Portrait of the English opium eater by Sir John Watson Gordon, circa 1845
"In many walks of life, a conscience is a more expensive encumbrance than a wife or a carriage."
— Thomas De Quincey, from Confessions of an English Opium Eater
Thomas Penson De Quincey (15 August 1785 - 8 December 1859) was an English writer, essayist, and literary critic. He's most famous for his infamous addiction memoir Confessions Of An English Opium Eater. He also wrote countless essays, like Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow from the collection Suspiria De Profundis. This elegant prose-poem inspired a number of later projects, including a trio of Dario Argento films.
Tropes That Apply To De Quincey Himself:
- Functional Addict: His opium-using didn't stop him from writing a number of eloquent essays. In fact, he wrote more during periods of heavy use.
- Money, Dear Boy: De Quincey was incredibly bad with money. He wrote many of his essays to pay off his debts.
