A madman designated as the poet Nathaniel Lee in Bethlem Hospital. Mezzotint by J. Watts, 1778.

London (George Street, Hanover Square) : John Watts printseller, Sept. 3d 1778.

1 print : mezzotint ; image 30.2 x 23.9 cm

Nath.l Lee the mad poet. (From an original picture in the collection of Rich.d Cosway Esqr. R.A.) Author of eleven tragedies, which were received with applause, two of them were written after he had been confin'd in Bedlam four years, he attempted acting, but did not succeed, he was found dead in the street anno 1690 after a night of riot and extravagance. Through all the inmost chamber of the sky, May there not be a glimpse or starry spark, But gods meet gods & jostle in the dark. Lee's Oedipus. Dobson pinxt. Watts fecit.

According to the lettering, after a painting by William Dobson. However, since Dobson died before Nathaniel Lee was born, either that attribution or the identification of the subject as Lee must be wrong

F. O'Donoghue, Catalogue of engraved British portraits, [London] 1908-1925, vol. III, London 1912, p.34, no. 1 ("From picture in the Garrick Club ... [Doubtful]", i.e. doubtful as a likeness of Lee or as after Dobson?)

John Chaloner Smith, British mezzotinto portraits, vol. 4, London 1883, p. 1569, Watts no. 5 of 6

Wellcome Collection 2885063i