Thomas Penson De Quincey (15 August 1785 – 8 December 1859) was an English essayist, best known for his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater. 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 then made literary acquaintances. He maintained himself by contributing to various magazines. His other works include On the Knocking at the Gate in Macbeth (1823), Walladmor (1825), Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts (1827), The Logic of the Political Economy (1844), Biographical Essays (1851), Autobiographical Sketches (1853), Romances and Extravaganzas (1877), and Collected Writings (1889). Less