James Reid
James Reid was a Scottish writer and essayist known for his satirical and religious-themed works in 18th-century Virginia. While details about his early life are sparse, it is believed he was born in Scotland and became a schoolmate of poet Thomas Blacklock. Reid arrived in Virginia around 1768, where he served as an indentured servant to Colonel Robert Ruffin, likely teaching the Ruffin children. His writing often reflected a Scottish-Presbyterian perspective, allowing him to critique the moral failings of those in wealthier social positions.
Reid published his first essay in December 1768, exploring biblical subjects, including a unique take on the fate of Moses's body. His most recognized work, a satirical comparison of religious practices titled "The Religion of the Bible and the Religion of King William County Compared," was not published until 1967. Through his essays and lighter poetry, Reid emphasized themes of piety, virtue, and the moral implications of wealth, arguing that true balance in life could be found through poverty and reason. His contributions provide an intriguing glimpse into the intellectual landscape of his time.
On this Page
Subject Terms
James Reid
Labor Union Activist
- Born: fl. eighteenth century
- Birthplace: Scotland
Biography
There is little available information on the life of James Reid. He was most likely born and raised in Scotland and he was a schoolmate of Scottish poet Thomas Blacklock. The exact date of Reid’s arrival in Virginia is unknown. However, by September, 1768, it appears that Reid was an indentured servant to Colonel Robert Ruffin, a neighbor of George Washington in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Reid most likely served as a teacher to Ruffin’s children. Between 1768 and 1769, Colonel Ruffin moved residences from Dinwiddie to Sweet Hall, and it is assumed that Reid accompanied the family. Although Reid never specifically mentioned the nature of his association with the Ruffins, he praised the virtue of pious poverty in his writing as he talked about his own lack of social position. This typically Scottish-Presbyterian outlook allowed him to poke fun at his more genial and wealthy neighbors.
On December 15, 1768, Reid published his first essay. The subject of the essay was Moses, in particular, the disposition of Moses’s body. Reid suggested that the body had been preserved in a secret place until the transfiguration of Christ. Additional essays, published in the Virginia Gazette, also centered on biblical themes. Reid also criticized those who misuse language, equating such misuse to moral corruption.
The only work which bears Reid’s name is a satirical prose piece, The Religion of the Bible and the Religion of King William County Compared. Although written in 1769, this work, which consists of eighty-four manuscript pages, was not published until 1967, when it was included in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Reid stated in this work that he loved mankind but deplored its vices. This conflict between Transcendentalism and reality became the basis for most of Reid’s writing. Reid would constantly remind his readers that wealth did not guarantee religious piety, but rather that poverty and reason restored the balance between man’s nature and moral balance.
In addition to his essays, Reid also published some poetry. The poems tend to be lighter and more conventional than his prose writing. The poems also appeared in the Virginia Gazette and include such verses as “To My Pen” and “The Lamentation of a Young Lady for the Loss of Her Favorite Bird.” Some of Reid’s poetry is more amorous, following in the tradition of other eighteenth century poets.