Valentine

Valentine, BASIL, a pseudonym framed to imply occult mastery over the metals (Basilius, 'royal'; Valentinus, from valco), was the name given to the author of a series of alchemical works, assumed to have flourished in Germany at the end of the 15th century. Kopp (in his Alchemie) and Schorlemmer have proved that the actual author was Johann Thölde, who in 1612 published the Halographia under his own name, and in 1644 under that of Basil Valentine. A translation of The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony was published in 1661. See ALCHEMY.