Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/235

Rh theatre. The character of Jonathan was by him amplified and enlivened with comic stories to make it prominent. Hill's debut at the Park theatre, New York, raised him at once to the dig- nity of a star performer, and secured him engage- ments throughout the Union. Among his dramas were " Caspar Hauser," " The Green Mountain Boys," "A Wife for a Day," " The Yankee Pedler," and " The Knight of the Golden Fleece," all ephemeral, but skilfully measured to the artist's capability. In 1836 " Yankee " Hill, as he was called, performed at Drury Lane and the Olympic theatres, London, and in other large cities of Eng- land, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, returning home in the year following. His second visit to Europe was "in 1838, when he appeared at the Adelphi theatre, London, and gave entertainments in Paris. In 1839 he returned to the United States, and soon found that his attraction was on the wane, the old plays worn out, and he had nothing new to offer. In this manner Hill was retired to second- class play-houses and less profitable engagements. He began the study of dentistry, but lacked the nerve and endurance, and abandoned the effort to make that his profession. In 1847 Hill retired to Batavia, N. Y., playing only occasionally in mono- logue entertainments. Hill's down-east stories were exceedingly droll, and were recited in a man- ner highly original. In the delineation of the typical, artificial stage- Yankee, who talks through his nose, drives sharp bargains, and slyly outwits his fellow-man, this actor was unequalled. His range was narrow, but the ease, quaintness, and finish of his manner disarmed criticism.

HILL, Walter Henry, clergyman, b. near Lebanon, Marion co., Ky., 21 Jan., 1822. He was graduated at St. Mary's college, Ky., in 1843. After studying medicine in the St. Louis university he entered the Jesuit order in 1847, and in 1848 became professor of mathematics, physics, and rhetoric in St. Joseph's college, Bardstown. Ky., where he remained seven years. He taught in the St. Louis university in 1855, but afterward com- pleted his higher studies at Boston, was ordained friest, and removed to the Jesuit novitiate in 'rederick, Md. In 1864 he returned to St. Louis, and became professor of logic and metaphysics in the university. In 1865 he was made president of St. Xavier's college, Cincinnati, which office he held till 1869. Although opposed by the state legislature, he obtained a new charter during his service, and rebuilt the college, making it one of the most prosperous Roman Catholic institutions in this country. He went to Topeka, Kan., in 1869, and he obtained a charter under a law of the state to incorporate St. Mary's college in St. Mary's mission. From 1871 till 1884 he again taught in St. Louis university, and is now (1887) attached to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Chicago. He is the author of " Elements of Philosophy, compris- ing Logic and General and Special Metaphysics " (Baltimore, 1873 ; 8th ed., 1887). This was violently attacked by Dr. Orestes A. Brownson, and gave rise to numerous controversies. It is now largely used as a text-book in Roman Catholic institu- tions. His other publications are " Ethics, or Moral Philosophy" (Baltimore, 1878; 4th ed., 1885); "Historical Sketch of St. Louis University" (St. Louis. 1879); and various articles in the "Ameri- can Catholic Quarterly," including one on " Mental Insanity" (1880). which attracted much attention.

HILL, Whitmill, statesman, b. in Bertie county, N. C, 12 Feb., 1743; d. in Hill's Ferry, Martin co., N. C, 12 Sept., 1797. He was gradu- ated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1760, and entered the Revolutionary struggle with much zeal. He was a delegate to the Provincial congresses that met at Hillsboro. 20 Aug., 1775, and at Halifax, 4 April, 1776, and was elected to the house of commons from Martin county in 1777. He was a member of the state senate from 1778 till 1780, and its speaker in 1778. In that year he was elected a delegate to the Continental congress, serving till 1781. He was one of the ablest advo- cates of the national constitution in the conven- tion for its ratification that met at Hillsboro in July, 1788. He was also lieutenant-colonel of the North Carolina militia. He possessed fine literary attainments, and wrote spirited letters in 1780 to Gov. Burke, which were published in the North Carolina " University Magazine" in March, 1861.

HILL, William, clergyman, b. in Cumberland county, Va., 3 March, 1769 ; d. in Winchester, Va., 16 Nov.. 1852. He was graduated at Hampden Sidney in 1788, and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Hanover, 10 July, 1790. After spend- ing two years as a missionary in Virginia he settled in Berkeley (now Jefferson) county, and in 1800 accepted the pastorate of the Presbyterian church in Winchester. In 1834 he removed to Prince Edward county, where he remained two years, and then became pastor of the 2d Presbyterian church in Alexandria. In 1838 he returned to Winchester. Mr. Hill delivered an oration at Harper's Ferry in commemoration of Gen. Wash- ington, and published several sermons. He was also engaged on a " History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States," which he intended to issue in numbers, but onlv the first appeared.

HILLARD, George Stillman, lawyer, b. in Machias, Me., 22 Sept., 1808; d. in Boston, Mass., 21 Jan., 1879. He was graduated at Harvard in 1828, and, after studying in the law-school and in the office of Charles P. Curtis, was admitted to the bar and acquired an extensive practice. He taught for a time in the Round Hill school in Northampton, Mass. Mr. Hillard served in the state senate in 1850, and in 1853 was a delegate to the State constitutional convention. He held the office of city solicitor from 1854 till 1856, and that of U. S. district attorney for Massachusetts from 1866 till 1870. As a legislator he won the warm commendation of Daniel Webster. In 1833 he edited with George Ripley a weekly Unitarian paper, entitled &ldquo;The Christian Register.&rdquo; Subsequently he became associated with Charles Sumner in the publication of &ldquo;The Jurist.&rdquo; In 1856 he bought an interest in the &ldquo;Boston Courier,&rdquo; of which he was associate editor until he retired at the beginning of the civil war. In 1847 Mr. Hillard delivered a course of twelve lectures before the Lowell institute. Trinity gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1857. His addresses include a fourth of July oration (Boston, 1835); &ldquo;Dangers and Duties of the Mercantile Profession,&rdquo; delivered before the Mercantile library association (1850); an oration before the New York Pilgrim society (1851); and a eulogy on Daniel Webster (1852). He was the author of privately printed memoirs of James Brown and Jeremiah Mason, and a life of Capt. John Smith for Sparks's &ldquo;American Biography,&rdquo; and published &ldquo;The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser,&rdquo; with a critical introduction (5 vols., Boston, 1839); a translation of Guizot's &ldquo;Essay on the Character and Influence of George Washington&rdquo; (1840); a &ldquo;Memorial of Daniel Webster&rdquo; and &ldquo;Six Months in Italy&rdquo; (1853); a series of &ldquo;Readers&rdquo; and &ldquo;Selections from the Works of Walter Savage Landor&rdquo; (1856); &ldquo;Life and Campaigns of George B. McClellan&rdquo; (