ABSTRACT
In recent years, the focus of Romantic studies has grown exponentially with the introduction of interdisciplinary projects that study the relationship between poetry and the great leaps in knowledge then taking place in the field of science, particularly psychiatry. Bakewell's claims to the identity of psychiatrist-poet are noteworthy, but Thomas Brown, another psychiatric physician, challenges most effectively Erasmus Darwin's claim to the title of most successful integrator of science and poetry. Wordsworth and Coleridge's fascination with Darwin may have extended to the work of other psychiatrist-poets, who also could have impressed these giants of the Romantic canon. It is very difficult to resist him, and perhaps we should be thankful that most other poetic psychiatrists did not amalgamate their roles as scientist and poet quite so successfully. Hunter and Macalpine call Brown's theory of the mind one of the first genuine examples of psychology.
