436 THOMAS HILL. 



articles in the " Bibliotheca Sacra," formed the substance of a volume 

 issued in 1877, which is unsurpassed in the clearness, fulness, and 

 timeliness of its statement of the fundamental truths of natural re- 

 ligion, and in its treatment of the various current forms of scepticism. 



While Dr. Hill was master of a prose style at once elegant, per- 

 spicuous, and strong, his genuine poetic temperament found occa- 

 sional expression in verse, which, although it gave him no special 

 distinction as a poet, showed that, had he sought a place in the upper 

 region of Parnassus, he could have easily won it. His two volumes 

 of poems are real poetry, equally in conception, diction, and rhythm, 

 and indicate a man of genius as their author. 



He was a lover of music, and made earnest endeavors to supply the 

 lack of a discriminating ear. He studied thoroughly the mathematical 

 laws of music, the principles of harmony, and the system of musical 

 notation, and even made some attempts at composition. In the arts 

 of design he had capacity which by cultivation might have become 

 talent, perhaps genius. He painted landscapes in oil which were no 

 mean copies of nature, and was not unsuccessful in modelling portraits 

 in bas-relief. 



As to Dr. Hill's personal character the only difficulty in portraying 

 it is that one knows not where to paint in the shadings. Trans- 

 parently frank, guileless, unsparingly faithful in duty, in all domestic 

 and social relations forgetful only of his own comfort and advantage, 

 and assuming as if rightfully his own every burden that others would 

 let him bear, he manifested in his whole life the beauty and power of 

 the religion of which he was the earnest and devoted minister. He 

 can have had no enemies, but more friends than can be catalogued. 

 Had there been in him aught of self-seeking, he would have left more 

 numerous and permanent records of the reputation in which he is held 

 by all who knew him. In the periodicals to which he was a constant 

 contributor, especially in the " Bibliotheca Sacra" and the " Andover 

 Review," are papers which, if collected and skilfully edited, would form 

 a series of volumes on subjects of vital interest, in which his aim was 

 never to draw attention to himself, but only to instruct and impress the 

 minds and souls of his readers. With like unselfishness of purpose, 

 he was always ready to give aid, at whatever cost of time and labor, to 

 those who were engaged in literary, scientific, or professional work, 

 whether for their own benefit or for publication ; and there are not a 

 few reputations greatly enhauced and enriched by contributions from 

 his own best thought and most recondite investigations. In fine, his 

 ruling purpose was to serve every cause of learning, virtue, and 



