Mark Akenside (1721-1770) was a medical doctor and literary man whose
influence on the history of ideas was profound. The author recognises
that there is a need to explore, re-evaluate and recognise the
importance of Mark Akenside's contribution to cultural history, in his
own time and from a current perspective. Born the son of a butcher in
Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1721 Mark Akenside was awarded a degree in
medicine from Edinburgh and Leyden Universities. He settled in London in
1743 where he was successful both as a doctor and in medical research.
Above all, he was the author of The Pleasures of Imagination 1744,
an epic length poem in blank verse which broke many conventions of the
time, exploring ideas about human perception and the natural world.
Akenside had a European reputation and became a national celebrity. He
was a major influence on first- and second-generation Romantic poets
such as Wordsworth, Keats, Coleridge, etc. He also made an impact on
the development of landscape painting in the early
19th century through his influence on J.M.W.
Turner. This book examines these issues, as well as the controversy
and speculation about Akenside's relationship with his origins, his
sexuality, and changing political affiliations in a period of economic
crisis and great social change.
