‘Milton vindicated from the Charge of Plagiarism …’ (1751), and a second edition with postscript appeared in 1756 as ‘Milton no Plagiary.’ Lauder had to address to Douglas a letter dictated by Johnson, who had written a preface to his book, making a confession of his imposture. In 1752 Douglas attacked Hume's argument upon miracles in a book called the ‘Criterion.’ It was in form a letter addressed to an anonymous correspondent, afterwards known to be Adam Smith. The original part of Douglas's book is an attempt to prove that modern miracles, such as those ascribed to Xavier, the Jansenist miracles, and the cures by royal touch in England, were not supported by evidence comparable to that which supports the narratives in the gospels. Douglas was afterwards in friendly communication with his antagonist in regard to some points in Hume's history (Burton, Hume, ii. 78, 87). After a short brush with the Hutchinsonians in an ‘Apology for the Clergy’ (1755), Douglas next attacked Archibald Bower, against whom he wrote several pamphlets from 1756 to 1758, accusing him of plagiarism and immorality [see an account of these pamphlets under Bower, Archibald].
In 1758 Douglas took his D.D. degree, and was presented by Lord Bath to the perpetual curacy of Kenley, Shropshire. In 1762 his patron also secured for him a canonry at Windsor. Douglas wrote various political pamphlets under Bath's direction. In 1756 he wrote ‘A Serious Defence of some late Measures of the Administration;’ he defended Lord George Sackville in 1759 against the charge of cowardice at Minden in ‘The Conduct of the late Commander candidly considered;’ and in 1760 he wrote with Lord Bath's advice what Walpole (Letters, Cunningham, iii. 278) calls ‘a very dull pamphlet,’ entitled ‘A Letter to two Great Men [Pitt and Newcastle] on the Approach of Peace,’ followed by ‘Seasonable Hints from an Honest Man’ (1761). In 1763 he took part with Johnson in the detection of the Cock-Lane ghost (Croker, Boswell, ii. 182). In the same year he edited Lord Clarendon's ‘Diary and Letters,’ with a preface. In 1763 he also went with Bath to Spa and made acquaintance with the Duke of Brunswick. On 1 July 1764 Bath died, leaving his library to Douglas, who allowed General Pulteney to keep it for 1,000l. General Pulteney again bequeathed it to Douglas, who again parted with it on the same terms to Sir William Pulteney.
In 1761 Douglas exchanged his Shropshire livings for the rectory of St. Augustine and St. Faith, Watling Street, London. He continued to write political papers, some of which appeared in the ‘Public Advertiser’ of 1770 and 1771, under the signatures of ‘Tacitus’ and ‘Marlius.’ At the request of Lord Sandwich he edited the journals of Captain Cook, and helped to arrange the ‘Hardwicke Papers,’ published in 1777. In 1776 he exchanged his Windsor canonry for a canonry at St. Paul's. In 1778 he was elected F.R.S. and F.S.A., and in March 1787 was appointed a trustee of the British Museum. In September 1787 he was appointed bishop of Carlisle, and in 1788 dean of Windsor. In 1791 he was translated to Salisbury. He died of gradual decay 18 May 1807, and was buried in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, on 25 May.
Douglas was twice married: (1) in September 1752 to Dorothy, sister of Richard Pershore of Reynolds Hall in Staffordshire, who died three months afterwards; (2) in April 1765 to Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Brudenell Rooke. He is said to have been remarkably industrious; his family never saw him without a book or pen in his hand when not in company; he was well read, and an effective writer in the controversies which were really within his province. Though not above the standard of his day in regard to clerical duties, he was amiable, sociable, and the respected correspondent of many distinguished men.
His ‘Miscellaneous Works,’ including the ‘Criterion,’ a journal kept abroad in 1748–9, and a pamphlet against Lauder, with a life by W. Macdonald, appeared in 1820.
[Life prefixed to Miscellaneous Works, 1820; Scots. Mag. for 1807, pp. 509–12; Gent. Mag. 1807.]
DOUGLAS, Sir KENNETH (1754–1833), lieutenant-general, was the son and heir of Kenneth Mackenzie of Kilcoy, Rossshire, by Janet, daughter of Sir Robert Douglas, bart., author of the ‘Peerage,’ and sister of Sir Alexander Douglas, last baronet of Glenbervie, and passed the whole of his active military career under the name of Mackenzie, which he did not exchange for that of Douglas until 1831. He entered the army at the age of thirteen as an ensign in the 33rd regiment on 26 Aug. 1767, and joined that regiment in Guernsey, where he remained until its reduction on the conclusion of peace in 1783. He had been promoted lieutenant in 1775, and exchanged with that rank from half pay into the 14th regiment, with which he remained in the West Indies until its return in 1791. With the 14th he went to the Netherlands and served throughout the campaign of 1793, acting as a volunteer in the trenches before Valenciennes. He was
