and education, who alone are presum'd to stand in need of the assistance of
forraigne Languages.

It disownes the common imperfection of others, which by nature being
subject to change, cannot by consequence, serve for a certain determinate
rule in all ages; and if it now survive through the large extent of its
entertainment, it hath much the advantage of others, that are in a manner
deceas'd to this that is fixt, and retaind by a well assur'd custome and if
its being universally known allows all persons to share its uses, so its
being steddy, and unalterable, secures it from all the uneven changes of
time.

As to its proportion, it in a manner keeps a mean between the Ancient and
Modern Languages, it is neither altogether so pure as the one, nor so
corrupt as the other, and so with the same ease is applicable to both; and
in earnest is infinitely the most compendious, it being farre less trouble
to passe from the mean to an extream, or from the extream to the mean, then
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