PoemsandBaladsandAtalantainCalydon

Republican,pagan,asensualistalivetopleasureandtopain,SwinburnefloutedtherulesofVictoriandecorumandmoralityinhislifeandworkHecreatedauniquemeansofexpressionthroughwhatTennysoncalledhis'wonderfulrhythmicinvention',andyethisversewasinfluencedbypoetsfromnumerousperiodsandcountries.Manyofhispoemsareopulenthymnstosensuallove,inallitsaspects,andtodeathandtothelossoflove.Swinburne'sverseisimmenselydiverseinform:togetherthesetwoworksdemonstrateitsrichcomplexityandvariety.AsT.S.Eliotremarked,thereisnoreasontocallhispoweroverwordsanythingbutgenius.ThisPenguineditioncontainsapreface,atableofdates,acommentaryonthepoemsandtwoappendices,oneofwhichisamapoftheplacesmentionedinAtalantainCalydon.