ROBERT HOOKE AN THEODOR HAAK FÜR LEIBNIZ

S^r

I am extreamly pleasd to finde by yo^r letter that D^r Leibniz (the acutnesse of whose invention and solidity of Judgment I very much admire and hono^r) has the same apprehensions w^th me concerning the usefullnesse of A philosophicall language and character. An attempt at w^ch the late learned Bishop D^r Wilkins published in his book called the Reall Character etc. For though that excellent person has not carryed it soe farr and to the height it is possible to be improved for that end, yet what he did was not w^thout a prospect that way, and whilst he was composing of it we had many discourses to that purpose (for I had the happynesse to be w^th him a great part of the time that he was compiling it and have had many debates w^th him of that particular) though I never before I saw your letter heard in the least that it was the opinion of D^r Leibnitz. And though I could not Prevaile w^th that Person to modell it according to some Ideas of it which I then conceived yet since his Death I have spent some thoughts upon it and have formed an Idea of it which will shorten it at least half in half, and make it applicable and usefull not only for common Discourse and keeping Correspondence but for the strict and philosophicall way of Reasoning and Inquiry. Nor am I ignorant that the same method of Ratiocination and Demonstration which is made use of in Geometry and for finding out the affections and proprietys of quantity may also be applyed to the search after the proprietys affections and causes of any other subject where we can arrive to a certain knowledge of the principles of it, And even in the inquisition and manifestation of those principles the same method and art will assist us noe lesse then Algebra does Geometry or Arithmetick nor doe I doubt but that in naturall philosophy (for instance) the true proprietys of bodys the power of causes or motions, the effects resulting from conjunctions and the conjunctions and causes from the results may as certainly and demonstrably be evidenced from either of them Given as if both were seen together, and all the Intermediate time of operating. For the art of Reasoning both according to the Analytick and Synthetick method is not to be confined to the speculation of quantity, though that indeed be very extensive and comprise a very great part of man's Speculation, but is as boundlesse as the mind and Soule of man. Nor has this been unseen by severall Authours some whereof have made some essays towards it though very short of what may yet be done, by some that shall more thoroughly consider and examine it. Our learned Lord Bacon may be reconned among one of the best of that kind, And though he had the Infelicity to have some prejudice for mathematicall learning, yet the Extraordinary strength of his naturall and acquired parts carried him on Almost to a miracle in all the efforts of his undertakings. Severall excellent hints to this purpose may be found scatterd here and there in his Novum Organum and some other peices of his writings, But they are but Hints and doe yet need very much of thought and Invention to Produce them into a compleat Art and method. I question not but D^r Leibnitz has had very excellent thoughts to this Purpose. And I should be very glad to understand how farr he hath carryed it toward perfection. [ ... ]