Books by Thomas de Quincey

The condition of the Roman Emperors has never yet been fully appreciated; nor has it been sufficiently perceived in what respects it was absolutely unique. -- Thomas De Quincey, The CaesarsOriginally published in 1853, this intriguing volume incisively examines an era of the ancient past known as "The Caesars." With its reign-by-reign account of the power holders of the "imperial purple," it serves easily as a companion text for classes in classical history.The Caesars weaves a compelling narrative of the rise and fall of the Roman emperors, complete with an historical timeline and dynamic portraits of the major events, influences, and supremacy of ancient Rome.AUTHOR BIO:Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859) was born Manchester, England, and was educated at schools in Bath and Winkfield but left Oxford without taking a degree. He eventually settled in London, where, in 1807, he became close friends of the romantic writer Taylor Colderidge as well as of William Wordsworth, whom De Quincey greatly admired. De Quincey's influence was later seen in the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Baudelaire.

The condition of the Roman Emperors has never yet been fully appreciated; nor has it been sufficiently perceived in what respects it was absolutely unique. There was but one Rome: no other city, as we are satisfied by the collation of many facts, either of ancient or modern times, has ever rivalled this astonishing metropolis in the grandeur of magnitude; and not many - if we except the cities of Greece, none at all - in the grandeur of architectural display. Speaking even of London, we ought in all reason to say - the Nation of London, and not the City of London; but of Rome in her palmy days, nothing less could be said in the naked severity of logic. A million and a half of souls - that population, apart from any other distinctions, is per se for London a justifying ground for such a classification; à fortiori, then, will it belong to a city which counted from one horn to the other of its mighty suburbs not less than four millions of inhabitants [Footnote: Concerning this question - once so fervidly debated, yet so unprofitably for the final adjudication, and in some respects, we may add, so erroneously - on a future occasion.] at the very least, as we resolutely maintain after reviewing all that has been written on that much vexed theme, and very probably half as many more. Republican Rome had her prerogative tribe; the earth has its prerogative city; and that city was Rome.

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - The condition of the Roman Emperors has never yet been fully appreciated; nor has it been sufficiently perceived in what respects it was absolutely unique. There was but one Rome: no other city, as we are satisfied by the collation of many facts, either of ancient or modern times, has ever rivalled this astonishing metropolis in the grandeur of magnitude; and not many - if we except the cities of Greece, none at all - in the grandeur of architectural display. Speaking even of London, we ought in all reason to say - the Nation of London, and not the City of London; but of Rome in her palmy days, nothing less could be said in the naked severity of logic. A million and a half of souls - that population, apart from any other distinctions, is per se for London a justifying ground for such a classification; à fortiori, then, will it belong to a city which counted from one horn to the other of its mighty suburbs not less than four millions of inhabitants [Footnote: Concerning this question - once so fervidly debated, yet so unprofitably for the final adjudication, and in some respects, we may add, so erroneously - on a future occasion.] at the very least, as we resolutely maintain after reviewing all that has been written on that much vexed theme, and very probably half as many more. Republican Rome had her prerogative tribe; the earth has its prerogative city; and that city was Rome.

Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, Suspiria de Profundis, and 'The English Mail-Coach' are De Quincey's finest essays in autobiography, published here with three appendices containing a wealth of related manuscript material and a comprehensive introduction and notes.

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY HOWARD MARKSOnce upon a time, opium (the main ingredient of heroin) was easily available over the chemist's counter.

"e;Thou has the keys of Paradise, oh just, subtle, and mighty opium!"e; Determined to counter the lies about opium that had been told by travellers to the Orient and the medical profession, De Quincey describes his addiction, the consciousness alteringproperties of the drug, its pleasures and its pains.

En vinternat i 1811 myrdede John Williams en ung familie i London. To uger efter myrdede han en værtshusholder og dennes husholdning. Mordene var blodige og bestialske – men John Williams tog hemmeligheden om, hvorfor alle disse mennesker skulle dø, med sig i graven. Måske vidste han det ikke selv. Thomas De Quincey var dybt fascineret af John Williams. Han opfattede ham som symbol på et aspekt ved vores civilisation og skrev i årenes løb fire essays, hvor han med John Williams som udgangspunkt og rød tråd diskuterede mordet og morderen som begreb. Teksterne, der fik stor indflydelse på både 1800-tallets dekadente litteratur og eftertidens kriminallitteratur, er et festfyrværkeri af provokerende, barokke og begavede iagttagelser. Med den levende og dramatiske beretning om selve mordene som hjørnesten veksler De Quincey mellem livlig reportage, skarp psykologisk analyse og brillant satire og finder undervejs lejlighed til at diskutere både litteratur, æstetik og filosofi. Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859) hører til den lyrisk-følsomme del af den engelske romantik, selvom han skrev samtidig med de senere så fremherskende revolutions­romantikere anført af Percy Bysshe Shelley og Lord Byron. Sammen med En engelsk opiumbrugers bekendelser/Suspiria de profundis/Den engelske postvogn (Klim 2010) udgør denne bogs fire essays Thomas De Quinceys blivende bidrag til verdenslitteraturen.

Teksterne i denne bog er skrevet af en narkoman. Thomas De Quincey vandrede hele livet i et opiumfremkaldt tågeland mellem drøm og virkelighed. Hvor tid og sted ikke fandtes, hvor diabolske uhyrer huserede og groteske ansigter trængte sig ind på ham, hvor krige og storme rasede uophørligt, hvor alt var usammenhængende, forvrænget, skrækindjagende og undertiden smukt – og hvor opiumdråberne som regel var de eneste sikre trædesten. I bogen skildrer De Quincey disse rejser til de mørkeste lag af hans sind. Og dermed bliver bogen også en storslået beretning om en mand på vej til sig selv og verden – om en mand der i sin stræben efter lys aldrig ophørte med, som han sagde, at male på mørket. Det er nogle af verdenslitteraturens forunderligste og mest originale prosaværker, der hermed har fået stemme på dansk. Af de tre tekster har kun ungdomsværket 'En engelsk opiumbrugers bekendelser' tidligere været oversat, men i en senere og stærkt modificeret udgave. Ved at føre værket tilbage til sin originale skikkelse og udgive det sammen med 'Suspiria de profundis' og 'Den engelske postvogn' er det nu for første gang muligt i oversættelse at opleve De Quinceys vældige tableauer, som han oprindeligt havde tænkt sig dem.