their _different modifications_, and its from these three distinct regards
that the generall principles have their rise, upon which I have fastn'd
this new Systime of the Philosophie of the Languages.

That I may make my procedure more justificable and artificiall, I examine
with all exactnesse the different organs of the voice, the various motions
of the muscles belonging to these organs, and the admirable concent and
accord of those motions; and these I make use of to demonstratively
explaine the precise number of all the simple sounds, that enter into the
composition of the Languages, to discover the nature and proper
pronunciation of these sounds, and by consequence to disclose their
nearnesse and affinity, the resemblances of some, and the disproportion of
others, their accord and opposition, their Sympathy and Antipathy, in a
word, all their combinations and mixtures, their divisions and
distinctions, their orders and severall degrees. From whence I conclude
that all the astonishing and surprizing depravations and Corruptions that
are met withall in the words that one Language borrows from another, in
changing or in transposing, in adding or retrenching, have their basis in
nature; which never attempts any thing but to the purpose, and with a
sollicitous care, when to us it appears to have acted with an open and
observable neglect.

We may Study Nature upon the Latine it selfe which may serve as well for a
model as it doth for a principle; It will in the first place acquaint us
that the Vowels are almost accounted for nothing, for altho there are some
of them that admitt of easie changes among themselves according as they are
more open or reserv'd, we know neverthelesse that there are none of them
but what may be absolutely shifted into the place of another of what kind
soever, either immediately, or by succession and degrees. For a finall
confirmation of this we have no more to doe but to make an easie comparison