Excerpt from "The Pleasures"

Oh! just, subtle, and mighty

opium! that to the hearts of the poor

and rich alike, for the wounds that

will never heal, and for the 'pangs

that tempt the spirit to rebel,'

bringest an assuaging balm;

eloquent opium! that with thy

potent rhetoric stealest away the

purposes of wrath; and to the

guilty man, for one night givest

back the hopes of his youth, and

hands washed pure of blood...

                                       THOMAS DE QUINCEY

                       (Confessions of an English Opium-Eater)