HILL, THolt.ts (1818-91). An American edu cator and Unitarian clergyman, born in New Brunswick. N. J.. of English parentage. He was left an orphan when about ten years old, and in 1830 was apprenticed to a printer for a term of three years. He spent the year 1834-35 at the Lower Dublin Academy, near Philadelphia. where his eldest brother was principal. and then appren ticed himself to an apothecary in New Bruns wick. In 1839 lie decided to go to college, and entered Harvard the following year. in the class of 1843. His preeminence in mathematics won him an offer of a high position at the Na tional Observatory in Washington: but he in tended to go into the ministry, and. contrary to the advice of his professors, entered the divinity school. from which he graduated in 1845. For the next fourteen years he was pastor of the Unitarian Church in Waltham, Mass. In 1859 he succeeded Horace Mann as president of Anti och College. Although the college was in such financial straits that he was obliged to supple ment his salary by preaching in Cincinnati, 70 miles distant, he continued his services until elected president of Harvard in 1862. The elec tive system and the academic council were insti tuted during his administration, and the lec tures of the university were at this time first opened to the public. Failing health compelled
him to resien in 1865. In 1871 he was elected to the Legislature. In the same year he went to South America with Louis Anussiz. On his return he accepted a call to the First Parish Church in Portland, Maine. He was a man of unusual versatility. and gained distinction in many of the pursuits in which he interested him self. He was one of the foremost natural scien tists of the time, and an accomplished classical scholar. as well as a mathematician. He invent ed several mathematical machines. among which his occultator is of the most importance. and made valuable contributions to the knowledge of curves in simplifying their expression and in dis covering new forms. Besides publishing essays, text-books, and volumes of sermons, he edited Eberty's Stars and the Earth (1849), and wrote Christmas and Poems on Slarery (1843) ; Geome try and Faith (1549) ; Curvature (1850); Jesus the Interpreter of Nature, and Other Sermons (1S70); Statement of the Natural Sources of Theology, with Discussion of Their ralidity, and of Modern Skeptical Objections (1S77) ; In the Woods and Elsewhere, verse (18S8).