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 devoted all his leisure to literary work. With his spirit of independence went a considerable thirst for popularity, and he was mortified, and to some extent soured, by the loss of confidence which followed the later development of his opinions. Nor was he free from pecuniary anxiety.

By the middle of 1789 his health had begun to fail, and his powers gradually declined. On 2 June 1790 he left Chesterton to preach charity sermons at Birmingham. He preached twice on 5 June, but on 9 June was found dead in his bed at the house of William Russell (1740–1818) [q. v.] at Showell Green, near Birmingham. He was buried in the Old Meeting graveyard at Birmingham. A tablet was placed in the Old Meeting by his Cambridge flock (inscription by Robert Hall; removed in 1886 to the Old Meeting Church, Bristol Road). Funeral sermons were preached at Birmingham by Priestley, at Cambridge by Abraham Rees, D.D. [q. v.], and at Taunton by Joshua Toulmin, D.D. [q. v.] He married at Norwich, in 1759, Ellen Payne (d. 23 May 1808, aged 75), and had twelve children. The death of his daughter Julia (d. 9 Oct. 1787, aged 17) was a severe blow to him.

In person Robinson was rather under middle height; his voice was musical, and his manner self-possessed. His native parts and his powers of acquirement were alike remarkable. His plans of study were methodical and thorough; to gain access to original sources he taught himself four or five languages. His want of theological training led him into mistakes, but ‘his massive common sense was so quickened by lively fancy as to become genius’.

His ‘History of Baptism,’ partly printed before his death, was edited in 1790, 4to, by George Dyer [q. v.], who edited also his unfinished ‘Ecclesiastical Researches,’ Cambridge, 1792, 4to, being studies in the church history of various countries, with special reference to the rise of heretical and independent types of Christian opinion. Both works are strongly written, full of minute learning, discursive in character, racy with a rustic mirth, and disfigured by unsparing attacks upon the champions of orthodoxy in all ages. Robinson has much of the animus with little of the delicacy of Jortin. His ‘idol’ was Andrew Dudith (1533–1589), an Hungarian reformer, of sarcastic spirit and great liberty of utterance.

His other publications, besides single sermons and small pamphlets (1772–1788), are: 1. ‘Arcana, or the First Principles of the late Petitioners … for Relief in matter of Subscription,’ &c., 1774, 8vo. 2. ‘A Discussion of the Question “Is it lawful … for a Man to marry the Sister of his deceased Wife?”’ &c., 1775, 8vo (maintains the affirmative). 3. ‘A Plea for the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ &c., 1776, 8vo; often reprinted. 4. ‘The History and the Mystery of Good Friday,’ &c., 1777, 8vo. 5. ‘A Plan of Lectures on the Principles of Non-conformity,’ &c.; 8th edit., Harlow, 1778, 8vo. 6. ‘The General Doctrine of Toleration applied to … Free Communion,’ &c., 1781, 8vo. 7. ‘A Political Catechism,’ &c., 1782, 8vo; often reprinted. 8. ‘Sixteen Discourses … preached at the Villages about Cambridge,’ &c., 1786, 8vo; often reprinted; enlarged to ‘Seventeen Discourses’ 1805, 8vo. 9. ‘A Discourse on Sacramental Tests,’ &c., Cambridge, 1788, 8vo. 10. ‘An Essay on the Slave Trade,’ 1789, 8vo.

Posthumous were: 11. ‘Posthumous Works,’ 1792, 8vo. 12. ‘Two Original Letters,’ 1802, 8vo. 13. ‘Sermons … with three Original Discourses,’ &c., 1804, 8vo. 14. ‘A brief Dissertation … of Public Preaching,’ &c., Harlow, 1811, 8vo. His ‘Miscellaneous Works,’ Harlow, 1807, 8vo, 4 vols., were edited by Benjamin Flower [q. v.] He translated from the French the ‘Sermons’ of Jacques Saurin (1677–1730), 1770, 8vo (two sermons), and 1784, 8vo, 5 vols.; and the ‘Essay on the Composition of a Sermon,’ by Jean Claude (1619–1687), Cambridge, 1778–9, 8vo, 2 vols., with memoir, dissertation, and voluminous notes, containing more matter than the original ‘Essay;’ reissued, without the notes, 1796, 8vo, by Charles Simeon [q. v.]; also some other pieces from the French. He contributed to the ‘Theological Magazine’ and other periodicals. He supplied Samuel Palmer (1741–1813) [q. v.] with addenda and corrections for the ‘Nonconformist's Memorial,’ 1775–8, and furnished materials for the life of Thomas Baker (1656–1740) [q. v.] in Kippis's ‘Biographia Britannica,’ 1778. In the ‘Monthly Repository,’ 1810, pp. 621 sq., is an account of Cambridgeshire dissent, drawn up by Robinson and continued by Josiah Thompson [q. v.]

Early in life Robinson wrote eleven hymns, of no merit, issued by Whitefield on 1 Feb. 1757 as ‘Hymns for the Fast-Day,’ from ‘an unknown hand,’ and ‘for the use of the Tabernacle congregation.’ In 1758 James Wheatley, of the Norwich Tabernacle, printed Robinson's hymn ‘Come Thou Fount of every blessing,’ which was claimed by Daniel Sedgwick [q. v.] in 1858 on ‘worthless evidence’ for Selina Hastings, countess of Huntingdon [q. v.] In 1774 Robinson's hymn ‘Mighty God, while angels bless Thee,’ was issued in copperplate as ‘A Christmas Hymn, set to Music by Dr. Randall.’ These two