GORDON, Thomas, a political and miscellaneous writer of democratic principles, was born in 1684, at Kirkcudbright in Galloway. At an early age he removed to London, where he maintained himself by teaching languages. Some of his political writings attracted the notice of the Earl of Oxford, who is said to have employed his pen. His death took place in 1750. It was almost simultaneous with that of Conyers Middleton; and when both were announced together to Lord Bolingbroke, he is said to have observed, "Well, then, we have lost the best and the worst writers in England." Gordon's political writings, it is true, were often coarse and needlessly violent; but his name bids fair to be kept alive by his translation of Tacitus in two vols. fol., 1728-31.