How did manuscript copies help circulate John Donne’s poems?

Because almost none of John Donne’s poetry was published during his lifetime, manuscript copies were the primary means by which his work reached an audience. These poems were preserved and circulated among a relatively small but admiring coterie of poetry lovers who transcribed and shared them.1

This method of distribution allowed his work to circulate widely before the first two editions of his Poems were eventually published posthumously in 1633 and 1635. Because his poetry was not formally published during his life, it remains difficult for scholars to date his works accurately.21