Antedating of "Neurotic"

[Fred Shapiro]

Here is an antedating of the modern sense of the word "neurotic":


neurotic, adj. (OED, 2., 1873)

1866 Anne Brewster _St. Martin's Summer_ 95  The climate, from its lively
action on the skin, and the variety of impressions it makes on the body
and mind, is captially suited for alleviating the suffering arising from
all sorts of melancholy, and every kind of neurotic intermittent produced
by mental causes.


Fred Shapiro


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
  Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press,
Yale Law School                             forthcoming
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------