to trace it from one extream to another. However this would seem
incommodious beyond all redresse, to attempt to reduce all the Languages,
either to the most ancient, or else to any one of the most modern, because
in reality, the former have no more relation to the later, then these have
with others of the same age, which have been as so many channels to derive
Antiquity to us.

Besides the Latin makes a friendly meeting between the Eastern, and Western
Languages; as to the first alone it owes its birth and life, so the others
do to it.

It seems then no more difficult to attain the one, by streaming it up to
the fountain, then to gain all the rest by making a like descent, by way of
resemblance to what we observe in nature when we discern, as well the
effect by the cause, as the cause by the effect. In one word, to make up
all the differences that may arise about the supremacie of the Languages, I
consider the Latin under three different regards, as the _daughter_ of the
Languages of the _East_, as the _Mother_ of those in the _West_, and as the
_Sister_ of the more _Northerne_.

As it is abundantly copious, and rich, having been refind, and improv'd for
more then 3000 years by an infinite variety of nations, with whose spoyls
it is now invested, so it may have a very great number of resemblances,
under which with little difficultie it will admit of a reference to all the
rest. For in conclusion, to reduce all to the most refin'd, and polite
Language, is not what I pretend to; the Barbarous stile of the ancient
Romans will do me as much service, as the quaintnesse, and elegance of
Cicero; the Latin of the declining Empire, since the irruptions of the
Northern Nations, may be admitted into this designe to as good purpose, as
the language of Augustus his time; any sense is the same of that of the
_Sciences_, which makes one almost altogether distinct from what is common
and vulgar; the proper names of Philosophy, naturall History, and Divinity,
those of Physick, and the Mathematicks, of Arts, Law, and Commerce; the
names of illustrious persons, people and places, of which History
furnisheth us with a plausible account, will afford me no lesse assistance
on this occasion, then the names of things that are most common.

After having made choice of a Language in order to the design, I am in the
next place to determine my self to a _certain number of them_, the reunion
of which may be justly thought a modest and reasonab