However, he could not efcape the mortal agony that fuch a lofs would caufe him. The fatal hour came; and fee what happen'd. The young Gentleman, as the Porter was standing at the College-Gate with other people about him, took hold of his Beard with his left-hand, and with a pair of fciffars which he had' ready in his right, did that execution, that the Porter and byftander's heard the cutting of fciffars, and saw a handful of Grey-Hairs fall to the ground. The Porter, on that fight, in the utmoft rage, ran immediately away to the Prefident of the College; and there, with a loud and lamentable out-cry, defir'd juftice to be done on the Gentleman-Commoner, for the great indignity and injury he had receiv'd from him. The Prefident demanding what harm the other had done him; the Porter reply'd, an affront never to be forgiven; he had cut off his Beard. The Prefident, not without laughing, told him, that his Barber was a bungler, and that therefore he would do him that juftice, that he should have nothing for his pains, having done his work fo negligently: for he had left him, for ought he could fee, after all his cutting

Z 2

cutting, the largest and most reverend Beard in the town. The Porter, scarce able to believe what he faid, put up his hand to his chin, on which he found as Out of counfull a grown Beard as ever.

tenance for his complaint, for want of a Beard, he fneak'd away, and would not fhew his face for fome time after.

Gentle

The Contrivance of the young man was innocent and ingenious. He had provided an handful of white horse-hair, which he cut, under the covert of the other's Beard, and fo let it drop: which the testy fellow, without any farther examination, concluded to be of his own growth; and so, with open mouth, drew on himself every one's laughter which could not be refus'd to fuch fad complaints, and fo reverend a Beard.

Speaking of the expedite way of Justice in Turkey, he told this pleafant Story; whereof he was an eye-witnefs at Aleppo. A fellow, who was carrying about Bread to fell, at the turn of a street spying the Cadce coming towards him, fet down his basket of bread, and betook himself to

his heels. The Cadee coming on, and

finding

finding the basket of bread in his way, bid fome of his Under-Officers to weigh it; (for he always goes attended, for pre fent execution of any fault he fhall meet with), who finding it as it should be, left it, and went on. The fellow watching at the corner of the ftreet, what would become of his Bread; when he found all was fafe, return'd to his basket. The byftanders ask'd him, why he ran away, his Bread being weight? That was more than I knew, fays he: for tho' it be not mine, but I fell it for another, yet if it had been less than weight, and taken upon me, I fhould have been drub'd.

Many things of this nature, worth notice, would often drop from him in Converfation; which would inform the world of feveral particularities, concerning that Country and People, among whom he spent feveral years. You will pardon me, if on the fudden my bad memory cannot, after fuch a diftance of time, recollect more of them. Neither, perhaps, had this now occur'd, had I not, on an occafion that reviv'd it in my memory fometime fince, by telling it to others, refresh'd it in my own thoughts, Z 3 I know

I know not whether you find, amongst the Papers of his, that are, as you fay, put into your hands, any Arabick Proverbs, tranflated by him. He has told me that he had a Collection of 3000, as I remember; and that they were, for the most part, very good. He had, as he intimated, fome thoughts of tranflating them, and adding fome Notes, where they were neceffary to clear any obfcurities but whether he ever did any thing in it before he died, I have not heard. But to return to what I can call to mind, and recover of him:

I do not remember, that in all my converfation with him, I ever faw him once angry, or to be fo far proyok'd, as to change colour or countenance, or tone of voice. Difpleafing accidents and actions would fometimes occur; there is no help for that but nothing of that kind moved him, that I faw, to any paffionate words; much less to chiding or clamour. His Life appear'd to me, one conftant Calm.

How great his Patience was in his long and dangerous Lameness, (wherein there were very terrible and painful operations), More you

you have, no doubt, learnt from others. I happen'd to be abfent from Oxford most of that time; but I have heard, and believe it, that it was fuitable to the other parts of his Life.

To conclude, I can fay of him, what few men can say of any friend of theirs, nor I of any other of my acquaintance; that I do not remember I ever faw in him any one Action that I did, or could in my own mind blame, or thought amifs in him.

Sir, If I had been put upon this task foon after his Death, I mighty possibly have fent you a paper better furnish'd than this is, and with Particularities fitter for your purpose, to fill up the Character of fo good and extraordinary a Man, and fo exem plary a Life. The esteem and honour I have ftill for him, would not fuffer me to fay nothing; tho' my decaying bad memory did ill fecond my defire, to obey your commands. Pray accept this, as a mark of my willingness, and believe that I am,

Your most humble Servant,

JOHN LOCKE,