Norwich has in many ways obtained credit and advantage from the Musical Festivals. Their high character has placed the city in a very eminent position in the musical world, and many of the citizens cherish a just pride in endeavouring to qualify themselves for the maintenance of that degree of excellence which the festivals enable them to exhibit in the choral performances, which the best judges have pronounced second to none in the kingdom. On the whole the festivals have contributed largely to the funds of important charities, and will no doubt continue to do so if conducted with judgment and economy. They have always attracted large numbers of visitors to the old city, for the same facilities which make it easy for us to go elsewhere to hear good music, enable others to come hither for the same purpose. Many persons will always come from distant places to hear a well-trained Norwich chorus. And besides all this, not the least of the benefits derived from these triennial meetings, is that they encourage an interchange of good feeling and hospitality between the city and county, and afford to those who enjoy music such an amount of pleasure as must contribute, at least for a time, to cheerfulness and happiness in their social intercourse with their fellow creatures.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Eminent Citizens of the Nineteenth Century.
Professor Taylor.
Professor Taylor claims the first place in our notices of the eminent citizens of this period, as a politician, a musician, and a public man. After his death a memoir of him appeared in the Norfolk News of March 28th, and April 4th, 1863, and from it we derive the following details:—
“Mr. Edward Taylor was the great grandson of the celebrated Dr. John Taylor, a man not less beloved for the kindliness of his disposition, than he was venerated for his vast learning. Dr. Taylor was born at Lancaster in the year 1694, and came to Norwich (according to Mr. Edward Taylor’s account) in 1733. Here he remained till 1757, and here it was that he produced many of his works, amongst others his famous Hebrew Concordance, which was published in two large volumes, folio, and was the labour of fourteen years. Many copies of the frontispiece (a fine portrait engraved by Houbraken) are still extant in this city. Dr. Taylor must have been fond of music, and must also have made it a personal study. This we infer, less from his having published ‘A Collection of Tunes in Various Airs’ for the use of his Norwich congregation, than from his having been able to Prefix thereto ‘Instructions in the Art of Psalmody.’ The airs themselves have no other accompaniment added than an unfigured bass, but the collection contains many of the finest melodies which are now in use. The instructions were intended to enable a student to sing at sight.
“When Dr. Taylor quitted Norwich, his only surviving son, Richard, remained, and carried on the business of a manufacturer in St. George Colegate. Mr. John Taylor, father of the subject of this memoir, was born the 30th July, 1750. In 1773, he entered into the business of a yarn maker, in partnership with his brother, in the parish where their father had lived. If not a musical composer, John had the reputation of being at least a tolerable poet, and he was peculiarly happy in writing words for music.
“In April, 1777, Mr. John Taylor married Susannah, the youngest daughter of Mr. John Cook of Norwich. Mr. Edward Taylor was born on the 22nd of January, 1784, in the parish of St. George Colegate.
“In his boyish days, Edward Taylor was made to imbibe the usual quantity of Greek and Latin, and the cask ever after retained the flavour of the wine. But music even then was his chief delight. When arrived at manhood he was tall and well formed; he had a fair, though by no means a pallid complexion, a penetrating eye, and a majestic voice, which sounded in conversation like the roll of a bass drum. In whatever part of the world he had been met, it would have been said at a glance, ‘That’s an Englishman.’ He had that unmistakeable stamp of bluntness and sturdy independence which seems to be an Englishman’s birthright. He was proud, not altogether without reason, of his ancestors, whose religious and political opinions he inherited. Hence, he was a Dissenter of the Unitarian School, and what was then called a Radical Reformer. Deeming himself to be in the right, he of course considered all those who differed from him to be in the wrong. But being himself consistent, he knew how to respect consistency in others. His hostility was confined to men’s doctrines and measures; it was never extended to their persons. In a word, he was generous, manly, and sincere, and he therefore enjoyed the friendship of good and true men, whatever might be their party or creed. Mr. Taylor married, in 1808, Deborah, daughter of Mr. William Newson, of Stump Cross, in this city, a man of upright and honourable character, and a successful tradesman.”
The memoir contains a sketch of Mr. Taylor’s political doings, which we shall give in another part of this work, and it then proceeds:—
“On the 19th January, 1824, he had the honour of dining with the Duke of Sussex, at Kensington Palace. The next year, 1825, terminated Mr. Taylor’s residence in his native city, though to the end of his life he continued to take a warm interest in whatever concerned its welfare. On the 21st of May, having already made arrangements for giving up his business in Norwich, he went up to London to prepare for making it his future abode. On the 5th of August, he served on the Norwich grand jury for the last time, and the next day took his final departure. On the 15th, he joined his brother Philip and his cousin John Martineau in their business, as civil engineers, having hired a house for that purpose in York Place, City Road.
“On the 3rd of January, 1826, the year after Mr. Taylor finally left the city for London, he came down to a dinner which was given at the Rampant Horse Hotel in his honour. The original intention had been to place his portrait in St. Andrew’s Hall, and Sir James Smith had actually written some lines to be placed under it, beginning—
‘Avaunt, ye base, approach ye wise and good,
Thus in this hall once Edward Taylor stood.’But that idea was abandoned, and a presentation of a service of plate was determined upon by his fellow-citizens. The proposition originated with the strongest of his political antagonists in the Corporation. The plate was given at this dinner at the Rampant Horse, the chairman being Henry Francis, Esq., against whom Mr. Taylor had entered the lists in the severest contest ever known in the Mancroft Ward. This rendered the compliment greater.
“Mr. Edward Taylor’s first music master was the Rev. Charles Smyth, a man who was equally remarkable for his eccentricity and musical learning. Mr. Taylor always spoke with great respect of Mr. Smyth’s musical knowledge. How long the lessons continued we have no means of ascertaining, but we afterwards find Taylor gaining instruction with the Cathedral boys under Dr. Beckwith at the music room in the Cathedral. He also had lessons in the vestry room of the Octagon Chapel; and he acquired some skill upon the flute and oboe from Mr. Fish. But we believe that his musical education was throughout gratuitously bestowed, out of respect to himself and his family. Doubtless he was greatly indebted for his extensive knowledge of the art, as well as of the German and Italian languages, to his own perseverance in solitary study.”
The author of the memoir, after giving a sketch of the “Hall Concert”, notices Mr. Taylor’s labours on behalf of the Musical Festivals in this city, as already related in our brief account of those celebrations. Mr. Taylor was one of their chief promoters, and he worked hard to make them successful. In reference to Mr. Taylor’s career in London, the author of the memoir says,—
“It has been before stated that on the 15th August, 1825, Mr. Taylor entered upon a new course of life, in London, in connection with his brother Philip and Mr. John Martineau, who were civil engineers. Had the business proved lucrative, there is no reason to suppose that Mr. Taylor would have left it. It is certain that when he went to live in London, nothing was further from his thoughts than that he would ever embrace music as a profession.
“Mr. Taylor began anew the battle of life by taking private pupils. From the first moment of his entering the musical profession, his classical attainments, his skill as a translator, his superior mental powers, and his extensive musical research, were honestly and fully recognized. On the 29th March, 1827, Mr. Taylor made his first appearance before a London audience as a public singer. His debût was at Covent Garden, at the Oratorios under the management of Sir H. R. Bishop. The song he chose was ‘The Battle of Hohenlinden,’ composed by C. Smith, and the reception he received from a very crowded audience was exceedingly favourable.”
After quoting some very eulogistic notices of Mr. Taylor’s subsequent performances, the writer of the memoir continues:—