Angels in Vermilion: The Philosophers' Stone, from Dee to DMT

«Zosimos was an Egyptian priest and artisan principally concerned with the dying or "tincturing" of metals for the same to be used in temple statuary and paraphernalia. Although, metallurgy was admittedly not his sole concern in regards to the royal art.» — según Newman, Zósimo era sacerdote y artesano egipcio ocupado sobre todo en el teñido de metales para estatuaria y utensilios de templo, aunque la metalurgia no fue su único interés

«For example, psychedelic historian, Chris Bennett, emphasizes that “surviving translations of Zosimos' work have the ancient sage identify references to cannabis» — el dato que Newman toma del historiador psicodélico Chris Bennett: las traducciones conservadas de Zósimo traerían referencias a vinos y cervezas infusionadas con cannabis; la cita se corta antes del guion de fin de renglón de *cannabis-infused*, que la herramienta unía en una palabra inexistente

«A self-proclaimed student of the earliest known practitioner of the royal art, Maria Prophetissima, Zosimos' alchemy was clearly that of the operative variety.» — según Newman, Zósimo se declaraba discípulo de María Prophetissima —a quien presenta como la practicante más antigua que se conoce— y su alquimia era de la variedad operativa

«However, according to Shannon Cooper Grimes, Ph.D., author of the groundbreaking study, Becoming Gold: Zosimos of Panopolis and the Alchemical Arts in Roman Egypt, even at such an early date, there was already an underlying speculative, that is, a mystical or metaphysical, element to his and his master's work. This spiritual element, though, for a time, gradually fell by the wayside as alchemy became, over the years, even more materialistic in its pursuits and focus. Exceptions, however, include Bolos of Mendes, Synesius, Olympiodorus, and Stephanos of Alexandria, all of whom considered alchemy also to be a spiritual pursuit.» — la posición que Newman atribuye a Shannon Cooper Grimes, autora de *Becoming Gold*: ya en fecha tan temprana había un elemento especulativo, místico o metafísico, bajo el trabajo de Zósimo y su maestra, elemento que después se fue perdiendo salvo en Bolos de Mendes, Sinesio, Olimpiodoro y Estéfano de Alejandría

«Through the centuries, the "stone" came to be associated less with the "tincturing" of metals for statuary and more with the dubious notion of actually transmuting base metals, such as lead, tin, iron, copper, and mercury, into the higher metals, silver and gold "higher" because, while they may tarnish, unlike the other planetary metals, they do not rust, corrode or patinize. By the time of the Middle Ages, this superficial interpretation had fully taken root and become commonplace among alchemical practitioners.» — la genealogía que Newman traza del término: con los siglos la piedra pasó de teñir metales para estatuaria a la noción de transmutar metales bajos en plata y oro, y esa lectura superficial se volvió corriente en la Edad Media

«The thirteenth-century German Catholic Dominican friar and bishop, Saint Albertus Magnus, for example, claimed to have been present at just such a suspicious transmutation. Even so, at least two centuries prior, we still see Islamic alchemists, such as the polymath, Avicenna, carrying Zosimos» — los dos testimonios que Newman contrapone sin arbitrar: Alberto Magno declaró haber presenciado una de esas transmutaciones y, dos siglos antes, Avicena sostenía lo contrario; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana

«Those of the chemical craft know well that no change can be effected in the different species of substances, though they can produce the appearance of such change.» — la frase de Avicena que Newman cita: los del oficio químico saben que no puede efectuarse cambio alguno entre especies distintas de sustancias, solo producirse la apariencia del cambio

«It was around the time of the end of the Middle Ages that alchemy began to recover its metaphysical flavor. As the late Dan Merkur, a past faculty member of the Toronto Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis and visiting scholar in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto, wrote in his remarkable study, Gnosis: An Esoteric Tradition of Mystical Visions and Unions,» — según Newman, la alquimia recupera su sabor metafísico hacia el final de la Edad Media, y para sostenerlo recurre a Dan Merkur y su estudio *Gnosis*

«The founders of Greek alchemy, Maria the Jewess and Zosimos of Panopolis, were most certainly mystics, but two early instances do not constitute a tradition. There are no claims to revelation in the writings of other Hellenistic alchemists. Neither is mysticism to be found in the works of Arabic alchemy that I have been able to consult. Mysticism is not demonstrable in Western alchemy prior to the Late Middle Ages.» — la tesis de Merkur que Newman reproduce entera: María la Judía y Zósimo fueron místicos, pero dos casos tempranos no hacen tradición, y el misticismo no es demostrable en la alquimia occidental antes de la baja Edad Media

«That Merkur did not find evidence of mysticism in the works of Arabic alchemy is not surprising. Many Arabic texts on alchemy have yet to see translation. Notably, there is clear mention of a "Red Sulphur" in the works of Ibn» — la objeción que Newman le pone al propio Merkur: que no hallara misticismo en la alquimia árabe no le extraña, porque muchos textos árabes siguen sin traducción, y señala el azufre rojo en Ibn ʿArabi

«By the time of the Renaissance, thanks in part to the innovations and expansions of Paracelsus, serious practitioners of alchemy, while still maintaining an interest in metallic ores as well as gem stones, began to turn their attention toward the hidden and medicinal virtues of various plants.» — según Newman, con el Renacimiento y por obra de Paracelso los practicantes serios vuelven la atención hacia las virtudes ocultas y medicinales de las plantas

«Distinct from the light of the Holy Spirit, which is to be read in the holy scripture, Paracelsus postulated a lumen naturae that may be read only in the "Book of Nature."» — la distinción paracelsiana que Newman expone: aparte de la luz del Espíritu Santo, que se lee en la escritura, hay un *lumen naturae* que solo se lee en el libro de la naturaleza

«There are, therefore, two kinds of knowledge in this world: an eternal and a temporal. The eternal springs directly from the light of the Holy Spirit, but the other directly from the Light of Nature.» — la formulación de Paracelso que Newman cita: dos clases de conocimiento, uno eterno que brota de la luz del Espíritu Santo y otro temporal que brota de la luz de la naturaleza

«According to another Swiss enthusiast of alchemy, it is this light of nature that "illuminates consciousness." With this revelatory insight to guide him, Paracelsus revolutionized a number of proto-pharmaceutical techniques for extracting various drugs from different plant substances. Similarly, he is also accredited with the rediscovery of the medicinal properties of opium and with the creation of laudanum.» — Newman remite a otro suizo aficionado a la alquimia —la nota da a Jung— para la idea de que esa luz de la naturaleza ilumina la consciencia, y adjudica a Paracelso el redescubrimiento del opio medicinal y la creación del láudano

«Following the work of our Swiss physician, there was a notable shift in interest among practitioners of the art from the so-called "dry path" of alchemy, or work with minerals and metals, to the "wet path," or work with spagyrics or plant alchemy. In fact, even where the transmutation of base metals was still of primary interest, the philosophers' stone, by which that transmutation was believed to be effected, was still thought to be found in the plant kingdom.» — el desplazamiento que Newman describe como central para su tesis: del camino seco —minerales y metales— al camino húmedo o espagiria vegetal, hasta el punto de buscar la piedra misma en el reino vegetal

«Many descriptions of the stone have been given over the centuries, a number of which were collated by the fictitious French alchemist, Fulcanelli, in his sophomore effort, Dwellings of the Philosophers. The transmission is as follows. The quote must be given at length.» — Newman presenta a Fulcanelli como alquimista francés ficticio y toma de *Dwellings of the Philosophers* la recopilación de descripciones de la piedra que va a citar íntegra

«If this is true, we would argue that it was the rediscovery of alcohol distillation by Raymond Lully, a disciple of Arnold de Villa Nova, author of the celebrated Rosarium philosophorum (attr. thirteenth century), during the Late Middle Ages and, chiefly, the emergence of the Swiss alchemist and physician, Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, better known by his moniker, Paracelsus» — la réplica condicionada con que Newman contesta a Merkur: si eso es así, el resurgimiento místico vendría del redescubrimiento de la destilación del alcohol por Raimundo Lulio y, sobre todo, de la irrupción de Paracelso; el pasaje adjudica de paso el *Rosarium philosophorum* a Arnaldo de Vilanova

«The expression [Red Sulphur'] is often used in Sufi vocabulary as a metaphor indicating the excellence of the spiritual level attained by the» — primera mitad de la lectura que Newman toma de la arabista Claude Addas: en vocabulario sufí el azufre rojo es metáfora del grado espiritual del santo; el tramo se corta al entrar la nota al pie de la plana

«saint, or wali; Ibn 'Arabi himself is often referred to by his disciples as [such]. [...] The 'red sulphur' which [...] the pilgrim sets out in search of in the city of the Messenger' is none other than the inheritance' reserved for whoever attains to the Station of Muhammed.» — continuación de la misma cita de Addas en la plana siguiente: el azufre rojo que el peregrino busca en la ciudad del Mensajero sería la herencia reservada a quien alcanza la estación de Mahoma

«First, let us say that, according to the scared language, the term philosopher's stone, means the stone which bears the sign of the sun. The solar sign is characterized by its red coloration, which can vary in intensity, as Basil Valentine says, 'Its color ranges from rosy red to crimson red, or from ruby to pomegranate red'; [...] So much for color» — primera pieza de la recopilación que Newman cita de Fulcanelli: la piedra filosofal es la que lleva el signo del sol, y ese signo es la coloración roja, que Basilio Valentín gradúa del rojo rosado al carmesí; el impreso escribe *scared* donde se espera *sacred*

«Its fusibility is such, indeed, that all authors have compared it to that of wax; it melts in the flame of a candle, they repeat; some, for this reason, have even given it in the name of great red wax.» — tercera pieza: la fusibilidad se compara con la de la cera, hasta el nombre de gran cera roja

«We hear the same from Heinrich Khunrath when he writes in his Ampitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae, 'At last, when the Work will have passed from ashy color to [...] brittle as glass; taking on a saffron color when it is reduced to powder, yet red as ruby when it remains in one unadulterated mass (this color is the signature of perfect» — cuarta pieza: Khunrath describe el paso del color ceniciento al azafranado en polvo y al rojo rubí en masa entera, y llama a ese color la firma de la fijación perfecta; el impreso da *Ampitheatrum* por *Amphitheatrum*

«from an innkeeper, the philosopher's stone found in the tomb of a bishop who was said to have been very rich; it was red [...] but without any odor.» — continuación de la misma frase al otro lado del corte de chunk: la piedra procedente de la tumba del obispo era roja y sin olor

«Meanwhile, Berigard of Pisa says that a skillful man gave him a gros (3.82 grams) of a powder whose color was similar to that of the red poppy and which had the odor of calcined sea salt. [...] This powdered product came, says Khunrath, from a red mass.» — la variación cromática que Fulcanelli documenta: Berigard de Pisa recibió un polvo del color de la amapola roja y con olor a sal marina calcinada, que Khunrath hace venir de una masa roja

«In a transmutation performed by Seton in July 1602, in front of Dr Jacob Zwinger, the powder used was, according to Dienheim, [...] of a color appearing lemon yellow. A year later, during a second projection at the house of a goldsmith, Hans de Kempen in Cologne, August 11, 1603, the same artist used a red stone.» — los dos ensayos de Setonio que Fulcanelli data: el de julio de 1602 ante Jacob Zwinger con polvo amarillo limón y el del 11 de agosto de 1603 en Colonia con piedra roja

«According to several trustworthy witnesses, this stone, directly obtained in powder form, could take on a color as bright as that of a stone formed in a compact mass. This instance is rather rare, but it can happen and is worth mentioning.» — la reserva que la propia fuente introduce: el caso de un polvo tan brillante como la masa compacta es raro, aunque puede ocurrir

«In this way, an Italian Adept, who, in 1658, realized the transmutation in front of the Protestant minister, Gros, at the house of a goldsmith (named Bureau) from Geneva, used, according to those who were in attendance, a red» — otro testimonio de la serie: un adepto italiano que en 1658 transmutó ante el ministro protestante Gros, en casa del orfebre Bureau de Ginebra, con un polvo rojo

«Schmeider described the stone that Boetticher obtained from Lascaris as a substance having the appearance of a fire-red colored glass.» — según la recopilación, Schmeider describió la piedra que Boetticher obtuvo de Lascaris como una sustancia con aspecto de vidrio rojo fuego

«The Cosmopolite, whom Louis Figuier believes to be the alchemist» — segunda pieza de la recopilación de Fulcanelli, cortada por el pie de plana: el Cosmopolita, que Louis Figuier identifica con un alquimista cuyo nombre llega en la plana siguiente

«known under the name of Seton, and others under the name of Michael Sendivogius, describes in this passage its translucent appearance, its crystalline form, and its fusibility: If one were to find', he said, 'our subject in its last state of perfection, made and composed by nature; if it were fusible, like wax or butter, and its redness, its diaphanous nature or clarity appeared on the outside; it would be in truth our blessed stone.» — continuación: el Cosmopolita sería Setonio, y para otros Michael Sendivogius; la descripción va por la traslucidez, la forma cristalina y la fusibilidad, con la condición que la propia cita mantiene en potencial

«Around 1585, the English adventurer Edward Kelley, surnamed Talbot, had acquired» — la pieza que sostiene la cadena entera del libro: hacia 1585 Edward Kelley, apodado Talbot, habría adquirido la piedra; el tramo se corta en el límite de chunk, donde el marcador de plana se reemite sin cambiar de número

«As for the sample given by Lascaris to Dierback, it was examined under Counselor Dippel's microscope and appeared composed of a multitude of small grains or crystals which were red or orange;» — la muestra de Lascaris a Dierback, examinada al microscopio del consejero Dippel, aparecía compuesta de una multitud de granos o cristales rojos o anaranjados

«Jean-Baptiste Helmont, relating his experience in 1618 in his laboratory at Vilvorde near Brussels, writes, I have seen and touched the philosopher's stone more than once; its color is like powdered saffron, but [...]] shining like pulverized glass.» — el testimonio de Jean-Baptiste van Helmont, fechado en 1618 en su laboratorio de Vilvorde: dice haber visto y tocado la piedra más de una vez, de color como azafrán en polvo

«In the category of tinctures, i.e., liquids obtained by solutions oily metallic extracts, we have the account of Godwin Herman Braun from Osnabrueck who achieved the transmutation in 1701, using a tincture having the appearance of an oil, rather fluid and of a brown color» — la última entrada de la recopilación: la transmutación de Godwin Herman Braun en 1701 con una tintura de aspecto oleoso, fluida y de color pardo

«Perhaps the finest description comes from the German physician and alchemist, John Frederick Schweitzer, usually known by his pen name, Helvetius, who wrote in his book, Vitulus Aureus (1677), that the stone is as,» — según Newman, la mejor descripción vendría de John Frederick Schweitzer, conocido como Helvecio, en su *Vitulus Aureus* de 1677

«a brilliant carbuncle [...] altogether smooth, translucid as crystal, compact and exceedingly weighty. It is easily fused in fire, as resin, and after the flight of artificial quicksilver, just as wax. [It is] fragile as glass, in a powder saffron-coloured, but in a solid mass, red like the ruby. Its purple colour is the mark of perfect fixation and fixed perfection... [It is] a red powder (with almost a saffron tinge), liquid like resin, transparent like crystal, fragile like glass, is of a rubinate colour, and of great specific gravity.» — la descripción de Helvecio que Newman cita: carbunclo brillante, translúcido como cristal, fusible como resina, frágil como vidrio, azafranado en polvo y rojo rubí en masa, con el púrpura por marca de la fijación perfecta

«Whether in the form of a stone, a powder, an elixir, or a tincture, the common theme running through all these descriptions, like Ariadne's red thread winding through King Minos' labyrinth, is the lapis' characteristic ruddy, tawny hue.» — la constante que Newman extrae de todos esos testimonios: sea piedra, polvo, elixir o tintura, el hilo común es el tono rojizo del *lapis*

«Preceded by nigredo, ‘blackening, and albedo, 'whitening, this» — la secuencia de fases en que Newman inscribe ese color, precedido por nigredo y albedo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana

«"Morning Redness" or "Aurora," as one German theosopher praised it, alludes to the rubedo or 'red' and final stage of the alchemical magnum opus. It signifies the completion of the alchemist» — según Newman, ese rojo de aurora que un teósofo alemán celebró alude a la rubedo, fase final de la magna obra; una nota consigna que algunas autoridades intercalan una cuarta fase, la citrinitas

«By the time of the Age of Enlightenment, alchemy had largely fallen out of vogue, and the "stone that is not a stone" became the stuff of myth or, at best, of metaphor. Purged of its metaphysical component, the once "royal art" was refashioned by the "Enlightened" as ‘chemistry, and the remainder was consigned to the realm of pseudoscience.» — la periodización que Newman propone: con la Ilustración la alquimia cae en desuso, la piedra que no es piedra queda como mito o metáfora y el arte regio se rehace como química, con el resto mandado a la pseudociencia

«Psychedelics were revered by ancient cultures and used to explore and expand the higher realm that we call Consciousness. P.D. Newman's reinterpretation of Masonic symbolism brings us a step closer to reconnecting with the higher wisdom teachings of cultures in deep antiquity.» — elogio de contraportada firmado por Graham Hancock, autor de *Supernatural*: presenta la relectura de la simbología masónica que hace Newman como un acercamiento a las enseñanzas de sabiduría de la antigüedad profunda

«In his absorbing inquiry into the hypothesis that entheogenic drugs were used not only by archaic and shamanic cultures, but by modern esotericists in the very heart of Europe as well, P.D. Newman draws on the findings of numerous scholars of recent decades, who discovered cryptic references to psychedelic substances in some texts written by alchemist, Freemasons, and theosophists, combines them with his own remarkable research, and leads the reader along the unfolding hidden current of identifying the secret of the Philosophers' Stone with DMT, the powerful hallucinogenic drug found in the bark of acacia. From early-modern alchemists like John Dee and Edward Kelley, through the Masonic rituals of Count Cagliostro and Fratres Lucis, the secret of DMT extraction and application appears to have been transmitted to Madame Blavatsky and her milieu, as well as to the men behind the Fulcanelli affair. P.D. Newman's captivating narrative is often convincingly argued, sometimes with daring interpretations of abstruse symbols and enigmatic statements, but always entrancing.» — elogio de Rafał T. Prinke, coautor de *Splendor Solis*, que resume la cadena que el libro traza —de Dee y Kelley a Cagliostro, Blavatsky y el asunto Fulcanelli— y le pone su reserva: la argumentación le parece a menudo convincente y a veces de interpretación atrevida

«The challenge of deciphering the cryptic coded language of the ancient art of alchemy has long fascinated modern scholars. While other writers have pointed to psychoactive substances such as 'magic' mushrooms or diethyl ether to account for the mind-altering properties of certain types of Philosophers' Stone, in this absorbing and provocative work P.D. Newman uses the revolution in plant spagyrics instigated by Paracelsus as his key to identifying the alchemical agent of» — primera mitad del elogio de Hereward Tilton, que sitúa la propuesta frente a otras que apuntan a hongos o al éter dietílico; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana

«Tracing a chain of transmission from the Angelical Stone of John Dee via the Royal Society to the enigmatic acacia of Masonic ritual, Newman argues that the ruby-red elixir was in fact dimethyltryptamine (DMT), one of the principal psychoactive constituents of the fabled healing potion of Amazonia known as ayahuasca. At once entertaining and intriguing, Angels in Vermilion carries its readers through a little-known yet highly consequential chapter in the history of psychonautics.» — continuación del mismo elogio de Tilton en la plana siguiente, donde nombra la tesis: el elixir rojo rubí sería dimetiltriptamina

«In recent years, we have seen a surge in publications outlining the vital, yet often overlooked (or even repressed), role psychoactive substances» — apertura del elogio de Aaron Leitch, autor de *The Essential Enochian Grimoire*, sobre el auge de publicaciones acerca del papel de las sustancias psicoactivas en el esoterismo occidental; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana

«The sudden appearance of the acacia sprig in Masonic symbolism during John Theophilus Desagulier's term as Grand Master of the first Grand Lodge in London was no accident.» — el punto que Leitch destaca del libro: la aparición de la rama de acacia en la simbología masónica durante el mandato de Desaguliers no habría sido casual; el elogio imprime *Desagulier’s* en singular posesivo

«Writing with clear and engaging language, P.D. Newman presents a work that explores much-ignored areas of entheogenic occultism. Using a mix of primary and secondary source literature, Mr. Newman offers his evidence for underlying entheogenic protocols within secret societies like the Royal Society and Masonic Order, and by ceremonial magicians like John Dee and Edward Kelley. Angels in Vermilion is sure to cause a stir, as Newman dissects ideas and takes them to places many have yet to go. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his conclusions, Newman has produced an original and thoughtful work that should have a home in any psychedelic and/or occult library.» — elogio de Tom Hatsis, autor de *Psychedelic Mystery Traditions*, que recomienda el libro dejando expresamente abierto el acuerdo o desacuerdo con sus conclusiones

«Newman has shaken up the Masonic and occult literary world with his groundbreaking research into the role of psychoactive substances in alchemy and by initiatory societies connected with Freemasonry. His original research, that acacia may have been refined into chemical DMT by figures like Cagliostro and others, has given clear indications of the use of entheogenic substances in alchemy and Masonic-like initiations.» — elogio de Chris Bennett, autor de *Liber 420*, que enuncia la investigación original de Newman: la acacia habría sido refinada en DMT químico por figuras como Cagliostro

«Combining impeccable research, captivating narrative and eloquent prose, P.D. Newman recreates the 'mystical, scriptural, prophetic' worldview of 17th and 18th century alchemists and Freemasons. He unveils their elusive Philosophers' Stone as DMT the powerful psychedelic found in the acacia tree of ancient Egypt and the visionary brew of the Amazon. In the grand style of landmark discoveries of sacred plants and fungi in ancient, classical, and medieval cultures, Newman's Angels in Vermilion boldly expands the 'entheogen theory' to decipher the esoteric writings of early modern European mystics.» — elogio de Jerry B. Brown, coautor de *The Psychedelic Gospels*, que describe la operación del libro como una ampliación de la *entheogen theory* a los místicos europeos de la primera modernidad

«I'd like to thank the following individuals for their assistance in the editing and publishing of this eccentric title: Rebecca Newman, David Brown, Arturo de Hoyos, J. Erik LaPort, Jaime Paul Lamb, Cody Noconi, Chris Bennett, Tom Hatsis, Dick Khan, Erica Patton, Justin Ross, Jacob W. Trayer, Pat Shannahan, and David and Deborah Castles.» — los agradecimientos con que Newman nombra a quienes ayudaron en la edición y publicación de lo que él mismo llama un título excéntrico

«In order to properly appreciate the gravity of P.D. Newman's groundbreaking thesis regarding the inclusion of the symbolism of the sprig of acacia in Masonic ritual and, further, to the plant's history as chronicled in alchemical codices and lore, we must first try to orient ourselves to the perspective that an intellectual and a natural philosopher might have had in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Bearing this historical context in mind, we may conclude that the alchemists, the members of the Royal Society, and, ultimately, the founders of modern Freemasonry, would have approached the material from a markedly different vantage point than our own.» — apertura del foreword de Jaime Paul Lamb: para pesar la tesis de Newman, dice, hay que reponer primero la perspectiva del filósofo natural medieval y renacentista

«Unlike the men of our time, whose orientations on the subject have been conditioned by the puritanical rhetoric of Richard Nixon and Nancy Reagan's 'War on Drugs, the» — Lamb contrapone la mirada condicionada por la retórica de la guerra contra las drogas a la de los alquimistas; el tramo se corta en el límite de chunk, con el marcador de plana reemitido

«alchemists and Masons of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries would have viewed this work as sacred, secret and revelatory. Whereas the frame of reference to the psychedelic experience of the modern 'psychonaut' would be shaped by tired tropes associated with the Summer of Love or with rave culture, the seventeenth-century natural philosopher's orientation on the matter would have been mythical, scriptural, prophetic.» — continuación de la misma frase de Lamb al otro lado del corte: para el filósofo natural del siglo XVII la orientación ante el asunto habría sido mítica, escritural y profética

«The DMT entities described in today's New Age circles would have appeared to these men as angels, dæmons, and djinn. The lights, patterns and colors accompanying the recreational LSD trip of today, would have seemed to these men as Enochian, Jacobian or Johannine in their phantasmagoric breadth and scope.» — la equivalencia que Lamb propone entre las categorías de una época y otra: las entidades del DMT de los círculos New Age habrían sido para aquellos hombres ángeles, dæmones y djinn

«this perspective fixed in mind that one should endeavor to approach the material herein, lest they misinterpret the matter and hastily dismiss Newman's thesis out-of-hand based solely upon the prudish notions surrounding psychedelic drugs and the entheogenic experience modern society unfortunately holds today.» — la advertencia con que Lamb cierra el encuadre: leer el material desde las nociones actuales sobre las drogas psicodélicas llevaría a descartar la tesis de Newman de entrada

«The type of research Newman presents is illustrative of a new renaissance in Masonic thought and letters; one which the Craft has not enjoyed since, perhaps, before the World Wars. So often, Masonic authors are content to color inside the lines and cleave closely, comfortably, to histories and other established areas of study - and it is understandable. Frankly, it is nearly impossible to find the hidden gem of an original observation when writing about subjects such as alchemy and Freemasonry, which has been well-travelled nay, nearly picked clean! over the last few centuries. It is only with the fearless spirit of the avant garde in our research that we may begin to break out of the closed circuit of that which has been established and trod into the unknown. History has shown, fairly often, that today's 'crazy idea' is tomorrow's standing paradigm. To my knowledge, there hasn't been a more shattering new idea in Masonic or alchemical research than Newman's acacia thesis since, probably, Robert Hewitt Brown» — la comparación con que Lamb sitúa la novedad del planteo dentro de la literatura masónica, remitiéndola a *Stellar Theology and Masonic Astronomy* de Robert Hewitt Brown

«Newman was named Author of the Month for January, 2018 by the renowned author, researcher and psychonaut, Graham Hancock on his website;» — el dato de recepción que Lamb consigna: Graham Hancock nombró a Newman autor del mes en enero de 2018 en su sitio

«It is therefore clear that Newman has begun to make a significant impression on the global psychedelic and esoteric research communities and it is not inconceivable that, in time, Newman will be mentioned in the same breath as giants such as Ruck, Wasson, and Hofmann.» — el pronóstico con que Lamb cierra, en condicional: no le parece inconcebible que con el tiempo se mencione a Newman junto a Ruck, Wasson y Hofmann

«Jaime Paul Lamb Author of Myth, Magick & Masonry Phoenix, Arizona March 19, A.L. 6020» — la firma del foreword, con el cómputo masónico *anno lucis*

«In this seminal new publication, Newman traces the fascinating history of the mysterious red powder and its undeniable similarities to modern DMT extracts. It was just such a substance that brought Kelley to Dee - and resulted in their famous journals of angelic revelations. And this barely scratches the surface of what you will learn in this long-overdue exploration of the use of DMT in the Western Mysteries. I highly recommend Angels in Vermilion, not only for the information it contains, but also for its ability to grab and hold your fascination and imagination.» — versión abreviada del elogio de Aaron Leitch en la contracubierta, distinta de la que trae la plana 3: allí el elogio habla del polvo rojo misterioso y aquí no se nombra la acacia

«The challenge of deciphering the cryptic coded language of the ancient art of alchemy has long fascinated modern scholars. P.D. Newman uses the revolution in plant spagyrics instigated by Paracelsus as his key to identifying the alchemical agent of inner transmutation. At once entertaining and intriguing, Angels in Vermilion carries its readers through a little-known yet highly consequential chapter in the history of psychonautics.» — versión abreviada del elogio de Hereward Tilton en la contracubierta: suprime el cotejo con hongos y éter que trae la plana 2

«Once considered the "Holy Grail" of hallucinogens, over the last quarter century, DMT has entered the public mind like never before. No longer a taboo topic to be discussed in hushed tones among an esoteric elite, P.D. Newman's Angels in Vermilion traces a secret lineage of transmission, beginning with Elizabethan alchemists, Dr. John Dee and Sir Edward Kelley, winding through the Royal Society and Masonic fraternity, and leading all the way up to the "nineteenth-century" occult revival and beyond. Fathoming Hell and soaring angelic, Newman leaves no stone unturned in his quest to uncover the hidden, hallucinatory history of the "Spirit Molecule," DMT.» — el texto de contracubierta sin firma, presumiblemente editorial: resume la obra como el rastreo de un linaje secreto de transmisión que va de Dee y Kelley a la Royal Society, la masonería y el revival ocultista decimonónico

«Printed in the USA CPSIA information can be obtained at www.ICGtesting.com LVHW061150021024 792733LV00014B/368 9781716 094705» — el colofón de impresión bajo demanda que cierra el ejemplar, con el código de lote y el ISBN en el código de barras