THOMAS SPRAT I. FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL-SOCIETY 1667 I (The First Part,> Sect. XX. I HOPE now it will not be thought a vain digression, if I step a little aside to recommend the forming of such an A proposal Assembly to the Gentlemen of our Nation. I know indeed for erecting that the English Genius is not so airy and discoursive as an English Academy. that of some of our neighbors, but that we generally love to 5 have Reason set out in plain, undeceiving expressions, as 20 1 Empire have in all Countries still met together. The Greeks spoke best when they were in their glory of conquest. The Romans made those times the Standard of their Wit, when they subdu'd and gave Laws to the World. 5 And from thence, by degrees, they declin'd to corruption, as their valour, their prudence, and the honor of their Arms did decay, and at last did even meet the Northern Nations half way in Barbarism, a little before they were overrun by their Armies. But besides, if we observe well the English Language, we shall find that it seems at this time more than others to require some such aid to bring it to its last perfection. The Truth is, it has been hitherto a little too carelessly handled, and, I think, has had less labor spent about its 15 polishing then it deserves. Till the time of King Henry the Eighth, there was scarce any man regarded it but Chaucer, and nothing was written in it which one would be willing to read twice but some of his Poetry. But then it began to raise it self a little, and to sound tolerably well. 20 From that Age down to the beginning of our late Civil Wars, it was still fashioning and beautifying it self. In the Wars themselves (which is a time wherein all Languages use, if ever, to increase by extraordinary degrees, for in such busie and active times there arise more new thoughts of men which must be signifi'd and varied by new expressions), then, I say, it receiv'd many fantastical terms, which were introduc'd by our Religious Sects, and many outlandish phrases, which several Writers and Translators in that great hurry brought in and made free as they pleas'd, and with all it was inlarg'd by many sound and necessary Forms and Idioms which it before wanted. And now, when mens minds are somewhat settled, their Passions allai'd, and the peace of our Country gives us the opportunity of such diversions, if some sober and judicious Men 35 would take the whole Mass of our Language into their 25 30 hands as they find it, and would set a mark on the ill Words, correct those which are to be retain'd, admit and establish the good, and make some emendations in the Accent and Grammar, I dare pronounce that our Speech would quickly arrive at as much plenty as it is capable to 5 receive, and at the greatest smoothness which its derivation from the rough German will allow it. Nor would I have this new English Academy confin'd only to the weighing Words and Letters. But there, may be also greater Works found out for it. By many signs 10 we may ghess that the Wits of our Nation are not inferior to any other, and that they have an excellent mixture of the Spirit of the French and the Spaniard; and I am confident that we only want a few more standing Examples, and a little more familiarity with the Antients, to excel all 15 the Moderns. Now the best means that can be devis'd to bring that about is to settle a fixt and Impartial Court of Eloquence, according to whose Censure all Books or Authors should either stand or fall. And above all, there might be recommended to them one Principal Work in which we 20 are yet defective, and that is the compiling of a History of our late Civil Wars. Of all the labors of mens Wit and Industry, I scarce know any that can be more useful to the World then Civil History, if it were written with that sincerity and majesty, as it ought to be, as a faithful Idea 25 of humane Actions. And it is observable that almost in all civiliz❜d Countries it has been the last thing that has come to perfection. I may now say that the English can already shew many industrious and worthy Pieces in this kind. But yet I have some Prophetical imagination in my 30 thoughts, that there is still behind something Greater then any we have yet seen reserv'd for the Glory of this Age. One Reason of this my strong persuasion is a comparison that I make between the condition of our State and that of the Romans. They at first writ in this way not much 35 better then our Moncks, onely Registring in an undigested manner some few naked Breviaries of their Wars, and Leagues, and Acts of their City Magistrates. And indeed they advanc'd forward by very slow degrees. For I re5 member that Tully somewhere complains in these Words: Historia nondum latinis literis illustrata. But it was in the peaceful reign of Augustus, after the conclusion of their long Civil Wars, that most of their perfect Historians appear'd. And it seems to me that we may expect the same progress 10 amongst us. There lye now ready in Bank the most memorable Actions of Twenty years, a Subject of as great Dignity and Variety as ever pass'd under any Mans hands; the peace which we injoy gives leisure and incouragement enough. The effects of such a Work would be wonder15 fully advantageous to the safety of our Country and to His Majesties Interest, for there can be no better means to preserve his Subjects in obedience for the future than to give them a full view of the miseries that attended rebellion. There are onely therefore wanting, for the 20 finishing of so brave an undertaking, the united indeavors of some publick minds who are conversant both in Letters and business; and if it were appointed to be the labor of one or two men to compose it, and of such an Assembly to revise and correct it, it might certainly challenge all the Writings of past or present Times. 25 But I see I have already transgress'd. For I know it will be thought unadvisedly done, while I was inforcing a weightier Design, to start and to follow another of less moment. I shall therefore let it pass as an extravagant conceit; only I shall affirm that the Royal Society is so far from being like to put a stop to such a business, that I know many of its Members, who are as able as any others, to assist in the bringing it into practice. (The Second Part,> II Thus they have directed, judg'd, conjectur'd upon, and improved Experiments. But lastly, in these and all other Sect. XX. businesses that have come under their care, there is one Their thing more about which the Society has been most sollicimanner of Discourse. tous, and that is the manner of their Discourse, which, 5 unless they had been very watchful to keep in due temper, the whole spirit and vigour of their Design had been soon eaten out by the luxury and redundance of speech. The ill effects of this superfluity of talking have already overwhelm'd most other Arts and Professions, insomuch that 10 when I consider the means of happy living and the causes of their corruption, I can hardly forbear recanting what I said before, and concluding that eloquence ought to be banish'd out of all civil Societies, as a thing fatal to Peace ⚫ and good Manners. To this opinion I should wholly 15 incline, if I did not find that it is a Weapon which may be as easily procur'd by bad men as good, and that, if these should onely cast it away, and those retain it, the naked Innocence of vertue would be upon all occasions expos'd to the armed Malice of the wicked. This is the chief reason 20 that should now keep up the Ornaments of speaking in any request, since they are so much degenerated from their original usefulness. They were at first, no doubt, an admirable Instrument in the hands of Wise Men, when they were onely employ'd to describe Goodness, Honesty, 25 Obedience, in larger, fairer and more moving Images; to represent Truth, cloth'd with Bodies; and to bring Knowledg back again to our very senses, from whence it was at first deriv'd to our understandings. But now they are generally chang'd to worse uses: They make the Fancy 30 disgust the best things, if they come sound and unadorn'd; they are in open defiance against Reason, professing not to hold much correspondence with that, but with its Slaves, |