Lexicon tetraglotton, an english-French-italian,- spanish dictionary... with another volume of the choicest proverbs in all the said toungs,... and the English translated into the other three... moreover there are sundry familiar letters and verses running all in proverbs... lastly, there are five centuries of new Sayings... by James Howell...

The Lexicon tetraglotton was published in London in 1660, a landmark moment in English lexicography authored by James Howell. Conceived as a grand polyglot reference tool, the work aimed to bridge linguistic gaps between English, French, Italian, and Spanish speakers during the Restoration era. It served not merely as a dictionary, but as a cultural compendium designed to demonstrate the sophistication of these languages through the inclusion of proverbs, correspondence, and original aphorisms.

James Howell, a prolific writer and historian, intended this volume to be a resource for the educated classes and travelers of the seventeenth century. His approach was ambitious, integrating a dictionary with extensive collections of proverbs and pedagogical materials for language learning. While the sheer scale of the work made it a significant academic achievement of its time, its reception was tempered by the practical challenges of navigating such a dense, multi-faceted structure, though it remains a vital record of the linguistic and literary sensibilities of the period.