There is a lot of evidence that the manic side of Bipolar Affective Disorder helps output in musicians, but not in physicists. So, within restricted areas, "madness" helps. On the other hand, Frankenstein seems to be talking about his own obsession, a completely different entity to psychiatrists, and probably not a version that then or now would put him over the top for psychiatrists. Ed Haupt Edward J. Haupt snail: voice: 1(201) 655-4327 Department of Psychology internet: [log in to unmask] Montclair State University bitnet: haupt@njin 1 Normal Ave. fax: 1(201) 655-5455 Upper Montclair, NJ 07043-1624 USA