Thomas Penson De Quincey was a British essayist and writer. He was the one behind introducing the western world to the tradition of addiction literature. Quincey was a child prodigy and got a scholarship to the ‘University of Oxford’ when he was only 15. One of his earliest influences was ‘Coleridge’ and ‘Wordsworth’ and in fact the latter’s ‘Lyrical Ballads’ had been particularly influential since it helped him tide over his depression. Quincey started using opium when he was at Oxford and that might have been the inspiration behind his most famous work ‘Confessions of an English Opium Eater’, published in 1821. He also worked as a journalist for a range of publications and also as a translator at different points in his life. According to many of his contemporaries, like ‘Richard Woodhouse’ for instance, Quincey was an excellent conversationalist who could hold a conversation on most topics and displayed an understanding of subjects that were of rare quality. Needless to say, Quincey had an intellect that made him a unique thinker of his time and naturally, he also delivered a treasure trove of quotes and sayings throughout his lifetime. Go through the collection of some of the most famous quotes and thoughts by Thomas De Quincey sourced from his essays, newspaper articles, work, writings and books.
Ideas! There is no occasion for them; all that class of ideas which can be available in such a case has a language of representative feelings.
Thomas De Quincey
It was a Sunday afternoon, wet and cheerless; and a duller spectacle this earth of ours has not to show than a rainy Sunday in London.
Thomas De Quincey
Rightly it is said of utter, utter misery, that it 'cannot be remembered'; itself, being a rememberable thing, is swallowed up in its own chaos.
Thomas De Quincey
The tyranny of the human face
Thomas De Quincey
A long, loud, and canorous peal of laughter.
Thomas De Quincey
Man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep.
Thomas De Quincey
Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures.
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.
Prophet of evil I ever am to myself: forced for ever into sorrowful auguries that I have no power to hide from my own heart, no, not through one night's solitary dreams.
I do not readily believe that any man having once tasted the divine luxuries of opium will afterwards descend to the gross and mortal enjoyments of alcohol,
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.
Solitude, though it may be silent as light, is like light, the mightiest of agencies; for solitude is essential to man. All men come into this world alone and leave it alone.
