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In defence of the Dutch language

MYLE (MUYL, MILIUS), Abraham van der.
Lingua Belgica. Sive de linguae illius communitate tum cum plerisque aliis, tum presertim cum Latinâ, Graecâ, Persicâ; deque communitatis illius causis; tum de linguae illius origine et latissimâ per nationes quamplurimas diffusione; ut & de ejus prestantiâ. Quâ tum occasione, hic simul quaedam tractantur consideratu non indigna, ad linguas in universum omnes pertinentia. Additus & est Index.


Woodcut printer's device on title, woodcut head-piece and initials.

Woodcut printer's device on title, woodcut head-piece and initials.



Leiden, Ulrich Cornelisz. Honthorst & Joris Abrahamsz. van der Marsce, 'pro Bibliopolio Commeliniano', 1612. 4to. Contemporary blind tooled vellum with lozenge-shaped centre piece on both sides, ribbed spine with title written in ink. Woodcut printer's device on title, woodcut head-piece and initials. (24), 1-193, 1 blank, 194-260, (8) pp.

First and only edition of a rare and interesting work on the origin, roots and history of the Dutch language and philology in general by the Dutch minister, poet and scholar Abraham vander Myle (Latin Mylius; 1563-1637). Van der Myle studied theology at Ghent, but in 1584 when the Southern Netherlands fell again to the Spaniards, he left for the Dutch province of Zeeland. From 1598 to 1608 he was a respected minister at Vlissingen, but then was banished from his post under suspicion of Arminian sympathies. From 1614 to 1619 he again was appointed a minister, now at Papendrecht.
Apart from being a minister Van der Myle had always been an ardent student of philology, and he became an authority in the field of classical languages, including Hebrew and ancient Eastern languages. He maintained friendly relations with all the great humanists and philologists of his time, including Grotius, Heinsius, Vossius,and  Lipsiu. In his youth he had written Latin poetry, but he soon preferred the vernacular. Some of his poems were published, including two charming pieces to the famous songbook, the Zeeuwsche Nachtegael. He was the first Dutchman to translate Greek and Latin authors into metrical Dutch without rhyme.
Fine examples of these metrical translations are to be found in the present work, meant to prove that the Dutch language was just as capable to voice beautiful verse as the classical languages. In his zeal to prove the worthyness and antiquity of the Dutch language, he also tried to establish the derivation of many Dutch words not only from the classical languages, but also from the Hebrew and Persian languages, composing long lists of comparable words. To prove the age of the Dutch language he also included a transcription of one of the Wachtendonck Psalms (Ps. 18: Latin text of the psalms with inter-marginal word for word translation into old Dutch) which became an important source for the reconstruction of the original Wachtendonck manuscript (now lost).  In spite of the many errors his work contained, it much inspired and stimulated generations of linguists, and in his own time the work became famous. It still represents an outstanding example of Humanist philology in the Netherlands.

Good copy with ownership's entry on title: 'Francois van de Graaff dono dedit Domino Joanni Duquesne 23 Febr. 1699' (= Jean Duquesne (1676-1742), representative of the Utrecht branch of the very rich Huguenot family Duquesne. Ownership's entry on the last fly-leaf of 'W.C. Ackersdijk 1758' (= probably Willem Cornelis Ackersdijk, the grandfather of the Utrecht professor Jan Ackersdijk (1790-1861).
Cf. Nagtglas II, p. 187 ff.; Ypey, Gesch. Ned. Tale, II, p. 449; Willems, Verhand. Ned. Taal en Lett., IV, p. 297; Simoni M 157.

Related Subjects: 17th Century  Dutch  Philology 

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