Oration of Praise original Latin: Elogium.

SIMON STEVIN’S

DISCOURSE

ON THE DIGNITY

OF THE DUTCH LANGUAGE.

* Fate.

* Qualities.

It is quite true that in Nature there is nothing [inherently] wondrous; nevertheless, to distinguish those things which we understand through their causes from those whose reasons are unknown to us, we rightly give the latter the name of "wonder"—not because they are truly so, but because they appear so to us. This being the case, we may reasonably wonder in this regard by what means Nature worked when she caused our ancestors to create their language; since we lack sufficient scientific knowledge of the causes of such an artful work. But because a lamentable blindness, as if ordained by FATE, has so darkened or bewitched the understanding of many that they cannot perceive the light of the Sun above that of the Stars—I mean the dignity of this language above all others—to the great disadvantage of the Dutch people; and considering, moreover, that we have undertaken to describe in this same language the ART OF WEIGHING Statics (Weeghconst): Stevin’s term for the science of equilibrium and weights., whose profound qualities are not easily expressed through inferior languages, we shall say something of it to the best of our ability, wondering if the end of the time appointed by FATE is not yet approaching. And first, of its antiquity, as follows:

Book on the Manners of the Germans original Latin: Li. de Morib. Germanor., referring to Tacitus's Germania..

It is to be known that the Dutch In the 16th century, the term "Duytschen" referred broadly to Germanic peoples, including those in the Low Countries. in those very ancient times, of which no public writings remain in the world, were an excellent and very powerful people, who—through such destructive causes as have befallen other powerful nations, such as war and the like, promoting the eradication of laws, the breaking of good order, the destruction of cities, etc.—fell into a state of wildness; yet not so completely that the old nature of magnanimity, justice, and faithfulness, of which Tacitus also testifies, did not remain always rooted in them. This wildness of theirs lasted until about the times of Julius Caesar, after which it began to turn to a better state, so that they eventually returned to ruling over the continent of Europe, as is well known. But because someone might doubt their aforementioned primary power, since we...