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!!!!1641 __ Mercury, or The Secret and Swift Messenger : shewing, how a man may with privacy and speed communicate his thoughts to a friend at any distance * Bishop John Wilkins (1614-1672) * ''Original excerpt :'' « ^[...^] Suppose a Friend were persidiously clapped up in some close Dungeon, and that we did not know exactly where, but could only guess at the place, within the latitude of half a mile or somewhat more ; a man might very distinctly, by these other inventions, discourse unto him. Or suppose a City were straitly besieged, and there were either within it or without it, such a Confederate, with whom we should necessary confer about some design; we may by these means safely dicover to him our intentions. by which you may guess, that the Messenger which is here imployed, is of so strange a nature, as not to be barred out with walls, or deterred by enemies. To the performance of this, it is requisite that there be two Bells of different notes, or some such other audible and loud sounds, which we may command at pleasure, as Muskets, Cannons, Horns, Drums, etc. By the various founding of these (according to the former Table) a man may easily express any letter, and so consequentely any sense. These Tables I shall again repeat in this place : That of two letters may be contrived thus : A (aaaaa), B (aaaab), C (aaaba), D (aaabb), E (aabaa), F (aabab), G (aabba), H (aabbb), I (abaaa), K (abaab), L (ababa), M (ababb), N (abbaa), O (abbab), P (abbba), Q (abbbb), R (baaaa), S (baaab), T (baaba), V (=U) (baabb), W (babaa), X (babab), Y (babba), Z (babbb). ^[...^] If the musical instrument that is used to this purpose, be able to express the ordinary notes, not only according to their different tones, but their times also, then may each letter of the alphabet be rendered by a single sound. Whence it will follow, that a man may frame a language, consisting only of tunes and such inarticulate sounds, as no letters can express. ^[...^] By this you may easily discern how two musicians may discourse with one another, by playing upon their instruments of music, as well as by talking with their instruments of speech. (And which is a singular curiosity) how the words of a song may be contrived in the tune of it. ^[...^] The utterance of these Musical tunes may serve for the universal Language, and the writing of them for the universal Character. As all Nations do agree in the same conceit of things, so likewise in the same conceit of Harmonies. » ''(Bishop John Wilkins, Chapter XVII and XVIII)'' * ''Attached references :'' {small}Jean-François Sudre (1787-1862), ''Téléphonie'' (1827), ''Solresol'' (1838) ; Samuel (Finley Breese) ''Morse'' (1791–1872), ''Recording telegraph - Morse code'' (1843), ''The Sounder'' (1846) ; David Henry Keller (1880-1966), ''The Lost Language'' (1934) ; Clarence Barlow (1945-), ''Çoǧluotobüsişletmesi'' (1975-79), ''Synthrumentation'' (1998).{/small} * ''Sources :'' {small}J. Wilkins. (1641). ''Mercury, or The Secret and Swift Messenger''. In ‘The Mathematical and Philosophical Works of the Right Rev. John Wilkins’, Vol. II, London : printed by C. Whittingham for Vernor and Hood, Poultry, and Martin, Middle-Row, Holborn; and also : J. Walker, Paternoster-Row, 1802, pp. 69-75.{/small} {br}{br}
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