From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordA shining flaky material divided into four colors.
- In the bookThe spelling Talk is a historical headword, with Talcum supplied as another form.
- A place to readThe 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.
Places to read
- TalkRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
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.
Source note
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