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Page 9
These are the most inlarg'd principles and infallible ways by which I
discover this secret and misterious accord of the Languages which without
doubt will appear so much the more admirable, as haveing been never to this
hour been believ'd that they had any such close tie or relation: But these
principles may be apply'd severall ways, and therefore least they should
continue undermin'd, I make it appear by the sequel, what in particular
must be done in each Language in conformity to its genius and proper
Character. This is that which obligeth me to make an exact inquirie into
the nature of those Languages I pretend to reduce, I do not content my
selfe infallibly to take my draught either in the generall consent of
nations, which are as often cheated in their Ideas they have of the
Language of each Nation as they are commonly in its manners, or from the
particular sentiments of the more knowing or Learned, who without any
preoccupation of mind have studied their own Native Language with more then
ordinary care. But to make all yet more certain, I principally form my
examinations from the very history of the Languages, which is the most
�quall rule we can take our measures from, in relation to the present
designe.
In order to this, 'tis necessary that we make reflexions upon the first
beginnings of each Nation, and that from other memoires then such with
which we are for the most part furnish't by the Criticks, and seriously to
examine the continuall comerce it hath had with the most considerable of
its neighbours, the wars, feuds and Leagues of its Governours with other
Princes, the irruptions and invasions of Conquering Nations, that have
corrupted its Language as they ingrost its spoils, the frequent Colonies
that Conquerors have sent thither besides its voyages at Sea, and its
traffick, with the most remote plantations, These are the more immediate
causes of this confusion and mixture.
It may perhaps withall be no mean pleasure to see the basis of each
Language distinguisht from the changes and accessions of time or
revolutions of State, what every Nation hath contributed of its owne to
inrich it, what Religion, the Government and what Sciences have
communicated to it, what it retains of Antiquity and what new acquests it
hath made to retrieve its losses with advantage.
Afterall, this is yet but the sceleton, or at most but the body of a
Language, Its necessary that this rude, and indigested masse made up of so
many different dialects should be animated by some secret spirit that
should expand it selfe through all its parts and severall members, and
reduce them to unity by communicating the same air to them, and that this
Spirit or Soul should be the individuall principle of all the effects, and
sensible changes, which make us easily distinguish one Language from
another: The Temper, Humour, and Nature of a people, the dispositions of
their minds, their genius and particular gusts, their more generall and
forcible inclinations, their ordinary passions, and such singular
qualities, by which one Nation is remarq'd and distinguisht from another,
are the most evident signs to discover the true genius of a Language,
because they are in reality the immediate causes and the very originalls
after which I have copied all my draughts to compleat the present piece,
which in my opinion is not wanting in something that is very Naturall,
Besides this, the very manners and customes of Nations, their Laws and
policy, and their publick transactions, both of peace and War, are things
so universally known, that there is no need of any farther search, how to
be able to judge by proportion of the genius, and characters of the
Languages so securely, as by that of the people that speak them.
But as the care of a Nation to improve and advance the Arts and Sciences
and other kinds of good Learning, is that which contributes most to the
perfection of its Language, So tis upon the manner in which its receiv'd,
and the characters of its Authors, that I cheifly depend to determine,
whether it be modest or imperious, whether it rellish more of a softnesse,
sweetnesse, and delicacy, than of a certain Noble brisque and generous air,
whether it incline more to the simplicity of Nature, or the subtile
refinements of Art, whether it be polite to affectation, or betray a
certain negligence which hath its graces too, as well as its measures of
Art, and last of all whether it be not a little crampt in attempting to be
too exact, or else better accomodate it selfe by its freedome from all
restraint.
Having discoverd the genius and proper character of each Language, I have
fram'd the most perfect Idea that is possible, by way of analogie with the
principles of the Platonists, with whose method I was always as much taken
as I am dissatisfy'd with their doctrine.
This Idea being unmasqued serves me in the sequell for a generall rule, to
establish the true and proper reasons of all that passe for singular and
remarqueable in each Language, either in relation to the choice, the
mixture, and union of sounds, the force and significations of words, or the
Air and manner of expression; For tis most certain that all these things
are alter'd according to the genius of a people: So the Spaniards would
distinguish themselves from other Nations by their haughtinesse, and
affected gravity, and their words are easily understood by a certain
pompous Air, that seems to border upon grandeur and Majesty: On the
Contrary the Italians are the Nation of the world that seems to be most
fond of its pleasure, and its naturall, that this softnesse should be
communicated to their Language, and that all their words should breath
nothing, but what is sweet, polite, and the most exact harmony; their
compositions admitt of no sounds but such, as can flatter the Ear, they
suffer not the concours of consonants, whose rudenesse may never so little
offend the Organ, but they are extreamly in Love with Vowels, and often
allow their sequences to make their pronunciation more sweet and delicate.
For their signification, that they might mixe an accord with their energie,
they have hardly any but what are more or lesse figurative, from a
persuasion, that a Metaphor represents objects to the mind, in that most
curious and diverting manner, and withall they are carefull to make choise
of none, but such as represent the fairest images: They are no lesse
sollicitous to diversifie their words by agreeable modifications, their
inflexion hath very little uneasie in it, it is all of it �qually facile
and gay; their diminutives are exceedingly rellishing, because there is
something more than ordinarily pretty in them, they are rich in
derivatives, and compounds, not only because their pronunciation is more
harmonious, but also because they expresse themselves in a more naturall
manner, In one word they banish every thing that may appear ingratefull,
and are passionately in quest of all that may conduce to the Sweetnesse of
their Language.
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