Vol. III. MifcellAnea Curiofa. 2 1 ^ 



I might give an Inftance alfo in the Arti- 

 ficial Language Invented by the Late Re- 

 verend Birfiop of Chefter l^x. Wilhins^ ^Nhich 



in all the accomplifliments of Language doth 

 excel any one yet extant-, to which is alfo 

 annexed a real Charafter, Legible into that 

 or any other Language Spoken. By which 

 Language the Charader and every additional 

 Mark is efFable^ and yet the Charadter is not 

 Litteral but Real, which is more curious and 

 ufeful than the Chinefe way. Great pity it 

 is that Difcourfe is not publilhed in Latin, 

 that the Learned of Europe^ may think of 

 further Improving it, and bringing it to 



But whatever we may judge of Language, 

 'tis paft difpute that Writing was ever Ar- 

 tificial, how Antiently fo ever it were in Ufe, 

 and was the Invention of fbme thinking and 

 Studious Men. 'Tis alfo evident that there 

 have been various ways thought of for Ex- 

 preflingSignificancy, according to the fever- 

 a\ Genii of the Perfons that were the Inven- 

 tors. As may be guefied by the i^.gyptian 

 Hieroglyphicks, the Chinefe Charafters, the 

 Mexican Chronology, and the Literal Char- 

 afters of feveral Nations, each of which 

 feem to proceed upon differing methods, and 

 from difFering^thoughts of Invention. 

 ^ Which of thefewaysis the molt Antien|:, 

 is hard to prove. The ^y^gyptian Mummicj 

 and Obelesh prove a great Antiquity of the 

 Hieroglyphicks, but yet the Chinefe Chrono- 

 logy (if to be credited) outftrips the ?^>y/-. 

 tian in pretence to Antiquity. For the C^/- 

 n^fi make Fohi^ the fir ft King of China^ xx> be 



P 3 the 



