GORDON, Thomas, noted for his translations and political writings, was born at Kirkcudbright, in Galloway, about the end of the seventeenth century. When a young man he repaired to London, where he supported himself by teaching languages, until he procured employment under the Earl of Oxford, in Queen Anne's time, but in what
capacity is not known. He first distinguished himself by two pamphlets in defence of Hoadly, in the Bangorian controversy; and these recommended him to Mr Trenchard, an author of the same stamp, in conjunction with whom he wrote letters under the name of "Cato," upon a variety of important public subjects. About the same time they published another periodical paper, under the title of the "Independent Whig," which was continued some years after Trenchard's death by Gordon alone, and directed against the hierarchy of the church, but with more acrimony than had been evinced in Cato's Letters. On the death of his associate, Sir Robert Walpole retained him to defend his administration, which he did in several pamphlets; and at the time of his death, which happened on the 28th of July 1750, he was first commissioner of the wine licenses, an office which he had enjoyed many years. Gordon published English translations of Sallust and Tacitus, with additional discourses, containing much good matter. Two collections of his tracts have also been preserved; the one entitled A Cordial for Low Spirits, in three volumes; and the other, The Pillars of Priestcraft and Orthodoxy Shaken, in two volumes. But these, like many other posthumous productions, might have been suppressed without detriment to his reputation.