A Philosophical ESSAY for the REUNION OF THE LANGVAGES, OR, the Art of Knowing all by the Mastery of one.  
OXFORD Printed by HEN: HALL. for JAMES GOOD. 1675.   

The Printer to the READER.  
MEeting by chance with this ingenuous offer, I thought it might not be improper since I found it in another dress, to make it speak another Language too, which among the most creditable of Europe, hath not desisted from its claim to Antiquity: There are very few Nations but have, at sometime or other, laid in their pretences to a supremacy for their Language, and have boasted an assistance from unsuspected reason and Authority: But however variously the controversy hath been managed, the modesty, and ingenuity of this Author hath rendered, his design more plausible, for having without any private regard (in such cases most usual to the spruce and flourishing Air of his own Native tongue) made that noble Language of the Romans the Basis of his project; And finding him throughout altogether free from prejudice and partiality, I thought an anteview of so excellent and useful, a design would not be unacceptable to the more ingenious part of the world, and that I ought not to neglect so fair an opportunity of recommending to their consideration that illustrious dialect, which as it is certainly of all others the most valuable, so to the shame of these modern ages, is either exceedingly impaired or lost in its familiar uses among those who challenge the title of the Beaux Esprits of the times. The aim therefore of this Projector being to facilitate and expedite the Mastery of this as well as others, its survey may possibly appear not altogether ungrateful if it be but in hopes to find this encouragement that we shall be able to reserve some number of years from our usually tadious application to its study for other eminent uses, and commence men & Scholars at a much easier rate and in an earlier age than now commonly practised; I should prevent the Author If I should entertain you with any farther commendation of it them that he hath taken for his model the most creditable and plausible Language of the world. If at any time you divert yourself with reading Novels; you will here meet with notions that are both Philosophical and Airy, and in order to the main design for the most part purely scientifick and demonstrative; and after If all you shall think that you have not misspent your time by observing something that is either useful or pleasurable I shall have my design and the Author the credit.  
Farewell.   

AS the Knowledge of foreign Languages ought not to be reputed one of those vain and useless curiosities that serve only to amuse the mind, but is certainly conducive to a thousand different ends; so we ought not to think it strange if our age, which gives such equal and secure judgement of the value of things show more of passion then ever for it, notwithstanding all the difficulties that are pretended. I am of an opinion, that one cannot do the world a more acceptable piece of service, then to invent a certain and easy way to become universally acquainted with the Languages, and to quit a subject from those intrigues, in which the more knowing have at present involved it, either from a pure impotence to disengage it, or possibly from a fond desire of a freer breath of popular Air from those who are ordinarily most taken with what they least understand.  
This design being only a proper entertainment for the most critical of the Virtuoses, I am the more inclinable to expose to the public, the project and plain I have formed, before I entirely abandon the whole to their censure; that I may at first anticipate all manner of reply, and take advantage from the lights of the most accomplished and intelligent persons, if their zeal hath courage enough to make them willing to serve the world in their love and communication.  

The Author's design.  
Most men being prepossessed with two unjust prejudices against the nature of the Languages, th'one, that they have not all either resemblance or accord among them, the other, that they only depend upon the inconstancy of chance, and the whifling toyishness of custom, it might be thought no matter of extraordinary concernment, if one pretended to succeed in a study of this nature by the single efforts of the memory, without either the vivacity of imagination, or the force of reason being interress'd.  
But being not very well persuaded of the agreeableness of this method, in direct opposition to it, I have fastened the whole design in hand upon these two propositions:  
First, that there is a certain accord between the several Languages: and that therefore they are attainable by comparison.  
Secondly, they are unquestionably founded upon reason, and therefore that must be made use of in their mutual reference. It is upon these two foundations that I pretend to establish the true method of gaining a mastery of the Languages, making it appear to the world by a sensible experience. that the mind can as easily make reflections upon words, as upon the things they represent: Imagination and Reason being the two faculties, that can reflect upon their objects, they both will appear in the present design in their uses suitable to their nature, the effects of Imagination shall be visible in the several resemblances, and the inferences that are thence made; and it will be the work of Reason to reduce all to certain principles, upon which the argumentative part must rely.   

The first part of the Design.  
For the easier exercise of Imagination, I shall acquaint you with a method that will appear very natural, by which instead of considering the Languages precisely in themselves (as hitherto hath been usual) they may be compared one with the other without much difficulty, and at the same time their accord, dependence, and mutual relation, discovered either from the resemblance of words, the proportion of their scope or compass, and the conformity of their expressions. 'tis true that this agreement, and relation is not a little obscured by the several odd constitutions of men's minds, that checque at, and satisfy themselves with the first, and naked appearance without any farther inquiry; but withal it's presently, and easily perceived by those who are happy enough in a genius for such kind of Learning. It's something like the paradoxes Geometry proposeth upon the relation, and proportion of figures, where we are mused at the first draught, and there appears so little likelihood in them that the unexperienced would take them only for the tricks and whims of a melancholic brain; whereas an ingenuous Artist, from the most natural, and simple notions gradually conducts the mind to a kind of insensible discovery of truth, and makes it see on a sudden what it could not expect, and that with such open assurances as quit that from all suspicion, which but now had scarce any face of truth.  
Knowing no other method than this, that may be proper to make new discoveries in the sciences I endeavoured to make what use I could of it, so far as my subject permitted; And since amidst the several resemblances of the Languages, there are some so evident, as necessarily grance upon the most unobserving eye, I have so ordered my reflections, that by a reference to these, as models, I might by degrees arrive at the knowledge of the others, which although reserved, and sometimes more distanced, yet are neither less certain, nor real: not unlike the subalternate conclusions in speculation, which are not a jot the less true for being farther removed from their first principle.  
Thus 'tis that a Language with which we are already acquainted, either by the assistance of Art, or Conversation, leads us to anintimacy with those that were altogether unknown to us before, and that their relation redresseth the treachery of the memory in the close and juncture of one with the other.  
But that I may compass this my design with less trouble, my greatest care is to make choice of one Language as a rule to measure by, and a principle to reduce all the rest too: for to pretend to compare them immediately one with another, as some would have it, is to cherish confusion among those things that demand the most of order.  
The veneration that I have always had for antiquity, made me think at first of engaging for the Hebrew, as being (for aught we know) the earliest, the most noble, and most natural Language of the world and that from which all others, in a manner, derive themselves. But it was not long before I began to consider, that this would directly cross the first principles of my intended method, and appear a kind of endeavour to teach an unknown Language, by another, of which we have the most imperfect, and slender information of all. The kindness, and inclination I ought to have for my own Country, had almost persuaded me to rest myself there, and to make my native tongue the basis of this universal reduction but then the rest of the European world (which I have no reason to slur or contemn) would have as ill resented the project, as we did it in the Germans, who would long ago have challenged this honour to themselves. I had in the end no other course to take, but to throw myself upon the Latin, in which I luckily met with all the necessary conditions that did easily, and plausibly conduce to my designed attempt.  
To say the truth Aristotle himself, a man of a judgement in such things the most exact that ever was to take a measure from, demanded but three qualifications, viz. Universality, Certainty, and Proportion; that it should be generally known to all those that are to make use of it in the quality of a measure, that it should be sixth, and determined in its self, and then that it should be proportioned to all those things, to which it prescribes their bounds, all which characters do with advantage combine in the Latin, and that with such propriety that they cannot be attributed to any other without some sort of injustice; for the greatest part of the other Languages they are determined to the extent of a particular Kingdom or Country, the Latin hath not such disadvantage upon it; It is to speak properly the Language of Europe: Religion, and the Sciences have more enlarged its dominions, than all the conquests of the Romans, 'tis almost the common Idiom of the North, and universally known to persons of birth and education, who alone are presumed to stand in need of the assistance of foreign Languages.  
It disownes the common imperfection of others, which by nature being subject to change, cannot by consequence, serve for a certain determinate rule in all ages; and if it now survive through the large extent of its entertainment, it hath much the advantage of others, that are in a manner deceased to this that is fixed, and retained by a well assured custom and if its being universally known allows all persons to share its uses, so its being steady, and unalterable, secures it from all the uneven changes of time.  
As to its proportion, it in a manner keeps a mean between the Ancient and Modern Languages, it is neither altogether so pure as the one, nor so corrupt as the other, and so with the same ease is applicable to both; and in earnest is infinitely the most compendious, it being fare less trouble to pass from the mean to an extreme, or from the extreme to the mean, then to trace it from one extreme to another. However this would seem incommodious beyond all redress, to attempt to reduce all the Languages, either to the most ancient, or else to any one of the most modern, because in reality, the former have no more relation to the later, than these have with others of the same age, which have been as so many channels to derive Antiquity to us.  
Besides the Latin makes a friendly meeting between the Eastern, and Western Languages; as to the first alone it owes its birth and rise, so the others do to it.  
It seems then no more difficult to attain the one, by streaming it up to the fountain, then to gain all the rest by making a like descent, by way of resemblance to what we observe in nature when we discern, as well the effect by the cause, as the cause by the effect. In one word, to make up all the differences that may arise about the supremacy of the Languages, I consider the Latin under three different regards, as the daughter of the Languages of the East, as the Mother of those in the West, and as the Sister of the more Northern.  
As it is abundantly copious, and rich, having been refined, and improved for more than 3000. years by an infinite variety of nations, with whose spoils it is now invested, so it may have a very great number of resemblances, under which with little difficulty it will admit of a reference to all the rest. For in conclusion, to reduce all to the most refined, and polite Language, is not what I pretend to; the Barbarous stile of the ancient Romans will do me as much service, as the quaintness, and elegance of Cicero; the Latin of the declining Empire, since the eruptions of the Northern Nations, may be admitted into this design to as good purpose, as the language of Augustus his time; any sense is the same of that of the Sciences, which makes one almost altogether distinct from what is common and vulgar; the proper names of Philosophy, natural History, and Divinity, those of Physic, and the Mathematics, of Arts, Law, and Commerce; the names of illustrious persons, people and places, of which History furnisheth us with a plausible account, will afford me no less assistance on this occasion, than the names of things that are most common.  
After having made choice of a Language in order to the design, I am in the next place to determine myself to a certain number of them, the reunion of which may be justly thought a modest and reasonable attempt; for as there are some, the knowledge of which will be of very little use; so I am obliged to prescribe some bounds to a design that would lead me to something indetermin'd, and infinite, and withal I suspect the enlargement both of mind, and memory to compass all; especially considering the consequence of some to be indifferent, neither that of Biscany, nor the lower Brettaigne should in my opinion much afflict any man's brain, nor do I believe that there are many more in the world interesed for them, than there are for the dialect of Finland or Frizland, or the Barbarous jangling of the Negroes and Savages. In the choice that I was to make I could not but give the preference to those of the greatest credit and repute, took some Prince (excuse the allusion) who having laid his design to reunite all the Kingdoms of the world, began his conquest upon those Nations that were most formidable and renowned, from an apprehension that the rest in a little time would be less able to make any opposition.  
As I am not of an humour to attempt any thing without an encouragement from reason, or to give myself any trouble through a kind of caprice, purely to gratify my curiosity; Religion, State, and the Sciences are the three grand rules from which I make a judgement what Languages are really the most important and noble; I have only therefore selected such as Europe may use to the best advantage, either for the defence of the Church, the good of the State, the advancement of the Sciences, or the perfection of the most laudable Arts. It is for this end that I have entertained in my design all the Languages that concern Religion, and make a particular mention of such as furnish us with original texts, and the most authentic translations of the Bible, being of no means consequence towards the faithful interpretation of our sacred Records, and the confirmation of the Articles of our Creed.  
I am in the next place obliged to find a place for such as concern and relate to State affairs, the most renowned E●pires, Kingdoms, and warlike Nations, which may afford a suitable entertainment for all sorts of people, and withal very much conduce to the successful management of foreign business, the most important negotiations, Embassies, the transactions of war or peace, as well as the most hopeful designs of travellers. But above all I find myself concerned for those that give us the most refined and polite discoveries of wit and Science, and have been cherished and nursed up to our hands by the most knowing and ingenious of all Nations.  
I can hardly believe I shall meet with any inclinable to quarrel me for the number of 24. that I have thought on for my design, since I presume it no easy matter for the most nicely curious to find a just occasion; and although there are none of them that are not unquestionably derived from the same original, it being no great difficulty to convince any well settled head, that in the propriety of speech there is but one mother Language: Yet to avoid confusion I distribute them all into 7. different orders, as they seem to carry an immediate reference to the Languages, which are the commonly supposed originals: such are in the opinion of the Learned the Roman, and the Greece, the Teutonic and Sclavonic, the Hebrew, Scythian, and the Persian.  
The Roman Idioms are the Italian, Spanish and the French, which cannot now be unknown to any but such as are shamefully ignorant; I may add likewise the Portuguese, which although not very different from the Castilian, yet is not wanting in its own particular beauties, and hath received no mean accession of use and honour from the conquests of its Kings in the most remote parts of the world.  
To the Greece I shall reduce its 3. principal relations, viz the Literal Greece, such as we meet with in our old Classic Authors, the vulgar, as it is commonly used since the declining age of the Empire at Constantinople, and the Coptique or Egyptian, which is but a remainder of the famous government of the Ptolemy's in Egypt: for although in its idiom there be something yet remaining of an original stamp, either in that its words seem to touch upon the ancient Language of the Pharaous, or that its inflection no way resembles the Greece, yet the Empire of Alexander and his successors induced such a confusion, that the Greece hath almost got the better, and involved all the lesser remains of Antiquity.  
Under the Teutonic I comprehend the Almain or high German, the Flemish or low Dutch, the English and the Danish, which is to this day entertained in the most Northern regions, and may give us some intimations of a clearer light than any besides, as having yet carefully secured some footsteps of the ancient Language.  
The Sclavonic is accompanied with 3. more considerable dialects the true Sclavonic, the Polish, and Muscovitish, to which the valour of the Nations that speak them have brought more reputation than any other ingenious performances.  
The Hebrew hath no less than seven in its retinue, the pure Hebrew, such as we meet with in our Bible, the Language of the Rabbins and Talmudists, the Chaldee, the Syriaque, the  or Abyssin, the Samaritan, and the Arabic, which in our age hath so enlarged its dominion, that its either spoke or understood in the three parts of the Old World Asia, Africa and Europe; and hath alone produced such a prodigious number of books, that one would scarce believe how a Nation so famous for its exploits in war should have so much leisure to attend to the improvement of learning.  
The Scythian hath two very illustrious dialects in its train, the Turkish and lesser Tartarian, both which may serve in some measure to acquaint us what Languages are used in the North of Asia.  
The last is the Persian, which is not only universally prized in the Empire of the Sophy, but a common entertainment in the Court of the grand Seigneur, as well as in that of the Mogul, where it is hugely valued and esteemed.  
As this reference of the Languages to one another would be to little purpose, if the less qualified and accomplished were not capable of judging of it, since 'tis for them principally I am most concerned, I believed therefore it would be necessary entirely to retrench all that strange variety of characters, whose odd and fantastical figures do strangely divert the imaginations of those, who are not well qualified to conceive them. Neither do I intent to humour myself in that vain kind of ostentation that some affect, to make this kind of writing one of that most mysterious parts of their learning, but have found out a method of expressing the sounds of all the distinguishing characters of each Language only by the Roman, and that in a manner as easy and disengaged as it is accurate and new; insomuch that the resemblances of words, which altogether disappeared under those uncouth figures (which like a veil intercepted them from the less clarified eye) presently face the light, there being nothing left to interpose between them, and a closer consideration, which notwithstanding shall not acquit me from my design of discovering an expedient to decipher with ease all those several kinds of writing, and of fixing them upon the imagination in such a manner as without difficulty can admit of no confusion.  
After having removed this first obstruction, which hath so long imbroild and retarded the knowledge of the Languages, that I may with less trouble reduce them to their first principle, I shall run near the same course, that hath been successively taken in their removal, so far as any history can inform us, upon which I principally lay the stress and basis of my design by producing such arguments from it, the force of which cannot plausibly be eluded. For I do not believe that any of the more curious will find fault with me for fastening the origine, and alliance of the Language upon the same bottom with the beginning and first society of mankind, who are observed never to shift their Country, without having their Language to bear their Arms and Customs company. As I never thought fit to dispute it with the Learned, why they did not make use of the affinity of the Languages, which sometimes are of clearer notice to them to discover the the first rise of a people more remote, and with which they are less acquainted; So I hope I may be permitted to make what advantage I can of the first combinations and colonies to give a clearer light to the beginnings and connexion of the several Tongues, there being something near the same, or a like proportion between both: as for instance, To make good the opinion of Dionysius Halicarnasseus, and Quintilian, who both pretend that the Latin tongue is no more than a Dialect of the Ancient Greek, is but in plain and easy words to give an account of all the little settlements, and Plantations in Italy, which for some continuance of time was only inhabited by colonies from Greece.  
Upon what other terms I hardly understand this new project should be surprising to any, it being not the mere effect of imagination, or an humorous Idea, neither will it much engage any sort of people, but only such as can easily dislodge their prejudices when their own lights shall assist in their conviction, and that from such assurances as shall be most free from suspicion, being faithful deductions from the histories of the Colonies. But as it is impossible that the Languages should not be liable to several alterations and mixtures from the different associations of people in several removes, so neither is it to be believed that this was done all on a sudden; there seems to be a recemblance between the words that make up the Language and Travesilers, who do not put off their accustomed usages and manners so soon as they arrive at a new Country, neither are they naturalised, but with time and by degrees become masters of the Air, humours, and qualities of the persons with whom they converse.  
Since then this corruption is but of a gradual and intensible growth, there is a necessity, for its more certain discovery, of an orderly reflection upon the very first beginnings of the differences, being in the interim very solicitous to prevent a false retreat that might either engage me too far, or else in some unlucky circumstances, from which it would be no little difficulty to retire. And this seems to be the only way that I could find out to scatter a certain Air and appearance of truth upon all that regard the present subject, which hath no farther a probability then what is given it from such a careful mannagement, that shall suffer no pass from one extreme to the other without touching upon that mean which is as it were the time of communication between both, for it is from this chain of words and sequel of alterations that all the suitableness, and likelihood of this present method principally depends.  
Although in reality there is no reason to doubt but that the French is a corruption of the Latin, I could not however very easily persuade myself that the word dechoir should derive its self from cadere of the Latins, if I did not perceive all its several and distinct conveyances through the Alembic. They that first corrupted the Language of the Romans instead of cadere made use of cader, as the Italians do to this day, who commonly cut off the final vowels where they obseve them to follow Liquids'. They that came after proceeded yet farther in their retrenchment, and from cader formed caer, as the Spaniards now use it, by taking away the letter d according to their ordinary custom, when it is seated in the middle of words. There are another sort of people yet more sturdy and blunt in their forms of speech, who would say Car or Ker by a contraction of the two Vowels into one, as is observable among the Peasants of France, and those of Picardy, who retain very much of Antiquity, which seems to be agreeable with the manner of speech among the Ancient French, who delighted to shorten and contract their words as much as possible, that they might make up a Language altogether as free as their humour; some of the most remote of these would instead of Ker pronounce Cherseoli by a change of that firm and surly letter into one more easy and soft as we yet find it Customary in the remains of some of the Ancient Romans, and then after all by the turn of a Vowel into a Dipthong, from Cherseoli is formed Choir, which now gins to be out of date although its Composit dechoir be still of plausible and commendable use. Thus 'tis that Cadere, Cader, Care, Car, Ker, Cherseoli, Choir, and Dechoir make up but one entire chain and connexion, yet all to very little purpose if any one of the degrees by chance should have been wanting.  
For this reason although I consider every Language in its greatest perfection, yet for clearing its original in rendering this sequel of words more open and palpable I have been obliged to make numerous reflections upon the older forms of speech as well as Orthography, by which a better discovery may be made of all the varieties that occur in pronunciation, as also of the several medleys and Gibberish of the Provinces of Each Empire that speak the same Language, but most of them in a singular fashion.  
So that it is most certain that that Language which is most acquaint and polite is very often the less, pure and most debauched, if we make an acquall judgement from its original which is the most unquestionable rule: Upon which account the dialects of Province, Gascogne, Languedoc, and that which is known by the name of the Ancient gaul's is infinitely less altered and distanced from its original, than the Languages of the Court and Nobility, who take a pleasure in receding from the Latin: Those of Lombardy and Naples are for the most part less corrupt than these of Sienna and Florence; Although the Spaniards have a saying among them, that the Catalonian and that of Arragon is commonly more pure than the Castilian that is more Pompous. And not to spare the French more than the Spaniard, if they have reason to boast their Language to be the most refined and Polite of the world, yet their Neighbours might justly return upon them, that of all the Dialects of the Latin, there is none more degenerate than theirs, forasmuch as its quaintness ariseth from its sweetness, so that it is not attainable without a strange descent from its principle. Thus le Capo of the Italians, le Cabo, of the Spaniards, le Cap, of the old French and le Kef of Picardy are all variously altered from Caput of the Latins, but none so much as le Chef of the French, which notwithstanding claims the same Original.  
But this is not all; as the resemblance and connexion of the Languages is not always the same but depends more or less upon the communication of the Nations that speak them, So it's not necessary that this method should be invariable, it must admit of alteration with its subjects, and accommodate itself to the diversity of Tongues.  
There is much more of Art required to reduce those which only carry a resemblance in their words, and abundantly less for those which withal admit of an analogy in inflexion, And Since the same words which allow of this accord may have it in several distinct manners they are not all (if I may be permitted to say so) neither of Kin, nor alliance in the same degree; their relation is sometimes nearer, Sometimes at a greater distance, for we may by way of analogy discourse at the same rate of the genealogy of words as we do of the degrees of consanguinity; for if the one fort be ranged under the same Line either direct or Collateral, the others admit of a little deflection and do not exactly corespond; some are allied in the first, some in the 2d degree, some in advancing from the branches to the stock, others in a descent from that to the branches, in a word this accord is neither always immediate nor at all directly opposite.  
I add besides that as there are, some allied two or three ways and that since the first division have contracted new and closer relations, so I confess there are others that content themselves with their Original reference, and that have scarce any other agreement among them than what depends upon the common tie and union that they have with their first principle, which in reality is no more than this famous Mother Tongue of which some make a mystery without well understanding what they say: For although it hath subsisted in its self before the first confusion, yet we must not think of discoursing of it at the same rate, nor put our minds upon the harasse of receiving it.  
'Tis no more now as some fond imagaine a particular and distinct Language from others, so that there is but one way to regain it and re-establish it at least so far as is necessary for a complete execution of my design, and that is to make a judicious choice of all that is primitive and most simple among the Remains of the ancient Language either by considering the first combinations of sounds or by a regard to the earnest ideas of the mind, that were applied to these sounds; to the end that we may refer thither by a sequel, all the essential and fundamental words of each Language as to their fountain; which admiting of divisions, runs now in lesser streams which assume the names of Originals; because they have their rise from that grand Source where the first inhabitants of the world engrossed all. So that it may be truly said of this Mother tongue that it is in no sense a part as being really every where either in sums of its divisions, or in its effects and dependences something like your virtues of the elements and the original seeds of things, that Subsist not of themselves but in the mixtures that compose them.  
I shall possibly be wondered at, that being able to accomplish all by this single method, I have not in the interim recours to it, when all other ways prove unserviceable; But after all, though this method be perhaps more ingenuous and of a more profound speculation, it is not however the most natural and compendious, be it never so refinded or accommodate to my design, and I hardly understand the reason why any man should affect a crooked and uncouth road to active at his purpose when the straight lies before him.   

The second part of the desine.  
Comparison alone is not (in the opinion of some) sufficient to accomplish the present intention, however accurate it be; if it want the supports of reason, it may rationally be suspected for being more airy than solid, and without injustice the same character may be given to some of those unusual Chances that sometimes produce the most surprising effects. Besides although the vivacity and force of imagination be easily admitted into the relations of the Languages, and leaves there forcible impressions, yet it neither warrants certitude, nor dislodgeth confusion; 'tis reason alone that establisheth the mind in its cognisances, and credits all its conceptions with order, 'tis that alone which perfects the combination of all their relations and agreements according to the natural connexion which they have with the same principles on which they depend in Common.  
That which seems to be of greatest moment is that the principles be plausible and rational and such as man may lay a stress on without suspicion or fear, and this is that which in a singular manner the principles of this Art challenge to themselves, being in my opinion infinitely more sensible than those which Philosophy proposeth under the characters of uncontroleable truths; I have therefore taken them all from the very natures of the subject of which I am treating viz: from the deflections and different regards under which the consideration of words may be managed; which may last of all serve for an assurance, that chance hath not all that Empire and authority, that is given it over the Languages; and that it would be no great difficulty to make it appear, that in the Languages themselves there are well framed and solid reasons, for every thing that appears otherwise, and hath been hitherto supposed to be the bare effect of Caprice.  
It may be perceived by the very effects themselves that it will make up a science fully demonstrative, and backed with such consequences, as may very well pass for complete models in this kind: And above all the scope of its principles infinitely shortens the way without being at all obliged to make a descent to a thousand tedious and wearisome differences; which appear much better, and in a more elegant manner in their principles then in themselves, which is an encouragement for me to hope that a Language for the acquest of which we have formerly by a close application numbered several years, will by this means be made the divertisement of some hours, or at most but some few days.  
Words being in the opinion of all men but significant sounds, they may be taken either as they are Natural sounds, or arbitrary signs, I would say, either as they are the proper effect of the motion of our organs, or as the lively representation of the thoughts of our minds. And since they make their passes from one Language to another they cannot well admit of any alteration in this their transit but in three respects; for whatsoever change be supposed it will necessarily fall out, either in the sounds themselves that compose the words, or in their significations, or in their different modifications, and it's from these three distinct regards that the general principles have their rise, upon which I have fastened this new Systime of the Philosophy of the Languages.  
That I may make my procedure more justificable and artificial, I examine with all exactness the different organs of the voice, the various motions of the muscles belonging to these organs, and the admirable consent and accord of those motions; and these I make use of to demonstratively explain the precise number of all the simple sounds, that enter into the composition of the Languages, to discover the nature and proper pronunciation of these sounds, and by consequence to disclose their nearness and affinity, the resemblances of some, and the disproportion of others, their accord and opposition, their Sympathy and Antipathy, in a word, all their combinations and mixtures, their divisions and distinctions, their orders and several degrees. From whence I conclude that all the astonishing and surprising depravations and Corruptions that are met withal in the words that one Language borrows from another, in changing or in transposing, in adding or retrenching, have their basis in nature; which never attempts any thing but to the purpose, and with a solicitous care, when to us it appears to have acted with an open and observable neglect.  
We may Study Nature upon the Latin itself which may serve as well for a model as it doth for a principle; It will in the first place acquaint us that the Vowels are almost accounted for nothing, for although there are some of them that admit of easy changes among themselves according as they are more open or reserved, we know nevertheless that there are none of them but what may be absolutely shifted into the place of another of what kind soever, either immediately, or by succession and degrees. For a final confirmation of this we have no more to do but to make an easy comparison of the different derivative of the same word, the reference of these three Cepa; incipio and occupo, to the Verb Capio may serve for an instance, if we shall but grant the truth of this principle which the orientalists have always supposed, who form the greatest part of their words from the sole change of their Vowels.  
The same is not altogether allowable in relation to the Consonants, where we must not admit indifferently all sorts of changes; the sole affinity of the Organs is that which must regulate almost all their varieties: the labial letters easily supplant one another but the dental or Linguall with more difficulty succeed them as being not of the same order; For as these consonants, M. B. P. V F. make near the same sound, which is modified by the divers force of the Air, opening the lips after several forms. So the Letters D. T. Z. S. ought to make an order by themselves, having a particular relation to the point of the tongue, which only by touching upon the teeth in various manners frame their pronunciation.  
But it is not a single and easy reflection, that can absolutely determine whether two letters have resemblance and proportion, because there are some of them that being made up of the movements of several organs, may be differently altered according to their various resemblances, so the letter H. carries not only the resemblance of a guttural as it is pronounced by the assistance of the muscles of the throat, but also as an Aspiration besides the regard it hath to the whispers of the tongue, and the 6. Aspirates of the Lips, Teeth, and Palate. However if the precipitance or forwardness of any, hath by chance brought into use, other methods of altering sounds, as they have not so certain a foundation in reason, so neither can they be received within the Compass of this Art, at least being not established by a regular and constant analogy.  
From the sound of words, I pass to their signification, which in the same dialect may be called the soul of a word, as the sound is its body; to express it in other terms, then what seem to relish the dry and unpleasant humour of the Pedant or Grammamarian; I suppose that words being the expressions of our thoughts, and our thoughts the representations of objects, the different significations that are given to words, principally depend upon the various conceptions, that every Nation frames of the same objects, agreeable to what seems most nearly to concern it.  
This engageth me to explain the entire sequel, and natural dependences of our Ideas, and the manner of their forming, of which the world hath yet received a very imperfect account. In order to this, you may understand what those objects are, of which we have proper Ideas, and what those are which we conceive by foreign images, and that we do not name but in figurative terms; whence ariseth that alliance and resemblance of our Ideas, and why the greatest share of our words if referred to their first original, are but metaphors which represent objects to us in such terms as are proper to another, with which it hathsome agreement, or near relation, and withal what are the grand principles of metaphors; either of Attribution or Proportion, that do not only make up the beauty, but almost the entire body of the Language.  
Our Ancestors that gave no names to things, but by a directing prudence, purposing to distinguish the works of Nature and Art, had an especial regard to the natural resemblance they had with any thing that was most known to them, and that was already distinguished by its character, or to any one of their most prevailing properties, or to the principal action that distinguished them from other beings. They made use of almost the same artifice, to impose names upon things more expressive of their properties, by considering them only with reference to their operations, of which they were the immediate principles. As for the operations, themselves being not equally known, nor equally obvious to sense they placed the same subordination in the terms they made use of to represent them, that Nature hath established in our apprehensions and cognisances.  
There being therefore nothing in the world of which they could have framed a more distinct Idea, then of the motion of bodies; which is obvious to all the senses, we must nor wonder if considering Local motion as the first and principal object of their knowledge, they afterwards gave no names to the Operations of each being, but such as seemed to express some relation either to motion in general, or to its different species, or to some one of its dependences, such as are place, figure, situation, extension, Union and separation, in a word to all the resemblances and agreements that in any way or kind rely upon motion. For if Modern Philosophy that Studies Nature by a closer application then formerly, pretend to a clear and evident explication of Natural effects in the referring them all to the Sole movement of matter as their true cause; there is much more reason that in order to the giving an account of all that is to this day passed among the Languages, we should have recours to such terms as are expressive of motion, since it is not to be doubted but that all others that are reducible, may be referred hither as to the first principle of their signification.  
Besides motion is allowed a far greater Scope and extent among the Languages then in Nature for 'tis to that we refer our most refined and spiritual conceptions I mean such as we frame of the operations of our souls and the propensions of our wills, So when we say that the mind or understanding applies itself to think to conceive, to discourse, to explain to disimbroile to disengage a business, to discover a truth; when we talk of troubles, aversions, of hurries and consternations of the soul, to express such actions as are most remote from sense, we make use of such Images as are corporeal in their first original, although for the most part they have lost their proper significance to assume another that is purely figurative.  
'Tis by these Principles Ireduce to natural reason all imaginable ways by which words altar their primitive signification to embrace another, either more enlarged or reserved, or never so little diversified either in Proportion or Alliance; for 'tis no easy matter for words to travel from one Country to another without meeting with the same casualties, that use to befall foreign Plants which are seldom removed into a new soil, but degenerate and either lose some of their Native virtue, or acquire some new. But most people having met with this general proposal, to express at first appearance, what they think with as little trouble as is possible, it thence falls out that to engross a great deal of sense in few words, they scarce allow enough precisely to mark out the simple ideas of their minds, fitted out to all their several resemblances, they that are most simple in themselves, are commonly compounds in their significations, neither is there any one of the least considerable, but what is diversified in each Language by a thousand different modifications.  
From thence proceed all the methods of inflexion, derivation, and composition that give being to the most subtle kind of Sophistry; all the species and forms of Nouns, Verbs, and particles that make up the aeconomy of a Language, together withal diversity of Numbers, Genders Cases tenses Modes, and Persons which have more of Art than at first sight is imagined, for the Custom of Nations hath not only authorised these inventions to vary the Cadence of words, but with an admirable facility to express all the deflexions, by which an Idea of the same object may be represented to our conceptions according as it admits of a mixture of resemblances, which it may have either to its effects or Causes, or as it is related to the several estates, wherein it subsists, to the differences of time or place, and to all the circumstances that may accompany it, either within or without us. As the more sensible differences of the Languages principally consist in all these modifications; so one of the greatest, secrets of this Art is to know how choisly to select and distinguish, both in our ideas and in the words that express them, that which is principal and essential from what is purely accessary, subtly to difference the first ideas from the second, the second from the third, the simple from the Compound, the primitive and Original signification from its dependences and references, its modifications and divers restrictions, in one word (if I may so express it) not to confound the habit with the person. For in a manner these modifications are the same words, that the habit is to the body; this new dress that is given to foreign words to fit them up alamode to the Country, for the most part time so disfigures them and renders them so obscure, that they impose as well upon our eyes as ears, and pass for originals and Natives of the Country, although in reality they are borrowed from our Neighbourhood, and sometime from beyond the seas.  
To make a secure judgement therefore of the original, there remains nothing but to consider them all, naked and entirely dis-spoiled of all that trumpery that disguised them; and that this may be done with more safety we must follow them step by step in their travels, and espy out the different ranges they have taken and the habits they have shifted, to come thus vizarded and masked to us.  
These are the most enlarged principles and infallible ways by which I discover this secret and mysterious accord of the Languages which without doubt will appear so much the more admirable, as having been never to this hour been believed that they had any such close tie or relation: But these principles may be applied several ways, and therefore lest they should continue undermined, I make it appear by the sequel, what in particular must be done in each Language in conformity to its genius and proper Character, This is that which obligeth me to make an exact inquiry into the nature of those Languages I pretend to reduce, I do not content myself infallibly to take my draught either in the general consent of nations, which are as often cheated in their Ideas they have of the Language of each Nation as they are commonly in its manners, or from the particular sentiments of the more knowing or Learned, who without any preoccupation of mind have studied their own Native Language with more than ordinary care. But to make all yet more certain, I principally form my examinations from the very history of the Languages, which is the most equal rule we can take our measures from, in relation to the present design.  
In order to this, 'tis necessary that we make reflections upon the first beginnings of each Nation, and that from other memoirs then such with which we are for the most part furnished by the Critics, and seriously to examine the continual commerce it hath had with the most considerable of its neighbours, the wars, feuds and Leagues of its Governors with other Princes, the eruptions and invasions of Conquering Nations, that have corrupted its Language as they engrossed its spoils, the frequent Colonies that Conquerors have sent thither besides its voyages at Sea, and its traffic, with the most remote plantations, These are the more immediate causes of this confusion and mixture.  
It may perhaps withal be no mean pleasure to see the basis of each Language distinguished from the changes and accessions of time or revolutions of State, what every Nation hath contributed of its own to enrich it, what Religion, the Government and what Sciences have communicated to it, what it retains of Antiquity and what new acquests it hath made to retrieve its losses with advantage.  
Afterall, this is yet but the sceleton, or at most but the body of a Language, It's necessary that this rude and indigested mass made up of so many different dialects should be animated by some secret spirit that should expand itself through all its parts and several members, and reduce them to unity by communicating the same air to them, and that this Spirit or Soul should be the individual principle of all the effects, and sensible changes, which make us easily distinguish one Language from another: The Temper, Humour, and Nature of a people, the dispositions of their minds, their genius and particular gusts, their more general and forcible inclinations, their ordinary passions, and such singular qualities, by which one Nation is remarqed and distinguished from another, are the most evident signs to discover the true genius of a Language, because they are in reality the immediate causes, and the very originals after which I have copied all my draughts to complete the present piece, which in my opinion is not wanting in something that is very Natural, Besides this, the very manners and customs of Nations, their Laws and policy, and their public transactions, both of peace and war, are things so universally known, that there is no need of any farther search, how to be bale to judge by proportion of the genius, and characters of the Languages so securely, as by that of the people that speak them.  
But as the care of a Nation to improve and advance the Arts and sciences and other kinds of good Learning, is that which contributes most to the perfection of its Language, So 'tis upon the manner in which it's received, and the characters of its Authors, that I chiefly depend to determine, whether it be modest or imperious, whether it relish more of a softness, sweetness, and delicacy, than of a certain Noble brisk and generous air, whether it incline more to the simplicity of Nature, or the subtle refinements of Art, whether it be polite to affectation, or betray a certain negligence which hath its graces too, as well as its measures of Art, and last of all whether it be not a little cramped in attempting to be too exact, or else better accommodate itself by its freedom from all restraint.  
Having discovered the genius and proper character of each Language, I have framed the most perfect Idea that is possible, by way of analogy with the principles of the Platonists, with whose method I was always as much taken as I am dissatisfied with their doctrine.  
This Idea being unmasqued serves me in the sequel for a general rule, to establish the true and proper reasons of all that pass for singular and remarqueable in each Language, either in relation to the choice, the mixture, and union of sounds, the force and significations of words, or the Air and manner of expression; For 'tis most certain that all these things are altered according to the genius of a people: So the Spaniards would distinguish themselves from other Nations by their haughtiness, and affected gravity, and their words are easily understood by a certain pompous Air, that seems to border upon grandeur and Majesty: On the Contrary the Italians are the Nation of the world that seems to be most fond of its pleasure, and its natural, that this softness should be communicated to their Language, and that all their words should breathe nothing, but what is sweet, polite, and the most exact harmony; their compositions admit of no sounds but such, as can slatter the Ear, they suffer not the concourse of consonants, whose rudeness may never so little offend the Organ, but they are extremely in Love with Vowels, and often allow their sequences to make their pronunciation more sweet and delicate. For their signification, that they might mix an accord with their energy, they have hardly any but what are more or less figurative, from a persuasion, that a Metaphor represents objects to the mind in that most curious and diverting manner, and withal they are careful to make choice of none, but such as represent the fairest images: They are no less solicitous to diversify their words by agreeable modifications, their inflexion hath very little uneasy in it, it is all of it equally facile and gay; their diminutives are exceedingly relishing, because there is something more than ordinarily pretty in them, they are rich in derivatives, and compounds, not only because their pronunciation is more harmonious, but also because they express themselves in a more natural manner, In one word they banish every thing that may appear ingrateful, and are passionately in quest of all that may conduce to the Sweetness of their Language.  
My sense is much the same of other Languages, but because reason itself may be suspected by some, especially if at any time it appear too just or plausible, I was the rather concerned so to order my instances, that besides the induction, I intended custom and experience should support reason, and reason should confirm experience, and withal the examples are so naturally chained with their principles, and all of them so distributed in their proper places, that without so much as making the least reflection, I imperceptibly comprise all the fundamental and essential words of each Language, being willing myself to draw all my conclusions from the principles I have mentioned, and to make all necessary inductions, without leaving any thing of trouble or disease to the reader, who in such cases is glad to be quit from pains and inconvenience, I have some hopes, that a composition thus differently made up of History, reflections and Criticisms supported by principles, deductions, and examples may contribute something to the agreeableness of the design, and let off a subject that of itself is dry and knotty enough, without making it more unacceptable by that mean and disreputed method, that hath so much decried the Critics, and ordinarily hath given a disgust to a science before it hath been allowed the least consideration, besides that didacticque way, is by no means proper in the present case, for as there is little pleasure in being taken notice of under the character of a Scholar, so the only remedy is to contrive some way to come to the knowledge of things without lying under the suspicion of having a master.  
Thus you see in gross and general, the whole design expressed in as few words as the brevity of the subject would permit me; And However rational it may be in itself yet it wants not its adversaries; Some with a great deal of heat, plead that if this method acquiring the Languages, hath any thing in it that is Curious by way of speculation, it is however useless enough in relation to its practice, since Custom and Conversation only (say they) is the great Master of Language, and that we must entirely rely upon memory and the assiduity of constant and resolved industry.  
Others confess that it hath in earnest its advantages, but doubt much of the possibility of its execution, hardly believing that the Languages have in good truth such an accord and resemblance as I suppose they have, or that there is a possibility for the wit of man now to discover it.  
By way of reply to the first, I confess that one thing I wonder at, is that persons so knowing and ingenuous should so highly declare themselves against the judgement in favour of the memory, I have a very great regard to their quality and worth, but cannot submit myself to their opinion, The only way (as I imagine) to Learn the Languages, and that in what number we please, to do it with ease without taediousnesse, confusion, trouble and loss of time, and without the common hazard, of forgetting them with as much ease as we acquire them with difficulty, and to be master of them all in such a manner, as shall relish nothing that is mean or not becomeing a Rational man, is in one word, to attribute more to the judging and reflecting faculty then to the memory; for if the memory depend and rely only upon the reflections of the judgement, we have no reason to expect much from its single Conduct, for however plausible it may appear, it will always beslow, limited, confused, and faithless; its laction is not vigorous enough to take us off from those fatigues that distaste our most likely erterprises, and its efforts to weak and Languishing in a little time to execute a design of so large a compass as this; being so determined as it is, it is impossible it should reduce so great a number of Languages so distanced in appearance one from another; If at any time it seem extraordinary in an action, its Species are soon displaced by their multitude, and when they are ranged in the best order imaginable, they continue not so long without being either effact by those that supervene or disappearing of themselves, having nothing that can fix and retain them, So that the Languages being of so vast an extent, there is no reason that the memory alone should be confided to for their acquest, unless we could be content to sacrifice an infinite space of time to the Sole knowledge of words, which being so valuable as it ought to be to us, may be employed with more discretion and success, either towards the cognizance of things or the management of business.  
To satisfy others, I have nothing more at present to say to them but that if the design shall appear to them at first sight either fantastical or temerarious, the execution will soon justify me, and perhaps convince them that it is not always rational positively to pass a judgement upon any thing before a close and a narrow search, and that we ought not hastily to despair of any thing; the gaining of which hath not been attempted all imaginable ways.  
Last of all, as I do not believe myself to be deceived in that which make up the gross and main of the design, so I do not expect that all that I shall advance in the sequel upon this connexion of the Languages, should be received by all for uncontrollable truths, of which I myself am sufficiently persuaded; I am too well acquainted with the nature of truth to believe myself so successful as to have always discovered that in the most embroiled and the most doubtful affairs of the world; yet I confess that notwithstanding that great respect that is due to it, I have in some cases less regarded it when it did not appear to comply with the capacities of ordinary men, persuading myself that conjecture well framed and adjusted by a plausible Air is more relishing to ingenious persons, than an obscure and fainting truth, of which sort there is a very great number in the present subject.  
I propose then to the Learned, this new system of the Languages, not as an incontestable Thesis in all its parts but only as an Hypothesis, not altogether irrational and which besides hath this particular advantage, that although it should be the falsest thing in the world in speculation, it may at least be allowable in the practice, And I hope to receive the same favour that persons (that were most obstinately resolved against his Hypothesis) granted Copernicus by their confession, that let it be never so false it is however the best accommodated to use and Astronomical supputations.   
FINIS.