Thomas De Quincey’s “Confessions of an English Opium Eater”, Part IV Reading (The Pleasures of Opium)

We begin this reading with Thomas De Quincey’s description of the pleasures of opium, he describes his first experiences that began at 19,when he developed a chronic toothache which lasted several weeks. A friend told him about Opium and where to get it at a local London pharmacy. From that point on De Quincey developed his dependency on opium and in this segment of his story he describes his pleasurable experiences using the “Divine Drug”. This segment is humorous and honest with a stern criticism of the medical proffession.

L.A. Steel