Dr. Johnson declared that Donne, “for not being understood would perish”. How far is this verdict justified?

Donne’s poetry stands in a class by itself. Being a metaphysical poet, he rejects the traditional poetic vacabulary. His originality lies in his experimentation in metre, rhythm and pattern. As his thought is rugged, so is his diction. Ben Jonson expected that Donne would follow the regular verse patterns like a traditional poet. The fact is that Donne is modern and colloquial in his verse. He