Henry Taylor
Henry Taylor was an English dramatist and civil servant, born on October 18, 1800, in Bishop Middleham, Durham. He faced significant early life challenges, including the loss of his mother shortly after his birth and the tragic deaths of his two older brothers due to typhus. Taylor's education was primarily conducted at home by his father, a farmer, and later, he was influenced by a stepmother with a strong literary background. His literary career began in earnest in the 1820s, with works such as "The Cave of Cadea" and "Philip van Artevelde."
Taylor's most notable work is "The Statesman," published in 1836, which satirizes civil-service life and was often misunderstood by his contemporaries. Throughout his life, he maintained friendships with distinguished writers like Robert Southey and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. After a long career in the Colonial Office, he settled in Bournemouth, where he continued writing until his death on March 27, 1886. While he was initially recognized for his poetic plays, contemporary scholars are increasingly focusing on "The Statesman" for its depth and relevance, suggesting that Taylor's contributions to literature and political thought may continue to be significant.
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Henry Taylor
- Born: October 18, 1800
- Birthplace: Bishop Middleham, Durham, England
- Died: March 27, 1886
- Place of death: Bournemouth, England
Biography
Henry Taylor was born in Bishop Middleham, Durham, England, on October 18, 1800. His father, George Taylor, was a farmer. Taylor’s mother died shortly after his birth. The youngest of three brothers, Taylor was educated at home by his father. He briefly served in the navy.
At age seventeen, Taylor moved to London with his brothers to work for the government. Tragedy soon struck the Taylor brothers: All three contracted typhus, and the two elder young men succumbed to the disease. After losing his job in 1820, Taylor returned to his father’s home in Witton-le-Wear, Durham. By this time, George Taylor had remarried.
Henry’s stepmother was a woman of fine literary taste, and a cousin to Miss Fenwick, William Wordsworth’s traveling companion. Under her tutelage, Taylor began pursing literary interests himself. He published an article on Thomas More in 1822. About the same time he met the poet Robert Southey, and the two became close friends. Through his stepmother, he also met Wordsworth. Taylor’s poem, “The Cave of Cadea” was published in the Quarterly Review followed by the another poem, “The Lynnburn.”
After returning to London in 1823, Taylor began a career as a civil servant in the Colonial Office that was to last some forty- eight years. He continued his writing career, becoming the editor of the London Magazine in 1823. He published the poetic play Isaac Comnenus in 1827 and the more popular Philip van Artevelde in 1834. Perhaps his best-known work, a collection of essays called The Statesman, was published in 1836. These essays were a satire of civil-service life. The work was frequently misunderstood by his contemporaries who took it seriously rather than ironically as Taylor intended it.
In 1839, Taylor married Theodosia Alice Rice, a daughter of the Secretary of State. After falling ill in 1843, Taylor traveled with his wife to Italy, where they spent the winter for his health. Returning to England, he moved away from London, first to Mortlake, then to Sheen, finally settling in Bournemouth where he lived the rest of his life. He continued to work for the Colonial Office from his home. In 1862, Taylor was awarded the doctor of civil law degree in 1862. He wore the scarlet robes awarded to him on this occasion at his home at meals.
In addition to Southey and Wordsworth, Taylor was a friend to other distinguished writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. From all accounts his later years were spent in the company of such friends and a loving family. Taylor died in Bournemouth in 1886.
Although earlier critics note Taylor’s two poetic plays as the reason for him to be remembered as a writer, more recent scholars look to The Statesman as the more interesting work. Indeed, a new edition of Taylor’s work appeared in 1992 with a lucid and timely introduction by David Lewis Schaefer and Roberta Rubel Schaefer. It is likely, therefore, that both literary scholars and political scientists will refer to Taylor’s work in the future.