RALPH E. OESPER University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
FRANK SEERWOOD TAYLOR, eminent authority on the history of science, particularly chemistry, was horn at Bickley, Kent, on November 26, 1897. He was educated a t Sherborne School and then a t Lincoln College, Oxford, where his major interest was in chemistry. His investigations into the history of science began early and he was awarded B.Sc. (Oxford) in 1926, and Ph.D. (London, University College) for theses on Greek alchemy, prepared under Dr. Charles Singer. I n 1933, Dr. Taylor was appointed assistant Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at Queen Mary College (University of London) and in 1940 he succeeded Dr. R. T. Gunther as Curator of the Museum of the History of Science a t Oxford. He has entirely reorganized, rearranged, and greatly augmented the collections. Dr. Taylor's writings are many and varied. His earliest works were textbooks of chemistry, that are still widely used in Great Britain. From 1935 onward, he has published a number of books on general aspects of science, especially its history. His most recent books are "The Alchemists" and "A History of Science and Scientific Thought," both published in 1949. Dr. Taylor was one of the charter members of the Society for the Study of Alchemy and Early Chemistry (founded in 193G), and has edited its journal, Ambix, since its inception in 1937. His principal subjects of research have been the elucidation of the theories and practice of the alchemists. In 1941 Dr. Taylor became a Roman Catholic. Since then he has written two works on the relations of religion and science. He also has translated, from the
Flemish, Jan v. Ruysbroek's "Seven Steps of the Ladder of Spiritual Love" and, from the Latin, Hugh of St. Victor's "The Sod's Betrothal Gift."
- . ~. Frank Sherwood Taylor
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