SOME ACCOUNT

OF THE

LIFE AND WRITINGS

OF

JEREMY TAYLOR.*

JEREMY TAYLOR was the son of a barber, and was born at Cambridge in the year 1613. He was brought up in the free-school there, and was ripe for the university, before custom would allow of his admittance; but by the time he was thirteen years old, he was entered into Caius College. Had he lived among the ancient pagans, he had been ushered into the world with a miracle, and swans must have danced and sung at his birth; and he must have been a great hero, and no less than the son of Apollo, the god of wisdom and eloquence. †

* This account consists chiefly of Dr. Rust's Sermon, preached at Taylor's funeral. For the minuter details the reader is referred to Heber's Life of Taylor.

+ Anthony Wood, speaking of his birth, says, "Jeremy Taylor tumbled into the lap of the muses at Cambridge.”