A Philosophicall Essay for the Reunion of the Languages | Page 9

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 nearnesse 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 severall
degrees. From whence I conclude that all the astonishing and surprizing
depravations and Corruptions that are met withall 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 sollicitous care, when to us it
appears to have acted with an open and observable neglect.
We may Study Nature upon the Latine it selfe 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 altho there are
some of them that admitt of easie changes among themselves according
as they are more open or reserv'd, we know neverthelesse 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 finall confirmation of this we have no more to doe but to
make an easie 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 suppos'd, 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 admitt indifferently all sorts of changes; the sole
affinity of the Organs is that which must regulate almost all their
varieties: the Labiall letters easily supplant one another but the Dentall
or Linguall with more difficulty succeed them as being not of the same
order; For as these consonants, M. B. P. V. F. make neer the same
sound, which is modified by the divers force of the Air opening the lips
after severall 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 frames their
pronunciation.

But it is not a single and easie reflexion, 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 severall organs,
maybe differently alter'd according to their various resemblances, so
the letter H. carrys not only the resemblance of a gutturall as it is
pronounc'd 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 forwardnesse 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 receiv'd within the Compas
of this Art, at least being not establisht by a regular and constant
analogie.
From the sound of words, I passe to their signification, which in the
same dialect may be call'd the soul of a word, as the sound is its body;
to expresse it in other terms, then what seem to rellish the dry and
unpleasant humour of the Pedant or Grammarian; 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
neerly to concern it.
This ingageth me to explaine the intire sequel, and naturall
dependances of our Ideas, and the manner of their forming; of which
the world hath yet receiv'd 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 forreigne 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 refer'd to their first originall, are but metaphors which
represent objects to us in such terms as are proper to another, with
which it hath some agreement, or neere relation, and withall what are
the grand principles of metaphors; either