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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 DictionarySaphirea materia

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English Edition · Branch 289 of 740

Saphirea materia

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 289

Saphirea materia

Salts solvents and liquid preparations · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. A liquid defined through purity achieved by separation.

In the book. Compare Quintessentia and Spagirus: both emphasize separating what is pure from what is impure.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 42; facsimile PDF page 370.

Historical Definition

Saphirea materia is a liquor in which there is no impurity or corruption, the pure having been separated from the impure.

Meaning

Liquor means liquid here. The definition gives neither a gemstone nor a color, despite the suggestive headword. Its stated property is the absence of impurity and corruption after separation.

Use in the Book

Compare Quintessentia and Spagirus: both emphasize separating what is pure from what is impure. The relation is methodological. The articles do not establish that their resulting materials are identical.

Places to Read

Quintessentia. A purified spiritual matter obtained from living things.

Spagirus. The alchemical practitioner defined through discrimination and separation.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 42; facsimile PDF page 370 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Saphirea materia; 1650 facsimile PDF p. 370; compare Quintessentia, Spagirus

See also. Quintessentia; Spagirus

289

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.