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 DAVIDSON.

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English theologians in the writings of German auSiors. The volume referred to gave offence by its free and candid treatment of the Sacred Books in the light of modern knowledge^ although it adhered throughout to moderately conserva- tive tneological opinions. A por- tion of the " religious " press became clamorous; the committee took alarm ; and in the end the professor was obliged to resign his post. Dr. Davidson has for several years re- sided in the Metropolis, pursuing his favourite studies. His latest work, published in 1883, is on " TTie Doctrine of Last Things contained in the New Testament."

DAVIDSON, Thomas, LL.D., P.B.S., P.G.S., Vice-President of the Fal»ontographical Society, and member of numerous academies and other learned societies, born in Edinburgh, May 17, 1817, was al- most entirely educated in Prance and Italy, imder the direction of the Parisian great masters in science, and was, during several years, a favoured pupil of Paul Delaroche. His researches were chiefly connected with the sciences of geology and palseontology, and were directed especially to the elucidation of the characters, classi- fication, history, geological and geo- graphical distribution of the recent and fossil Brachiopoda. His large work on "British Possil Brachio- I>oda," composed of five large quarto volumes, illustrated with nearly 230 plates, is considered to be one of the most complete mono- graphs hitherto published. He has also published eighty scientific pa- pers. In 1858 he was honorary secre- tary of the Geological Society, and in 1865 he received from its council the Wollaston gold medal j in 1868 Sir B. Murchison presented him a Silurian medal for his "Illustra- tions and History of Silurian Life ; " in 1870 he was awarded the gold medal of the Boyal Society ; and in 1871 he received a presentation from the Palseontographical So-

ciety. Mr. Davidson took the principal lead in the formation of the new Brighton Museum, and has officiated as chairman of the Mu- seum committee ever since its f ounr dation. He has on two occasions filled the office of Vice-President of Section 0. at the meetings of the British Association, is a member of the General Committee, and is at present engaged to describe the recent Brachiopoda brought home by the Challenger expedition. The honorary degree of LL.D. was con- ferred upon him by the University of St. Andrew's, Feb. 14, 1882.

DAVIDSON, Thomas, was born at Deer, Aberdeenshire, in Nov. 1841, being the eldest son of Thomas Davidson, Esq., of Hatton, Aberdeenshire. He was educated at Deer National School and at the University of Aberdeen, where he was " first graduate " and Greek prizeman in 1859. Subsequently he was for a short time rector of the Grammar School, Old Aber- deen, after which he removed to St. Louis (Missouri), U.S.A., where he was head-master of one of the High Schools for several years. He afterwards removed to Boston (U.S.), where for several years he was one of the examiners of Har- vard University ; and latterly he came to Europe, when he travelled over Greece, studying the archsBO- logy and statuary of the coimtry. As the result he produced works on the " Niobe Group," and the " Par- thenon Frieze," which have en- gaged the attention of artists and scholars in no common degree. Mr. Davidson was no less devoted to philosophy than to art. Despairing of the former in all its more approved expositors, he betook him- self with assiduity to the writings of Antonio Rosmihi-Serbati, aTy- rolese priest, at one time minister to Pope Pius IX. Eecognising his mastery of the Scholastic Phuoso- phy, the Holy Father, Leo XIII., invited him to the Vatican, where the Philosophy of St. Thomas Y 2