John Taylor (22 June 1704 – 4 April 1766), English classical scholar, was born at Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England.
His father was a barber, and, by the generosity of one of his close customers, the son, having received his early education at the grammar school of his native town, was sent to St John's College, Cambridge.
Somewhat late in life he took orders and became rector of Lawford in Essex in 1751, Archdeacon of Buckingham in 1753, canon of St Paul's in 1757.
[2] Taylor also published (under the title of Marmor Sandvicense) a commentary on the inscription on an ancient marble brought from Greece by Lord Sandwich, containing particulars of the receipts and expenditures of the Athenian magistrates appointed to celebrate the festival of Apollo at Delos in 374 BC.
It was severely attacked by William Warburton in his Divine Legation of Moses, professedly owing to a difference of opinion in regard to the persecution of the early Christians, in reality because Taylor had spoken disparagingly of his scholarship.