man, Saxon, Danish, Norman, according to the several vicissitudes of Plantations and Conquests, that this Nation hath undergone. And according as such Conquests have been more or less compleat and absolute, so have the Languages been more or less generally altered: which is the reason why the Saxon Tongue was by our progenitors more fully introduced in England, then either that of the Franks amongst the Gauls, or that of the Goths or ''Lumbards in Italy, or that of the Goths, Vandals or Moors in Spain.
That which seems to be the newest Language in the World, is the Malayan, which is now as general and common amongst the Natives of the East-Indies, as Latin or French is in these parts of the World. 'Tis said to be but of late invention, occasioned by the concourse of Fishermen from Pegu, Siam, Bengala, and several other Nations, who meeting together at a place convenient for Fishing, and finding that it was by situation exceeding commodious for Traffick from several parts, did agree to settle there a Plantation; and accordingly built the Town of Malacca, which hath since, for many years, been governed by the Portuguez, and is now under the power of the Hollander? And, for the more facil converse with one another, they agreed upon a distinct Language, which probably was made up by selecting the most soft and easy words belonging to each several Nation. And this is the onely Language (for ought I know) that hath ever been at once invented; if it may properly be styled a distinct Language, and not rather a Medley of many. But this being invented by rude Fishermen, it cannot be expected that it should have all these advantages, with which it might have been furnished by the rules of Philosophy.
I know that the Learned Golius doth affirm the China Language to be invented by Art; but, upon the best discovery to be made of it at this distance, from those who have lived many years in that Country, and pretend to understand the Language, it appears to be so exceedingly equivocal, and in many respects so very imperfect, that there is little reason to believe it had any such Original.
CHAP. III.
I. The Original of Letters and Writing.II. That all Letters were derived from the Hebrew.III. The use of Letters is less ancient, and the kinds of them less numerous, then of the Languages themselves.IV. Of Notes for Secrecy of Brevity.V. Of real Characters.VI. Of Alphabets in general.
HAving laid down this brief and general View of Languages, 'tis requisite that something should also premised concerning Letters, the Invention of which was a thing of so great Art and exquisiteness, that Tully doth from hence inferr the divinity and spirituality of the humane soul, and that it must needs to be of a farr more excellent and abstracted Essence then mere Matter or Body, in that it was able to reduce all articulate sounds to 24 Letters.
