VI 



PREFACE 



principles, the Commission finally resolved to work out on 

 purely scientific principles an international auxiliary lan- 

 guage on the basis of Esperanto. The whole question of 

 the introduction of an international auxiliary language has 

 thus arrived at a stage in which it appears worthy of serious 

 discussion. Under these circumstances, the writers of this 

 brochure considered it their first duty to draw the attention 

 of scientific and literary men to the matter, and so initiate 

 discussion. 



The object of this book will have been attained, should 

 they have succeeded in explaining the present state of the 

 question, and in showing that it is already possible to 

 discuss the introduction of an international auxiliary lan- 

 guage into science, and indeed even seriously to make the 

 attempt to carry it out. It may be remarked that the five 

 authors of this book live in five different countries, and 

 belong to three different languages. The very considerable 

 correspondence required for the production of their book 

 was carried out with the greatest success in the Lingua 

 Internaciona, whenever any two of the correspondents 

 possessed different mother-tongues. 



Paris, Copenhagen, Zurich, Gross-Bothen, Graz. 



L. COUTUEAT, 0. JESPERSEN, E. LORENZ, 



W. OSTWALD, L. PFAUNDLEB. 

 March, 1909. 



