There has never been any great genius without a spice of madness.
[Lat., Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae read more

There has never been any great genius without a spice of madness.
[Lat., Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit.]

Like men condemned to thunderbolts,
Who, ere the blow, become mere dolts.

Like men condemned to thunderbolts,
Who, ere the blow, become mere dolts.

But the devil when he purports any evil against man, first
perverts his mind.
[Lat., At daemon, homini read more

But the devil when he purports any evil against man, first
perverts his mind.
[Lat., At daemon, homini quum struit aliquid malum,
Pervertit illi primitus mentem suam.]

Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtaxed.

Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtaxed.

Everyone is more or less mad on one point.

Everyone is more or less mad on one point.

Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
read more

Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
'Tis the majority
In this, as all, prevails
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur,--you're straightway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.

I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.

I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.

O, hark! what mean those yells and cries?
His chain some furious madman breaks;
He comes--I see read more

O, hark! what mean those yells and cries?
His chain some furious madman breaks;
He comes--I see his glaring eyes:
Now, now, my dungeon grate he shakes.
Help! Help! He's gone!--O fearful woe,
Such screams to hear, such sights to see!
My brain, my brain,--I know, I know
I am not mad but soon shall be.

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.