The universal character, by which all the nations in the world may understand one anothers conceptions, reading out of one common writing their own mother tongues. An invention of general use, the practice whereof may be attained in two hours space, observing the grammatical directions. Which character is so contrived, that it may be spoken as well as written. / By Cave Beck, M.A.

CHAP. VII. Of Prosody. (Book 7)

PRosody teacheth how to speak and pro∣nounce this Character, for which purpose one Common Name must be given to each fi∣gure, and those are Ten Monosyllables borrow∣ed from the English names of the figures, which are thus to be pronounced.

on,1, too,2, or[to]tre,3, for,4, or[fo]fi,5, sic,6,

[and in the Plural Number 6s six.]

sen,7, at,8, nin,9, o.0.

Note, When the Consonants prefix'd to the figures, are set alone without Vowels to spell them with, they are thus to be pronounced; bee, cee, dee, fee, gee, lee, mee, nee, pee, qee, ar, soi, tee, vau, wee, xee.

Note, when two Vowels happen together, which must be pronounced as two Syllables, Grammarians set two pricks over their heads, which they call Diaeresis, as [pii him.]

Note, the Vowels (to prevent forreigners

mistake, who pronounce them differently from us) must be thus pronounced a, as [man,] e, as [the,] i, ending a syllable, as [35 trefi] to be pronounced as the word [eye.] i, before a Consonant is short, as (lip) O, ending a word, as [Crow] 34 trefo, o before a Conso∣nant, sounds short, as [upon,] 12, onto, u, as [under.]

The Dipthong oi, to be pronounc'd as [boy.]

The Passive mark of figures, as ab 3̄, must be pronounced, ab lintre.

For the Accent, or syllable to be raised in each word, observe.

First, If a word be of two syllables, the Ac∣cent is in the first, as 34 tréfo.

Second, If the word be a Polysyllable, the Ac∣cent must be in the Antepenultima or last sylla∣ble but two, (if the Penultima, or last but one have a Vowel next after it) as 3481, trefóraton, but if the Penultima have two Consonants fol∣lowing it, the Accent must be on it as 3812 tre∣atónto.

For other Polysyllables liberty may be taken of pronouncing them, as shall seem most pleasant to the ear, as 347 may be pronounced tréfosen, or trefósen.

Numerals crosse must be called Cruce, as 3̄ the cruce tree.

Note this Character thus pronounced, will sound like Greek, having divers of its sweetest Cadencies, and is capable of Rhetorical, and Po∣etical figures. Look an example of writing and speaking the first Commandement, at the end of the Book.

Take notice that the Grammer and Dictionary is already Translated into the French Tongue, for the use of that Nation, other Languages will be hastned.

If any forreigners, shall please to Publish this Character in their own Countries, in their Na∣tive Tongues, I desire the same course may be taken, which we have observed in the French; viz. That a double Index be made, one of the Figures in their order set before the words, and another of the words placed Alphabetically be∣fore the Character.

And that care be taken no alteration be made of the Figures. And what additions shall be judged necessary of words omitted in this Edi∣tion, that they be propounded to publick debate, whether necessary or no, and being Demonstra∣ted to be such, they may be taken in by publick Consent in after Editions.

Note, If you would find any derived word in the Dictionary, which you will know by putting [to before it, as [sodden,] cometh from to seeth and by the Grammatical directions supply marks of Derivation.

Note, The same Character is applyed to most words of the same signification, and therefore when the order of figures seems disturbed in the Dictionary, know, those figures were set before or after to some word of the same sense: And that they may be the better distinguished, those repea∣ted figures are of a lesser size then the other.

Note, Not only proper names need no Cha∣racter, (as was observed before) but also many

Apellatives, Terms of Art, as [Antithesis,] officine Medicines, as [Mithredate] and Di∣vers Plants and Animals, as Arecca, Bonasus &c. have but one name in most Languages, and therefore we have spared annexing Characters to them.