INTRODUCTION.
I. Ben Jonson occupies a unique position in the social history of English literature, as the first literary monarch whose sway was universally acknowledged for a considerable portion of his life. His
Early life
strong individuality has caused his name to be familiar among those who have never read his works, so that while critics disagree as to what dramatist shall rank second to Sh⟨a⟩kspere, popular suffrages have unhesitatingly elected ⟨Jo⟩nson to that place. This individuality Jonson put into his works to a much greater extent than is common with dramatists, and hence it will probably not be considered inappropriate to prefix to the remarks on the play of Ev⟨e⟩ry Man in his Humour a short sketch of the life of the man who produced it. Such a notice is the more requisite inasmuch as a considerable amount of detail relating to ⟨J⟩onson has been gathered together
