_Dutch_ is our _u._ but very improperly. Mixt _Vowels_ are _ä. ö. ü._ These Characters are peculiar to our Language, and were invented very ingeniously by our Ancients, though our Moderns mostly know not the reason thereof. Each hath its simple Character, because the Sound which they signifie, is only one, tho' mixt; for _a._ _o._ and _u._ are so pronounced, that the passage of the _Voice_, the _Tongue_ and _Teeth_ being conjoyned for to pronounce, _e._ becomes Straiter, and so _e._ together with the said Letters, _a._ _o._ _u._ doth constitute but one only, yet a _mixt vowel_. The _French_ utter them by _ai._ _eu._ and _u._ and in good truth, badly enough, as any one may see. The _Dutch_ want _[ä]._ _[ö]._ and express them by _eu._ but _[ü]._ by _u._ in no better a way than the _French_. Concerning the _Diphthongs_ composed out of these _Vowels_, and which may be thence compounded, I judge it needless to say much; for they are nothing else in our Language than a more then usual swift Pronunciation of the Component _Vowels_, yet successive; and thus they differ from the _mixt Vowels_, but how improper and absurd _Diphthongs_ some Nations have, any one may easily gather from what hath been already said. The other sort of Letters are _Semi-Vowels_, which are therefore so called, because that they be formed indeed out of a _Sounding Breath_ or _Voice_, but such as in its progress is much broken. They are, as I said, either _Nasalls_, or such as are pronounced through that open passage, by which the _Nose_ opens into the Hollow of the _Mouth_: Now the _Voice_ is forced to go that way, either when it flows to the _Lips_ shut close, and rebounding from thence, is formed into [_m_;] or when the _Tip of the Tongue_ is so applied to the roof of the Mouth, and to the upper _Teeth_, the _Voice_ is made to rebound through the _Nostrils_, and so [_n_] becomes formed; or lastly, when together with the hinder part of the _Tongue_, the _Voice_ being applied to the _Roof_, is so straitned that there is no Egress left open for it, but through the _Nose_, and so [_n_] is formed; which is a Sound, which hath no peculiar Character in any Language, as I know of, yet it differs no less from the rest of the _Nasals_, (_k_) is divers from (_t_) or (_p_,) if any one desires to try this by himself, let him endeavour to pronounce; having his _Nose_ held close with his Fingers, one of these three Letters, and he will not be able to do it.