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.