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of the latest attempts at a universal tongue, has indeed its adepts, it owes its popularity solely to the idea of its being a „universal language“, and that idea has in itself something so attractive and sublime, that true enthusiasts, leaders in every new discovery, are ready to devote their time, in the hope that they may, perchance, win the cause.
But the number of enthusiasts, after having risen to a certain number, will remain stationary[1] and as the unfeeling and indifferent world will never consent to take any pains in order to speak with the few, this altempt will, like its predecessors, disappear withont having achieved any practical victory.
I have always been interested in the question of a universal language, but as I did not feel myself better qualified for the work than the authors of so many other fruitless attempts, I did not risk running into print, and merely occupied myself with imaginary schemes and a minute study of the problem. At length, however, some happy ideas, the fruits of my reflections, incited me to further work, and induced me to essay the systematic conquest of the many obstacles, which beset the path of the inventor of a new rational universal language. As it appears to me that I have almost succeeded in my undertaking, I am now venturing to lay before the critical public, the results of my long and assiduous labours.
- ↑ One cannot, of course, reckon the number of those who learned the language as equal to the number of instruction-books sold.
