Literary Reminiscences

Thomas De Quincey (15 August 1785 - 8 December 1859) was an English essayist, best known for his autobiography Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821). Many scholars suggest that in publishing this work De Quincey inaugurated the tradition of addiction literature in the West. Along with his opium addiction, debt was one of the primary constraints of De Quincey's adult life. He pursued journalism as a way to pay his bills and eventually became editor of The Westmorland Gazette in 1818. Unfortunately, De Quincey was unreliable at meeting deadlines and had to resign the following year. De Quincey was then persuaded to write and publish an account of his opium experiences for the London Magazine. This launched his career and led to him contributing to various magazines.