says he, more than equal to my utmost wishes. They all seem most anxious to contribute to my ease and comfort. My reception is in this respect

beyond any thing I had presumed to expect, and incomparably beyond my deserts. I certainly find the society of this place more intelligent and more polished, and in this respect superior to that of Leicester. Not that they have more native talent, perhaps on the whole less, but a far greater proportion of them are in easy circumstances, and therefore have more leisure for reading and conversation. I have reason to hope also that there is a considerable prevalence of piety among the members of the church, though by no means confined to them. The congregation is quite as numerous as I wish. We are well attended in the morning, and in the evening very full, so that seats are placed in the aisles. I feel complete satisfaction respecting the propriety of the measure which I took; and indeed it has long been my opinion, that ministers may stay too long in the same place; a removal, after a certain number of years, is best both for them and their hearers."

His strength however soon began to fail him, and after preaching twice on the sabbath he was frequently so much exhausted as to fall asleep on the sofa, immediately after he had reached home, though he was conveyed at all times in a vehicle provided for that purpose. Having taken a little repose after the labours of the day, he would rise suddenly and call for the bible, saying Come, let

us have prayer; and often fell asleep before the chapter was ended. He much regretted his inability to walk, as it prevented his making pastoral calls, and visiting the sick, to which he had been accustomed in his former situations. He had generally for years objected to dining from home, as a waste of time and giving unnecessary trouble; his friends therefore engaged him to tea, and invited parties to meet him, sending a car for him at six o'clock, and conveyed him back about ten. He was much pleased with this plan; but owing to his numerous engagements it was necessary to make the appointment a fortnight beforehand, and for one of the family to keep a diary of the invitations.

Hoping a journey might be beneficial to his health, he in the following September visited his friends at Leicester, where he preached one sabbath, on his way to Cambridge; and on seeing them his countenance beamed with gladness. Now said he, I feel at home again: these are all old faces, many of those at Bristol are new ones. He added at the same time, that he was happy in his new situation, liked the society, and felt encouraged by the prospects before him.

Arrived at Cambridge, he received the warm congratulations of numerous friends, all of whom were rejoiced to see him, though it was painfully evident that his constitution was failing under the continual pressure of disease. His mental faculties were in no degree impaired, his preaching was

as vigorous as usual, and being surrounded by his old friends, his countenance assumed a highly animated appearance. Several persons went from London, and from various parts of the country, to enjoy the treat. So numerous was the attendance that the place was not sufficient to contain the people, great numbers were obliged to retire, and some found it necessary to go an hour before the commencement of the service to secure a sitting.

One sabbath morning, from an accession of pain, he was scarcely able to attend the meeting, and could only take part of the service. He arrived late in a private carriage, and from the crowds already assembled he reached the pulpit with much difficulty, the aisles being everywhere thronged with hearers. The last sabbath evening during this visit it was found necessary to prop up the galleries, the place was crowded to excess, some hundreds could not gain admission, and even standing places in the aisles and passages were retained with difficulty from the pressure of the multitude. On this occasion he delivered one of his most energetic discourses, and towards the close his flight of eloquence was so rapturous that it seemed as if the pulpit would scarcely contain him.

On reentering the carriage after service, he remarked that he had never witnessed such a scene in any place where he had preached, and from the pulpit it was almost terrific. He "could not see the bodies of the people, they appeared all heads, a mass of undistinguishable heads, and all eyes

were fixed on him." He felt heartily glad that his occasional labours at Cambridge were now closed, and said it was become a formidable undertaking to preach there, knowing that some distinguished members of the university were generally among his auditors, and how much would be expected from him.

During this visit Mr. Hall preached also at Melbourne, where he had for an auditor that consistent friend of civil and religious liberty, lord Dacre, who afterwards waited for an interview at a gentleman's seat in the neighbourhood, where a large party was assembled for the same purpose. His lordship conversed with Mr. Hall some time, sitting on the sofa, and afterwards expressed his astonishment at his powers of conversation. Besides his range of thought, his vivacity and cheerfulness, which diffused around him a feeling of serenity and delight, there was also in Mr. Hall's manners so much amenity and gracefulness, so much inartificial courtesy and politeness, as to make his company pleasant to the most refined and polished part of society, and entitled him to be regarded as one of nature's true nobility.

Mr. Hall went through the usual routine whenever he visited Cambridge; alike beloved by all classes of the congregation, he divided his time as much as possible among them. He breakfasted with one family, dined with another, and supped with a third, and it generally took him three weeks at least to fulfil these engagements. He had as

usual a parting interview with the old and poorer members of the church, observing to them what changes time and other circumstances had made, and how few of his personal acquaintances were left amidst a numerous auditory. At the close of his visits he invariably received a pledge of the attachment of his friends at Cambridge, who presented him with a purse of voluntary offerings, more than sufficient to defray his journeying expenses, and at parting were ready to follow the example of the Ephesian elders, who fell on Paul's neck and saluted him.

After his return to Bristol his health appeared in a very precarious state, attended with an unusual depression of spirits, and a transient feeling of disquietude on the subject of his late removal, arising out of some objections to his favourite plan of catholic communion by a few bigoted individuals who, as in the former instance, were not very observant of the respect due to his station and his character. Finding himself one day unable to walk, from pain in the chest and shortness of breath, he remarked to a friend who was with him that it was quite a new symptom. He then added, "I never had this till I became so anxious about leaving Leicester. I have been I have been very much perplexed, fearing I have not been in the path of duty in removing; and you cannot conceive the conflict I have had. The parting was very painful, but I acted for the best, and have only engaged myself for twelve months; so that if I do