GEDDES, ALEXANDER (1737-1802). A biblical critic, translator, and miscellaneous writer. He was born in Scotland in 1737, of Roman Catholic parents, and educated for a priest in htis native country and in Paris, where he acquired an excellent knowledge of languages. In 1764 he returned to Scotland, and for fifteen years held various positions as priest, and became distinguished by his charities, his liberality of sentiment, and decided literary ability. In 1779, in consequence of difficulties with his bishop, he left his church, and the next year was dis missed on charges of having attended Protestant worship and gone hunting. He went to London, and devoted himself to literature, although he still occasionally officiated as priest till 1782. With the support of Lord Petro he was able to carry out a work long planned, viz. a trans lation of the Bible into English for the use of Roman Catholics. After various preliminary publications to pave the way, the first volume appeared in 1792 under the title, The Holy Bible, or the Books Accounted Sacred by Jews and Christians, otherwise called the Books of the Old and New Covenants, faithfully translated from the Corrected Text of the Original, with Various Readings, Explanatory Notes and Crit ical Remarks. In 1797 the second volume was
published, carrying the translation as far as the end of the historical books; and in 1800 a third volume was issued, containing his Critical Re marks on the Hebrew Scriptures. The opinions enunciated in these volumes, especially in the last, were, for their time, startlingly heretical, and approximated to some of the results of mod ern criticism. The tone is decidedly rationalistic, and the author had little tact in presenting his views. As a result, Protestants and Roman Cath olics united in their condemnation, although the translation was in the main excellent, and many of the remarks of value. In 1792 his translation was interdicted by the Roman Catholic authorities in London. Geddes died in London, February 26, 1802, and mass was pro hibited over his remains. For his life, consult Good (London, 1803).