Hie Mad Poet
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Nathaniel Lee (about 1653- 92), who towards the end of his life lost his reason through intemperance and was confined for four years in Bedlam.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Hie Mad Poet” mean?
Nathaniel Lee (about 1653- 92), who towards the end of his life lost his reason through intemperance and was confined for four years in Bedlam.
Is “Hie Mad Poet” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.