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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 DictionaryAnima Saturni

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English Edition · Branch 68 of 740

Anima Saturni

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 68

Anima Saturni

Metals minerals and metallic preparations · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. The “soul of Saturn” identified with lead’s sweetness.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 4; facsimile PDF page 332.

Historical Definition

Anima Saturni is the sweetness of lead.

Meaning

The second word supplies the key material identification: the entry belongs to the lead family, not to an account of the planet considered in isolation. “Sweetness” describes the feature through which the dictionary identifies this preparation. It does not establish one precise modern lead compound or invite a sensory test. A historical recipe must provide the missing preparation details.

Compare Altey plumbi and Butyrum Saturni, which connect the same material with sweet matter and butter vocabulary. Together, the entries show how a preparation can be described through attributed quality, bodily image and philosophical name. Those associations help decode a text while leaving differences among actual recipes open.

Places to Read

Altey plumbi. A lead preparation characterized as sweet.

Butyrum Saturni. A “butter of Saturn” name referring back to the sweet matter of lead.

Dulcedo Saturni. A Saturnian sweetness linked with Altey and ceruse.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 4; facsimile PDF page 332 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Anima Saturni ; compare Altey plumbi, Butyrum Saturni, Dulcedo Saturni, Anima

See also. Altey plumbi; Butyrum Saturni; Dulcedo Saturni; Anima

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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.