During his residence in Beccles, he was cordially received into what is termed “the best society.” He evinced the greatest charity and candour towards those whose views of religion he could not approve; and while he associated with the advocates of the Established church, he never hesitated to avow his ardent and unalterable attachment to the interests of civil and religious liberty. His manners were frank, easy, and unaffected, and his conversation cheerful, interesting, and instructive. He did not allow his quick penetration and his readiness of utterance to betray him into dogmatism or parade: and he knew how to defend himself, with point and humour, from such an imputation. Falling accidentally into company with Dr. King of Harecourt, London, that serious, but cheerful minister rallied him upon his alleged sprightliness of wit and acuteness of criticism. “Well, young man,” said he, “I hear you are a critic;—pray, sir, how do you define a critic?” “Doctor,” replied Mr. Fell, “I never did define a critic; but if I were to attempt it, I think I should say, he is one who labours to make _easy_ things _difficult_.” An answer which is said to have occasioned some amusement at the expense of the aggressor. Mr. Fell had a lively, energetic delivery; and his sermons, though always the result of hard study, were extempore. He received an invitation to become the settled pastor of the congregation at Beccles. But as they had long been without any regular church government, were few in number, and the prospect of an increase not, at that time, very encouraging, he declined the proposal. In May, 1770, he visited, with a view to the pastoral charge, the Independent congregation at Thaxted, in Essex. There he was ordained in the following October, and soon made himself useful and beloved. But he was calculated for a sphere of usefulness wider, or at least more difficult to fill, than the charge of a country congregation. After several years’ residence at Thaxted, he was prevailed on to become the resident classical tutor at the academy in which he had been educated for the ministry, and which had been removed, in 1770, to Homerton. He had not been long there, before a misunderstanding occurred which terminated in his dismissal. In this affair, the conduct of his adversaries appears to have been not unmingled with severity. Several highly respectable persons who were of this opinion, raised an annual stipend of £100, for which he was to deliver a course of twelve lectures on the evidences of Christianity. He entered zealously upon this task in the year 1797, but had only delivered four lectures, when death interfered with the completion of the plan. He expired on the 6th, and was interred in Bunhillfields on the 15th September in that year, his remains being followed by a train of fourteen mourning coaches and several carriages.