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An Essay Towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language
EARLY DOCUMENTS OF LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS. Imagine holding history in your hands. Now you can. Digitally preserved and previously accessible only through libraries as Early English Books Online, this rare material is now available in single print editions. Thousands of books written between 1475 and 1700 can be delivered to your doorstep in individual volumes of high quality historical reproductions. The evolution of English and foreign languages is documented in these original texts studying and recording early philology from the study of a variety of languages including Greek, Latin and Chinese, as well as multilingual volumes, to current slang and obscure words. Translations from Latin, Hebrew and Aramaic, grammar treatises and even dictionaries and guides to translation make this collection rich in cultures from around the world.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition
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An essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language by John Wilkins ...
Alphabetical dictionary.
Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.
"An alphabetical dictionary, wherein all English words according to their various significations, are either referred to their places in the philosophical tables, or explained by such words as are in those tables" ([162] p. at end) has special t.p. and is entered separately in Wing as W2176 (entry cancelled in Wing 2nd ed.).
Folded table inserted between p. 442 and p. 443.
p. [19] at beginning.
p. [5]-[9] at end.
Marginal notes.
[19], 454, [162] p., [2] leaves of plates :
London : Printed for Sa. Gellibrand, and for John Martyn ..., 1668.
Arber's Term cat. / I 3 (Essay)
Wing / W2196
English
Reproduction of the original in the Harvard University Library
++++
This book represents an authentic reproduction of the text as printed by the original publisher. While we have attempted to accurately maintain the integrity of the original work, there are sometimes problems with the original work or the micro-film from which the books were digitized. This can result in errors in reproduction. Possible imperfections include missing and blurred pages, poor pictures, markings and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
++++
The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition
++++
An essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language by John Wilkins ...
Alphabetical dictionary.
Wilkins, John, 1614-1672.
"An alphabetical dictionary, wherein all English words according to their various significations, are either referred to their places in the philosophical tables, or explained by such words as are in those tables" ([162] p. at end) has special t.p. and is entered separately in Wing as W2176 (entry cancelled in Wing 2nd ed.).
Folded table inserted between p. 442 and p. 443.
p. [19] at beginning.
p. [5]-[9] at end.
Marginal notes.
[19], 454, [162] p., [2] leaves of plates :
London : Printed for Sa. Gellibrand, and for John Martyn ..., 1668.
Arber's Term cat. / I 3 (Essay)
Wing / W2196
English
Reproduction of the original in the Harvard University Library
++++
This book represents an authentic reproduction of the text as printed by the original publisher. While we have attempted to accurately maintain the integrity of the original work, there are sometimes problems with the original work or the micro-film from which the books were digitized. This can result in errors in reproduction. Possible imperfections include missing and blurred pages, poor pictures, markings and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
- GenresPhilosophyLanguage
654 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1668
62 people want to read
About the author
John Wilkins
17 books4 followersJohn Wilkins FRS (14 February 1614 – 19 November 1672) was an Anglican clergyman, natural philosopher and author, and was one of the founders of the Royal Society. He was Bishop of Chester from 1668 until his death.
Wilkins is one of the few persons to have headed a college at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. He was a polymath, although not one of the most important scientific innovators of the period. His personal qualities were brought out, and obvious to his contemporaries, in reducing political tension in Interregnum Oxford, in founding the Royal Society on non-partisan lines, and in efforts to reach out to religious nonconformists. He was one of the founders of the new natural theology compatible with the science of the time.
He is particularly known for An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language (1668) in which, amongst other things, he proposed a universal language and a decimal system of measures which was later developed to become the metric system.
Wilkins lived in a period of great political and religious controversy, yet managed to remain on working terms with men of all political stripes; he was key in setting the Church of England on the path toward comprehension for as many sects as possible, "and toleration for the rest." Gilbert Burnet called him "the wisest clergyman I ever knew. He was a lover of mankind, and had a delight in doing good."
His stepdaughter married John Tillotson, who became Archbishop of Canterbury.
Wilkins is one of the few persons to have headed a college at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. He was a polymath, although not one of the most important scientific innovators of the period. His personal qualities were brought out, and obvious to his contemporaries, in reducing political tension in Interregnum Oxford, in founding the Royal Society on non-partisan lines, and in efforts to reach out to religious nonconformists. He was one of the founders of the new natural theology compatible with the science of the time.
He is particularly known for An Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language (1668) in which, amongst other things, he proposed a universal language and a decimal system of measures which was later developed to become the metric system.
Wilkins lived in a period of great political and religious controversy, yet managed to remain on working terms with men of all political stripes; he was key in setting the Church of England on the path toward comprehension for as many sects as possible, "and toleration for the rest." Gilbert Burnet called him "the wisest clergyman I ever knew. He was a lover of mankind, and had a delight in doing good."
His stepdaughter married John Tillotson, who became Archbishop of Canterbury.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 7, 2019
An excellent essay from a historical standpoint debating the validity of prescriptivism from the manner in which it was viewed from a 17th century standpoint. In the version I have, at least, the transcription is preserved in the original writing, which was a delight, but also a bit of a slog (the 's's and 'f's bear striking semblance to each other).
April 16, 2025
behemoth of a text but very interesting text that is important in understanding seventeenth century language theory
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews