This work investigates the historical and stylistic significance of the poetry of sensibility and sentiment, challenging traditional canons of Romantic literature. Jerome McGann, a preeminent scholar in the field of Romantic studies, utilizes a rigorous critical framework to re-examine neglected texts from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. By shifting the focus toward poetry often overlooked by mainstream literary history, he argues for a more inclusive understanding of the aesthetic and ideological shifts that defined the era.

Scholars recognize this text as a significant intervention in Romantic studies, frequently citing its impact on the re-evaluation of the literary canon. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is intended primarily for students and specialists in English literature and gender studies.