THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HASHISH
My contribution to the subject will therefore be strictly
personal, and so far incomplete; indeed in a sense valueless,
since in such a matter personality may so largely outweigh all
other factors of the problem. At the same time I must
insist that my armour is more complete in several directions
than that of my predecessors, inasmuch as I possess the
advantage not only of a prolonged psychological training, a
solid constitution, a temperament on which hashish acts by
exciting perception (Safifia) quite unalloyed by sensation
(Vedana) and a perfect scepticism; but also of more than
an acquaintance’ with ceremonial drunkenness among many
nations and with the magical or mystical processes of all
times and all races. It may fairly be retorted upon me that
this unique qualification of mine is the very factor which most
vitiates my results. However. . .
With the question of intoxication considered as a key
to knowledge let me begin, for from that side did I
myself first suspect the existence of the drug which (as I now
believe) is some sublimated or purified preparation of Cannabis
indica.
II
“Labour thou around the Strophalos of Hecate.”
ZOROASTER.
In 1898-1899 I had just left Cambridge and was living in
rooms in Chancery Lane, honoured by the presence of Allan
Bennett (now Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya) as my guest.
such as they are, are unbiased by knowledge. The coincidences with
Baudelaire now appear very striking.
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