This work investigates the formative years of Gerard Manley Hopkins within the Jesuit order to determine how his rigorous religious training influenced his poetic development. Alfred Strickland Thomas, drawing upon his academic research at the University of London, examines the intersection of Hopkins's spiritual discipline and his creative output. The text provides a detailed account of the specific Jesuit traditions and educational structures that shaped the poet's worldview during his period of novitiate and subsequent training.

Scholars and literary historians frequently cite this work as a foundational resource for understanding the specific theological environment that informed Hopkins's unique poetic voice. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which reflects its origins as a university thesis.