The Trial of Henry Hetherington, on an Indictment for Blasphemy

In December 1840 a bustling courtroom in Westminster became the arena for a clash between law, faith, and the growing demand for free expression. Henry Hetherington, a Strand bookseller, stood accused of blasphemy for distributing a pamphlet that denounced the Old Testament in stark, unapologetic language. Presiding over the case, Lord Denman and a specially selected jury listened as the prosecution painted Hetherington as a dangerous impious agitator, while the defense prepared a meticulous rebuttal grounded in principle and reason.

Listeners will hear the vivid arguments presented by Hetherington and his allies, who invoke the rights of conscience and the public’s access to ideas even when they offend prevailing sensibilities. The transcript captures the legal formalities, the fiery rhetoric, and the broader Victorian debate over the limits of religious criticism. It offers a window into a pivotal moment when the fight for intellectual liberty was taken to the very heart of the Crown’s courts.