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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · English Edition

Gerhard Dorn and John French

A Chymical Dictionary

An Expanded Diotimos Lexicon of Paracelsian and Alchemical Language

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A Chymical DictionaryTalk

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English Edition · Branch 179 of 740

Talk

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 179

Talk

Metals minerals and metallic preparations · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. A shining flaky material divided into four colors.

In the book. The spelling Talk is a historical headword, with Talcum supplied as another form.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 44; facsimile PDF page 372.

Historical Definition

Talk or Talcum is a clear, shining material, pearl-like in color, compacted in thin leaves or flakes. There are four kinds: white, yellow, red and black.

Meaning

The definition emphasizes visible structure and appearance. Thin leaves or flakes describe how the material is compacted. The initial pearl comparison is followed by four differently colored kinds, so it should not be used to erase the source’s yellow, red or black varieties.

Use in the Book

The spelling Talk is a historical headword, with Talcum supplied as another form. The description should remain the first point of comparison when identifying a use in a passage.

In This Edition

The article retains the fourfold color list without assuming that every material historically included under the name matches one present-day mineral specimen.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 44; facsimile PDF page 372 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Talk; 1650 facsimile PDF p. 372

179

About This Reading Edition

The complete 706 historical definitions of the 1650 English dictionary, modernised and accompanied by expanded Diotimos commentary, reading routes, 15 textual notes and complete linked indexes.

Historical Text

A Chymicall Dictionary, London 1650, English version associated with John French, based on Gerhard Dorn’s Dictionarium Theophrasti Paracelsi. The containing volume also prints Sendivogius and Paracelsus; neither neighboring work changes this dictionary’s attribution.

About This Edition

Complete 706 definition paragraphs with new introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes; Diotimos Editions, 2026.

Rights

The historical 1650 English text is in the public domain. New introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and published with the site owner’s authorization.