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Mensis Philosophicus
Language number and measures · A Chymical Dictionary
At a Glance
The word. A philosophical month measured as forty days of digestion.
In the book. Digestio supplies a separate explanation of the operation.
A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 33; facsimile PDF page 361.
Historical Definition
Mensis Philosophicus is the full period of digestion, namely forty days.
Meaning
The compiler defines the month by the completion of an operation and then gives its duration. Forty days is therefore part of the stated meaning, rather than a calendar month silently assumed by a modern reader. The entry does not describe what is digested or the conditions under which that span applies.
Use in the Book
Digestio supplies a separate explanation of the operation. Keeping the operation and its named full period together makes the technical use of month more precise than a general statement that all philosophical time is symbolic.
Places to Read
Digestio. Preparation understood through digestion and the separation of pure from impure.
Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 33; facsimile PDF page 361 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymical Dictionary 1650, 1650 dictionary, facsimile PDF page 361, Mensis Philosophicus
See also. Digestio