Mrs. Eddy Mentioned Them September 14, 1957 Issue

Alexander Cruden, 1701–1770

[Mentioned in Science and Health, p. 526]

Alexander Cruden was the son of an Aberdeen merchant who was a leader in strict Presbyterian circles. By the time the child was eight, he had finished enough of his English education to enter the Town Grammar School where only Latin was taught. From here he went on to Marischal College and received his Master of Arts degree when he was nineteen. He had considered being a tutor in the college and even of entering the church, but an unhappy love affair made him want to leave Scotland.

In London, Cruden obtained a post correcting proofs. Because he knew enough French to be a reliable proofreader in that language, he secured the position of reader in French to Lord Derby. Since, however, Cruden did not know how to pronounce the French words, he was soon dismissed. On his return to London he diligently studied French pronunciation, but unable to reinstate himself in his former employment, he took up his work as proof corrector again.

A few years later he opened a bookshop in the Royal Exchange and in 1735 obtained the appointment of bookseller to the queen. The following year he started work on his "Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to which is added a concordance to the books called Apocrypha" and finished it within a year. It was published in 1737. Queen Caroline, to whom it was dedicated, died a few days after Cruden had presented the book to her; so he did not receive the recognition and help he had counted on. He also compiled an index for Milton's works.

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