An Advertisement to the _English Reader_.
About 26 Years since, the Honourable, Learned, and Pious F.M. Baron of _Helmont_ caused to be published in Latin a small Treatise; wholly and fully to the same purpose, with what is here published: Which said Treatise, entituled, _The Alphabet of Nature_, is now in Hand to be Translated, and Publish'd in _English_; of which it was thought fit here to give thee this Notice.
Thou art also (kind _Reader_) to be advertised, that there is very lately Translated into the _English_ a very learned Tract, entituled, _The Divine Being, and its Attributes_; demonstrated from the Holy Scriptures, and Original Nature of things, according to the Principles of the aforesaid F.M. Baron of _Helmont_. Written in _Low-Dutch_, by _Paulus Buchius_, Dr. of Physick, &c. and Licensed according to Order, and are to be sold by _T. Howkins_, Bookseller, in _George-yard, Lumbard-Street_.
_An Inquiry into the Nature of a_ Voice, _and in what respect it differs from the Breath_.
Let no Man presume, that he shall ever attain to this noble Art, if he remain Ignorant in what it is that the nature of the Letters, as well in general, as special, doth consist; for it was this very thing which gave occasion to the composing of this small Treatise: Wherefore, before I treat of the manner of instructing _Deaf_ Persons, I shall bring into examination, First, the material part of the _Letters_, viz. _Voice_ and _Breath_; Secondly, the _Letters themselves_, and their Differences: Thirdly, and Lastly, I will teach the _Practise_ of the Art.
I have oftentimes heard from some Persons, that it was little beneath a Miracle, that God should give Men, to express the Thoughts of the Mind, rather by Motions, which are effected by the Lips, the Tongue, the Teeth, &c. than otherwise, and that so universally, that there is no Nation so Barbarous, no not excepting the _Hottentots_, which cannot speak in a Language. But let (I pray) these Men consider, what it is that Men rightly Instituted would have, whilst they mutually talk one with another; for they desire to open the most inward Recesses of the Heart, yea, and to transfuse their own proper Life into others, which thing cannot be more commodiously done, than by Speaking; for there is nothing which floweth forth from us, which carrieth with it a more vivid Character of the Life, than our _Voice_ doth; yea, in the _Voice_ is the _Breath_ of Life, part of which passeth into the _Voice_; for indeed the _Voice_ is the Child of the Heart, which is the Seat of the Affections, and of Desire. Hence it is, that sometimes we are not able to keep back the impetuous Motions of the Affections; but _out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaketh._ Thus, when we desire something in our selves, and yet are afraid to express it, the Heart labours like a Woman with Child, and becomes Anxious; but if we can pour it forth into the Bosom of a Friend, there presently ariseth great Tranquility, and we say, that we have emptied our Hearts: Yea, so full is the _Voice_ of the Life, which immediately flows from the Heart, that to talk long, extreamly wearieth us; but especially the Sick, who oftentimes can scarce utter three or four words, but they faint away. Therefore, to comprehend much in a few words, the _Voice_ is an Emanation from that very Spirit, which God breathed inth Man's Nostrils, when he Created him a living Soul. Hence also, _The Word of God, the Son of God, the Omnipotence of God_, &c. are in Holy Scripture oftentimes homonymous, or of the like, and same import.
