely due to the persuasive influence of Professor Bache, that 

 he was induced — almost against his own better judgment, to leave 

 the quiet pursuit of science and the congenial employment of col- 

 lege instruction, to assume the laborious and responsible duties of 

 the office to which through the partiality of friendship he had been 

 called. Nor would it be possible for him to abstain from acknowl- 

 edging with heart-felt emotion, that he was from first to last sup- 

 ported and sustained in his difficult position by the fraternal 

 sympathy, the prudent counsel, and the unwavering friendship of 

 the lamented deceased." * 



INIany minor contributions in various fields of scientific observa- 

 tion, must here be omitted : but it would be inexcusable, in this 

 place and on this occasion, to neglect a reference to the active part 

 he took in the organization and advancement of this Society ;t and 

 the unflagging interest ever exhibited in its proceedings, from the 

 date of its convocation, March 13th, 1871, to that of his last illness. 

 All here, remember with what punctuality he attended the meet- 

 ings — whether of the executive committee or of the society, 

 undeterred by inclemencies of the weather which often kept away 

 many much younger members. All here, recall with what unpre- 

 tentious readiness he communicated from his rich stores of Mell- 

 digested facts, observations — whether initiatory or supplementary, 

 on almost every topic presented to our notice; how apt his illustra- 

 tions and suggestions in our spontaneous discussions; and with what 

 unfailing interest we ever listened to his words of exposition, of 

 knowledge, and of wisdom: utterances which we shall never hear 

 again ; and which unwritten and unrecorded, have not been even 

 reported in an abstract. 



* Biographical Memoirs, JVat. Acad. Sci. vol. i. pp. 181-212. Republished in the 

 Smithsonian Report for 1870, pp. 91-116. The father of Professor Bache — Richard 

 Bache, was a son of the only daughter of the illustrious Benjamin Franklin. 



t The Philosophical Society of Washington. 



