The Hartlib Papers

                    THE INTERPRETER

                        OF THE

                       ACADEMIE

                     FOR FORRAIN

                   LANGVAGES, AND ALL

                   NOBLE SCIENCES, AND

                       EXERCISES.

                    TO ALL FATHERS OF

                   FAMILIES AND LOVERS

                        OF VERTVE

                     THE FIRST PART,

                           by

              Sr BALTHAZAR GERBIER, Knight.

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                         LONDON,

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                      M. DC. XLIII.

For my worthy friend Mr Samuel Hartlib.

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                    TO ALL FATHERS

                    OF FAMILIES AND

                    LOVERS OF VERTVE.

IT is not long since that you haue been told of the dessein of establishing an Academie in England, wherein forrain languages, sciences, and noble Exercises shall bee taught: Viz, French, Italian, Spanish, Germain, and Low-dutch, both Ancient and Modern Histories, jointly with the constitution and Gouuernment of the most famous Empires and Estates of the World, besides the true Experimentall Naturall Philosophie: As also what is most necessary and most noble of the Mathematicks, to wit Arithmetick, the true method of keeping book of account, by double partie, as is practised in Italy, and other parts of Europe; Geometrie, Cosmographie, Geographie, Perspectiue and Architecture, as well

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for Building as for Magnificent showes, and the secret Motions of Scenes, and the like: But aboue all there shall be taught what is most excellent of practicall Mathematicks: Whatsoeuer belongeth to Fortifications, Besieging and defending of places, Fire-workes, ordering of Battailles, and marches of Armies; Item, Musick, Playing on all sorts of instruments, Dancing, Fencing, Riding the great Horse, together with the new manner of fighting on Horsebacke. And if there be any louers of Vertue who haue an inclination to drawing, Painting, Limning, and Caruing (either for their curiosity, or for to attayne vnto a greater exactenesse in seuerall of the fore mentioned sciences; Viz, Architecture, Fortification, &c.) they shall be as exactly taught therein as in the other Sciences; as there shall bee an open Hall for some of the poore children of the Parish, or those that shall be recommended by the supreame authority, to learn gratis such sciences as may bee fit for them. Besides that on euery Saturday throughout all the yeare, between two and three the clocke in the afternoone, there shall be a publicke Lesson read in the said Academie, as well concerning the grounds and rules of the aforesaid languages, as touching the Sciences and Exercises, which will giue much satisfaction to all Fathers of Families,

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and louers of Vertue, when they shall be pleased to honour the Academie with their personall presence at that time; as it is practised in other parts.

   You haue beene told in the former Printed aduertishment, that all Fathers of Families and Louers of those sciences and exercises may addresse themselues (if they please) to Mr William Kipp at Bednall green neere London, or vnto Mr Samuel Hartlib in Dukes place, and whereas some curious Louers of Vertue haue since manifested their desire to be informed of the method which is intended to bee obserued in this Academy; I haue thought fit to present a pattern of the same, and that by meanes of this Interpreter, who will repeate once more to you, that it is the zeale which I haue to the English nation, which hath mooued me to thinck on this establishment, and also a sensibleness of the generall misfortune, incident to this most peruers age, wherby numbers of young-men are drawne into euill companies, where they heare nothing but pestilent, yea infernall discourses: for the deprau'd humor which raignes now a dayes is such, as there are many most peruers corrupted spirits, boasting of an extraordinary wit, far exceeding in their opinion that of the vulgar, who delight to talke of nothing so much but what tends to Atheisme, euen

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in spite of their naturall reason, which clearly conuinceth them, that there is a true God, who is the spring and the first cause of all things, and who is himselfe from all eternity.

   And this Interpreter will also tell you my scope to haue been the benefit of Fathers of Families, by proposing vnto them a meanes, whereby to free them of such charges as they are at, when they send their children to Forrain Academies, and to render them more knowing in those languages, without exposing them to the dangers incident to trauellers, and to that of euill companies, or of giuing to forrain parts the glory of their education; as in effect it is no lesse then abusing of the Vniuersities of Cambridge & Oxfort, and of the famous free Schooles of this Realme, to withdraw from them the sonnes of Noble families, and of those that are louers of Vertue, before they haue learned the Latin and other learned tongues, and the arts that are taught in the same, vnder pretence that they must be sent betimes beyond the Seas, to learn the forrain languages, sciences, and exercises, when as (God knoweth) it is no impertinent question to aske, whether many of such are not return'd into their naturall country more loaden with whimsies, and odde modes, then with knowledge and sciences, and their languages more mixt with oaths and [catchword: blas-]

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blasphemies then with ciuill and Christian discourses.

   This establishement therfore will saue the Fathers of Families the paynes and charges of sending their children to the Academies of Salamanca in Spaine, of Padua in Italy, and of Paris in France, where they shall not neede to goe to learne what they may attayne vnto at home as compleatly euery kinde of way: And thus Parents will see those faire blossoms, and hopes of their Race, to grow in vertue and knowledge, vntill they shall attayne vnto a more ripe age, and that they may trauell with lesse danger to forrain parts to satisfie their curiosity, and also leaue among strangers a good and glorious repute of their abilities.

   Men perfectly well skilled in the said forrain languages, sciences and exercises, will teach them after a very excellent way, and in a very good methode, giuing them a full insight in the theoricall part of the said sciences, and exercises; at the selfe same time that they shall teach them the forrain languages, where vnto shall serue the seuerall discourses wich this Interpreter will present you withall, as likewise some tables of very greate vse for facilitating the matter, and helping the memory, besides seuerall ample treatises concerning the grounds and rules of the

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languages and sciences herein mentioned.

  Our Interpreter will treate in this first part of the Art of well speaking. Of languages and of speaking to some strangers. Of the language to Kings Princes and Magistrates. Of speaking to God. Of Ciuill conuersation. Of History, Naturall Experimentall Philosophie, Arithmetick, to keep book of Account by double parties, Geometrie, Cosmographie, Geographie, Perspectiue, Painting, and Architecture.

    In the second part he will hold forth vnto you what belongeth vnto Fortification, Riding the great horse, Fencing, Musick, and Dancing, and these Treatises he will present vnto you in the seuerall fore mentioned forrain languages.

   And thus I doe wish vnto you and vnto your children all health and happinesse from Gods goodnesse and mercy.

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                  TO THE GENTLE READER.

Yov will be pleased to take in good part the English stile of the Interpreter, who for the better inprouement of those who shall desiour to learne languages followeth (as much as is possible) word for word the French, beeing one of the languages which shall be taught.

                      L'INTERPRETE

                           DE

                       L'ACADEMIE

                    POVR LES LANGVES

                       ESTRANGERES,

                 LES SCIENCES ET NOBLES

                       EXERCICES,

                 A TOVS PERES DE FAMILLE

                 ET AMATEVRS DE LA VERTV.

                     PREMIERE PARTIE

                           PAR

          Messire BALTHAZAR GERBIER, Cheualier.

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                      A LONDRES.

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                    M. DC. XLVIII.

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                    A TOVS PERES

                   DE FAMILLES ET

               AMATEVRS DE LA VERTV.

IL n'y a pas long-temps qu'on vous a dit le dessein d'establir en Angleterre vne Academie, en laquelle seront enseignées les langues estrangeres, les sciences & les Exercices Nobles; A sçauoir, François, Italien, Espagnol, Allemand & Flamand, tant les Histoires Anciennes que Modernes, auec la constitution & le Gouuernement des plus fameux Empires & Estats du Monde, & de plus la vraye Philosophie Naturelle experimentale: Comme aussi tout ce qui est de plus necessaire & de plus noble des Mathematiques, l'Arithmetique, la vraye methode pour tenir liure de compte par partie double, comme s'exerce en Italie, & autres endroicts de l'Europe, la Geometie, Cosmographie, Geographie, Perspectiue & Ar-

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chitecture, tant pour le bastiment, que pour les representations magnifiques, des secrets mouuemens de Scenes & choses semblables: mais sur tout on y enseignera ce qui est de plus excellent de la practique des Mathematiques; A sçauoir les Fortifications, les Sieges & la deffenses des Places, les Feux d'artifice, l'ordre des Batailles & la marches des Armées: De plus, la Musique, à toucher toutes sortes d'Instrumens, la Dance, Faire des Armes, Monter a Cheual, comme aussi à combattre à Cheual, selon la nouuelle façon. Et s'il y a des vertueux qui ayent inclination au dessein, à la Peinture, Minature & à la Sculpture, (soit pour satisfaire à la curiosité, ou pour s'en preualoir pour paruenir à vne plus grande perfection aux sciences susdites, nommément l'Architecture, les Fortifications, &c.) Ils seront aussi exactement instruicts en ces sciences-là, comme és autres, & mesme il y aura Sale ouuerte pour quelques pauures enfans de la Parroisse, ou qui seront recommandez par l'authorité Souueraine, pour y apprendre gratuitement les sciences qui leur pouront estre propres. De plus, que chaque Samedy durant toute l'année entre deux & trois heures apres midy, il y aura leçon publique en ladite Academie, tant sur le sujet des principes & des regles desdites langues, que des Sciences & Exercices, ce qui donnera beaucoup de sa-

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tisfaction à tous Peres de Familles & amateurs de la Vertu, quand il leur plaira, en ce temps-là, d'honnorer l'Academie de leur presence, comme cela se practique en autres endroits.

  On vous a dit dans le precedent imprimé, que les Peres de Famille, & tous amateurs de ces langues, Sciences & Exercices se peuuent addresser, (s'il leur plaist) au Sr Guillaume Kipp à Bednall green pres de Londres, ou au Sr Samuel Hartlib, en la place Duc: Et comme quelques curieux & amateurs ont du depuis fait connoistre leur desir d'estre informé de la methode, laquelle on pretend obseruer en cette Academie, i'ay creu estre à propos d'en donner vn eschantillon, & pour cét effect faire parler cét Interprete, qui vous repetera (encore vne fois) que c'est vn zele que i'ay pour la nation Angloise qui m'a meu de penser à cét establissement, & aussi vn ressentiment general des mal-heurs qui arriuent en ce siecle peruers, & qui entraisnent quantité de ieunes gens dans des mauuaises compagnies, où ils n'entendent que des discours enuenimez, voire infernaux: car l'humeur deprauée (laquelle regne aujourd'huy) est telle qu'il y a quantité d'esprits peruers & corrompus, qui se vantent d'vn talent extraordinaire, & d'auoir le dessus de commun, quand il semble que rien ne leur est plus delectable, que ce qui tend à l'Atheisme, mesme en despit de

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leur raison natutelle, laquelle ne manque pas de les conuaincre, qu'il y a vn Dieu veritable, qui est la source & la cause premiere de toutes choses, & qui de soy mesme est de toute eternité.

   Et cét interprete vous dira aussi que mon but a esté l'aduantage des Peres de Familles, en leur proposant le moyen de s'exempter des frais du voyage de leurs enfans, vers les Academies estrangeres, & pour les rendre plus sçauans en leurs langues, sans s'exposer aux dangers ausquels les voyageurs sont sujets, comme aussi à tomber en mauuaises compagnies, & sans donner aussi aux pays estrangers la gloire de leur education; aussi est-ce en eflect abuser des Vnuiuersitez de Cambridge Oxfort, & d'aucunes Escoles priuilegiées en ce Royaume, d'en tirer les enfants des Nobles familles, & de ceux qui sont amateurs de la Vertu, deuant qu'ils ayent appris le Latin & les autres langues doctes. (& les sciences lesquelles s'y enseignent,) souz pretexte qu'ils les faut enuoyer de bonne heure outre mer, pour y apprendre les langues estrangeres, les sciences & les exercices, quand Dieu sçait, si la question est impertinente, sçauoir si ceux-là ne sont reuenus en leur Patrie, plus couuerts de fanphares & de modes bigarrées, que de sçauoir & de sciences, & que leur langage consiste plus en sermens & blasphemes, qu'en discours ciuils & Chrestiens.

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  Cét establissement donc exemptera les Peres de Famille, de la peine & de la despense d'enuoyer leurs enfans aux Academies de Salamanque en Espagne, de Padoüe en Italie & de Paris en France, où il ne sera pas besoin qu'ils aillent pour y apprendre ce qu'ils se peuuent procurer chez eux en toute perfection: Et c'est ainsi que les Parens verront croistre en Vertu & en sçauoir ces beaux fleurons, & ces esperances de leur lignée, iusqu'à ce qu'ils soient paruenus à l'âge plus viril, & qu'ils pourront auec moins de danger voyager és pays estranges, pour satisfaire à leur curiosité, & laisser parmy les estrangers vne bonne & glorieuse opinion d'eux-mesme.

  Des experts esdites langues estrangeres, sciences & exercices, les enseigneront par vne voye & methode tres-excellente, en leur donnant vne cognoissance tres-ample de la Theorie de ces sciences & exercises à mesme temps qu'ils leur enseigneront ces langues estrangeres; à quoy leur seruiront les discours, que cét Interprete vous fera, en presentant aussi quelques tables grandement vtiles pour faciliter la matiere; & seruant à la memoire.

  Nostre Interprete traittera en cette premiere partie de l'Art de bien parler. De Parler à quelques estrangers. Du langage aux Roys, Princes, & Magistrats. De parler à Dieu. De la conuersation

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Ciuile. De l'histoire. De la Philosophie Naturelle Experimentale. De l'Arithmetique, à tenir liute de compte de partie double. De la Geometrie, Cosmographie, Geographie, Perspectiue, Peinture & Architecture.

  Il traittera en la seconde partie de la Fortification. De monter à cheual. De faire des Armes. De la Musique, & de la Dance, & vous presentera ces Traittez dans les susdites langues estrangeres.

  Ainsi ie vous souhaitte, & à vous & à vos enfans toute prosperité & santé par la misericorde de Dieu.

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