70. Now to the end the reader may be more enamored of the language wherein I am to publish a grammer and lexicon, I will here set down some few qualities and advantages peculiar to it self and which no language else, although all other concurred with it, is able to reach unto.
71. First, there is not a word utterable by the mouth of man which, in this language, hath not a peculiar signification by it self . . .
72. Secondly, such as will harken to my instructions, if some strange word be proposed to them, whereof there are many thousands of millions, deviseable by the wit of man, which never hitherto by any breathing have been uttered, shall be able (although he know not the ultimate signification thereof) to declare what part of speech it is; or if a noune, unto what predicament or class it is to be reduced, whether it be the signe of a real or notional thing or somewhat concerning mechanick trades in their tooles or tearmes; or if real, whether natural or artificial, compleat or incompleat; for words here do suppone for the things which they signifie, as when we see my Lord General's picture, we say, "There is my Lord General."
73. Thirdly, this world of words hath but two hundred and fifty prime radices upon which all the rest are branched; for better understanding whereof with all its dependant boughs, sprigs and ramelets, I have before my lexicon set down the division thereof, making use of another allegory, into so many cities which are subdivided into streets, they againe into lanes, those into houses, these into stories whereof each room standeth for a word; and all these so methodically, that who observeth my precepts thereanent shall at the first hearing of a word know to what city it belongeth and consequently not be ignorant of some general signification thereof, till, after a most exact prying into all its letters, finding the street, lane, house, story and room thereby denotated, he punctually hit upon the very proper thing it represents in its most specifical signification.
74. Fourthly, by vertue of adjectitious syllabicals annexible to nouns and verbs, there will arise of several words, what compound, what derivative, belonging in this language to one noune or to one verb alone, a greater number then doth pertaine to all the parts of speech in the most copious language in the world besides.
75. Fifthly, so great energy to every meanest constitutive part of a word in this language is appropriated, that one word thereof, though but of seven syllables at most, shall comprehend that which no language else in the world is able to express in fewer than four-score and fifteen several words — and that not only a word here and there for masterie's sake but several millions of such, which, to any initiated in the rudiments of my grammer, shall be easie to frame.
. . .
128. Eight and fiftiethly, sooner shall one reach the understanding of things to be signified by the words of this language then by those of any other, for that as logarithms in comparison of absolute numbers so do the words thereof in their initials respectively vary according to the nature of the things which they signifie.
129. Nine and fiftiethly, for pithiness of proverbs, oracles and sentences no language can parallel with it.
130. Sixtiethly, in axioms, maximes and aphorismes it is excellent above all other languages.
131. One and sixtiethly, for definitions, divisions and distinctions no language is so apt.
132. Two and sixtiethly, for the affirmation, negation and infinitation of propositions, it hath proprieties unknown to any other language, most necessary for knowledge.
133. Three and sixtiethly, in matter of enthymems, syllogisms and all manner of illative ratiocination, it is the most compendious in the world.
134. Besides these sixty and three advantages above all other languages, I might have couched thrice as many more of no less consideration then the aforesaid, but that these same will suffice to sharpen the longing of the generous reader after the intrinsecal and most researched secrets of the new grammer and lexicon which I am to evulge.
To contrive a language of this perfection will be thought by the primest of wits of this age a work of a great undertaking and that the promover of so excellent an invention should not lack for any encouragement tending to the accomplishment of a task of such maine concernment. If any say there are too many languages already, and that, by their multiplicity and confusion, the knowledge of things having been much retarded, this fabrick of a new one may be well forborn because it would but intangle the minde with more impestrements, where there was too much difficulty before; I answer that this maketh not one more but, in a manner, comprehendeth all in it; whereby it facilitates and doth not obstruct, for by making Greek, Latin and all the other learned languages the more expressive, it furthers the progress of all arts and sciences . . .
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