with the late Wm. Smith who has been considered as the father of British Geology," on account of his having been the first geologist in England who attempted to classify the rocks of that country, by their characteristic fossils; and who was said to have preceded MM. Cuvier and Brongniart in that important step, which gave such an impulse to this great branch of human knowledge. Under such auspices, and by his assiduous application, Mr. Taylor made the most rapid advances in the art of Mining and the science of Geology. The early relations of this intercourse ripened into a friendship and sincere mutual regard, which lasted through life.

*

With such acquirements he was soon called into active employment, and we find him engaged, for a time, in the important ordinance survey of England; and he was also employed by the "British Iron Company," whose extensive and valuable property in South Wales, he investigated and reported upon. That portion of the Ordinance Survey which he executed, was finished in a most masterly manner, and his drafts were of the most exact and perfect kind. His report of the topography and geology of the mineral lands of the British Iron Company, were so admirably executed, that the Geological Society of London published the map and descriptive parts in its Transactions. In connection with this, he executed a model in plaster of that part of Wales, which received so much approbation, that the Society of Arts awarded to him their Gold Isis Medal, which is now in possession of his family, and he had the pleasure of knowing that Sir Francis Chantry had ordered a copy to be made for Dr. Buckland. Subsequently to this, he was engaged for some years, in England, in the examination of various mining properties, after which he was induced to come to this country, and reside in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained four years. He afterwards removed to Philadelphia, for the purpose of seeking that employment in his profession, in which he was so well qualified to excel. Previous to this, however, he was engaged in the survey of the Blossburg District, and the line of railroad which he completed, and made an extensive and able report in 1832.

It was after this time, in 1834, Mr. Lea first became personally acquainted with Mr. Taylor, which acquaintance immediately grew into a friendship, which increased through life. Shortly after this, Mr. Lea had it in his power to have Mr. Taylor placed in charge of the exploration of the extensive coal and iron property of the Dauphin and Susquehanna Coal Co., in Dauphin county, Pa., in which Mr. Lea had a large interest. Here Mr. Taylor remained about three years, and developed the mineral resources of this extensive mineral district, to the entire satisfaction of the Board of Directors. The whole of the lands embraced 42,000 acres, in a rugged, mountainous district, which required an experience and perseverance which few men had more of than Mr. Taylor. The result of this great labour was an elaborate report, of 187 pages in 8vo., together with about 150 maps, drafts, surveys and sections, which are invaluable to the Company, and in whose possession they now are. In connection with this, during a period of cessation, in this country, of activity in such works, he employed himself in the execution of a model of this part of the coal basin and its

*This was the first model of the kind executed in England.

surrounding mountains, which occupied him many months. This subsequently became the property of the Dauphin Company. It embraces in length about 45 miles, and in breadth 15 miles of the district it represents, and is about 14 feet long. It is a complete geological and topographical representation of this important district, and would be alone a monument to a man of science, if he had never executed any other labour.

As soon as the mining interests of the country had become relieved from the pressure which had prevailed for a few years, he again was called on to explore and investigate many mineral districts, connected with the working of gold, silver, lead, copper, coal, asphaltum, &c. Most of the reports of these were published, and it is believed, that in every case, they were so correctly executed as to leave no doubt in the minds of those who employed him, as to his judgment, his candor, and his scrupulous representations of that which he was employed to examine. It was one of the characteristics of Mr. Taylor, as all his intimate friends are perfectly aware, that his openness and frankness were such as to induce him never to hesitate to express a candid opinion, or to make known a fact, however much it might be against his own interests. It was this which induced the most unbounded reliance, among his friends, on his representations. Beside the numerous engagements he had in various States, he frequently had calls to examine important mines in other parts of America; the copper mines of Cuba, the gold · mines of Panama, the asphaltum of New Brunswick, &c. In Cuba he was employed to examine and report on the vein of asphaltum near Havana, of which he published an account in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, with a plan and section. The last work of this nature he was engaged in, was the examination of the injected vein of asphaltum at Hillsborough, in the Province of New Brunswick, which is now in litigation. His testimony in this case, as taken down, and since published, is a specimen of such thorough knowledge in his profession, such clearness, exactness and completeness, as to be worthy of all praise. It should have a place in all geological libraries. He was greatly interested in this singular litigation, which seems, strange as it may appear to geologists and mineralogists to depend on the decision of a jury, whether an injected vein of asphaltum be not a seam or bed of bituminous coal, belonging to true coal measures! Nothing could be more clear, or more to the point, than Mr. Taylors evidence to the contrary. While in the examination, of various districts, in his professional employment, he carefully noted every fact connected with general geology and paleontology, and the results were generally given in the form of papers to scientific bodies, and published in their Transactions. These will be found in various learned transactions in England and this country—particularly in those of the American Philosophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Geological Society of Pennsylvania, on this side of the Atlantic. They all bear internal evidence of a philosophic mind, schooled in the consideration of philosophical facts.

Notwithstanding what has been said in regard to all these labours of a most industrious life, the reputation of Mr. Taylor will rest chiefly on a work which has not yet been mentioned—his " Statistics of Coal," published in this city, in 8vo. pp. 754, in 1848. It included the geographical and geological distribution of mineral combustibles or fossil fuel, as well as

notices of localities of the various mineral bituminous substances employed in arts and manufactures, illustrated by maps and diagrams, embracing from official reports of the great coal producing countries, the respective amounts of their production, consumption, and commercial distribution, in all parts of the world.

The execution of this work had engaged Mr. Taylor's time, not necessarily devoted to the practice of his profession, during many years of his life. His heart was set upon the completion of it, and when approaching to a conclusion it drew his mind from all other pursuits. While it was going through the press, he became so ill that, for many weeks, his physician and his family had little expectation of his living to see it completed. During this period many of the sheets had to pass through the press without his inspection, which fact naturally produced some errors. When the work reached the hands of those interested in the statistics of coal, its geology, and its geological distribution, it was received with the most entire satisfaction. His intimate friends were the first to congratulate him on the work he had achieved, and the criticisms of the press soon followed with their share of approbation.* Dr. Fitton, the distinguished geologist, reviewed it in the Edinburgh Review, and gave to its author the credit he so well deserved, of which the following is a single paragraph.

"The inquiries of the author have been extended, with marvellous industry and perseverance, to every part of the globe; but as might be expected of an engineer residing in America, the coal tracts of that country naturally occupy a large portion of the work. As these are probably less known, to most of our readers, than the coal producing states of Europe, while they are beyond all comparison the greatest depositories of coal in the worldaffording to that fortunate region the prospect of almost unbounded wealthwe shall confine our attention to this part of the work. But our readers may be assured that the author's account of other countries gives equal proofs of his diligence in collecting information."

The London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science, in its notice of this work, says, "comprehensive as the title of this work appears, it does not convey a just idea of its scope, or the extent of the subject-matter. Did its title stand, Coal the civilizer; its natural history, productions and applications,' it would perhaps convey to the casual reader a more just idea of the object and contents of the work.” * * * "A long and intimate practical acquaintance with mines and mining operations in different parts of the world, had necessarily led him to amass a great quantity of material; the value of which, as a constant object of reference for his own use, led him to feel the utility of a digested and methodized arrangement of those materials, in a permanent shape, for the use of others. But there is found, throughout these pages, a pervading spirit beyond that merely materialistic and dry one, which the title would indicate, and which the professional engagements of the author might have led us to anticipate. We perceive, impressed on every section, the idea not of coal the mere wealth producer, the mere material instrument of the hu

* That part relating to Europe was chiefly translated into German by Von Hauer, and published in Vienna.

man animal, but of coal as an important agent in promoting civilization. It is in the same spirit, and imbued with the same everywhere pervading high moral sentiment, that the author more than once calls attention to the vastly greater importance of iron than of gold and silver. We cannot conclude without cordially recommending this work to the attention of our readers. While it will be an invaluable book of reference to every future inquirer into the numerous economic questions connected with our most important industrial operations, and manufactures, and into the great social questions arising out of them, it will form an indispensable part of the library of every geologist."

The London Athenæum in its notice says, "The work of Mr. Taylor will command attention, and become standard as a reference; especially as it is the only one which endeavors to concentrate the knowledge diffused through so many channels, and often attainable only in the countries to which the statistics refer."

The press in this country did not withhold its proper appreciation of a work, so important to the great coal and iron interests this side the Atlan

tic.

In the notice in Silliman's Journal, it is said, "It is a sufficient guarantee for its completeness and accuracy on all points on which it touches, that it received, before publication, the highest and most unqualified praise at one of the meetings of the American Association of Geologists and Naturalists." * * * "An examination of the volume, now that it has appeared from the press, gives us a still higher opinion of the talents and industry of its author, and the great value of his labours," &c. The Journal of the Franklin Institute stated it could scarcely have been thought possible that one individual, especially in this country, could have collected together such a mass of facts, and made of them so well arranged and so delightful a book. Hunt's Merchants' Magazine says, "We venture to say that, on no kindred subject, has a more complete or perfect treatise ever been produced."

Beside the proficiency which Mr. Taylor had acquired in economic geology, he had devoted himself much to theoretic geology, and his knowledge of the various formations, which make the sum of the geological series, was rarely excelled by his colleagues. He had applied himself more particularly to the strata connected with the coal formation, and he was the first person, as Prof. Silliman stated to a meeting of the American Association of Geologists, who had referred the Old Red Sandstone, underlying the coal of this State, to its true position, corresponding with its place in the series of European rocks. He was unwilling to engage in State surveys, but his aid was sometimes required to assist in those particular branches in which he so much excelled. With this view he, for a short time, lent his services to the New York State Survey.

In the year 1832, he was elected a member of this Academy, and in 1846, a life membership was conferred upon him, "as a mark of respect and a just appreciation of its means of usefulness derived from him.' His attachment to the Academy increased with his advancing years. He frequently made donations to it of specimens and books. Very recently, he presented a most elaborate geological table in manuscript, coloured to repre

sent the different strata, and combining the analogous nomenclature of various systems. This most valuable donation was made to the Academy on condition of its never being taken from the library, and it cannot fail to be most useful for consultation and reference.

At the time of his death, Mr. Taylor was engaged in preparing a paper, for the Journal of the Academy, on the fossil plants which he had discovered in his recent visit to New Brunswick. The fossil fishes which he also discovered there, he left with his friend, Prof. Agassiz, who was to describe the new ones for him. All these Mr. Taylor intended should be deposited in the collection of this Academy, to which he had already added many valuable specimens.

Mr. Taylor was the third son of Samuel Taylor, of New Buckenham, in Norfolk, England, and a descendant of Dr. John Taylor, the author of the Hebrew Concordance. He was born at Hinton, in Suffolk, Jan. 18th, 1789. His brothers and cousins were men generally distinguished by their great literary and scientific acquirements. His younger brother, Edgar Taylor, was a distinguished member of the legal profession in London, and an accomplished scholar. He was the author of several works, and remarkable for his numerous learned reviews, published in the most prominent periodicals in Great Britain. His cousin, Richard Taylor, was the well-known and able editor of the Philosophical Magazine, which has been the leading scientific Journal of England for the last twenty-five years. John and Philip are highly distinguished as mining engineers.

The great services Mr. Taylor had rendered science, have been acknowledged, by his being made a member of the principal Societies in England and this country, which embraced those branches of knowledge which he cultivated. He was elected a member of the Geological Society of London, and of the Society of Civil Engineers, of that city. In this country he was a member of this Academy, as before mentioned; of the American Philosophical Society; of the Geological Society of Pennsylvania; of the American Association of Geologists and Naturalists, of the Franklin Institute, &c. &c.

In a rapid survey of Mr. Taylor's scientific labours, it would be difficult to give any thing more than a brief and imperfect list of his writings. In this sketch will not be introduced his professional reports, which occupied. the chief part of his life, and which were generally executed in such a systematic and perfect manner, as to remain models, worthy of imitation by all engaged in such works. Whether his beautiful map of the Ordinance Survey, executed in 1813-14, was the first, is not certain, but it seems to bear the earliest date. He subsequently published, in the Transactions of the Geological Society of London, "Notice of two Models and Sections of about eleven square miles, forming a part of the Mineral Basin of South Wales, in the vicinity of Pontypool," (1830.) "On the Crag Strata at Bramerton, near Norwich," (1823.) On the Alluvial Strata, and on the Chalk of Norfolk and Suffolk, and on the Fossils by which they are accompanied,” (1823.) In the Magazine of Natural History he published, in 1829, a paper called the "Progress of Geology," which was followed, in 1830, by another, the "Introduction to Geology," which was succeeded by "Illustrations of Antedeluvian Zoology and Botany," and "Notes on Natural Ob