THE ENGLISH GRAMMAR.] The Grammar which Jonson had prepared for the press was destroyed in the conflagration of his study. What we have here therefore, are rather the materials for a grammar than a perfect work.

Jonson had formed an extensive collection of Grammars, which appears to have been both curious and valuable. Howell writes to him in 1629 that, "according to his desire, he had, with some difficulty, procured Dr. Davies's Welsh Grammar, to add to those many which he already had." Letters, Sec. v. 26; and sir Francis Kynaston, in speaking of the old infinitives tellen, &c., says "Such words ought rather to be esteemed as elegancies, since it appears by a most ancient Grammar written in the Saxon tongue and character, which I once saw in the hands of my most learned and celebrated friend, master Ben Jonson, that the English tongue in Chaucer's time," &c. Much more might be produced to the same effect; but enough is given to shew (what indeed, was already sufficiently apparent) that our author never trifled with the public, nor attempted to handle any subject, of which he had not made himself a complete and absolute master.

The Grammar was first printed in the fol. 1640, three years after the author's death. The title was drawn up by the editors of that volume.

THE PREFACE.

HE profit of Grammar is great to strangers, who are to live in communion and commerce with us, and it is honourable to

ourselves: for by it we communicate all our labours, studies, profits, without an interpreter. We free our language from the opinion of rudeness and barbarism, wherewith it is mistaken to be diseased: we shew the copy of it, and matchableness with other tongues; we ripen the wits of our own children and youth sooner by it, and advance their knowledge.

Confusion of language, a curse. Experience breedeth art: lack of experience, chance.

Experience, observation, sense, induction, are the four triers of arts. It is ridiculous to teach any thing for undoubted truth, that sense and experience can confute. So Zeno disputing of Quies, was confuted by Diogenes, rising up and walking.

In grammar, not so much the invention, as the disposition is to be commended: yet we must remember, that the most excellent creatures are not ever born perfect; to leave bears, and whelps, and other failings of nature.

a

Jul. Cæsar Scaliger. de caus. Ling. Lat. Grammatici unus finis est rectè loqui. Neque necesse habet scribere. Accidit enim scriptura voci, neque aliter scribere debemus, quàm loquamur.

Ramus in definit. pag. 30. Grammatica est ars benè loquendi.

b Veteres, ut Varro, Cicero, Quinctilianus, Etymologiam in notatione vocum statuêre.

Dictionis natura prior est, posterior orationis. Ex usu veterum Latinorum, Vox, pro dictione scriptâ accipitur: quoniam vox esse possit. Est articulata, quæ scripto excipi, atque exprimi valeat: inarticulata, que non. Articulata vox dicitur, quâ genus humanum utitur distinctim, à cæteris animalibus, quæ muta vocantur: non, quòd sonum non edant; sed quia soni eorum nullis exprimantur propriè literarum notis. Smithus de rectâ, et emend. L. Latin. script. a Syllaba est elementum sub accentu. Scalig. lib. 2. Litera est pars dictionis indivisibilis. Nam quamquam sunt litera quædam duplices, una tamen tantùm litera est, sibi quæque sonum unum certum servans. Scalig.

d

e

Et Smithus, ibid. Litera pars minima vocis articulata.

" Natura literæ tribus modis intelligitur; nomine, quo pronunciatur; potestate, quâ valet; figurâ, quâ scribitur. At potestas est sonus ille, quo pronunciari, quem etiam figura debet imitari; ut his Prosodiam Orthographia sequatur. Asper.

& Prosodia autem, et Orthographia partes non sunt; sed, ut sanguis, et spiritus per corpus universum fusæ. Scal. ut suprà. Ramus, pag. 31.

RAMMARa is the art of true and wellspeaking a language: the writing is but an accident.

The parts of Grammar are

Etymology, which is Syntax, {

the true notation of words. the right ordering of them. A word is a part of speech, or note, whereby a thing is known, or called; and consisteth of one or more syllabes.

A syllabe is a perfect sound in a word, and consisteth of one or more letters.

e

A letter is an indivisible part of a syllabe, whose prosody, or right sounding is perceived by the power; the orthography, or right writing, by the form.

8 Prosody, and orthography, are not parts of grammar, but diffused like the blood and spirits through the whole.

h Litera, à lineando; undè, linere, lineaturæ, litera, et litura. Neque enim à lituris litera quia delerentur; prius enim facta, quàm deleta sunt. At forma potius, atque ovcías rationem, quàm interitûs, habeamus. Scal. ibid.

iLitera genus quoddam est, cujus species primaria duæ vocalis et consonans, quarum natura, et constitutio non potest percipi, nisi priùs cognoscantur differentiæ formales, quibus factum est, ut inter se non convenirent. Scal. ibid.

k Litera differentia generica est potestas, quam nimis rudi consilio veteres Accidens appellârunt. Est enim forma quædam ipse flexus in voce, quasi in materiâ, propter quem flexum fit; ut vocalis per se possit pronunciari: Muta non possit. Figura autem est accidens ab arte institutum; potestque attributa mutari. Jul. Cæs. Scal. ibidem. De vi, ac potestate literarum tam accuratè scripserunt Antiqui, quàm de quâvis alia suæ professionis parte. Elaborârunt in hoc argumento Varro, Priscianus, Appion, ille, qui cymbalum dicebatur mundi: et inter rhetores non postremi judicii, Dionysius Halicarnassæus, Caius quoque Casar, et Octavius Augustus. Smith. ibid.

1

Litera, quæ per seipsas possint pronunciari, vocales sunt; quæ non, nisi cum aliis, consonantes.

Vocalium nomina simplici sono, nec differente à potestate, proferantur.

Consonantes, additis vocalibus, quibusdam præpositis, aliis postpositis.

m Ex consonantibus, quorum nomen incipit à Consonante, Muta sunt; quarum à vocali, semi-vocales: Mutas non indè appellatas, quòd parum sonarent, sed quòd nihil.