The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-03-15
Jeremy Taylor.


Probably no English divine. even in
those days when SO many were cast onr Of
their stalls or their parsonages led more
checkered life than Jeremy Taylor. Cam
bridge, London, Oxford. uppilgharn, the
royal arm. the retreat in Wales, the lee
tureship and the Bishopric in Ireland. all
pass before us in a life not prolonged much
beyond middle age. No doubt these many
changes, with their attendant miseries, and
the feeling of being constantly under sus-
picion, must have been very grevious to
the soul of one who loved study and eyi
IDENTIFY enjoyed the refnements OF courtly
society. In fact tone Of querulousness
does appear here and there in his letters:
yet on the whole we believe that Taylor,
in the midst of his distresses and wander
ings, was happy man he had the dispo-
sition which instinctively withdraws itself
from the contact Of the petty roughnesses
of life and seizes such enjoyments as are
attainabie. He would walk IN the sunshine
while sunshine was TO be found and not
voluntarily seek the bleak hillside The
works of so very imaginative writer
give but an imperfect reflection of the
character Of the man when man can 30
readily throw himself into the mood which
beseems the occasion, we hardly know
what mood is natural 10 him Garrick' $
Hamlet gives no indication OF Garrick' 8
own personality. Nevertheless, with all
Taylor's changes of style and even Of
thought, the undercurrent of sweetness,
gentleness, and tolerance is so constant
that we can hardly doubt that these did
indeed form an essential part of his charac-
ter. And 10 this sweetness we have a bet
ter testimony than that Of his works--his
power of attracting friends IL the rich.
ness of his conversation at all correspond
ed 10 that OF his writings, he must have
been q most charming companion; and
be had thai instructive sympathy which
adapts itself without effort to the dspo-
sition of the person addressed. Probably
bis episcopate was the least happy portion
Of his life; but such a man, with such
friends. was not likely to be altogether
miserable.
Ii is even pathetic 10 see how. IN the
midst OF the distinctions of his changeful
life, he continues with indomiiable perse-
yerance his study and his writing. Besides
Greek and Latin, he understood French
and Italian; and not only was he extreme
ly well read in patristc and scholastic the
ology, but he was constantly in communi,
cation with Mr.. foyston, the bookseller
and contrived to keep himself acquainted
with the current literature of the day,
both English aud foreign. He would
ra. her furnish his study with Plutarch
and Cicero, with Livy and Polybus, than
with Cassandra and lbrshim Bassa yet
he did not despise either Nine de Scuderi,
or MILESTONE. or Tom Nash; he read
Dante, bat he was not sverse to pass an
hour with Poggio Braceiolini; he would
recreate himself after his meditations on
Holy Dying. with q story Of Pretonius.
HE cry 10 still. How Is any art or science
likely to improver What good books are
lately pubiics What learned men at
home or abroad begin anew to al the
mouth Of fame in the places Of the dead
Salmasirs. vorsius, Mocelin, Sirmond. Ri
lgaltius, Des Cartes. Galileo. Peiresc. Petav-
Iius, and the excellent persons Of yester-
days" When he hears that Lord Conway
is likely TO reside on his Irish estates. his
hope is that his Lordship win bring his
library with him. Never was there .
more eager devourer Of books; II he kept
q commonplace book it must have been at
least as remarkable as Southey's; but we
are inclined TO think, from the way that
his illustrations are introd uced. that he
drew most of them from the stores OF his
memory Quarterly Reuste.