WILLIAM BOWER TAYLOR. 649 



constitution, by-laws, or even officers, met weekly at the residence of 

 its members in turn. Hon. Hugh McCulloch, Comptroller of tbe Cur- 

 rency, afterwards Secretary of the Treasury, was one of this "charmed 

 circle," all of whose members became famous for their service to their 

 country and the world, and in his notable work, Men and Measures of 

 Half a Century, he speaks thus of Mr. Taylor: 



Mr. William B. Taylor held and still holds high rank among the 

 scientific men of Washington. He was then an examiner in the Patent 

 Office, the duties of which he performed with great ability. He is now 

 employed and is doing good work in the Smithsonian. Valuable arti- 

 cles from his pen are sometimes seen, but he avoids notoriety, is rarely 

 seen in society, and seems to be perfectly content with such enjoyments 

 as he finds in doing his duty at the head of one in the divisions of the 

 Smithsonian, and in familiar intercourse with a few personal friends. 

 By those who know him well he is considered the most learned man 

 in Washington. 



This opinion was also held and frequently expressed by the late Dr. 

 Welling, president of Columbian University. 



Mr. Taylor was one of the founders of the Washington Philosophical 

 Society, which grew out of the Saturday Club just alluded to. He 

 signed the call for the first meeting, requesting Professor Henry to 

 preside, March 12, 1871, and on the organization of the society, March 

 13, 1871, was elected a vice president. This office he held until Decem- 

 ber 17, 1881, when he was elected its fourth president. Between 1871 

 and 1881 he had presided at forty-five meetings of the society. His first 

 paper was presented June 10,1871, "On the nature and origin of force," 

 and was published in the Smithsonian Report for 1870, which was 

 issued late in 1871. At almost every meeting of the society he either 

 presented an original communication on astronomical, mathematical, 

 or physical subjects, or discussed with freedom, clearness, and marked 

 ability the papers of others. Among his most important addresses 

 before the Philosophical Society was one in 1878 on the "Life and scien- 

 tific work of Joseph Henry." This work was peculiarly agreeable to 

 him as an ardent admirer and strong advocate of Henry's policy, his 

 warm personal friend and intimate associate, and of whom he speaks 

 thus: "Few lives within the century are more worthy of admiration, 

 more elevating in contemplation, or more entitled to commemoration 

 than that of Joseph Henry." 



On the 5th of May, 18S2, he made a report as chairman of a joint 

 committee on the Philosophical, Biological, and Anthropological soci- 

 eties, favoring a scheme of consolidation or union of the scientific 

 societies of Washington, an event which, after a lapse of thirteen 

 years, has only recently been in some degree accomplished. 



In February, 1883, a mathematical section of the Philosophical 

 Society was organized, of which he became one of the leading spirits, 

 taking part in every meeting, and on March 24, 188G, he was elected its 

 chairman. On the 23d of October, 1886, he was elected to the general 



