Birmingham Daily Post, 16th April, 1863: Mr J. J. Hill is represented by a beautifully coloured picture of “Spring” (74), in which a girl’s face and half figure are prettily introduced.
John Bull, 11th April, 1863: …..but we do not know whether this, and some others of Mr. Cobbett’s works too, must not yield to a picture in the same line by Mr. J. J. Hill, “Spring” (74), a gem of art, with somewhat more sentiment about it than Mr. Cobbett cares to cultivate.