A Philosophicall Essay for the Reunion of the Languages | Page 5

from the conquests

of its Kings in the most remote parts of the world.
To the Greec I shall reduce its 3. principall relations, viz the Literall
Greec, 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 Ægyptian, which is but a
remainder of the famous government of the Ptolomies in Ægypt: for
although in its idiome there be something yet remaining of an originall
stamp, either in that its words seem to touch upon the auntient
Language of the Pharaohs, or that its inflection no way resembles the
Greec, yet the Empire of Alexander and his successors induc'd such a
confusion, that the Greec hath almost got the better, and involv'd all the
lesser remains of Antiquity.
Under the Teutonic I comprehend the Almain or high German, the
Flemmish or low Dutch, the English and the Danish, which is to this
day entertain/'d in the most Northerne regions, and may give us some
intimations of a clearer light then any besides, as having yet carefully
secured some footsteps of the ancient Language.
The Sclavonic is accompani'd 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 then any other
ingenious performances.
The Hebrew hath no less then 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 Æthiopick or Abyssin, the
Samaritan, and the Arabique, which in our age hath so inlarg'd its
dominion, that its either spoke or understood in the three parts of the
Old World Asia, Africa and Europe; and hath alone produc't such a
prodigious number of books, that one would scarce believe how a
Nation so famous for its exploits in warr should have so much leasure
to attend to the improvement of learning.
The Scythian hath two very illustrious dialects in its traine, 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 priz'd in the
Empire of the Sophy, but a common entertainment in the Court of the
grand Seigneur, as well as in that of the Mogull, where it is hugely
valued and esteem'd.
As this reference of the Languages to one another would be to litle
purpose, if the less qualifi'd and accomplisht were not capable of
judging of it, since tis for them principally I am most concern'd, I
believ'd therefore it would be necessary intirely to retrench all that
strange variety of characters, whose od and fantasticall figures do
strangely divert the imaginations of those, who are not well qualifi'd to
conceive them. Neither do I intend to humour my selfe in that vaine
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 onely by the Roman, and that in a manner as easie and
disingag'd as it is accurate and new; insomuch that the resemblances of
words, which altogether disappear'd under those uncouth figures
(which like a veile intercepted them from the less clarify'd 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 designe of discovering an expedient to decypher
with ease all those severall kinds of writing, and of fixing them upon
the imagination in such a manner as without difficulty can admit of no
confusion.
After having remov'd 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 removall, so farr as
any history can informe us, upon which I principally lay the stresse and
basis of my designe 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 fastning the origine, and
alliance of the Language upon the same bottome with the begining and
first society of mankind, who are observed never to shift their Country,
without having their Language to bear their Arms and Customes

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