A Philosophicall Essay for the Reunion of the Languages | Page 8

to their fountaine; which
admiting of divisions, runnes now in lesser streams which assume the
names of Originalls; because they have their rise from that grand
Source where the first inhabitants of the world ingrost 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 dependances something like your vertues of the elements and the
originall seeds of things, that Subsist not of themselves but in the
mixtures that compose them.
I shall possibly be wonderd 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, tho this method be perhaps
more ingenuous and of a more profound speculation, it is not however
the most naturall and compendious, be it never so refind'd or
accomodate to my designe, and I hardly understand the reason why any
man should affect a crooked and uncouth road to active at his purpose
when the streight lyes 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
then solid, and without injustice the same character may be given to
some of those unusuall Chances that sometimes produce the most
surprizing effects. Besides altho 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 cognizances,
and credits all its conceptions with order, tis that alone which perfects
the combination of all their relations and agreements according to the
naturall 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 rationall 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 then 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 manag'd; wch 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 fram'd and solid
reasons, for every thing that appears otherwise, and hath been hitherto
suppos'd to be the bare effect of Caprice.
It may be perceiv'd by the very effects themselves that it will make up a
science fully demonstrative, and back't with such consequences, as may
very well passe for compleat models in this kind: And above all the
scope of its principles infinitely shortens the way without being at all
oblig'd to make a descent to a thousand tædious and wearisome
differences; which appear much better, and in a more elegant manner in
their principles then in themselves, which is an incouragement for me
to hope that a Language for the acquest of which we have formerly by a
close application numbred severall 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 thought 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 suppos'd it will necessarily fall out, either in the
sounds themselves that compose the words, or in their significations, or
in their different modifications, and its from these three distinct regards
that the generall principles have their rise, upon which I have fastn'd
this new Systime of the Philosophie of the Languages.
That I may make my procedure more justificable and artificiall, I
examine with all exactnesse the different organs of the voice, the
various motions of the muscles belonging to these organs, and the
admirable concent and accord of those motions; and these I make use
of to demonstratively explaine