652 WILLIAM BOWER TAYLOR. 



While Mr. Taylor's learning and skill in book making were invaluable 

 to the Smithsonian Institution, his labors were not confined to those of 

 an editor. As early as 1866 he became one of the collaborators of the 

 institution, to whom was referred much of its scientific correspondence, 

 and this relation he held until 1878, when to him was assigned the 

 entire charge of the consideration and discussion of matters pertain- 

 ing to physics. 



This part of the operations of the institution, while attracting no 

 public attention, produces important results in the diffusion of knowl- 

 edge. Scarcely a day passes in which communications are not received 

 from various parts of the country, giving accounts of discoveries, or 

 seeking information relative to some branch of knowledge. The rule 

 was early adopted to give respectful attention to every letter received. 

 Many of these communications are of such a character that, at first 

 sight, it might seem best to treat tliem with silent neglect; but the 

 practice was observed of stating candidly and respectfully the objections 

 to such propositions, and to endeavor to convince their authors that 

 their ground was untenable. 



Mr. Taylor had a keen sympathy with mere theorists, as well as with 

 inventors; with those who supposed they had discovered new systems 

 of the universe, as well as those who endeavored to contrive machines 

 to realize perpetual motion. To all these he had the rare faculty of 

 being able to detect and expose their fallacies without hurting their 

 pride or wounding their sensibilities, and, although they might not 

 accept his conclusions, they always seemed grateful for his criticism 

 and honored his candor. 



From what has been said as to the engrossing occupations of Mr. 

 Taylor, it can readily be inferred that his own published writings were 

 few. Most of his work was fragmentary and discursive, and while 

 voluminous in the aggregate, was very much condensed and epitomized 

 in each separate case. 



His principal works were: 



Scriptural Authority of the Sabbath, 1851 



The Nature and Origin of Force, 1870. 



Refraction of Sound, 1875. 



Kinetic Theories of Gravitation, 1876. 



Henry and the Telegraph, 1878. 



Memoir and Scientific Work of Joseph Henry, 1878. 



Physics and Occult Qualities, 1882. 



In his history of Henry and the Telegraph, Taylor treats fully of the 

 growth of the electric telegraph, and shows "that prior to Henry's 

 experiments in 1829 no one on either hemisphere had ever thought of 

 winding the limbs of an electro-magnet on the principle of the bobbin, 

 and not until after the publication of Henry's method in January, 1831, 

 was it ever employed by a European physicist." Taylor, however, does 

 not claim for Henry exclusive honor for the invention of the telegraph; 



