[346] to great eminence in that department of the legal profession; so that for a series of years he was the person on whom the Dissenters, particularly the Unitarian Dissenters, were accustomed chiefly to rely, whenever it was necessary to resort to legal measures for the maintenance or extension of their civil rights. As one of the Presbyterian Deputies, he was among the most efficient promoters of the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts; he took an active part in procuring the late Marriage and Registration Acts; and was named in the last Act as one of the unsalaried commissioners for carrying it into effect. Few men in his branch of the profession were more frequently consulted in the course of the numerous reforms of the law which have been from time to time effected, or too often only proposed. The mildness of his manners was well combined with inflexible consistency, and rendered him the fit organ of measures conciliation and amicable compromise.Of his literary acquirements he has left proofs in several works connected with history and antiquities, and with his own profession. His learning and piety led him to devote much attention to scriptural criticism. He superintended the London edition of Griesbach's New Testament in Greek, which was published in 1818; the first sheets of another edition of the same work, now in the press, passed through his hands; and he has left manuscripts which shew that his closing days were given to the serious study of the Sacred volume: these, it is hoped, will be laid before the public.
A painful and incurable disease, with which he was afficted for the last twelve years of his life, compelled him of late to withdraw from the active exercise of his profession, and at the comparatively early age of forty-six we have to deplore the loss of one most eminently qualified by abilities, attainments, and disposition to tender important service to every good cause. Mr. Taylor's religious principles were founded on careful and earnest inquiry, and were happily effectual to support him under the severe trials of bodily suffering to which he was subjected. These he sustained with fortitude and resignation, and died full of that assurance which a Christian's hope alone can supply. The adding of a few notes and corrections to the Ms. of this Memoir was, in all probability, nearly the latest exercise of his pen.
