De Quincey
H. S. Salt
- Edition: First Edition
- Publisher: George Bell & Sons Ltd., London
- Published: 1904
- Length: 112
- Format: Hardback
- First Edition Reprint
- 1977 Folcroft Library Editions, Folcroft, Pennsylvania, Hardback, 112 pages
Summary
Published by George Bell & Sons Ltd as part of Bell’s Miniature Series of Great Writers, De Quincey by Henry S. Salt provides a deeper and more balanced perspective on Thomas De Quincey, offering insight into his character beyond the narrow association with his opium use. Salt’s thoughtful portrayal focuses on De Quincey’s intellectual depth, literary genius, and profound human sensibilities, challenging the common view that reduces him to merely “the opium-eater.”
Salt presents De Quincey as a philosopher and visionary, whose intellectual pursuits and rich imagination are too often overshadowed by his struggles with addiction. He underscores De Quincey’s extraordinary empathy and sensitivity, traits that Salt believes were ahead of his time. Drawing from his own earlier essay, “Some Thoughts on De Quincey,” Salt provides a sympathetic portrait that highlights the writer’s enduring contributions to literature and philosophy.
Complete with illustrations, this concise yet comprehensive book captures Salt’s respectful yet critical engagement with De Quincey, providing readers with a fuller appreciation of the man behind the literary myth.
Content
- Preface
- De Quincey's Life
- His Works
- Characteristcs of his Writing
- The Confessions of an Opium-Eater
- Bliographical List
Reviews
- De Quincey The Guardian, 12 December 1904
