John Hill
Sir John Hill was an English figure born in the early 18th century, known for his diverse career as an apothecary, writer, and botanist. Baptized in 1714, he initially trained as an apothecary in London but later ventured into acting, which did not yield significant success. In the 1740s, he gained attention for prescribing botanicals to the upper class and sought membership in the prestigious Royal Society, though he was unsuccessful. His critiques of the Society, notably through works such as "A Dissertation on Royal Societies" and "A Review of the Works of the Royal Society of London," established him as a recognized writer.
Hill’s contributions included editing the British Magazine and writing a popular daily column. His ambitious project, "The Vegetable System," encompassed twenty-six volumes and was promoted by his patron, Lord Bute. Despite his financial success and influence, Hill faced criticism for his novels, which were often labeled as vulgar and sensational. He was known for his extravagant lifestyle and contentious demeanor, which drew the ire of contemporaries, including poet Christopher Smart. Although his literary works are often deemed of limited value, Hill remains a subject of scholarly interest due to his controversial reputation and his role within the literary landscape of 18th-century England, particularly as part of the Grub Street community of writers.
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John Hill
Writer
- Born: November 17, 1714 (baptized)
- Birthplace: Probably Peterborough-Spalding, England
- Died: November 22, 1775
Biography
Although his date of birth is unknown, Sir John Hill, the son of Reverend Theophilus Hill, was baptized on November 17, 1714, most likely at Peterborough-Spalding, England. Between 1730 and 1731, he served as an apothecary apprentice and sold medicine in London. He next tried acting without great success. In the 1740’s, he prescribed various botanicals for the upper-class and considered scientific publication but was unable to gain membership in the Royal Society, a prestigious scientific and intellectual academy.
His subsequent satire, A Dissertation on Royal Societies(1750), and his critical survey, A Review of the Works of the Royal Society of London(1751), both written against the Royal Society, gained him some recognition as a writer. He took an editing job for the British Magazineand wrote a daily column called “The Inspector” for the London Daily Advertiser. Soon, he was publishing scientific treatises, conduct books. and gardening books from which he gained considerable wealth. After this, his reputation helped him sell herbal potions. The British aristocrat, Lord Bute, became his patron and encouraged him to write his twenty-six-volume The Vegetable System, which was issued annually until his death in 1775.
Hill’s novel, The History of a Woman of Quality: Or, The Adventures of Lady Frail(1751), was denigrated as titillating, vulgar, and licentious, a mere account of Lady Frail’s sexual liaisons. Even Hill took himself to task by acknowledging the novel’s sloppy production. However, his next novel, The Adventures of Mr. George Edwards, a Creole(1751), also fed the public’s desire for prurient material and further infuriated serious writers.
Although Hill amassed a great deal of money, he nevertheless was a profligate with extravagant tastes, which provided more fodder for outrage. Hill was also hated for his blustery manner and arrogance. Christopher Smart called him “Pimp! Poet! Puffer! ’Pothecary! Play’r!” in his mock epic poem The Hilliad(1753). Hill died heavily in debt.
Scholars remain fascinated with Hill as a resident of Grub Street, the area rife with eighteenth century hack writers who were looked down upon by respectable, or serious, writers. He was particularly attacked and denigrated quite possibly for his financial success. Scholars maintain that his work is of little value, but that he remains historically of literary interest for the controversy surrounding him. However, his botanical works are of some merit.