Some general references to Donne's poems, or to Donne as a poet, 1650s

John Phillips (1631-1706), Milton's nephew, essayed a stock joke when he addressed the reader in a poetical miscellany he edited (Sportive Wit: The Muses Merriment, 1656, Address to the Reader, n.p.): ... we shall see Ballads inserted shortly, to as much dishonour of our English Wit, as if Don's Poems were turned into Dutch.