To make a secure judgement therefore of the originall, there remains nothing but to consider them all, naked and intirely disspoil’d of all that trompery that disguis’d them; and that this may be done with more safety we must follow them step by step in their travels, and espie out the different ranges they have taken and the habits they have shifted, to come thus vizarded and masqued to us.

These are the most inlarg’d principles and infallible ways by which I discover this secret and misterious accord of the Languages which without doubt will appear so much the more admirable, as haveing been never to this hour been believ’d that they had any such close tie or relation:  But these principles may be apply’d severall ways, and therefore least they should continue undermin’d, I make it appear by the sequel, what in particular must be done in each Language in conformity to its genius and proper Character.  This is that which obligeth me to make an exact inquirie into the nature of those Languages I pretend to reduce, I do not content my selfe infallibly to take my draught either in the generall consent of nations, which are as often cheated in their Ideas they have of the Language of each Nation as they are commonly in its manners, or from the particular sentiments of the more knowing or Learned, who without any preoccupation of mind have studied their own Native Language with more then ordinary care.  But to make all yet more certain, I principally form my examinations from the very history of the Languages, which is the most aequall rule we can take our measures from, in relation to the present designe.

In order to this, ’tis necessary that we make reflexions upon the first beginnings of each Nation, and that from other memoires then such with which we are for the most part furnish’t by the Criticks, and seriously to examine the continuall comerce it hath had with the most considerable of its neighbours, the wars, feuds and Leagues of its Governours with other Princes, the irruptions and invasions of Conquering Nations, that have corrupted its Language as they ingrost its spoils, the frequent Colonies that Conquerors have sent thither besides its voyages at Sea, and its traffick, with the most remote plantations, These are the more immediate causes of this confusion and mixture.

It may perhaps withall be no mean pleasure to see the basis of each Language distinguisht from the changes and accessions of time or revolutions of State, what every Nation hath contributed of its owne to inrich it, what Religion, the Government and what Sciences have communicated to it, what it retains of Antiquity and what new acquests it hath made to retrieve its losses with advantage.