4. The Guilt of doing Evil, that Good may come ;-at St. Paul's, before the Lord Mayor, &c. Nov. 5, 1759. By John Green, M. A. Curate of St. Saviour's, Southwark, and Lecturer of St John, Wapping. 6d. Scott.

5. Provifion for Eternity,, the best ufe we can make of a fort and uncertain Life; — at St. Martin's, Oxford, before the Corporation, November the 4th, being the day of interment of Thomas Rowney, Efq; one of their late Reprefentatives. By John Bilstone, M. A. Chaplain of All Souls' College, Oxon. 6d. Rivington.

6. A Thanksgiving Sermon,-at the Rolls chapel, December the 9th, being the day appointed to return thanks to Almighty God, for the Victory over the French Fleet, on the 20th of November last. By Edward Clarke, M. A. Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Rector of Pepperharrowe in Surry. 6d. T. Payne, Whiston, &c., THANKSGIVING SERMONS, preached on Thurfday Nov. 29, 1759. 1. At St. Anne's, Westminster. By John Duncombe, M. A. affistant Preacher at St. Anne's, and Rector of St. Andrew's Canterbury. 6d. Whilton.

2. The Divine Goodness, and human Gratitude properly confidered; at Weft Horsley in Surry. By Nathaniel Ball, Curate of Weft Horfley. 6d, Buckland.

3. At St. Vedaft, Fofter-lane, Londons By R. Wynne, M. A. Rector of Ayot St. Laurence, Hertfordshire, and Curate of St. Vedaft. 6d. Field.

4. At the Chapel in Long Ditch, Westminster. To which is added, an Hymn. By Andrew Kippis. 6d. Henderfon.

5. At New-Court, Carey street. By Richard Winter. 6d. Buckland.

6. The Wicked taken in their own Net ;-at Chefhunt, Hertfordshire, By John Mafon, A. M. 6d. Buckland.

7. Britain revived, and under the Smiles of Mercy, fummoned to the Work of Praife;-at Northampton. By Robert Gilbert. 6d. Buckland.

8. Britain's Happiness, and the proper Improvement of it ;—at Newington Green, Middlesex. By Richard Price*. 6d. Millar and Griffiths.

9. The Favours of Providence to Britain in 1759;—at Wokingham, Berks. By J. Williams. 6d. Henderfon.

10. Before the Houfe of Lords. By James Lord Bishop of Worcefter. 6 d. Hawkins.

11. Before the Houfe of Commons. By Richard Dayrell, D. D. 6 d. Walter.

12. At the new Meeting in White-Row, Spittal-fields. By Edward Hitching 6d. Buckland.

13. At Farnham, and at Edmondsbury. By Peter Stephen Goddard, M. A. Rector of Farnham, and Chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich. 6 d. Crowder.

14. To a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters, at Sidmouth in Devonshire. By J. Hogg. 6d. Buckland.....

Author of the Review of the Principles, Questions, and Difficulties in Morali. See Review, vol, XVIII, p. 513.

The Dramatic Works of Aaron Hill, Efq; containing, 1. The Life of the Author. 2. Elfrid; or, the Fair Inconftant. 3. Walking Statute; or, the Devil in the Wine-celler. 4. Rinaldo. 5. Fatal Vifion; or, the Fall of Siam. 6. King Henry V. or, the Conqueft of France by the English 7. Fatal Extravagance. 8. Merlin in Love. 9. Athelwold. 10. Mufes in Mourning. 11. Zara, to which is added, an Interlude, never before printed. 12. Snake in the Grafs. 13. Alzira. Saul. 15. Daraxes. 16. Merope. 17. Roman Revenge, 18. Infolvent; or Filial Piety. To which are added, LoveLetters, by the Author. 8vo. 2 vols. 10s. 6d. in Boards. Lownds.

14.

WE E are truly forry to meet with an occafion of re

commending the Works of fo eminent and worthy a Writer as the late Mr. Hill, from any other motive than that of mere refpect to the merit of his productions; but it is the misfortune of his pofterity, that they have been reduced to afk of the Public, Subfcriptions to the Works of that hand which had been too generally liberal, to lay up for those whom he was more particularly obliged to provide for. Benevolence, therefore, as well as a high regard for Mr. Hill's Writings, now prompts us to introduce this edition of his Dramatic Works, to the notice and favourable reception of our Readers,

As to the merit of thefe pieces, in particular, or of this Author's works in general, as they have all been fo long before APPEN. VOL. XXI.

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the

the public, little remains for us to fay on that head. Every one knows that Mr. Hill was a Genius of no ordinary rank; that he was a fine Scholar, and a very confiderable Poet; that his profe-writings, like his verfe, indicated a vaft imagination, and that in the former he manifefted the Gentleman, while the latter fhewed fuch a profufion of poetry, and of fentiment, as might fuffice to fet up a dozen of our prefent race of Town-Wits. That he had his defects is certain; he was apt to run into affectation, and sometimes into obfcurity; but, notwithstanding these, or other smaller blemishes, the public is greatly indebted to him, on the balance, for a large fhare of its moft improved and most rational

entertainment.

A very authentic account (as we are well informed) of the Life and Writings of Mr. Hill, was given in Cibber's Lives of the Poets. His Life is alfo prefixed to this edition of his Plays; and therein we find fome curious and entertaining anecdotes, befide what are contained in Cibber's account. We fhall, therefore, oblige our Readers with an abstract of this little piece of Biography; as compofitions of this kind are rarely unacceptable to Readers of any class.

Among the literary world, fays our Biographer, there is not, perhaps, a fubje&t more worthy the public attention, than the Life of Aaron Hill, Efq. Whilft he had being on earth, his virtues procured him many admirers, and his beneficence not a few; for as long as he poffeffed property, fo long the indigent fhared it with him, and more particularly that part of mankind who had any pretence to poetical skill.

With his humanity, had he poffeffed an equal fhare of that common virtue called oeconomy, or rather had he not been too profufely generous, heaping his bounty on every perfon in whom diftreffed merit appeared, he might have left behind him wealth, the produce or fruit of his genius, more than ever was acquired by his cotemporary, Mr.Pope; tho' his publications were many, the profits arifing from them were (except his laft play, Merope) all given to relieve perfons he thought in unhappy circumftances.

In his earlier days, Mr. Richard Savage, fon of the Earl Rivers, was introduced to him by fome of his acquaintance, as a young Gentleman whofe uncommon circumstances, and intrinfic merit, were deferving of pity. Mr. Hill for many years kindly compaffionated his unhappy birth, that feemingly intitled him to hope paternal care (alike) from two great Peers, yet made him deftitute of either Friend or Father, thro' the unnatural cruelty of her, who did not blush to prove

herfeli

herself the worft of mothers, to get him difinherited by both. Mr. Hill in a manner adopted him out of mere humanity, and ferved him for a confiderable time with his purfe; nor did he forfake Mr. Savage when made more unhappy, by a fudden fray, where he had the misfortune to kill a Gentleman; for which he took his trial, and was condemned to die, and had even bespoke the cloaths in which he was to fuffer, not having left so much as hope to obtain a pardon.

There his friend proved one indeed; by fetting forth his miferable cafe, in the beft light it would bear; fuch as ('twas faid) drew tears from royal eyes; and induced her Majesty to intercede in his behalf, and procure his pardon.

The Poem called the Baftard, Mr. Hill wrote to ferve Mr. Savage, and at the fame time drew up a letter of dedication, both which were sent to Sir Robert Walpole.

And in order the more to promote Mr. Savage's intereft, Mr. Hill, in a pathetic manner, in the Plain Dealer, publifhed the particulars of his unhappy ftory, with a copy of verfes to his mother; which being put into the hands of her Majefty, the late Queen Caroline, fo influenced her gentle nature, that the Countefs found herself obliged to fend for her fon, and fhew fome little of the parent towards him.

But as her kindness neither lafted long, nor was effectual, fome time after, Mr. Hill affifted him in publishing a Mifcellany by fubfcription; which he likewife in the Plain Dealer, No 73, warmly recommended to the patronage of the public.

And fome years after, in hopes of raifing for him a more excellent and powerful friend, he wrote a poem called the Volunteer Laureat; which was likewife prefented to the Queen, and had so happy an effect upon her great humanity, that it procured Mr. Savage 50l. with the liberty of acquiring annually the fame fum by the fame means.

Mr. Hill was born in the year 1685, in Beaufort Buildings, and was heir to an estate of 2000l. a year; but his father, George Hill, Efq; of Malmbury Abbey in Wiltfhire, by various methods, difpoffeffed his fon of the hereditary eftate, tho' intailed on him, and foon after left his infant family to the care of their grandmother Mrs. Gregory, who put Mr. Aaron Hill, when he was nine years old, to school at Barnstable in Devonshire, from whence he was removed to Westminster; where, under the care of Dr. Knipe, genius early supplied the place of fortune, for he filled his pockets by doing the talks of young Gentlemen who had not

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equal

equal capacity. At the age of fourteen he left Weftminster, with intention to vifit Lord Paget his relation, who was then Ambaffador at Conftantinople. Mrs. Gregory acquiefced in his defires, and furnished him with the neceffaries for his embarkation, which was made in March 1700, as appears by a journal the youth kept of his voyage.

On his arrival, Lord Paget received him with pleasure, and provided as his inftructor a learned Ecclefiaftic, under whose tuition he fent him to travel, in order to cultivate the youth's natural abilities, which even then furprised him. With this Tutor, our Author vifited Egypt, Palestine, and many parts of the Eaft; and on his return home with Lord Paget, he had an opportunity of feeing the Court of France, having before vifited the moft confiderable States in Europe.

After finishing his ftudies in England, Mr. Hill accompanied Sir William Wentworth in the tour of Europe, during the space of three years, in which time Mr. Hill wrote and collected the materials for his Hiftory of the Ottoman Empire, which he published in the year 1709, a work (tho' his own) he afterwards criticifed upon with severity, and in a letter to the worthy Author of Clariffa, he acknowleges himself fenfible of errors committed in this Hiftory, which he calls affected and puerile. The fire of youth, with an imagination lively as Mr. Hill's, feldom, if ever, go hand in hand with folid judgment, but, as Dr. Sprat, then bishop of Rochester, obferved, there is certainly visible in that book, the feeds of a great Writer.

In the fame year Mr. Hill published his first poem, called Camillus, in honour of the Earl of Peterborough, just returned from Spain, who fent for the Author, and was fo pleafed with his addrefs and qualifications, that he conferred on him the employ of being his Secretary, which Mr. Hill refigned on being made Mafter of the Theatre in Drury-lane, at which time he wrote his firft tragedy, Elfrid, or the Fair Inconftant, a work begun and finished in the space of ten days.

The following year, he became Master of the Opera House in the Hay-market, at which time he wrote that first-rate opera called Rinaldo, replete with entertainment and good fenfe, feldom to be found in thofe unnatural jumbles, where language is more adapted to mufical founds than to exprefs a rational account of things. Opera being a kind of exotic, I should not have admitted it to rank with the reft of his theatrical performances, if the invention and beauty of fentiment

there