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,