’Though the design was profess’d panegyric, I may with modesty venture to say it was not a very politic, perhaps, but an honest example of praise without flattery.—­In the verse, I am afraid there was much to be blamed, as too low; but, I am sure there was none of that fault in the purpose:  The poem having never been hinted, either before or after the publication, to any person (native or foreigner) who could be supposed to have interest in, or concern for, its subject.

’In effect, it had for six years or more been forgot by myself—­and my country,—­when upon the death of the prince it referred to, I was surprized by the condescension of a compliment from the empress his relict, and immediate successor; and thereby first became sensible that the poem had, by means of some foreign translation, reach’d the eye and regard of that emphatically great monarch, in justice to whom it was written.’

Soon after he finished six books more of Gideon; which made eight, of the twelve he purpos’d writing; but did not live to finish it.

In 1723 he brought his Tragedy called King Henry the Vth, upon the stage in Drury-Lane; which is (as he declares in the preface) a new fabric, yet built on Shakespear’s foundation.

In 1724, for the advantage of an unhappy gentleman (an old officer in the army) he wrote a paper in the manner of the Spectators, in conjunction with Mr. William Bond, &c. intitled the Plain Dealer; which were some time after published in two volumes octavo.  And many of his former writings were appropriated to such humane uses; both those to which he has prefixed his name, and several others which he wrote and gave away intirely.  But, though the many imagined authors are not living, their names, and those performances will be omitted here; yet, in mere justice to the character of Mr. Hill, we mention this particular.

In 1728, he made a journey into the North of Scotland, where he had been about two years before, having contracted with the York-Buildings Company, concerning many woods of great extent in that kingdom, for timber for the uses of the navy; and many and various were the assertions upon this occasion:  Some thought, and thence reported, that there was not a stick in Scotland could be capable of answering that purpose; but he demonstrated the contrary:  For, though there was not a great number large enough for masts to ships of the greatest burthen; yet there were millions, fit for all smaller vessels; and planks and banks, proper for every sort of building.—­One ship was built entirely of it; and a report was made, that never any better timber was brought from any part of the world:  But he found many difficulties in this undertaking; yet had sagacity to overcome them all (as far as his own management extended) for when the trees were by his order chain’d together into floats, the ignorant Highlanders refus’d to venture themselves on them down the river Spey; till he first went himself, to make them sensible