DAVIDSON, SAMUEL Irish biblical scholar, was born near Ballymena. He became in 1842 professor of biblical criticism, literature and oriental languages at the Lancashire In dependent college, Manchester, but was obliged to resign in 1857, on account of The Text of the Old Testament, and the Inter pretation of the Bible, written for a new edition of Horne's Intro duction to the Sacred Scripture. In 1862 he removed to London to become scripture examiner in London university, and he spent the rest of his life in literary work. He died on April 1898. Davidson was a member of the Old Testament Revision Com mittee.