of all the
Evangelical leaders of his day. Having taken his degree with credit at
Cambridge--he was said to be the best _general_ scholar of his time--he
served for a short while the curacy of Witcham, a village near
Cambridge. Here he raised, by his reputed Methodism, a sensation which
extended to the whole neighbourhood, and even to the University itself.
'His tutor and friend, Mr. Postlethwaite, hearing that he was bent on
turning Methodist, from the kindest motives took him seriously to task,
exhorting him to beware, to consider what mischief the Methodists were
doing, and at what a vast rate they were increasing. "Sir," said
Robinson, "what do you mean by a Methodist? Explain, and I will
ingenuously tell you whether I am one or not." This caused a puzzle and
a pause. At last Mr. Postlethwaite said, "Come then, I'll tell you. I
hear that in the pulpit you impress on the minds of your hearers, that
they are to attend to your doctrines from the consideration that you
will have to give an account of them, and of your treatment of them, at
the Day of Judgment." "I am surprised," rejoined Robinson, "to hear this
objected. It is true." Robinson got no further explanation from the
tutor, but that the increase of Methodism was an alarming thing.'[828]
From Witcham, Robinson was removed to Leicester, where he spent the
remainder of his life, and where he passed through very much the same
sort of experience which attended most of the Evangelical clergy of the
period: that is, his 'Methodistical' views raised great opposition at
the outset; but he lived it down, became a very popular preacher, and
took a leading part in every scheme for the amelioration of the temporal
and spiritual condition of Leicester. Mr. Robinson was also well known
as an author. His 'Christian System' and 'Scripture Characters' were
once much read and much admired books, especially the former, which is
still found in most libraries of divinity collected in the early part of
the present century.

It was said above that Dean Milner was the solitary instance of an
Evangelical clergyman of the last century, who gained any high
preferment. Some may think that Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London, also
formed an exception to the rule. But, strictly speaking, Bishop Porteus
can scarcely be said to have identified himself with the Evangelical
school. It is true that he did not share the prejudices which many of
his brother prelates conceived against the Evangelica