Mark Akenside

Mark Akenside
Mark Akenside (1721–1770) was an English poet and physician, best known for his philosophical poem "The Pleasures of Imagination" (1744), which reflects his interest in aesthetics and the nature of beauty. Born in Newcastle, he initially trained as a doctor before turning to literature. His poetry, influenced by the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers, often explored themes of reason, morality, and human nature. Although his later works, such as "Odes on Several Subjects" (1745), did not gain the same acclaim, Akenside's early poetry remains a significant contribution to 18th-century English literature.

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THE LIFE OF AKENSIDE. Mark Akenside was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on the 9th of November 1721. His family were Presbyterian Dissenters, and on the 30th of that month he was baptized in the meeting, then held in Hanover Square, by a Mr. Benjamin Bennet. His father, Mark, was a butcher in respectable circumstances—his mother's name was Mary Lumsden. There may seem something grotesque in finding... more...