Reid adopted philosemitic views as a follower of Napoleon's attitude. He went on to write controversially against Samuel Horsley, invoking older ideas of Gilbert Burnet, Pierre Jurieu and Joseph Mede, and the Jewish writers Isaac Abravanel and David Levi. He and others holding related opinions, such as the Baptist James Bicheno, were attacked by the Jewish Conversion Society. Some of Reid's compiled works were published anonymously. A satirical play, "The Democrat Cured", is not extant. "Walks Through London" (1817), published under the name David Hughson, which has been attributed to Reid, and to his wife, was by Edward Pugh (died 1813), according to Samuel Halkett and John Laing.