much for his Conftitution, which was but weakly, thought an eafy Trade would be better for him; and fo bound him (1714) Apprentice to his Fatherin-law, Robinfon, the Taylor, at Buckingham.

It was about two Years after (1716) he was Prentice, that he firft happened to get an imperfect Accidence and Grammar, and about three Quarters of a Littleton's Dictionary, into his Poffeffion. From the first Moment of fo great an Acquifition, he was reading whenever he could; and. as they would fcarce allow him any Time from his Work by Day, he used to procure Candles as privately as he could, and indulge himself in the violent Paffion he had for reading, for good Part of the Nights. He wanted greatly to learn Latin; why, does not appear: For he himself does not remember any other Reafon for it at prefent, than that he might be able to read a few Latin Epitaphs in their Church. However that be, this Pursuit of his was foon interrupted (1717), by the Small pox coming into Buckingham, and growing fo violent there, that his Friends fent him to Tring-grove; and, in the Hurry, his Books were left behind him. At the Grove, he was employed in keeping his Uncle's Sheep; and speaks of that Occupation in as high a Stile of Happiness, as the Romance-writers talk of their Arcadian Swains: But what made it fo happy to him was, as he himself expreffes it," that he

could lie under a Hedge, and read all Day "long." His Study here confifted only of The Practice of Piety, the Whole Duty of Man, and Mauger's

VOL. II.

Mauger's French Grammar. Thefe he read over and over fo often, that he had them almoft all by Heart; and has a great deal of them ftill. He stayed there a Year and a Quarter; and on his Return to Buckingham (1719), he was highly delighted at feeing his old Friend the Latin Grammar again; and immediately renewed his Acquaintance with it. In this fecond Attempt of his for Latin, he was affifted by fome of his Play-fellows among the Boys at the Free-school at Buckingham. He would do any thing that was in his power to ferve them, if they would tell him the English of fuch Words, or fuch Rules in his Grammar, as he found the most difficult to understand: And by fuch flow and laborious Means, enabled himself to read a good Part of a Latin Teftament which he had purchased, and a Cæfar's Commentaries that had been given him, before he was out of his Apprenticeship.

Soon after he was out of his Time, he married (1721); and had Horace and a Greek Teftament added to his Books, by the Goodnefs of a Gentleman for whom he was at work. As he could not bear to have a Book in his Hands, that he could not read; he no fooner received the Latter, than he refolved to learn Greek: And that very Evening, communicated his Defign to a young Gentleman, with whom he was acquainted; who gave him aGreek Grammar, and prom fed to affift him as far as he could in his Defign. Hill ufed to teach him to fish; and he used to help on Hill in his firft great

great Difficulty of acquiring the Greek Language: And when he lost that Friend, which he did very foon, for he died very young, he had the good Fortune to be affifted, much more materially, bý another.

In the mean Time, as his Wife proved a very good Breeder, he found it neceffary to do fomething to add to his Income; and therefore fet up for a School-mafter [b] (1724), as well as a Taylor, and had fo good Succefs, that he had generally upwards of fifty Scholars, for the fix or feven Years that he practifed it. However, there were fome Difficulties that he met with, in his new Employ. He had fcarce been in it half a Year, when a Lad well advanced in another School, returned home to Buckingham to go to his. In the firft Converfation, Mr. Hill found, that this new Scholar of his was got to Decimal Fractions; whereas he himself was but lately entered, and that but a little way, into Divifion. This was a terrible Embaraffment, at firft; but Mr. Hill took the following Method of difentangling himfelf from it; he fet his young Man to copying out the Tables of decimal Fractions, from Wingate; which engaged him for about fix Weeks: And in the mean Time, he himself applied fo hard to his Arithmetic, that he made himself Mafter of decimal Fractions, before that Time was expired; but to do this he was forced to fit up the greatest Part of every Night in the Interval. Another cafe,

[6] For Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, Z z

that

that gave him a good deal of Trouble, was one of his Scholars being attacked by some popish Neighbours, (1726) in order to make a Convert of him. This Mr. Hill could not suffer; and was led by it into a Paper War with [i] one of their Priefts, which continuing for near two Years, without any other Success than faving his Scholar; for as to the two Combatants, they difputed on, as ufual, without any manner of Conviction on either Side.

About two Years after Mr. Hill had loft his first Wife (1730) he married his fecond. She was a Widow, and was looked upon as a Fortune, for The brought him a great many Goods: But not long after they were married, he found his Goods continually decreafing, one thing after another, and himself involved in feveral Debts, which she had contracted. She was a bad Woman in all Refpects; and he fuffered fo much from her and her Extravagances, that before they had lived two Years together, the Debts she had brought upon him obliged him to refolve to quit Buckingham; and to travel and work about the Country, in his Business as a Taylor and Stay-maker. He fet out for his Travels on an Eafter-day (1732); as indeed there was but one Day in any Week, that he could set out on; and stayed at different Towns, in feveral Counties, according as Bufinefs offered, and his own Safety would permit.

[] A Man of confiderable Character among them, and fuppofed to be a Bishop; who lived, at that Time, with Sir Thomas Throck

2norton.

Some

Some Time before he fet out, he was feized with a violent Paffion for learning Hebrew; for which he can give no other Reafon, than that he had feen. feveral Quotations in that Language, in an English Book of Controversy [k], which he had been studying for fome Time. How very laborious a Thing muft it be, to pursue one's firft Sudies in any Language or Science, without a fingle Friend to give one any Advice! And how unavoidable often to lofe one's Way, in such unknown Paths, without a Guide? The Grammars he had for the three first Years of this Purfuit, were none of the beft; they helped him but poorly: His confulting with some traveling Jews, that he happened to meet with in his Wanderings, was to very little Purpose; and there was one Difficulty [] in particular, a Solution of which he had been hunting after for the greatest Part of that Time, without receiving any Help either from his Books, or other Enquiries. A Pursuit so tedious, and fo often baffled, at laft quite tired out even his Patience; and one Day, in a Mixture of Paffion and Despair, he parted with the Books he had hitherto used to affift him (1735), as weak and infufficient Friends. However, this proved only a sudden Gust of Passion; and his settled Eagernefs for conquering the Hebrew Language foon returned again, and grew as ftrong as ever upon him.

[*] The Works of Mr. Weemfe, formerly one of the Prebends of

Durbam.

[1] The Differences of pronouncing the two Vowels fo alike Cametz and Camets-catuph.