CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM-EATER - REFLECTIONS ON ADDICTION AND HUMAN SUFFERING

Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859), que Baudelaire a contribué à rendre célèbre en France, est l'auteur d'une oeuvre abondante, dont on retient habituellement Les Confessions d'un opiomane anglais et De l'Assassinat considéré comme un des beaux-arts. Les Derniers Jours d'Emmanuel Kant, un de ses textes les plus aboutis, sont incontestablement à ranger aux côtés de ces chefs-d'oeuvre.Ce n'est pas un hasard si Marcel Schwob, lui-même auteur de Vies imaginaires a traduit ce récit. Car si De Quincey s'est appuyé sur des mémoires de contemporains de Kant pour retracer la vie et surtout la fin du philosophe, c'est une véritable oeuvre de fiction qu'il bâtit, dont Kant est le personnage à la fois sublime et ridicule, saisi dans ce qu'il a de plus intime. On ne trouvera dans ce livre aucun développement sur sa philosophie mais une succession d'anecdotes révélatrices. De ce mélange d'ironie et de tendresse finit par se dégager une profonde mélancolie, celle du temps qui passe et détruit inexorablement les plus grands esprits.

Résumé : The Suspiria is a collection of prose poems, or what De Quincey called "impassioned prose, " erratically written and published starting in 1854. Each Suspiria is a short essay written in reflection of the opium dreams De Quincey would experience over the course of his lifetime addiction, and they are considered by some critics to be some of the finest examples of prose poetry in all of English literature. De Quincey originally planned them as a sequel of sorts to his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, but the first set was published separately in Blackwood's Magazine in the spring and summer of that 1854. De Quincey then published a revised version of those first Suspiria, along with several new ones, in his collected works. During his life he kept a master list of titles of the Suspiria he planned on writing, and completed several more before his death ; those that survived time and fire were published posthumously in 1891.

De Quincey's Revolt of the Tartars" by Thomas De Quincey is a compelling narrative that transports readers to the heart of ancient Asia, where the eponymous revolt unfolds with gripping intensity. De Quincey's vivid prose and meticulous research breathe life into this historical event, capturing the tumultuous political landscape and the fierce battles that shaped the fate of nations. Through his narrative, De Quincey explores themes of power, rebellion, and the clash of civilizations, offering readers a nuanced understanding of the complexities of history. "Revolt of the Tartars" stands as a testament to De Quincey's literary skill and his ability to illuminate the past with vivid detail and profound insight, ensuring that this riveting tale continues to captivate readers for generations to come.