Evening star., 1898-11-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

WILLIAM BOWER TAYLOR. by William J.
Ehees x from e the Smithsonian heport Tor ; ,S;'
ing Office.
This modest pamphlet reprinted from the
annual report of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton typicaily reflects the life and public
services of one of the most retiring and
yet of the most useful of the govern
r'ents scientific servants. William Bower
Taylor was for some years an examiner III
the patent office, then librarian OF that
bureau, in the latter capacity doing much
TO perfect the great collection of technical
volumes bearing upon the patents and the
inv entions of the world, and the mechan-
ical achievements of centuries. Owing to
a legislative compiicat he retised fIom
the patent office in 1876, and was imme-
diately engaged by Professor Henry, then
secretary OF the Smithsonian Institution, TO
colt some of his researches, and two years
later he was made an assistant in the in
st;tution which position he filled until his
death in 1S2I at the age of seventy-:iVe
years. During the seventeen years of his
service in the institution, Mr. Taylor did
much to perfect the literary records of
that establishment, and his anonymous
work as editor has been regarded con-
tributing largely TO the value of the Smith
sCnian's output Of scientific memoranda.
He was deeply interested in scientific re
search, though at no time did he Engage in
original work in this line, remaining an OBJ
server and commentator on the accomplish
TentS of others. He was one of the or
ganizers of the Saturday Club, asscm-
blage of scientific citizens of the capital,
out of which grew the Washington Philo
sophical Society. In 1882 Mr.. Taylor sought
the union of the various scientific societies
of Washington an event which. after
lapse of thirteen years. was only in part
accomplished His membership in other
scientific societies of this and other cities
bl ought him into the front rank of the ad-
vanced thinkers of the country, and his oc
cesional monographs testified abundantly
to his industry. Mr.. RheeS' tribute to Mr..
Taylor's memory is the more valuable fo-
the reason that Mr.. Taylors modesty in
life was one of his most striking character
istics and it remains now for his loving
friends and associates to tell the story of
his quiet, untring devotion TO the cause of
true science.
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE.
I:s.A. IN TIE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND
and Illustrated from Various Other Sources. BY
Washington Irving. Pawnee Edition In two
volumes New York: g. =. Putnams Sons.
Washington: William Bailantyne & Sons.
The Bonneville papers are not among the
most read of Irvins's works, yet they lack
in no sense in interest for the American
reader. whether he be strong partisan of
the author of the '.Alhambra'' or not. For
these papers were practically the first
which gave, in fair literary FORM an ac-
count of wide explorations in the western
regions of this country. They have the
particular merit of having been founded
upon actual experience, not, of course. of
the author but of the Capt Bonneville
W HON Irving has thus immortalzed. Capt.
Bonneville was officer of the army.
whose love of adventure and pioneering led
him to undertake a long tour through the
frontier regions in the thirties, while on a
leave Of absence. He was helped by New
York capitalists. more or less directly con-
nected with the fur trade. Nothing very
practical ever came of this tour. though il
would not have been failure had t ac-
complished nothing more than to enable
Irving to lend his graceful pen to the de-
piction of some of the most thrilling
phases of western life. Irving met Bonne-
vile at the table of John Jacob Astor,
whose enter prises on the frontier have
beer charmingly exploited in Astoria"
The present edition is in line with similar
reproductions of Irvings works by the
same publishers, who have greatly en-
riched modern book shelves by their artis-
tic editions of some of the most attractive
portions of Irving's works.
the government of Manitoba; author of Birds
"Art "a ANTONY of Animais'' New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons. Washington: Brentanos.
Mr.. Thompson's great love for animals
shows strongly III this fascinating book.
Close observation of their habits and their
Intelligence marks each of the short stories
which narrate the personal histories of
Lobo. Silverspot. Raggulug. Bingo, the
Springfield Fox, the Pacing Mustang,
wuily and Redruff." These names serve to
indicate the element Of individuality with
which the author presents his various
characters of the woods and fields. He as
sures the reader that the stories are true
He does not claim that each of the TRACE
6ics which he discloses can be traced to the
existence of single animal, but he has
assembled authenticated incidents In the
lives of animals and given a sort OF COM
posite which indicates the depth of animal
instinct aad the suggestion of q reasoning