Ben Jonson's relation to Donne

Abstract

Edmund Gosse in his Life and Letters of John Donne has speculated at some length about the personal relationship between Jonson and Donne. Upon the evidence before him, however, Gosse hesitates to assume that this relationship was one of intimate friendship. But meager as the evidence is, there can be no doubt that some degree of friendship existed between the two poets; for even on Donne's part there are distinct indications of the truth of this supposition. Calling attention to the fact that, because of his resolute isolation from the writers of his day, any slight notice from Donne of one of his contemporaries, takes on a great degree of significance, I shall present the evidence about which I have spoken.