ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN FANE, EARL OF WESTMORLAND, AND BARON BURGHERSH, LORD KEEPER OF THE PRIVY SEAL, KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL. IN MY LORD, N dedicating this Work to Your Lordship, I am following the example of the illustrious character which I have here attempted to delineate. Most of Bishop Taylor's Writings are introduced by "the still small voice of gratitude," expressed in an address to some noble and munificent friend. I am thankful that divine Providence has enabled me to follow such steps, though at an humble distance, and to request Your Lordship, will accept this my first endeavour, as an instance of the sincerity, with which, My Lord, I subscribe myself, PREFACE. AMONG the various objects which engage the notice of mankind, there is none more worthy of contemplation than the human character adorned with the treasures of intellectual improvement and carried to its utmost perfection. In the developement of such a subject the mind is instructed and the heart improved; while veneration and love insensibly excite a noble and generous emulation. If the character of the person, whose life is here imperfectly recorded, were not fully commensurate with that laid down, yet was he far advanced in the scale of intelligent and moral beings and as such, it is presumed, will ever attract attention. Independent of his rank amongst divines, Taylor is to be regarded as holding a distin guished place in the republic of letters and walk of genius. Few persons have possessed in their full extent qualifications more adapted to the description of a true poet, than this great man. Ingenium cui sit, cui mens divinior, atq' os Impressed with the excellence of the subject, and believing that society is benefited by the presence of illustrious example, the author of the following pages was induced to collect materials for the Life of Taylor; but not until he had observed that, from various causes, it had been relinquished by abler hands. Of these it will be expected he should give some account. The first person who recorded any history * The author might have been deterred from entering into this subject, had he not been urged to the investigation, by several literary friends of acknowledged judgment. Among these, he records with pleasure the name of Dr. Thomas Fanshaw Middleton, whose friendship, ("quâ apud animum meum nihil carius habeo") was manifested on this occasion, in a letter written, whilst on his voyage to his Bishopric of Calcutta, to stimulate the author to the task. |