Confessions of an English opium-eater / [Thomas De Quincey].

  • De Quincey, Thomas, 1785-1859.
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Confessions of an English opium-eater / [Thomas De Quincey]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    as a purpose collateral to this, I wished to explain how it had become impossible for me to compose a Third Part in time to accom- pany this republication: for during the very time of this experiment, the proof sheets of this reprint were sent to me from London: and such was my inability to expand or to improve them, that I could not even bear to read them over with attention enough to notice the press errors, or to correct any verbal inaccuracies. These were my reasons for troubling my reader with any record, long or short, of experiments relating to so truly base a subject as my own body: and I am earnest with the reader that he will not forget them, or so far misapprehend me as to believe it possible that I would condescend to so rascally a subject for its own sake, or indeed for any less object than that of ge- neral benefit to others. Such an animal as the self-observing valetudinarian —I know there is: I have met him myself occasion- meet with a mood of anger; now, whenever I ascended to any large dose, I was furiously incensed on the fol- lowing day, and could then have borne any thing.