than from any change in his opinions. After having thus, examined himself, however, for some minutes, he gave a sign of being ready, and received absolution as I had proposed to him. I then left him; he shook my hand heartily upon quitting him, and said that he was happy he

had seen me."

He

Dr. Geddes died the day after this interview, Feb. 26, 1802, and was buried in Paddington church-yard. was unquestionably a man of extensive learning, although not entitled to the superiority which his friends have assigned to him, and which indeed he too frequently arrogated to himself. It was this want of knowledge of his real powers, and the vanity superinduced upon it, that made him ambitious of the character of a wit and a poet, without either temper or genius. His wit was mere flippancy, and his poetry had rarely any other attribute than that of rhyme. The list of his works will show that in the employment of his talents there was something undignified and trifling, that showed a mind vexed with restlessness, rather than seriously and uniformly employed for the public good. While engaged in so important a work as the translation of the Bible, he was perpetually stooping to pick up any little paltry anecdote of the day, as the subject for a pamphlet or a poem, and while he was suffering by the neglect or censure of those whose religious opinions he had shocked, he was seeking comfort in ridiculing the characters of men who had never offended him by any species of provocation. Of his private character, while he is praised for his benevolence and catholic spirit, we find also, and not very consistently, that its leading feature was irritability upon the most trifling proVocations, if they deserved the name, which discovered itself in the most gross and offensive language. One instance of this species of insanity, for such it appeared to be in him, is given by his biographer, which we shall throw into a note, for its excellence as a genuine portrait of the man *.

"It was about this period, 1793, I first became acquainted with Dr. Geddes. I met him accidentally at the house of miss Hamilton, who has lately acquired a just reputation for her excellent Letters on Education; and I freely confess that at the first interview I was by no means pleased

with him. I beheld a man of about five feet five inches high, in a black dress, put on with uncommon negligence, and apparently never fitted to his form his figure was lank, his face meagre, his hair black, long, and loose, without having been sufficiently submitted to the operations of the

Dr. Geddes published, 1. "Select Satires of Horace," &c. London, 1779, 4to. 2. "Linton, a Tweedale Pastoral," Edinburgh, 4to. 3. "Cursory Remarks on a late fanatical publication entitled a Full Detection of Popery," Lond. 1783, 8vo. 4. Prospectus of a New Translation of the Bible," &c. ibid. 1786, 4to. 5. "Letter to the Bishop of London, containing doubts, queries, &c. relative to a vernacular translation of the Holy Scriptures," ibid. 1787, 4to. 6. "Letter to the Rev. Dr. Priestley, in which the author attempts to prove by one prescriptive argument, that the divinity of Jesus Christ was a primitive tenet of Christianity," ibid. 1787, 8vo. 7. "Letter to a member of parliament on the case of the Protestant Dissenters, and the expediency of a general repeal of all penal statutes that regard religious opinions," ibid. 1787, 8vo. 8. "Proposals, &c." for his translation, ibid. 1788, 4to. 9. "Dr. Geddes's general answer to queries, counsels," &c. ibid. 1790, 4to. 10. "An answer to the bishop of Comana's pastoral letter, by a protesting catholic,' 1790, 8vo. 11. "A Letter to the right rev. the archbishops and bishops of England; pointing out the only sure means of preserving the church from the dangers that now threaten her. By an Upper Graduate," 1790, 8vo. 12. "Epistola macaronica ad fratrem, de iis quæ gesta sunt in nupero Dissentientium conventu," 1790, 4to. 13. "Carmen seculare pro Gallica gente tyrannidi aristocraticæ erepta," 1790, 4to. 14. "Encyclical letter of

toilet and his eyes, though quick and vivid, sparkling at that time rather with irritability than benevolence. He was disputing with one of the company when I entered, and the rapidity with which at this moment he left his chair, and rushed with an elevated tone of voice and uncourtly dogmatism of manner, towards his opponent, instantaneously persuaded me that the subject upon which the debate turned was of the utmost moment. I listened with all the attention I could command; and in a few minutes learned to my astonishment, that it related to nothing more than the distance of his own house in the New-road, Paddington, from the place of our meeting, which was in Guildford-street. The debate being at length concluded, or rather worn out, the doctor took possession of the next chair to that in which I was seated,

and united with myself and a friend who sat on my other side in discoursing upon the politics of the day. On this topic we proceeded smoothly and accordantly for some time; till at length disagreeing with us upon some point as trivial as the former, he again rose abruptly from his seat, traversed the room in every direction, with as indeterminate a parallax as that of a comet, loudly and with increase of voice maintaining his position at every step he took. Not wishing to prolong the dispute, we yielded to him without further interruption; and in the course of a few minutes after he had closed his harangue, he again approached us, retook possession of his chair, and was all playfulness, good-humour, aud genuine wit." Good's Life of Geddes, p. 300.

8vo.

4to.

17.

23.

the bishops of Rama, Acanthos, and Centuriæ, to the faithful clergy and laity of their respective districts, with a continued commentary for the use of the vulgar," 1791, 15. "An (ironical) apology for Slavery," 1792, 8vo. 16. "The first book of the Iliad of Homer, verbally rendered into English verse; being a specimen of a new translation of that poet; with critical annotations," 1792, 8vo. This was intended to rival Cowper's Homer. "L'Avocat du Diable; the Devil's Advocate," &c. 1792, 4to. 18. "The Holy Bible, translation of, vol. I." 1792, 19. Carmina Sæcularia tria, pro tribus celeberrimis libertatis Gallicæ epochis," 1793, 4to. 20. "Ver-Vert," from the French of Gresset, 1793, 4to. 21. "Dr. Geddes's address to the public on the publication of the first volume of his new Translation of the Bible," 1793. 22. "Letter to the right rev. John Douglas, bishop of Centuriæ, and vicar-apostolic in the London district," 1794, 4to. "A Norfolk Tale; or a Journal from London to Norwich," 1794, 4to. 24. "Ode to the Hon. Thomas Pelham, occasioned by his speech in the Irish House of Commons on the Catholic bill," 1795, 4to. 25. "A Sermon preached before the university of Cambridge, by H. W. C(oulthurst), D. D. &c." in doggrel rhymes, 1796, 8vo. "The Battle of B(a)ng(o)r; or the Church's triumph; a comic-heroic poem," 1797, 8vo. 27. "Translation of the Bible, vol. II." 1797. 28. "A New-year's gift to the good people of England, being a sermon, or something like a sermon, in defence of the present war," &c. 1798, 8vo. 29. "A Sermon preached on the day of the general fast, Feb. 27, 1799, by Theomophilus Brown," &c. 1799, 8vo. 30. "A Modest Apology for the Roman Catholics of Great Britain, addressed to all moderate Protestants, &c. 1800, 8vo. 31. Critical Remarks," before mentioned, vol. I. 1800, 4to. 32. "Bardomachia, poema macaronico-Latinum," 1800, 4to. 33. "Paci feliciter reduci Ode Sapphica," 1801, 4to. Besides these Dr. Geddes wrote many fugitive pieces, essays, poems in the news-papers and magazines, and was a considerable contributor to the Analytical Review. After his death appeared in 1807, his "Translation of the Book of Psalms," as far as Psalm CXVIII. In this, as may be expected, he gives up the prophetic sense of the Psalms.'

26.

1 Good's Life of Geddes, 1804, 8vo.-British Critic, vols. XIX. XXIV.

19

GEDDES (JAMES), the eldest son of an old and respectable family in the shire of Tweedale, in Scotland, was born about 1710, and received the first rudiments of learning in his father's family, under private tutors. His genius was quick, and, as he took great pleasure in reading, he soon made considerable progress in the learned languages, and the elements of philosophy. As soon as he understood Latin and Greek, he entered with remarkable spirit into the sentiments of the ancient writers, and discovered an ardent desire for a more intimate knowledge of them. He afterwards studied the different branches of philosophy at the university of Edinburgh, and particuJarly applied to mathematical learning, in which he made uncommon proficiency, under the tuition of the late learned Colin Maclaurin. After he had acquired a competent knowledge of philosophy, his thoughts were turned to the law, which he proposed to make the peculiar study and profession of his life. After the usual course of preparatory study for this employment, he was admitted advocate, and practised at the bar for several years with growing reputation; but he did not arrive to the greatest eminence in his profession, as he was cut off by a lingering consumption in 1749, before he was forty years of age. character was in all respects amiable and worthy. He retained through his whole life that keen relish for ancient literature which he had imbibed in his youth: and what time he could spare from the duties of his profession, and the necessary affairs of his family, was devoted to the study of the ancient poets, philosophers, and historians. The fruit of these studies was "An Essay on the Compo`sition and Manner of Writing of the Ancients, particularly Plato," Glasgow, 1748, 8vo. He is said to have left papers sufficient to make another volume, but they have not been published.'

His

GEDDES (MICHAEL), a divine of the church of England, but a native of Scotland, was educated and probably born at Edinburgh, where he took the degree of M. A. and was in July 1671 incorporated in the same at Oxford, being one of the first four natives of Scotland, who partook of bishop Warner's exhibitions intended for Balliol college. Some demur occurring on the part of the college, these scholars were first placed in Gloucester-hall (now Wor

1 From the second edit. of this Dict. 1784, Supplement.

cester college), but, in 1672, they were removed to Balliol. In 1678 Mr. Geddes went to Lisbon, as chaplain to the English factory; the exercise of which function giving offence to the inquisition, he was sent for by that court in 1686, and notwithstanding he pleaded a privilege which had never been called in question, founded on the treaty between England and Portugal, he was forbid to continue his ecclesiastical duties. The English merchants resenting this violation of their privilege, wrote immediately to the bishop of London, representing their case, and their right to a chaplain; but before their letter reached his lordship, he was suspended by the ecclesiastical commission ordered by king James, who was now endeavouring to establish popery at home. They were deprived therefore of all exercise of their religion till the arrival of Mr. Scarborough, the English envoy, under whose character as a public minister they were obliged to shelter themselves. Mr. Geddes finding matters in this situation, thought proper to return to England in May 1688, where he took the degree of LL. D. and after the promotion of Dr. Burnet to the bishopric of Salisbury, who speaks very respectfully of him in his "History of the Reformation," was promoted by him to be chancellor of his church. He died before 1714, but at what time we have not been able to discover. During his residence at Lisbon, he had collected materials of the historical kind from scarce books and MSS. in the Spanish and Portuguese language, which he translated and published in various forms after his return to England. Among these publications are, 1. "The Church History of Malabar," Lond. 1694, 8vo. 2. "The Church History of Ethiopia," ibid. 1696, Svo. 3. "The Council of Trent plainly discovered not to have been a free assembly," ibid. 1697 and 1714, 8vo. 4. "Miscellaneous Tracts," of civil and ecclesiastical history, ibid. 1702-5, 8vo, extended afterwards to 3 vols. 1714, and 1730. 5. "Several Tracts against Popery," ibid. 1715, 8vo.1

GEDOYN (NICHOLAS), a French writer and classical scholar, was born at Orleans June 17, 1667, whence he went to study at Paris, and was a Jesuit for ten years; but returning back to the world, became one of the friends of the celebrated Ninon de l'Enclos, and figured as a man of wit and letters, which, however, did not impede his eccle

1 Birch's Life of Tillotson.-Ath. Ox. vol. II.-Moreri.