THOMAS DE QUINCEY From the original at the national Portrait Gallery Painting by Sir J Walton Gordon His original signature can be seen at the British Museum, London, on a letter to J A Hessey, dated 28th April, 1822. He says "Not having paid my landlady for nine weeks, I have been "dunned", and made an engagement that I would pay her something today, could you let me have ? or ??" English Essayist. Born at Manchester, August 15th 1785. At sixteen he ran away from school and later came to London sleeping in an empty house in Soho. Returning to his relatives in 1803 went to live at Grasmere. He wrote many brilliant essays, but will probably be best remembered for his "Confessions of an English Opium Eater". He died in Edinburgh on December 8th 1859.