DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · English Edition

Gerhard Dorn and John French

A Chymical Dictionary

An Expanded Diotimos Lexicon of Paracelsian and Alchemical Language

Explore the Lexicon
A Chymical DictionaryRebus

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

English Edition · Branch 51 of 740

Rebus

Book Mode

A Chymical Dictionary

p. 51

Rebus

Elements principles and the natural world · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. The final matter or resulting condition of things.

In the book. Rebis, separately defined as bodily excrement, must remain distinct.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 40; facsimile PDF page 368.

Historical Definition

Rebus is the last matter of things.

Meaning

Last matter places the term at the other end of a process from first matter. The definition supplies an order of stages, though it does not name one specific final substance. The subject of the surrounding passage determines what thing has reached its last matter.

Use in the Book

Rebis, separately defined as bodily excrement, must remain distinct. The entries demonstrate why small differences in historical spelling can carry a large difference in the gloss supplied.

Places to Read

Rebis. Rebis in this dictionary denotes bodily excrement.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 40; facsimile PDF page 368 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Rebus; 1650 facsimile PDF p. 368; compare Rebis

See also. Rebis

51

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.