Feb. 24. 1855.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



137 



LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY ii, 1855. 



VNPUBIilSHED LETTER OF JOHN LOCKS. 



In following the example lately set by one of 

 your correspondents, of sending you an unpub- 

 lished letter of John Locke, I think it unnecessary 

 to preface it with more than a very few observ- 

 ations. Its character will, I am sure, attract 

 general attention, and the more especially as it 

 contains passages which may be regarded as almost 

 aimed by anticipation at your readers and your 

 publication. " When found make a note on't," is 

 scarcely a more decided, although less formal, 

 recommendation of your publication, than the 

 words derived from Bacon, and used by our great 

 metaphysical philosopher in the letter which I 

 now send you, in favour of never going without 

 pen and ink, or something to write with, and to 

 be sure not to neglect to write down all thoughts 

 of moment that come into the mind. 



The person to whom this letter is addressed is 

 known in connexion with Locke. Born in 1649, 

 he published in the reigns of Charles II. and 

 James II. various sermons against persecution, 

 and in favour of charity. One of them, under 

 the title of " A Plea for Moderation," published 

 in the latter reign, drew upon him the persecution 

 which he deprecated. The times were unfavour- 

 able, and he suffered imprisonment. His prin- 

 cipal subsequent publications were in defence of 

 the works of Locke. In 1699, the year in which 

 this letter is dated, he published a vindication of 

 the Essay on the Human Understanding. This is 

 the work alluded to in the present letter. After 

 Locke's death he published vindications of his 

 Doctrine of the Resurrection, and of his Treatise 

 on the Reasonableness of Christianity. He lived 

 until the year 1737 and the age of eighty-eight. 



Locke and he were personally acquainted before 

 the date of the following letter. In June 1703 he 

 visited Oates, and in several of Locke's published 

 letters he will be found mentioned with great 

 regard. He was a clergyman of the Church of 

 England, and held the living of Steeple, and 

 afterwards that of Shapwick in Dorsetshire. 



Of the light thrown by the following letter 

 upon the character of its writer, it is unnecessary 

 for rae to offer any remark. The letter is worthy 

 of the gxp.at man from whom It proceeded, and in 

 strict conformity with all we know of the reason- 

 able and manly principles by which his life was 

 governed. j, 



A Letter from Mr. John Locke to Mr. Samuel 

 Bold at Steeple, which is not to be found in 

 the collection of his works. 



Sir, 

 Yours of the 11th of April I received not till 



last week. I suppose Mr. Churchll stay'd it till 

 that discourse wherein you have been pleased to 

 defend my .... Essay was printed, that 

 they might come together, though neither of them 

 needs a companion to recommend It to me. Your 

 reasonings are so strong and just, and your friend- 

 ship to me so visible, that everything must be 

 welcome to me, that comes from your pen, let it 

 be of what kind soever. 



I promise myself, that to all those who are 

 willing to open their eyes, and enlarge their minds 

 to a true knowledge of things, this little treasure 

 of yours will be greatly acceptable and useful, 

 and for those that will shut their eyes for fear 

 they should see further than others have seen 

 before them, or rather for fear they should use 

 them, and not blindly and lazily follow the sayings 

 of others, what can be done to them ? they are to 

 be let alone to join in the cry of the herd they 

 have placed themselves in, and to take that for 

 applause, which is nothing but the noise that of 

 course they make to one another, which way [so] 

 ever they are going ; so that the greatness of it is 

 no manner of proof that they are in the right I 

 say not this, because it Is a discourse wherein you 

 favour any opplnion of mine (for I take care not 

 to be deceived by the reasonings of my friends) 

 but say it from those, who are strangers to you, 

 and who own themselves to have received light 

 and conviction from the clearness and closeness of 

 your reasoning, and that In a matter at first sight 

 very abstruse, and remote from ordinary con- 

 ceptions. 



There is nothing that would more rejoice me 

 than to have you for my neighbour. The ad- 

 vantage that you promise yourself from mine, I 

 should receive from your conversation. The im- 

 partial lovers and seekers of truth are a great 

 deal fewer than one could wish or Imagine. It is 

 a rare thing to find any one to whom one may 

 communicate one's thoughts freely, and from whom 

 one may expect a carefuU examination and im- 

 partial judgment of them. To be learned in the 

 lump by other men's thoughts, and to be in the 

 right by saying after others, is the much easier 

 %and quieter way : but how a rational man, that 

 should Inquire and know for himself, can content 

 himself with a faith or religion taken upon trust, 

 or with such a servile submission of his under- 

 standing, as to admit all, and nothing else but 

 what fashion makes passable among men, is to me 

 astonishing. I do not wonder you should have, 

 in many points, different apprehensions from what 

 you meet with In authors ; with a free mind, that 

 unblassedly pursues truth. It cannot be otherwise. 

 First, all authors did not write unblassedly for 

 truth's sake. Secondly, there are scarce any two 

 men, that have perfectly the same view of the 

 same thing, till they come with attention, and 

 perhaps mutual assistance, to examine it, — a con- 



