and devoted all his time to pious reading and prayer, but his mental and bodily infirmities rapidly increased, and his resignation was at length accepted by the holy see. During the last two years of his life his reason failed. He died at Aquhorties on 15 Oct. 1811, and was buried within the walls of a decayed catholic chapel on the banks of the Don, not far from the house of Fetternear. A new chapel has since been erected there, and the grave is now enclosed in the south transept of the building.
Hay was the chief instrument in keeping the catholic religion alive in Scotland during a dismal period of persecution. His piety and virtues gained for him the veneration of his coreligionists, and the respect of the most enlightened of his protestant contemporaries. The popularity of his principal works, notwithstanding their ponderous style, is attested by the numerous editions through which they have passed, and by their translation into several languages. Dr. (afterwards Cardinal) Newman, on joining the Roman church, was recommended by Cardinal Wiseman to study theology in Hay's writings.
His works are: 1. ‘A Detection of the Dangerous Tendency, both for Christianity and Protestancy, of a Sermon said to be preached before an Assembly of Divines by G. C., D.D. … By a Member of the Aletheian Club,’ London, 1771, 8vo; written in reply to a sermon, ‘The Spirit of the Gospel, neither a Spirit of Superstition nor of Enthusiasm,’ by George Campbell (1719–1796) [q. v.] Hay's ‘Detection’ occasioned a lively controversy, in which Dr. William Abernethy Drummond [q. v.] took part. 2. A series of letters on usury, contributed, under the pseudonym of ‘John Simple,’ to the ‘Weekly Magazine, or Edinburgh Amusement,’ in 1772–3. They were reprinted in ‘Letters on Usury and Interest; showing the advantage of Loans for the support of Trade and Commerce,’ London, 1774, 12mo. 3. ‘The Scripture Doctrine of Miracles Displayed, in which their Nature, their Different Kinds, their Possibility, their Ends, Instruments, Authority, Criterion, and Continuation are impartially examined and explained, according to the Light of Revelation and the Principles of Sound Reason,’ 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1775, 12mo. This is his best work. An appendix contained a dialogue on transubstantiation, which elicited a reply from Dr. William Abernethy Drummond. A rejoinder by Hay appeared under the title of 4. ‘Explanatory Remarks on the Dialogue between Philalethes and Benevolus against the Appendix to the Scripture Doctrine of Miracles, in which the strength of the reasoning made use of in that Dialogue against the Appendix is examined and unfolded, and some of its defects pointed out. By a Lover of Truth and Merit,’ Edinburgh, 1776, 12mo. 5. ‘An Answer to Mr. W. A. D.'s Letter to G. H.; in which … the Roman Catholics [are] fully vindicated from the slanderous accusation of thinking it lawful to break faith with Heretics,’ Edinburgh, 1778, 8vo. In answer to a pamphlet written by Drummond, who issued a rejoinder to Hay's answer. 6. A long pastoral letter on the ‘Duties of the Clergy,’ 1780, 12mo, 96 pp. 7. ‘The Sincere Christian instructed in the Faith of Christ from the Written Word,’ 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1781, 2nd edit., 1793; 20th edit., 2 vols., Dublin, 1822, 8vo. 8. ‘The Devout Christian instructed in the Law of Christ,’ Edinburgh, 1783. 9. ‘The Pious Christian instructed in the nature and practice of those exercises of Piety which are used in the Catholic Church,’ Edinburgh, 1786. 10. Manuscript written in shorthand, preserved at Blairs College, and containing, inter alia, a collection of ‘Controversial Songs’ for popular Scottish airs. Whether Hay composed them does not, however, appear. They are all found in ‘A Collection of Spiritual Songs,’ Aberdeen, 1802. 11. ‘An Inquiry whether Salvation can be had without true Faith, and out of the communion of that one only Church established by Christ,’ London and Derby, 1856, 18mo. A reprint of the appendix to the second volume of the ‘Sincere Christian.’
An edition of his ‘Works,’ prepared under the supervision of Bishop Strain, appeared in 5 vols., Edinburgh, 1871. Vols. i. and ii. contain ‘The Sincere Christian;’ vols. iii. and iv. ‘The Devout Christian;’ and vol. v. contains ‘The Pious Christian.’ Two volumes containing ‘The Scripture Doctrine of Miracles,’ were added to this edition in 1873.
A portrait of him by George Watson, P.R.S.A., has been engraved by G. A. Periam. The original is at Blairs College. Another original portrait of him hangs in the rector's room in the Scots College at Rome.
[Life by J. A. Stothert in his Catholic Mission in Scotland, pp. 15–453; Dick's Reasons for Embracing the Catholic Faith, 1848, p. 184; Catholic Magazine and Review, pp. 276–82; Catholic Directory, 1842 (with portrait); London and Dublin Weekly Orthodox Journal, 1837, iv. 84; Brady's Episcopal Succession, iii. 461, 462.]
HAY, GEORGE, eighth Marquis of Tweeddale (1787–1876), was born at Yester in Haddingtonshire on 1 Feb. 1787. He acceded to the title and estates on the death of his father (George, seventh marquis) in
