Reid, Thomas

Reid, Thomas a celebrated Scotch divine and metaphysician, was born at Strachan in 1710. He was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and became its librarian, a position which he resigned in 1736. In 1737 he was presented by King's College, Aberdeen, to the living of New Machar, Aberdeenshire, and was appointed professor of moral philosophy in the abovenamed college in 1752. In 1764 he succeeded Adam Smith as professor of moral philosophy in the University of Glasgow, retiring in 1781. He died Oct. 7, 1796. He published, Essays on the Powers of the Human Mind (Edinb. 1819, 3 vols. 8vo): — Inquiry into the Human Mind (Edinb. 1763; 5th ed. 1801, 8vo). These and numerous Essays, etc., were collected and published under the title of The Works of Thomas Reid, D.D., now fully Collected, etc. (6th ed. Edinb. 1863, 2 vols. 8vo). See Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v. SEE SCOTTISH PHILOSOPHY.