Writers are fascinated by Woodforde. They always ask the same question: why did he bother?
A man has to do something with his life. Keeping a diary is no worse–and a long sight better–than many of the other things he could have done.
A happier and more plesant diary than of a contemporary
Book Confessions of an English Opium-Eater is an autobiographical account written by Thomas De Quincey, about his laudanum addiction and its effect on his life.
Although all good to get a feel for the different world the past was
Steve Murray
3 months ago
I wonder what he’d have thought about the boils on his “posteriors” being discussed in posterity?
Why not? They were a real reality, Job and all. Today’s equivalent being the Train drivers strike? Not sure what, but were a big deal then – doctors then talked of boils as being a bit of a common bane of existance, soldiers and sailors suffered from them badly. Like his bad tooth extraction, something we no longer suffer from – but they did back then.
J Bryant
3 months ago
What a lovely article. I’d heard of “The Diary of a Country Parson” but it never occurred to me to read it until now.
Wikipedia tells me one of Woodforde’s ancestors was a famous diarist, so maybe that explains his devotion to diary keeping.
I would like to know more about the man. For example, why did he never marry and did he regret being a bachelor? He seems to have been fairly prosperous for a clergyman, and I would have thought he could find a wife.
This snippet made me laugh: “… the building torment of gout.” Well, what did he expect after all that drinking? 🙂
Unlikely. There was always a strong Catholic strain in the CoE. This is only a few decades before the Oxford Movement and the flowering of Anglo-Catholicism.
Allison Barrows
3 months ago
Mr. Poots is a delightful writer and my day is made a little brighter whenever I see his byline on Unherd.
Next, ‘Two Years Before the Mast’ (where the lower rung crew lived)
”Two Years Before the Mast is a memoir by the American author Richard Henry Dana Jr., published in 1840, having been written after a two-year sea voyage from Boston to California on a merchant ship starting in 1834”
An outstanding book – an incredible account of hardship and endurance at sea.
Hanne Herrman
3 months ago
«It is unnerving to be confronted by the loss of so many little things.» Life has gained in comfort, comfort means ease and spare time, doing many little things, on the other hand, mean spending time doing things and consequently giving meaning and intent to life. Life outside of towns can still mean doing many little things, if one wants to…
Agreed. I think, deep down, we all long for a time when we needed to do many little things rather than lie on a sofa scrolling thru social media. It just might be the cause of so much of our societal afflictions today. I wonder if Woodforde’s niece and nephew complained incessantly about being BORED?
Steve Jolly
3 months ago
This article and its invocation of Hobbitish sentiments reminded me of one of my favorite sayings.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” –J.R.R. Tolkien.
Writers are fascinated by Woodforde. They always ask the same question: why did he bother?
A man has to do something with his life. Keeping a diary is no worse–and a long sight better–than many of the other things he could have done.
A happier and more plesant diary than of a contemporary
Book
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater is an autobiographical account written by Thomas De Quincey, about his laudanum addiction and its effect on his life.
Although all good to get a feel for the different world the past was
I wonder what he’d have thought about the boils on his “posteriors” being discussed in posterity?
Possibly he thought none but himself would take any interest in them. Poor dude.
Why not? They were a real reality, Job and all. Today’s equivalent being the Train drivers strike? Not sure what, but were a big deal then – doctors then talked of boils as being a bit of a common bane of existance, soldiers and sailors suffered from them badly. Like his bad tooth extraction, something we no longer suffer from – but they did back then.
What a lovely article. I’d heard of “The Diary of a Country Parson” but it never occurred to me to read it until now.
Wikipedia tells me one of Woodforde’s ancestors was a famous diarist, so maybe that explains his devotion to diary keeping.
I would like to know more about the man. For example, why did he never marry and did he regret being a bachelor? He seems to have been fairly prosperous for a clergyman, and I would have thought he could find a wife.
This snippet made me laugh: “… the building torment of gout.” Well, what did he expect after all that drinking? 🙂
I just might pour myself some Woodford Reserve and read some Woodforde!
Sound like the good Rev. was taking a pop at climate alarmists and their unprecedented prognostications. At least, I hope he was/is.
Nice article, book ordered.
Thank you! I last read Woodforde over 50 years ago: must go and find my copy …
Prayers for the recently deceased? Surely prayers for the dead were fobidden in the Church of England at that time?
Fascinating if true.
Unlikely. There was always a strong Catholic strain in the CoE. This is only a few decades before the Oxford Movement and the flowering of Anglo-Catholicism.
Mr. Poots is a delightful writer and my day is made a little brighter whenever I see his byline on Unherd.
Next, ‘Two Years Before the Mast’ (where the lower rung crew lived)
”Two Years Before the Mast is a memoir by the American author Richard Henry Dana Jr., published in 1840, having been written after a two-year sea voyage from Boston to California on a merchant ship starting in 1834”
An outstanding book – an incredible account of hardship and endurance at sea.
«It is unnerving to be confronted by the loss of so many little things.» Life has gained in comfort, comfort means ease and spare time, doing many little things, on the other hand, mean spending time doing things and consequently giving meaning and intent to life. Life outside of towns can still mean doing many little things, if one wants to…
Agreed. I think, deep down, we all long for a time when we needed to do many little things rather than lie on a sofa scrolling thru social media. It just might be the cause of so much of our societal afflictions today. I wonder if Woodforde’s niece and nephew complained incessantly about being BORED?
This article and its invocation of Hobbitish sentiments reminded me of one of my favorite sayings.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” –J.R.R. Tolkien.
Lovely stuff. More of this.