AARON, an English miscellaneous writer of the eighteenth century, was born at London in 1685. His education at Westminster School was broken off in consequence of his father's imprudence, who allowed the family property to go to ruin, and thus, at the early age of fourteen, he began that career of adventure which only ended with his life. Leaving England, he proceeded to Constantinople, where he was kindly received by Lord Paget, a relation of his mother's, who was then British ambassador at the Turkish court. Under the care of a tutor provided by this considerate friend, young Hill travelled through Palestine, Egypt, and a great part of the East; returning to England about the year 1703. A misunderstanding with his patron compelled him to go abroad as travelling companion to a rich Yorkshire baronet; and on reaching home in 1709 he published his History of the Ottoman Empire, which, even by his own admission, had far more success than it deserved. About the same time appeared his poem of Camillus, in honour of the famous Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough; and in the same year he was made master of Drury Lane Theatre, and afterwards of the Haymarket. Both of these offices he soon after lost through his indiscretion, and spent the remainder of his life partly in literary pursuits, and partly in commercial speculations, which were all unlucky. One of these schemes called him to the Highlands of Scotland, and while there he wrote The Progress of Wit, being a Catechism for the use of an eminent Writer. The "eminent writer" was Pope, who had introduced Hill into the Dunciad, though in a way that was in fact complimentary, and the "catechism" is said to have made him feel very uneasy. Hill died in 1749, at the very moment, it is said, of the great earthquake of that year, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Two only of his seventeen dramas are now remembered, Zara and Meropie, both adaptations from the French of Voltaire. His poetry is stilted and commonplace, and even the Progress of Wit never rises above a flippant smartness. Though a poor and tasteless poet, and afflicted with an overwhelming sense of his own importance, Hill was an honourable man, and his letters to Savage show his character in a very amiable light. His letters with the author of Pamela, extending from 1730 to 1748, are not quite so creditable to his taste. Some of them were prefixed by Richardson to an edition of his Pamela, and described as coming from "a gentleman of the most distinguished taste and abilities." Till it was known that the "gentleman" in question was Aaron Hill, great weight was attached to the testimony of the anonymous correspondent.

GEORGE, Principal and Doctor of Divinity of St Andrews, was born at St Andrews in 1750. He gave early indication of good abilities, and of a leaning towards the clerical profession. He gained the first prize in the competition proposed by the Earl of Kinnoil, chancellor of the university, and this was the beginning of a friendship which lasted for life. Through Principal Robertson, Mr Hill was appointed tutor to the eldest son of Pryce Campbell, Esq., M.P., with whom he went to London in 1767. This enabled him to send pecuniary assistance to his mother, whom he tenderly loved, and who had a family of six to rear upon very small means. In London he was not a little indebted to his attendance on a society called the Robin Hood Society for his proficiency in oratory. In 1771 he removed with his pupil to Edinburgh, and in the following year was appointed joint-professor of Greek in St Andrews. In 1775 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Haddington to preach the gospel, and ordained by the same body in 1778. His eloquence and impressiveness procured his appointment to the second charge in St Andrews in 1779. In the following year, by which time he was well known as one of the most popular and efficient ministers in the church, he got the degree of doctor in divinity. In 1808 he was translated to the first charge in St Andrews. He soon afterwards became successor to Principal Robertson as leader of the Moderate Party in the controversy with regard to patronage.

Principal Hill deserves honourable mention as the reviver of the study of theology in St Andrews. He had been admitted to a divinity chair in 1788, and, with his energy and ability, theology was treated in a manner very different from what had hitherto prevailed. His Lectures were a good antidote to the superficial "refutations" of Calvinism upon which English divines sometimes ventured. In 1791 he was appointed Principal of St Mary's College. In 1816 his health began rapidly to decline, and in 1819 he died in the 70th year of his age.