The Gallery of Portraits: with Memoirs. Volume 5 (of 7)

This volume continues the popular Gallery of Portraits, a nineteenth‑century series that pairs finely engraved likenesses with concise biographies of the people who shaped literature, science, politics and the arts. Readers will find familiar names—Newton, Shakespeare, Rousseau, Herschel—presented side by side with lesser‑known figures, each portrait accompanied by a vivid, readable memoir. The project, produced under the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, aims to bring a broad audience an affordable glimpse into the lives behind the fame.

Among the entries, the portrait of the clergyman Jeremy Taylor stands out. The sketch traces his modest birth, rigorous schooling, early preaching career, and the patronage that lifted him to Oxford’s All Souls College. It also hints at the personal tragedies and political upheavals that would later test his convictions, offering a portrait of a man whose eloquence earned him both royal favor and controversy. The biography’s tone is scholarly yet engaging, inviting listeners to explore the era through his story.