Universal language schemes in England and France, 1600-1800

by James Knowlson

Book by Knowlson, James

Genres: Nonfiction

301 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Ross Perlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book full of wondrous anecdotes, this historical survey treats invented “philosophical languages” (e.g. Wilkins’ real character), languages from imaginary voyages (e.g. Psalmanazar’s Formosan), and the later schemes of pasigraphy in considerable detail. The early modern background of interest in hieroglyphs, Chinese characters, Lullism and Kabbalah, and the art of memory are discussed. There’s also an intriguing appendix on attempts, mostly by the Abee de l’Epee, to promote gesture (or a kind of proto sign language) as a universal means of communication.