# Confessions of an English Opium-Eater — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey.

- [To the Reader](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/to-the-reader.md): The author introduces his confessions, justifying the public exposure of his opium use by the potential benefit to other opium-eaters. He describes the widespread prevalence of opium use across English society, from emin
- [Confessions of an English Opium-Eater](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/confessions-of-an-english-opium-eater.md): The narrator introduces himself as a scholar and begins his confessions, detailing his early life, his struggles with poverty and hunger in London, and his first encounters with opium. He reflects on the nature of addict
- [Preliminary Confessions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/preliminary-confessions.md): The author explains why he must provide preliminary confessions: to justify how a reasonable being would become an opium-eater, to provide context for his opium dreams, and to create personal interest. He describes his e
- [The Pleasures of Opium](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/part-ii-the-pleasures-of-opium.md): The narrator recounts his first encounter with opium in the autumn of 1804, after suffering from rheumatic pains. He describes the purchase from a druggist near the Pantheon in London, the immediate and profound pleasure
- [Introduction to the Pains of Opium](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/part-ii-introduction-to-the-pains-of-opium.md): The narrator reflects on his life in 1812, eight years after first taking opium, living in a mountain cottage and studying German metaphysics. He describes his daily opium use, his health, and his philosophical justifica

> 3 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se_1152kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [The Pains of Opium](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/part-ii-the-pains-of-opium.md)
- [Appendix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/appendix.md)
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters/endnotes.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/confessions_of_an_english_opium_eater_se/chapters