In 1837 William Tayler was working in London as a footman when he decided to keep a diary for a year, to improve his writing. In reality, as the only manservant in the establishment, he was somewhere between footman and butler, but he was officially 'in livery', that is a uniform, which butlers do not wear (a huge step up in status). He worked for the Prinseps family, a widow and daughter living in a fine the house in a 'good' neighborhood, Marylebone. The diary is, simply, delightful, edifying, engaging in every way as Tayler is awake to everything--himself and others, One feels in his energetic pursuit of exercise and self-improvement, curiosity and bursts of opinion and wisdom, the impatience at the limitations for people of his background. He visits museums, keeps an eye out for scientific curiosities and inventions, observes and writes with humor about everyone he encounters. He was so very present to me as I read.
The story of the finding and publication of Tayler's diary is equally absorbing, Dorothy Wise lived for a time in a house that this William's grandfather and father had inhabited and became curious about the family, eventually leading her to a relative who handed her a box at the bottom of which lay this diary. What a magical discovery! The five stars are for uniqueness and an excellent presentation and for Dorothy Wise's care and diligence. The book is brief, hard to find, I should add, and mainly of interest to those fascinated by this time period.***** ( )