HaU, Peter, an English divine and theological writer, was born in 1H(«. He studied first at Winches- ter Collogf, and entered Hrazenose College, Oxford, in 1«20. He was ordained in 1M2.S, and became successive- ly curate of St. Edmund's, Salisl)ury; rector of Millston, Wilts, in 1«;M ; minister of Tavistock chapel, Drurv Lane, London, in !«:{(;; .ind of Long Acre chapel in 184i. In l«);j he removed to Hath, and became minister of St. Thiimas's cliai.el, Walcot. He died in 1840. Hall wrote JMir/iiiir lilnrftae : Doritmentu connected u-illi the lAtunjn of the Church of Km/land (Bath, 1847,5 vols. 18mo) :'^ l-'iii;/ment(t liluif/ica : Documents illustratire of the lAt- uifn/ofihe Church of Kuf/lamI (\inih. 1848,7 v<>"ls. 18mo): and a number of .Sermons. Sir. Hall published a new English edition of that valuable work. The //armom/ of the I'rnlestunt Confessions (lK4L8vo\the two previous ICnglish edition.s of which (Camb. 1.58G, 12mo; London, lG»:i, 4to) had become very scarce. He also edited the best edition of the works of his ancestor, bishop Hall (Oxforil, I«;57, 12 vols.); and wrote Com/rer/ational lie- form, four Sermons with notes (London," 18i5,5, 12mo).— Darling, Cijck>p<Kdia Bibhoy. i, 1373 ; Allibone, Diction-
ary of Authors, i, 7G1', Gentleman's ^fagazine, Novem- ber, 1840.
HaU, Richard, an English Komanist writer, was born about 1540. He studied at tirst at Christ College, Cambridge, but was obliged to leave it in 1572 on ac- count of being a Roman Cathohc. He then went to Douay, and afterw^ards to Italv- Having returned to Douay, he became professor of theology in the English college of that city. He became successively canon of St. Gery of Cambray, then of the cathedral of St. Omer, and finally official of the diocese. He died in 1C04. He published several works of contro\ersy, such as De primariis Caiisis Tumidlviim Belyicorum (Douay, 1581) : — De quinque partita Comcientia (Douay, 1508, 4to). But he is especially known for his Life of Bishop Fish- er, the original M.SS. of which was kept by the English Benedictines in their convent of Deeuward, in Lorraine. A copy of it fell into the hands of Thomas Bailej-, son of Bailey or Baily, bishop of Bangor, who sold it to a publisher : the work appeared under the name of Bailey (London, 1G55, 8vo; Lond. 1730. Timo). See Chalmers, General Bio(j. Diet. ; Hoefer, Nouv. Bioy. Generale, xxiii, 140.
Hall, Robert, one of the most eloquent of modern preachers, was born at Arnsby, Leicestershire, May 2, 1764. His father, M'ho was also a Baptist minister of good repute, early remarked his talent, and gave him every opportunity for its development. It is said that " Edwards On the Will and Butler's A nulogy were the chosen companions of his childhood, being perused and reperused with intense interest before he was nine years old. At eleven his master, INIr. Simmons, declared him- self unable any longer to keep jiace with his pupil !" In 1773 he was placed under the instruction of the learned and pious John Ryland, of Northampton. At fifteen he became a student in the Baptist College at Bristol, and at eighteen he entered King's College, Ab- erdeeiij where he took the degree of M.A. Here lie "enjoyed the instruction of Drs. Gerard, Ogilvie, Beat- tie, and Campbell, and also formed that intimate friend- ship with Sir James INIackintosh which continued through life. Mr. Hall was the first scholar in his class through his collegiate course." In 1785 he was chosen as colleague with Dr. Caleb Evans in the ministry at Broadmead Chapel, Bristol, and adjunct ])rofessor in the Baptist Academy there. Here he attained great popu- larity. His father died in 1701 ; and the same jcar a difference with Dr. Evans led to his removing from Bristol, and accepting an invitation to become pastor of the Baptist congregation at Cambridge on the departure of the Rev. Robert Robinson, ivho had adopted L'nita- rian views, to be successor to Dr. Priestley at Birming- ham. Hall had already acqiured considerable celebrity as a preacher, but it was not till now that he a]i]ieared as an author; and the impulse that sent him to the press was rather political than theological. His first publication (unless we are to reckon some anonymous contributions to a Bristol newspaper in 1786-87) was a pamphlet entitled Christianity consuteni with a Love of /■reedoni, hehu/ an Answer to a Sermon by the Rev. John Clayton (8vo, 1701). Like most of the ardent and gen- erous minds of that day, he was strongly excited and carried away by the ho]>es and ])romises of the French Revolution. In 1703 he published another liberal pamphlet, entitled ,1?) Apolor/y for the Freedom of the Press, and for f/eneral Liberty, which brought him much rei)utation. The imjiression that had been made upon him, however, by the irreligious character of the French re^-olutionarA' movement was indicated in his next pub- lication, ^fodern Iifddity considered with i-espect to its Influence oh Society, <i Sermon (8vo, 1800). It was the pultlication of this able and eloquent sermon which first brought Hall into general notice. From this time what-, ever he jiroduced attracted immediate attention. "In 1802 appeared his Reflections on War. The threatened invasion of Bonaparte in 1803 brought him again before
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