476 
in the metropolis, was to the situation 
of an officiating priest in the chapel of 
the Imperial ambassador. The literary 
advantages afforded by his leisure, and 
the use of the libraries of London, now 
encouraged him to restime his favourite 
project of accomplishing an improved 
translation of the Bible. Under the muni- 
ficent patronage of the late Lord Petre, 
a distinguished nobleman of the catholic 
persuasion, who engaged to allow him 
a yearly salary of 2001. and to furnish 
his library with whatever books he should 
deem requisite for his purpose, his la- 
bours first began to advance towards 
maturity. A sketch of his proposed 
scheme he immediately. published, and 
that he might engage with greater ad- 
vantage in the execution of it, he soon 
withdrew himself from every other stated 
engagement. The ardent mind of Dr. 
Geddes could not, however, be expected 
to abstract itself whelly from the poli- 
tical circumstances cf the period; and 
events at this time occurred suflicient to 
rouze his warmest feelings into exercise. 
These were the disgraceful riots which 
took place in many parts of England, 
and especially in London, on occasion 
of a bill introduced into the house of 
commons by Sir George Savile, the 
object of which was to relieve the roman 
catholics, who appear to yield to no 
class of their fellow-subjects in patri- 
otism and joyalty, from certain penalties 
and disabilities to which they were le- 
gally subject. At this period he wrote 
a work, which was not however pub- 
lished till nearly twenty years afterwards, 
under the title of * A Modest Apology 
for the Roman Catholics of Great Bri- 
tain, &c.”? ’ 
_ Notwithstinding these occasional de- 
viations, arising from temporary causes, 
the great plan of translating the scrip- 
tures was never long relinquished, ex- 
cept from unavoidable causes, from the 
first moment.in which it was seriously 
commenced. In 1788, he was intro- 
duced to the acquaintance of the cele- 
brated biblical scholar, Dr. Kennicott, 
and by his means to that of the venera- 
ble prelate, bishop Lowth, to whom 
he communicated the particulars of his 
plan, and whose advice and instruction 
he solicited. With every encourage- 
ment from that distinguished schoiar, 
the nature of his undertaking was dis- 
closed at large to the public in the be- 
ginning of the year 1786, in a pro- 
BIOGRAPHY. 
-and rushed, with an elevated tone of voice , 
spectus of his version. This we consider 
as one of the most interesting of the — 
publications of Dr. Geddes; it is highly © 
spirited, and discovers a great extent of — 
critical and biblical knowledge. An 
analysis of it, and some ample extracts, 
are introduced by the biographer. 
An interval of six years elapsed be- 
tween the publication of this work, and | 
the appearance of the first volume of 
the translation. This period was not, 
however, wholly occupied by the exe- 
cution of the greater work in which he 
was engaged. In the chronological 
series ot his publications, almost each © 
of these years is marked by some pro- 
duction of his prolific pen. Of tliese, 
several relate to his version, some to the 
catholic controversies of the day,- and 
other topics of theological polemics, 
others were occasioned by political 
events, and some were merely sportive 
eifusions of his wit. Without entering 
into any minute account of these pubs 
licationy we shall extract from this part 
of the work the relation of the circum. 
stances by which Mr. Good was intro. © 
duced to the acquaintance of Dr. Geddes, © 
as it contains, with some just reflections, © 
a portrait, the fidelity of which tothe 7 
original will be recognized by all to 7 
whom he was known. 
“© Tt was about the year 1793, I first be. 7 
came acquainted with Dr. Geddes. [met 7 
him accidentally at the house of Miss Ha- 4 
milton, who has Jately acquired a just repu- 7 
tation 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, ina black dress, put on with uncom- 7 
mon nesligence, and apparently never Gtted — 
to bis form; his figure was flank, his face 7 
meagre, his hair black, long, and Joose, | 
without having been sufficiently submitted 
to the operations of the toilet, and his eyes, 
thengh quick and vivid, sparkling at that” 
time rather with irritability than benevo- | 
lence. He was disputing with one of” 
thecompany when I entered, and the rapidity © 
with which at this moment he left his chair, 
and uncourtly dogmatism of manner, to= 
wards his opponent, instantaneously per-_ 
suaded me that the sebject wpon which the | 
debate turned was of the uimost moment,” 
I listened with all the attention I could com-_ 
mana, and ina few minutes learned, to my ‘ 
astonishment, that it related to nothing mo e 
chan the distance of his own house in the 
New Road, Paddingion, from the place of 
our meeting, which was in Guildford-streety 
