A Philosophicall Essay for the Reunion of the Languages

A Philosophicall Essay for the
Reunion of
by Pierre Besnier

The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Philosophicall Essay for the
Reunion of
the Languages, by Pierre Besnier This eBook is for the use of anyone
anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You
may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project
Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.net
Title: A Philosophicall Essay for the Reunion of the Languages Or, The
Art of Knowing All by the Mastery of One
Author: Pierre Besnier
Release Date: April 18, 2005 [EBook #15649]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A
PHILOSOPHICALL ESSAY FOR ***

Produced by David Starner, Keith Edkins and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team

A Philosophicall ESSAY for the REUNION OF THE
LANGUAGES,
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 dresse, 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 controversie hath
been manag'd, the modesty, and ingenuity of this Author hath rendred,
his designe more plausible, for having without any private regard (in
such cases most usuall to the spruce and flourishing Air of his owne
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 usefull, a
designe would not be unacceptable to the more ingenious part of the
world, and that I ought not to neglect so faire 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 impair'd or lost in its familiar uses
among those who challenge the title of the Beaux Esprits of the times.
The aime therefore of this Projector being to facilitate and expedite the
Mastery of this as well as others, its survey may possibly appear not
altogether ungratefull if it be but in hopes to find this incouragement
that we shall he able to reserve some number of years from our usually
tædious application to its study for other eminent uses, and commence

men & Schollers at a much easier rate and in an earlier age then now
commonly practic'd; I should prevent the Author if I should entertaine
you with any farther commendation of it then that he hath taken for his
model the most creditable and plausible Language of the world. If at
any time you divert your selfe with reading Novels; you will here meet
with notions that are both Philosophicall and Airy, and in order to the
maine designe for the most part purely scientifick and demonstrative;
and after if all you shall think that you have not mispent your time by
observing something that is either a usefull or pleasurable I shall have
my designe and the Author the credit.
Farewell.
* * * * *
As the Knowledge of forreign 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 æquall and secure
judgement of the value of things shew 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 easie way to become universally
acquainted with the Languages, and to quit a subject from those
intrigues, in which the more knowing have at present involv'd it, either
from a pure impotence to disingage 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 designe being only a proper entertainment for the most criticall of
the Virtuoses, I am the more inclinable to expose to the public, the
project and plain I have form'd, before I intirely 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 accomplisht and intelligent
persons, if their zeale hath