An Essay towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language/Epistle
To the Right Honourable
WILLIAM
LORD VISCOUNT
BROUNCKER,
PRESIDENT;
Together with the rest of the COUNCIL and FELLOWS of the ROYAL SOCIETY.
My Lord,
NOW at length present to your Lordship those Papers I had drawn up concerning a Real Character, and a Philosophicall Language; which by severall Orders of the Society have been required of Me. I have been the longer about it, partly because it required some considerable time to reduce the Collections I had by me to this purpose, into a tolerable order; and partly because when this work was done in Writing, and the Impression of it well nigh finished, it hapned (amongst many other better things) to be burnt in the late dreadfull Fire; by which, all that was Printed (excepting only two Copies) and a great part of the unprinted Original was destroyed: The repairing of which, hath taken up the greatest part of my time ever since. I mention this by way of Apology for that slackness and delay, I may seem to be guilty of in my obedience to your Orders.
I am not so vain as to think that I have here completely finished this great undertaking, with all the advantages of which such a design is capable. Nor on the other hand, am I so diffident of this Essay, as not to believe it sufficient for the business to which it pretends, namely the distinct expression of all things and notions that fall under discourse.
I am sensible of sundry defects in the severall parts of this Book: And therefore would make my humble motion to your Lordship and this Society, that you would by your Order appoint some of our number, thoroughly to examin & consider the whole, and to offer their thoughts concerning what they judge fit to be amended in it. Particularly in those Tables that concerne the species of Natural bodies; which, if they were (so far as they are yet known and discovered) distinctly reduced and described, This would very much promote and facilitate the knowledg of Nature, which is one great end of your Institution. And besides, the ranging of these things into such an order as the Society shall approve, would afford a very good method for your Repository, both for the disposal of what you have already, and the supplying of what you want, towards the compleating of that Collection, so generously begun of late, by the bounty of Mr. Daniel Collwal, a worthy Member of this Society. And by this means, I should not doubt, but that in a very short space, you would have the most usefull Repository in the World.
It is no easie undertaking to Enumerate all such matters as are to be provided for in such a design; But the business of Defining, being amongst all others the most nice and difficult, must needs render it a very hard task for any one to attempt the doing of this, for all kinde of Things, Notions, and Words, which yet is necessary to the design here proposed.
Upon which account I may be excused for being so sollicitous about the assistance of others in these matters, because of their great difficulty and importance. The compleating of such a design, being rather the work of a College and an Age, then if any single Person: I mean; the combined Studies of many Students, amongst whom, the severall shares of such a Work should be distributed; And that for so long a course of time, wherein sufficient experiments might be made of it by practice.
It has been sayd concerning that famous Italian Academy styled de la Crusca, consisting of many choice Men of great Learning, that they bestowed forty years in finishing their Vocabulary. And 'tis well enough known, that those great Wits of the French Academy, did begin their Dictionary in the year 1639. And for the hastning of the Work, did distribute the parts of it amongst severall Committees; and yet that undertaking is (for ought I can understand) far enough from being finished.
Now if those famous Assemblies consisting of the great Wits of their Age and Nations, did judge this Work of Dictionary-making, for the polishing of their Language, worthy of their united labour and studies; Certainly then, the Design here proposed, ought not to be thought unworthy of such assistance; it being as much to be preferred before that, as things are better then words, as real knowledge is beyond elegancy of speech, as the general good of mankind is beyond that of any particular Countrey or Nation.
I am very sensible that the most usefull inventions do at their first appearance, make but a very slow progress in the World, unless helped forward by some particular ad-- vantage. Logarithms were an Invention of excellent Arts and usefulness; And yet it was a considerable time, before the Learned Men in other parts, did so farr take notice of them, as to bring them into use. The Art of Shorthand, is in its kind an Ingenuous device, and of considerable usefullness, applicable to any Language, much wondered at by Travailers, that have seen the experience of it in England: And yet though it be above Three-score years, since it was first Invented, 'tis not to this day (for ought I can learn) brought into common practice in any other Nation. And there is reason enough to expect the like Fate for the design here proposed.
The only expedient I can think of against it, is, That it be sent abroad into the World, with the reputation of having bin considered and approved of, by such a Society as this; which may provoke at least, the Learned part of the World, to take notice of it, and to give it such encouragement, as it shall appear to deserve.
And if upon such an amendment and recommendation by this Society, the design here proposed, should happen to come into common use, It would requite the Honour you bestow upon it, with abundant Interest. The being Instrumental in any such discovery as does tend to the Universal good of Mankind, being sufficient not only to make the Authors of it famous, but also the Times and Places wherein they live.
He that knows how to estimate, that judgment inflicted on Mankind in the Curse of the Confusion, with all the unhappy consequences of it, may thereby judge, what great advantage and benefit there will be, in a remedy against it. Men are content to bestow much time and pains in the Study of Languages, in order to their more easy conversing with those of other Nations. 'Tis said of Mithridates King of Pontus, that he was skilled in Two and twenty several Tongues, which were spoken in the several Provinces under his Dominion: Which, tho it were a very extraordinary attainment, yet how short a remedy was it against the Curse of the Confusion, considering the vast multitude of Languages that are in the World.
Besides that most obvious advantage which would ensue, of facilitating mutual Commerce, amongst the several Nations of the World, and the improving of all Natural knowledge; It would likewise very much conduce to the spreading of the knowledge of Religion. Next to the Gift of Miracles, and particularly that of Tongues, powred out upon the Apostles in the first planting of Christianity, There is nothing that can more effectually conduce to further accomplishment of those Promises, which concern the diffusion of it, through all Nations, then the design which is here proposed.
To which it will be proper for me to add, That this design will likewise contribute much to the clearing of some of our Modern differences in Religion, by unmasking many wild errors, that shelter themselves under the disguise of affected phrases; which being Philosophically unfolded, and rendered according to the genuine and natural importance of Words, which appear to be inconsistencies and contradictions. And several of those pretended, mysterious, profound notions, expressed in great swelling words, whereby some men set up for reputation, being this way examined, will appear to be, either nonsence, or very flat and jejune.
And tho it should be of no other use but this, yet were it in these days well worth a mans pains and study, considering the Common mischief that is done, and the many impostures and cheats that are put upon men, under the disguise of affected insignificant Phrases.
But what ever may be the issue of this attempt, as to the establishing of a real Character, and the bringing of it into Common use, amongst several Nations of the world (of which I have but very slender expectations;) yet this I shall assert with greater confidence, That the reducing of all things and notions, to such kind of Tables, as are here proposed (were it as compleatly done as it might be) would prove the shortest and plainest way for the attainment of real Knowledge, that hath been yet offered to the World. And I shall add further, that these very Tables (as now they are) do seem to me a much better and readier course, for the entring and training up of men in the knowledge of things, then any other way of institution that I know of; which I should not presume to assert, before such able Judges as those of this Society, were it not a thing I had well considered and were convinced of.
I have nothing further to add, but only the declaring myself to be most Zealously devoted to the Honour and Welfare of the Royal Society,
And particularly (My Lord,)
Your Lordships most
Humble Servant,
Jo. VVilkins