Friday, August 19, 2011

Founding father ...

... Green’s Heroes of Slang: 5. John Taylor the Water Poet � The Dabbler. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

He was a superb self-publicist, one of the earliest of literary entrepreneurs. When one of The Sculler verses poked fun at the more established poet Thomas Coryate, the pair became embroiled in a pamphlet war. There were rival petitions to the King and one of Taylor’s pamphlets was burnt by the common hangman. It was all good for the Taylor brand.

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