A close and shrewd observer, with quick grasp of character and a humorous sense tinged with cynicism, he was always fresh and attractive — and not seldom brilliant — as preacher, writer, or conversationalist. His sermons were literary and practical rather than dogmatic ; his essays, although often commonplace in thought and expression, caught the attention by their common sense, their easy allusiveness, and transparency of style; and his brisk unflagging talk was enriched with endless and apposite anecdotes, although it was not devoid of a certain overbearing element.

Taylor's music is attractive, often dramatically apposite, and vocally grateful.

'There was not an English or Latin or Greek poet with whom he was not familiar, and from whom he could not make the most apposite quotations.