An Essay towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language/To the Reader
TO THE
READER.
It may perhaps be expected by some, that I should give an account of my ingaging in a Work of this nature so unsuitable to my Calling and Eusiness.
For the satisfaction of such, they may please to take notice, that this Work was first undertaken, during that vacancy and leasure which I formerly enjoyed in an Academicall station, to which the endeavours of promoting all kind of usefull knowledge, whereby Leaning may be improved, is a very suitable imployment. In the time of that daily and intimate converse which I then injoyed, with that most Learned and excellent Person Dr. Seth Ward, the present Bishop of Salisbury. I had frequent occasion of conferring with him, concerning the various Desiderata, proposed by Learned men, or such things as were conceived yet wanting to the advancement of several parts of Leaning; amongst which, this of the Universal Character, was one of the principal, most of which he had more deeply considered, than any other Person that I knew. And in reference to this particular, he would say, That as it was one of the most usefull, so he judged it to be one of the most feasible, amongst all the rest, if prosecuted in a regular way. But for all such attemps to this purpose, which he had either seen of heard of, the Authors of them did generally mistake in their first foundations; whilst they did propose to themselves the framing of such a Character, from a Dictionary of Words, according to some particular Language, without reference to the nature of things, and that common Notion of them, wherein Mankind does agree, which must chiefly be respected, before any attempt of this nature could signifie any thing, as to the main end of it.
It was from this suggestion of his, that I first had any distinct apprehension of the proper course to be observed, in such an undertaking; having in a Treatise I had published some years before, proposed the Hebrew Tongue as consisting of fewest Radicals, to be the fittest ground work for such a design.
Besides the many Private conferences to this purpose, I must not forget to mention, that Publique account which he hath given to the World, of his thoughts upon this subject, in that Learned and Ingenious discourse styled Vindiciæ Academiarum; wherein he endeavours to Vindicate those Ancient and famous Schools of Leaning, from such reproaches, whereby some Ignorant and ill-natured men (taking the advantage of those bad Times) would have exposed them to contempt and ruine. In which Treatise there is mention made of some considerable preparations, towards the Design here proposed, which if his other necessary imployments would have permitted him to have prosecuted, would without doubt, long ere this, have been advanced to as great a Perfection, as the first Essay of so difficult a matter could have attained.
It was some considerable time after this, before I had any thought of attempting any thing in this kind: The first occasion of it was, from a desire I had, to give some assistance to another person, who was willing to ingage in this design of framing a real Character, from the Natural notion of things; for the helping of whom in so worthy an undertaking, I did offer to draw up for him, the Tables of Substance, or the species of Natural Bodies, reduced under their several Heads; which I did accordingly perform, much after the same Method, as they are hereafter set down: Though in the doing of it, I found much more labour and difficulty, then I expected, when I undertook it. But he for whom I had done this, not liking this method, as being of too great a Compass, conceiving that he could sufficiently provide for all the chief Radicals, in a much briefer and more easy way, did not think fit to make use of these Tables. Upon which, being my self convinced, That this which I had begun, was the only course for the effecting of such a work, and being withal unwilling to loose so much pains as I had already taken towards it, I resolved (as my leasure would permit) to go on with the other Tables of Accidents. And when after many reviews and changes I had reduced (as well as I could) into these Tables, all simple things and notions, by a Consideration of them à Priori, I then judged it necessary to attempt the reduction of all other Words in the Dictionary to these Tables; either as they were Synonymous to them, or to be defined by them, which would be a means to try the fulness of these Tables, and consequently to supply their defects; and besides a great help to Learners, who without such a direction, might not perhaps at first be able to find out the true place and notion of many Words.
For the farther compleating of this Work, I found it necessary to take into consideration, the framing of such a Natural Grammar, as might be suited to the Philosophy of Speech, abstracting from those many unnecessary rules belonging to instituted Language; which proved a matter of no small difficulty, considering the little help to be had for it, from those few Authors who had before undertaken to do any thing in this kind.
In the doing of these things, I have not neglected any help that I could procure from others, and must acknowledge my self much ingaged to sundry Learned Men of my acquaintance, for their directions, and furtherance of such matters, as were most suitable to their several Studies and Professions.
Amongst the rest, I must not forget to make particular mentions of the special assistance I have received, in drawing up the Tables of Animals from that most Learned and Inquisitive Gentleman, a worthy Member of the Royal Society, Mr. Francis Willoughby, who hath made it his particular business, in his late Travails through the most considerable parts of Europe, to inquire after and understand the several species of Animals, and by his own Observations is able to advance that part of Learning, and to add many things, to what hath been formerly done, by the most Learned Authors in this kind.
And as for those most difficult Tables of Plants, I have received the like assistance, from one of his Companions in Travail, Mr. John Wray, Late Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, who besides his other general Knowledge, hath with great success applyed himself to the Cultivating of that part of Learning.
And as for the principal difficulties, which I met with in any other part of this Work, I must acknowledge my self obliged to the continual assistance I have had, from my most Learned and worthy Friend, Dr. William Lloyd, then whom (so far as I am able to judge,) this Nation could not have afforded a fitter Person, either for that great Industry, or Accurate judgment, both in Philological, and Philosophical matters, required to such a Work. And particularly I must wholy ascribe to him that tedious and difficult task, of suting the Tables to the Dictionary, and the drawing up of the Dictionary it self, which upon tryal, I doubt not, will be found to be the most perfect, that was ever yet made for the English Tongue.
And here I think it prpoer to give notice that there are several Words mentioned in the Dictionary, and frequently used amongst some Authors, which are yet very questionable as to their fitness and propriety: Each of these were in the Original Coppy marked wth an Asterisk, for the better distinction of them; but by some oversight, these marks have been omitted in the Impression.
If any shall suggest, that some of the Enquiries here insisted upon (as particularly) those about the Letters of the Alphabet) do seem too minute and trivial, for any prudent Man to bestow his serious thoughts and time about. Such Persons may know, that the discovery of the true nature and Cause of any the most minute thing, doth promote real Knowledge, and therefore cannot be unfit for any Mans endeavours, who is willing to contribute to the advancement of Learning. Upon which Account some of the most eminent Persons, in several Ages, who were Men of business, have not disdained to bestow their pains about the First Elements of Speech.
Julius Cæsar, is said to have written a Book de Analogia. And the Emperour Charles the Great, to have made a Grammar of his vulgar Tongue. So did St. Basil for the Greek; and St. Austin for the Latin, both extant in their Works.
Besides divers of great reputation both Ancient and Modern, who have Written whole Books on purpose, concerning the just Number of the Letters in the Alphabet; Others have applyed their disquisitions to some particular Letters: Messala Corvinus, a Great Man, and a famous Orator amongst the Romans, Writ a Book concerning the Letter S. Adamantius Martyr, was the Author of another Book, concerning the Letters V. and B. Our Learned Gataker has Published a Book concerning Dipthongs. And Jovianus Pontanus esteemed a Learned Man has Two Books de Adspiratione, or the Letter H. Mr. Franklyn hath published a particular Discourse concerning Accents, And Erycius Puteanus hath Written a Book purposely, de Inter punctione, of the true way of Pointing Clauses and Sentences. And these Generally well esteemed for their great usefulness in the Promoting of Learning: Which may be a sufficient Vindication against any Prejudices of this Nature.