“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:— “In this year (1828) was published ‘Airs of the Rhine,’ accompaniments by William Horsley, Mus. Bac., Oxon, the poetry translated by Edward Taylor. Of Mr. Taylor’s brief sketch of German music prefixed to this collection, the _Quarterly Musical Review_ (conducted by Mr. R. M. Bacon) says, ‘It is so agreeably written, and contains so many authentic and interesting particulars, that we must do him the justice to give it a place at length. It will speak more for the publication than anything we can say to interest the reader.’ “In 1837, Mr. Taylor was elected Gresham Professor of Music. The place had been for 200 years a mere sinecure, generally held by persons totally ignorant of music, but he did much to render it useful to the art. In 1838 he published his ‘Three Inaugural Lectures,’ which he dedicated to the Trustees of Gresham College. He was not content with reading his lectures, however good. He illustrated them by having some compositions of the master who might be under discussion, well sung in parts by a competent choir. Amateurs of distinction and professional men lent their aid, and this attracted large audiences to the theatre.