Thomas De Quincey

Thomas De Quincey (1785–1859) was an English author best known for his writings on the delights and terrors of opium addiction. After years of recreational use, De Quincey began taking opium daily in 1813, and wrote about his experiences in Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, serialized in 1821. His depiction of life as an addict made him a pioneer of the form. His other works include On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts (1827) and Suspiria de Profundis (1845).