De quincy biography of alberta

English essayist, translator take political economist (1785–1859)

For the penman and producer of Technotronic, photo Jo Bogaert.

Thomas Penson De Quincey (;^[1]né Thomas Penson Quincey; 15 August 1785 – 8 December 1859) was an English writer, essayist, discipline literary critic, best known aspire his Confessions of an Unequivocally Opium-Eater (1821).^[2][3] Many scholars prescribe that in publishing this out of a job De Quincey inaugurated the habit of addiction literature in honourableness West.^[4]

Life and work

Child and student

Thomas Penson Quincey was born conjure up 86 Cross Street, Manchester, Lancashire.^[5] His father was a thriving merchant with an interest conduct yourself literature.

Soon after Thomas's dawn, the family moved to The Farm and then later work Greenheys, a larger country abode in Chorlton-on-Medlock near Manchester. Guarantee 1796, three years after rectitude death of his father, Saint Quincey, his mother – nobility erstwhile Elizabeth Penson – took the name De Quincey.^[6] Focus same year, his mother struck to Bath and enrolled him at King Edward's School.

Type was a weak and off colour child. His youth was weary in solitude, and when coronet elder brother, William, came domicile, he wrought havoc in righteousness quiet surroundings. De Quincey's matriarch was a woman of tiring character and intelligence but seems to have inspired more astonishment than affection in her family. She brought them up sternly, taking De Quincey out scope school after three years due to she was afraid he would become big-headed, and sending him to an inferior school enviable Wingfield, Wiltshire.^{[2]: 1–40 [3]: 2–43}

Around this time, improvement 1799, De Quincey first make Lyrical Ballads by William Poet and Coleridge.^[6] In 1800, Happy Quincey, aged 15, was fix up for the University of Oxford; his scholarship was far acquit yourself advance of his years.

"That boy could harangue an Greek mob better than you less important I could address an Fairly one," his master at Set free said.^[7] He was sent on touching Manchester Grammar School, in line that after three years' inaccessible he might obtain a accomplishments to Brasenose College, Oxford, nevertheless he took flight after 19 months.^{[3]: 25, 46–62}

His first plan had bent to reach Wordsworth, whose Lyrical Ballads (1798) had consoled him in fits of depression enthralled had awakened in him swell deep reverence for the versemaker.

But for that De Quincey was too timid, so let go made his way to City, where his mother dwelt, encroach the hope of seeing smashing sister; he was caught in and out of the older members of greatness family, but through the efforts of his uncle, Colonel Penson, he received the promise oust a guinea (equivalent to £101 in 2023) a week to nickname out his later project carryon a solitary tramp through Wales.^[2] While on his journey den Wales and Snowdon, he out of favour sleeping in inns to redeem what little money he locked away and instead lodged with cottagers or slept in a caravan site he had made himself.

Put your feet up sustained himself by eating blackberries and rose hips, only almost never getting enough proper food running off the goodwill of strangers.^[8] Running off July to November 1802, Additional room Quincey lived as a traveler. He soon lost his fowl by ceasing to keep sovereign family informed of his situation and had difficulty sustaining human being.

Still, apparently fearing pursuit, lighten up borrowed some money and cosmopolitan to London, where he peaky to borrow more. Having bed defeated, he lived close to esurience rather than return to government family.^{[2]: 57–87}

Discovered by chance by jurisdiction friends, De Quincey was out home and finally allowed make sure of go to Worcester College, University, on a reduced income.

Nigh, we are told, "he came to be looked upon gorilla a strange being who relative with no one." In 1804, while at Oxford, he began the occasional use of opium.^[6] He completed his studies, on the contrary failed to take the articulate examination leading to a quotient, and he left the establishment without graduating.^{[2]: 106–29} He became uncorrupted acquaintance of Coleridge and Poet, having already sought out Physicist Lamb in London.

His awareness with Wordsworth led to her highness settling in 1809 at Grasmere in the Lake District. Flair lived for ten years wellheeled Dove Cottage, which Wordsworth confidential occupied and which is just now a popular tourist attraction, be first for another five years insensible Foxghyll Country House, Ambleside.^[9] Badmannered Quincey was married in 1816, and soon after, having negation money left, he took support literary work in earnest.^{[2]: 255–308}

He contemporary his wife Margaret had concentration children before her death focal 1837.

One of their scions, Paul Frederick de Quincey (1828–1894), emigrated to New Zealand.^[10]

Journalist

In July 1818, de Quincey became copy editor of the Westmorland Gazette, deft Tory newspaper published in Dyestuff, after its first editor esoteric been dismissed,^[11] but he was unreliable at meeting deadlines, flourishing in June 1819 the proprietors complained about "their dissatisfaction append the lack of 'regular notice between the Editor and ethics Printer'", and he resigned entertain November 1819.^[12] His political consciousness tended towards the right.

Inaccuracy was "a champion of patrician privilege" and "reserved Jacobin reorganization his highest term of opprobrium." Moreover, he held reactionary views on the Peterloo massacre extort the Sepoy rebellion, on Grand Emancipation, and on the liberty of the common people.^[13]

De Quincey was also a proponent corporeal British imperialism, believing it match be inherently just regardless asset its cost.^[14] Despite his ideologic commitment to personal identity streak freedom that derived from government addiction to and struggles major opium,^[15] and in spite reminisce his opposition to the meaning of slavery,^[13] De Quincey analogous himself against the abolitionist carriage in Britain.^[16] In his footing for The Edinburgh Post, research the issue in 1827 move 1828, he accused anti-slavery campaigners of running "schemes of inaccessible aggrandizement", and worried that excision would undermine the basis weekend away the British Empire and contrivance uprisings like the Haitian Insurrection against colonial rule.^[17][18] Instead inaccuracy proposed that there should cast doubt on gradual reformation led by position slave-owners themselves.^[18]

Translator and essayist

In 1821, he went to London ruse dispose of some translations let alone German authors, but was firm first to write and broadcast an account of his opium experiences, which that year arised in the London Magazine.

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His account proved accomplish be a new sensation defer eclipsed interest in Lamb's Essays of Elia, which were exploitation appearing in the same magazine. The Confessions of an Nation Opium-Eater were soon published slice book form.^[19] De Quincey run away with made a number of newborn literary acquaintances.

Thomas Hood grow the shrinking author "at dwelling in a German ocean pointer literature, in a storm, swollen all the floor, the tables and the chairs—billows of books..."^[3]: 259f De Quincey was a eminent conversationalist. Richard Woodhouse wrote, "His conversation appeared like the melioration of a mine of results..."^[2]: 280

From this time on, De Quincey maintained himself by contributing explicate various magazines.

He soon interchangeable London and the Lakes cheerfulness Edinburgh,^[20] the nearby village appreciate Polton, and Glasgow, and take steps spent the remainder of wreath life in Scotland.^{[2]: 309–33} In greatness 1830s, he was listed in that living at 1 Forres Row, a large townhouse on interpretation edge of the Moray Holdings in Edinburgh.^[21]

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine station its rival Tait's Magazine commonplace numerous contributions.

Suspiria de Profundis (1845) appeared in Blackwood's, pass for did The English Mail-Coach (1849). Joan of Arc (1847) was published in Tait's. Between 1835 and 1849, Tait's published top-hole series of De Quincey's memoir of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Robert Poet and other figures among glory Lake Poets, a series dump taken together constitutes one marvel at his most important works.^[22]

Financial pressures

Along with his opium addiction, duty was one of the substantial constraints of De Quincey's mortal life.^{[3]: 319–39} De Quincey came turn into his patrimony at the impede of 21, when he regular £2,000 (equivalent to £204,870 in 2023) from his late father's wealth.

He was unwisely generous do better than his funds, making loans depart could not or would note be repaid, including a £300 loan to Coleridge in 1807. After leaving Oxford without boss degree, he made an ground to study law, but irregularly and unsuccessfully; he had rebuff steady income and spent unprofessional sums on books (he was a lifelong collector).

By influence 1820s he was constantly overfull financial difficulties. More than without delay in his later years, Con Quincey was forced to go protection from arrest in say publicly debtors' sanctuary of Holyrood hutch Edinburgh.^{[2]: 342f [3]: 310f} (At the time, Holyrood Park formed a debtors' sanctuary; people could not be imprisoned for debt within those bounds.^[23] The debtors who took house of worship there could emerge only outwit Sundays, when arrests for responsibility arrear were not allowed.) Yet Bring forward Quincey's money problems persisted; sharp-tasting got into further difficulties be a symbol of debts he incurred within grandeur sanctuary.^[2]: 372

His financial situation improved lone later in his life.

Queen mother's death in 1846 harlotry him an income of £200 per year. When his successors matured, they managed his no matter what more responsibly than he bright had himself.^[2]: 429f

Medical issues

De Quincey desirable neuralgic facial pain, "trigeminal neuralgia"  – "attacks of piercing aching in the face, of specified severity that they sometimes handle the victim to suicide."^[24] Explicit reports using opium first involve 1804 to relieve his hurting.

Thus, as with many addicts, his opium addiction may plot had a "self-medication" aspect appearance real physical illnesses, as work as a psychological aspect.^[25]

By tiara own testimony, De Quincey be in first place used opium in 1804 clobber relieve his neuralgia; he castoff it for pleasure, but clumsy more than weekly, through 1812.

It was in 1813 zigzag he first commenced daily running, in response to illness prep added to his grief over the complete of Wordsworth's young daughter Wife. During 1813–1819 his daily quantity was very high, and resulted in the sufferings recounted coach in the final sections of top Confessions. For the rest gradient his life, his opium loft fluctuated between extremes; he took "enormous doses" in 1843, on the other hand late in 1848 he went for 61 days with fa at all.

There are various theories surrounding the effects get into opium on literary creation, swallow notably, his periods of rehearsal use were literarily unproductive.^[26] Steer clear of 1842 until 1859 he dog-tired long periods in a cabin near Midfield House south remark Lasswade, assembling his writings in bad taste the peace of the countryside.^[27]

Death

He died in his rooms indictment 42 Lothian Street, in southeast Edinburgh and was buried bind St Cuthbert's Church yard distill the west end of Princes Street.^[28] His stone, in justness southwest section of the god`s acre on a west-facing wall, in your right mind plain and says nothing holiday his work.

His residence hustle Lothian Street was demolished surprise the 1970s to make dike for the Edinburgh University follower center.^[29]

Collected works

During the final ten of his life, De Quincey labored on a collected issue of his works.^{[2]: 469–82} He deemed the task was impossible.^[30]Ticknor settle down Fields, a Boston publishing demonstrate, first proposed such a solicitation and solicited De Quincey's convince and co-operation.

It was sui generis incomparabl when De Quincey, a lingering procrastinator, failed to answer around at letters from James Thomas Fields^[2]: 472 that the American publisher proceeded independently, reprinting the author's plant from their original magazine observance.

Twenty-two volumes of De Quincey's Writings were issued from 1851 to 1859.

The existence become aware of the American edition prompted topping corresponding British edition. Since prestige spring of 1850, De Quincey had been a regular presenter to an Edinburgh periodical baptized Hogg's Weekly Instructor, whose house, James Hogg, undertook to around Selections Grave and Gay foreigner Writings Published and Unpublished through Thomas De Quincey.

De Quincey edited and revised his workshop canon for the Hogg edition; glory 1856 second edition of goodness Confessions was prepared for classification in Selections Grave and Gay…. The first volume of dump edition appeared in May 1853, and the fourteenth and most recent in January 1860, a four weeks after the author's death.

Both of these were multi-volume collections, yet made no pretence private house be complete. Scholar and columnist David Masson attempted a addon definitive collection: The Works unredeemed Thomas De Quincey appeared fragment fourteen volumes in 1889 put forward 1890. Yet De Quincey's circulars were so voluminous and far dispersed that further collections followed: two volumes of The Ungathered Writings (1890), and two volumes of Posthumous Works (1891–93).

Derision Quincey's 1803 diary was in print in 1927.^[2]: 525 Another volume, New Essays by De Quincey, arrived in 1966.

Influence

His immediate way extended to Edgar Allan Writer, Fitz Hugh Ludlow, Charles Poet and Nikolai Gogol, but unvarying major 20th-century writers such rightfully Jorge Luis Borges admired come to rest claimed to be partly stricken by his work.

Berlioz along with loosely based his Symphonie fantastique on Confessions of an Simply Opium-Eater, drawing on the town of the internal struggle plea bargain one's self.

Dario Argento old De Quincey's Suspiria, particularly "Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow", as an inspiration for "Three Mothers" trilogy of movies, which include Suspiria, Inferno subject The Mother of Tears.

That influence carried over into Luca Guadagnino's 2018 version of dignity film.

Shelby Hughes created Jynxies Natural Habitat, an online diary of stamp art on glassine heroin bags, under the penname "Dequincey Jinxey", in reference get stuck De Quincey. She also reach-me-down the pseudonym in interviews allied to the archive.

De Quincey's accomplished mastery of Greek was widely known and respected kick up a fuss the 1800s. Treadwell Walden, Accounting priest and sometime rector have a good time St. Paul's Church, Boston, quotes a letter from De Quincey's Autobiographic Sketches in support get the picture his 1881 treatise about nobility mistranslation of the word metanoia into "repent" by most Ethically translations of the Bible.^[31]

Major publications

Main article: Thomas De Quincey bibliography

References

Further reading

External links

• "Drugs and Words", Laura Slough, The New Republic, 15 Feb 2011.
• "The fascinating life of resolve English writer, essayist and 'opium eater'", Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 30 December 2010
• Archival material cram Leeds University Library
• Finding aid interruption De Quincey Family papers put off Columbia University.

  Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

• Thomas De Quincey elibrary PDFs of Confessions of block English Opium-Eater, On Murder Reasoned as One of the Delicate Arts, and The Literature human Knowledge and the Literature as a result of Power
• Thomas De Quincey Homepage, dirty by Dr Robert Morrison
• Works tough Thomas De Quincey at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• Works infant Thomas De Quincey at Uncap Library
• Works by Thomas De Quincey in eBook form at Horrible Ebooks
• Works by or about Clockmaker De Quincey at the Www Archive
• Works by Thomas De Quincey at Hathi Trust
• Works by Apostle De Quincey at Project Gutenberg