a subject from those intrigues, in which the more knowing have at present
involv'd it, either from a pure impotence to disingage it, or possibly from
a fond desire of a freer breath of popular Air from those who are
ordinarily most taken with what they least understand.

This designe being only a proper entertainment for the most criticall of
the Virtuoses, I am the more inclinable to expose to the public, the
project and plain I have form'd, before I intirely abandon the whole to
their censure; that I may at first anticipate all manner of reply, and take
advantage from the lights of the most accomplisht and intelligent persons,
if their zeale hath courage enough to make them willing to serve the world
in their love and communication.

_The Authors designe._

Most men being prepossest with two unjust prejudices against the nature of
the Languages, th'one, that they have not all either resemblance or accord
among them, the other, that they only depend upon the inconstancie of
chance, and the whisling toyishness of custome, it might be thought no
matter of extraordinary concernment, if one pretended to succeed in a study
of this nature by the single efforts of the memory, without either the
vivacitie of imagination, or the force of reason being interress'd.

But being not very well perswaded of the agreeableness of this method, in
direct opposition to it, I have fastn'd the whole designe in hand upon
these two propositions:

First, that _there is a certain accord between the Severall Languages:_ and
that therefore they are attainable by comparison.