This collection of essays was written early in Newman's career from 1828–1842. Newman's topics vary from literary criticism and the Greek poets to the catholicity of the Anglican church and the concept of Antichrist. These two volumes capture the academic breadth of Newman's career as a Fellow at Oriel College. All of these articles were written during Newman's Anglican period and do not always reflect his later thoughts toward the Catholic church.
The quality of his literary style is so successful that it succeeds in escaping definition. The quality of his logic is that of a long but passionate patience, which waits until he has fixed all corners of an iron trap. But the quality of his moral comment on the age remains what I have said: a protest of the rationality of religion as against the increasing irrationality of mere Victorian comfort and compromise.
The philosophical and theological thought and the spirituality of Cardinal Newman, so deeply rooted in and enriched by Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Fathers, still retain their particular originality and value.
—Pope John Paul II
Newman placed the key in our hand to build historical thought into theology, or much more, he taught us to think historically in theology and so to recognize the identity of faith in all developments.
—Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)