Anxious fears subside

SIR – In light of recent campaigns by members of the Royal family, it is perhaps worth reflecting that William Williams, the 18th-century hymn writer and author of Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer – sung at Saturday’s wedding service in Windsor – was also a pioneer in the field of mental health.

A prolific writer and poet, Williams was also a travelling preacher and evangelist and used his early medical training to set up more than 400 “soul clinics”: discussion groups where those with troubled minds could share their problems and find relief.

Mark Shephard

St Albans, Hertfordshire