Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859) was an English author and intellectual, best known for his book Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1822). Many scholars suggest that in publishing this work De Quincey inaugurated the tradition of addiction literature in the West. In 1821, he went to London to dispose of some translations from German authors, but was persuaded first to write and publish an account of his opium experiences, which that year appeared in the London Magazine. This new sensation eclipsed Lamb's Essays of Elia, which were then appearing in the same periodical. He maintained himself by contributing to various magazines. His other works include: On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth (1823), Walladmor (1825), Biographical Essays (1851), Autobiographical Sketches (1853), Romances and Extravaganzas (1877), and Collected Writings (1889).
