WILKINS, John (1614-72). An Essay Towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language, London, Sa. Gellibrand and John Martyn, 1668, 2°, FIRST EDITION, engraved armorial vignette on title, 2 folding plates, 3 folding tables, 2 on one page (some soiling to title and slight dampstaining to margins, 2F1 with small hole to blank margin), contemporary calf (rubbed). [Wing W2196]

Details

WILKINS, John (1614-72). An Essay Towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language, London, Sa. Gellibrand and John Martyn, 1668, 2°, FIRST EDITION, engraved armorial vignette on title, 2 folding plates, 3 folding tables, 2 on one page (some soiling to title and slight dampstaining to margins, 2F1 with small hole to blank margin), contemporary calf (rubbed). [Wing W2196]

Lot Essay

This is Wilkins's most important work, in preparing which he was assisted by John Ray, Francis Willoughby, and many others. It was suggested by the Ars Signorum of George Dalgarno. It is a pioneer work on the contsruction of artificial language, and includes a treatise on phonetics. Ray's contribution, the Table of Plants, is his first published work on systematic botany.

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