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



Among the numerous other learned bodies of which he was a 

 member, the Society of Antiquaries, the Astronomical Society, 

 and the Philological were those in which he took the deepest 

 interest. He also attached himself from its commencement to 

 the British Association for the Advancement of Science, nearly 

 all the meetings of which, while his health permitted, he regu- 

 larly attended. At these pleasant gatherings of the scientific 

 world, in the society of his numerous friends and of those whose 

 names were most distinguished in science, many of the happiest 

 days of his life were passed. 



In 1822 he became joint editor with Dr. Tilloch of the 'Phi- 

 losophical Magazine,^ with which Dr. Thomson's ' Annals of 

 Philosophy' were subsequently incorporated. In 1838 he esta- 

 blished the present work, under the title of the 'Annals of Natural 

 History,' and united with it, in 18-11, Loudon and Charlesworth's 

 ' Magazme of Natural History.' He subsequently (at the sug- 

 gestion and with the assistance of some of the most eminent 

 members of the British xlssociation) issued several volumes of 

 a work intended especially to contain papers of a high order 

 of merit, chiefly translated, under the title of ' Taylor's Scientific 

 Memoirs.' But his own principal literary labours were in the 

 field of biblical and philological research. In 1829 he prepared 

 a new edition of Home Tooke's ' Diversions of Purley,' w^hich he 

 enriched with many valuable notes, and which he re-edited iu 

 1840. In the same year (1840), Warton's ' History of English 

 Poetry' having been placed in his hands by Mr. Tegg, the pub- 

 lisher, he contributed largely, in conjunction with his friends 

 Sir F. Madden, Benjamin Thorpe, J. M. Kemble, and others, 

 to improve the valuable edition published in 1824 by the late 

 Mr. Richard Price. 



For many years he represented the ward of Farringdon 

 Without (in which his business premises were situated), in the 

 Common Council of the City of London, and constantly paid 

 strict attention to his representative duties. Of all the objects 

 which came under his cognizance in this capacity there were 

 none which interested him more deeply than questions con- 

 nected with education. He took an active part in the foundation 

 of the City of London School, and warmly promoted the esta- 

 blishment of University College and of the University of Lon- 

 don. His politics were decidedly liberal; but his extended 

 intercourse with the world, and the natural benevolence of his 

 character, inclhied him to listen with the most complete tolerance 

 to the opinions of those who differed from him ; and he reckoned 

 among his attached friends many whose political opinions were 

 strongly opposed to his own. 



Early in the summer of 1852 his health gave way, and he 



