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Why did Apologia pro Vita Sua improve John Henry Newman's standing in England?

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St. John Henry Newman English prelate, theologian, and poet John Henry Newman converted to Roman Catholicism in 1845. He was made a cardinal in 1879.

John Henry Newman’s Apologia pro Vita Sua (1864) significantly improved his standing in England by effectively countering an unwarranted attack on his moral integrity by the Anglican clergyman Charles Kingsley.1

By responding with fairness, candor, and literary beauty, Newman’s history of his religious opinions was widely read and approved by audiences far beyond the Roman Catholic Church. This reception helped him recapture the near-national status he had previously held. Furthermore, the work played a crucial role in breaking down the cruder prejudices that many English people held against Catholic priests at the time. Through this defense of his life, Newman successfully demonstrated his honesty, ultimately securing his stature and influence in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England.12