A History of English Language

A history of the english language 250
Shortly thereafter the idea of an academy received support from several influential
persons, notably from Dryden and John Evelyn. In the dedication of the Rival Ladies
(1664) Dryden says, “I am Sorry, that (Speaking so noble a Language as we do) we have
not a more certain Measure of it, as they have in France, where they have an Academy
erected for the purpose, and Indow’d with large Privileges by the present King.” A few
months later the Royal Society took a step that might have led it to serve the purpose of
an academy. This society, founded in 1662, was mainly scientific in its interests, but in
December 1664 it adopted a resolution to the effect that as “there were persons of the
Society whose genius was very proper and inclined to improve the English tongue,
Particularly for philosophic purposes, it was voted that there should be a committee for
improving the English language; and that they meet at Sir Peter Wyche’s lodgings in
Gray’s-Inn once or twice a month, and give an account of their proceedings, when called
upon.” The committee was a large one; among its twenty-two members were Dryden,
Evelyn, Sprat, and Waller. Evelyn, on one occasion, unable to attend the meeting of the
committee, wrote out at length what he conceived to be the things that they might
attempt. He proposed the compilation of a grammar and some reform of the spelling,
particularly the leaving out of superfluous letters. This might be followed by a “Lexicon
or collection of all the pure English words by themselves; then those which are derivative
from others, with their prime, certaine, and natural signification; then, the symbolical: so
as no innovation might be us’d or favour’d, at least, ‘till there should arise some necessity
of providing a new edition, & of amplifying the old upon mature advice.” He further
suggested collections of technical words, “exotic” words, dialect expressions, and archaic
words that might be revived. Finally, translations might be made of some of the best of
Greek and Latin literature, and even out of modern languages, as models of elegance in
style. He added the opinion in conclusion that “there must be a stock of reputation gain’d
by some public writings and compositions of y e Members of this Assembly, and so others
may not thinke it dishonor to come under the test, or
16
Edmund Freeman, “A Proposal for an English Academy in 1660,” MLR, 19 (1924), 291–300.
The author of this article plausibly suggests Robert Hooke as the R.H.Esquire.