Robert Hall, Leicester, to Mr. Fysh, at Messrs. Beddome and Fysh, Fenchurch Street, London, 25 February 1805. 

[Hall has just left Dr. Arnold’s Asylum at Leicester and was about to return to his ministry at St. Andrew's Street, Cambridge.]

 Leicester 25th Feby. 1805.

My dear Friends,

  As I have found since my leaving Dr Arnolds that you have been so kind as to take an interest in my affliction, & that Mr Berry was so obliging as to inform you frequently how I was, I thought it might be some satisfaction to you to receive a letter under my own hand. I have embraced the first opportunity that fairly occurred of dropping you a line to acquaint you with my perfect recovery.  I have through the good hand of my God upon me been brought back from the gates of Death & am again restored to the world.  Assist my dear friend to bless & magnify the name of the Lord who has redeem’d my life from destruction & crown’d me with loving kindness & tender mercy.

  May I sing of mercy & of judgement.  My sufferings have been great, my unworthiness much greater.  I trust it is at present the chief solicitude of my heart to make some suitable returns to God for his unspeakable goodness.  Every dictate of reason & of religion concurs in demonstrating that that only deserves to be called life which is influenced by Christian priniples & devoted to the service of God.  I have ran more than half my course & have scarcely begun to live. – Pray for me that I may be more useful & more holy & shall then not fail to be more happy.  My friends thought it adviseable before I return’d to Cambridge for me to spend a few weeks in Leicestershire, & not to be in a hurry about preaching.  Their kindness has been astonishing.  The nearest relations could not shew more solicitude for my welfare.  There certainly never was a person who had so much friendship shown him who had lived so useless a life.  But to drop a subject which I cannot think of without poignant regret mingled with pleasure.  I am very sorry to hear of Mr Dore’s poor state of health.  Present my best respects to him and tell him that I shall return in a few weeks to Cambridge and that if he would do me the favour of a visit as the spring advances he may be pleased, I should do all I can to make it comfortable to him & it might perhaps amuse him & do him good.  He never during all these years gave me the pleasure of seeing him at Cambridge.  May his valuable life be long preserved.  Please to remember me affectionately to Mr Beddome your Partner as well as to Mr Samuel & their families.  And when you see them to my invaluable friends Mr & Mrs Gutteridge & to all those who may be kind enough to enquire after me.  A Letter from you will greatly oblige my dear Sir

Your affectionate friend

                                             R Hall

Text: OSG.95B, box A, Bristol Baptist College, Bristol.