Webb: An historical essay endeavoring a probability that the language of the Empire of China is the primitive language

John Webb: The Antiquity of China or an historical essay: endeavouring a probability that the language of the empire of China is the primitive language, spoken through the whole word, before the confusion of Babel (London: Brook 1669)

• Digitized:
  > Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb10583232-4, shelfmark: L.gen. 103 gx) [map not opened]
  > Google Books (Original from Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, digitized 22 July 2010) [map not opened]
• Bibliographic references: ESTC Citation Number R24606, Löwendahl 0142, Löwendahl 0143

John Webb: The Antiquity of China or an historical essay: endeavouring a probability that the language of the empire of China is the primitive language, spoken through the whole word, before the confusion of Babel (London: Printed for Obadiah Blagrave 1678)

• Digitized:
  > Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:12-bsb10583233-9, shelfmark: L.gen. 103 h)
  > Google Books (original from Lausanne University, digitized 5 march 2008)
• Bibliographic reference: ESTC Citation Number R230814
• No copy listed in Wiener China-Bibliographie

Webb’s book seems to be the first  book on the Chinese language published in Europe (see notes in Löwendahl 0142), providing a summary of what was known about the Chinese language in mid-17th century.

Last updated 13 June 2015.