Page:An attempt towards an international language.pdf/26

 to this rule have been to avoid kakophony, to simply orthography or to avoid homonyms. I am sure that in corresponding with an European of medium education, ignorant of the International Language, I should certainly not only be understood, but that he would ﬁnd all he needed in the vocabulary with very little trouble.

I have ﬁnished the analysis of the principal properties of my language; I have demonstrated the advantages it presents to those who shall learn it; I have proved that its success in no wise depends upon the interest that society at large may take in it; that it can with justice be called an International Language, even if no one cares to hear it spoken of; that, in fact, it gives to every one who learns it the possibility of being understood by any stranger, of whatever nationality, provided he can read and write. But my language has still another object; to be International does not suffice; it would be Universal; it would like to arrive at that point when it could be spoken ﬂuently by the majority of mankind. To reckon upon the support of the public to reach this end would be to erect an ediﬁce upon a vacillating and fantastic basis; for the public, as a rule, likes that which is already in existence, and is slow to lend a hand to establish any new thing. So I cast about to find out some menus of attaining my object, independently of the “public support.” One method is by an universal suffrage. If every one who reads my book would carefully reflect upon what I have already stated, he could not fail to reach the conclusion that the study of The International Language presents incontestable advantages, and would richly, reward the very little trouble its acquisition would cost him; then could I hope that from the very outset my invention would be equipped with a goodly number of adherents. But