A Letter to the Rev. C. N. Wodehouse, Canon of Norwich; occasioned by

This mid‑nineteenth‑century document captures a heated exchange within the Church of England over the contentious issue of subscription to the Thirty‑nine Articles. Written as a formal letter to a senior canon, it responds to a pamphlet that condemned such subscription as a disgrace, accusing unnamed clergy of tacit support. The author, a rector from Burgh‑Castle, explains how a passing reference to his name forced him into the public arena, despite his usual reluctance to become a polemicist.

In a measured, courteous style, he outlines his reasons for defending his reputation and for challenging the pamphlet’s claims. The letter reveals the delicate balance clergy had to maintain between personal conscience, pastoral duty, and institutional loyalty. Listeners will hear a vivid snapshot of Victorian ecclesiastical politics, the anxieties of a man caught between private belief and public expectation, and the careful rhetoric used to protect both faith and character.