How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #4
Let Father Flecknoe fire thy mind with praise,
And Uncle Ogleby thy envy raise.
Thou art my blood, where Jonson has no part;
What share have we in Nature or in Art? (173-176)
Shadwell ought not cheat himself; he is no Ben Jonson. Shadwell belongs instead in the long, infamous tradition of bad poets, Dryden chides, and his reputation should never be anything other than "that one sap who tried to copy Ben Jonson and ended up failing miserably because he actually is a terrible writer." Sorry, Thomas.