"who has examined it to the bottom, and who is our common friends of who has examined it mean Mr. JOHN LOCKE, who, if we confider his genius, and penetrating and exact judgment, or the purity of his morals, has fcarce any fuperior, and few equals, now living." Hence, he was very often faluted by his acquaintance with the title, though he never took the degree; of doctor of medicine. In the year 1664, Sir William Swan being appointed envoy from the English court to the Elector of Brandenburgh, and fome other German princes, Mr. LOCKE attended him in the quality of his fecretary: but returning to England again within the year, he applied himself with great vigour to his ftudies, and particularly to that of natural philofophy *. While he was at Oxford in 1666, he became acquainted with the Lord Ashley, afterward earl of Shaftesbury. The occafion of their acquaintance was this. Lord Afhley, by a fall, had hurt his breast in fuch a manner, that there was an abfcefs formed in it under his ftomach. He was advised to drink the mineral waters at Aftrop, which engaged him to write to Dr. Thomas, a phyfician of Oxford, to procure a quantity of thofe waters, which might be ready against his arrival. Dr. Thomas being obliged to be abfent from Oxford at that time, defired his friend Mr. LOCKE to execute this commiffion. But it happened, that the waters not being ready the day after the lord Ashley's arrival, through the fault of the perfon who had been sent for them, Mr. LOCKE was obliged to wait on his lordship to make an excuse for it. Lord Ashley received him with great civility, according to his ufual manner, and was fatisfied with his excufes. Upon his rifing to go away, his lordship, who had already received great pleasure from his converfation, detained him to fupper, and engaged him to dine with him the next day, and even to drink the waters, that he might have the more of his company. When his lordship left Oxford to go to Sunning-Hill, where he drank the waters, he made Mr. LOCKE promife to come thither, as he did in the fummer of the year 1667. Lord Ashley afterward returned, and obliged him to promife that he would come and lodge at his houfe. Mr. LOCKE went thither, and though he had never practifed phyfic, his lordship confided entirely in his advice, with regard to the operation which was to be performed by opening the abfcefs in his breaft; which faved his life, though it never closed. After this cure, his lordship entertained fo great an efteem for Mr. LOCKE, that though he had experienced his great skill in medicine, yet he regarded this as the leaft of his qualifications. He advised him to turn his thoughts another way, and would not fuffer him to practise medicine out of his house, except among 1ome of fome of his particular friends. He urged him to apply himself to the ftudy of political and religious matters, in which Mr. LOCKE made

*This appears from the journal which he kept of the changes of the air at Oxford, from June, 1666, to June 1683; for the regular obfervation of which he used a barometer, thermometer, and hygrof cope.This journal may be feen in "The General Hiftory of the Air," publifhed by Mr. Boyle, in 1692. It occurs likewife in the 5th Vol. of Boyle's works, publifhed by Millar, 1744, containing 27 pages, fol. together with a Letter from Mr. Locke, in p. 157, containing Experiments made with the Barometer at Minedeep Hills, dated from Christ-Church, May 5, 1666. In the fame volume there are several other Letters of his to Mr. Boyle on various points of Natural Philofophy, Cheous points of Natural mistry, and Medicine, 2 Biel af € 509

fo

fo great a progrefs, that lord Afhley began to confult him upon all occafions. By his acquaintance with this lord, our author was introduced to the converfation of fome of the moft eminent perfons of that age: fuch as, Villiers duke of Buckingham, the lord Hallifax, and other noblemen of the greatest wit and parts, who were all charmed with his converfation. The liberty which Mr. LOCKE took with men of that rank, had fomething in it very fuitable to his character. One day, three or four of these lords having met at lord Afhley's when Mr. LOCKE was there, after fome compliments, cards were brought in, before scarce any converfation had paffed between them. Mr. LOCKE looked upon them for fome time, while they were at play; and taking his pocket-book, began to write with great attention. One of the lords obferving him, afked him what he was writing?" My lord," fays he, "I am endeavouring to profit, as far as I am able, in your company; for having waited with impatience for the honour of being în an affembly of "the greateft geniufes of this age, and at laft having obtained the good for"tune, I thought I could not do better than write down your converfation; " and indeed I have fet down the fubftance of what hath been faid for this " hour or two." Mr. LOCKE had no occafion to read much of this converfations thofe noble perfons faw the ridicule of it; and diverted themselves with improving the jeft. They quitted their play, and entering into rational difcourfe, fpent the reft of their time in a manner more fuitable to their character.

In 1668 our author attended the earl and countefs of Northumberland into France; but did not continue there long, because the earl dying in his journey to Rome, the countefs, whom he had left in France with Mr. LOCKE, came back to England fooner than was at firft defigned. Mr. LOCKE, upon his return to his native country, lived, as before, at the lord Athley's, who was then chancellor of the exchequer, but made frequent vifits to Oxford, for confulting books in the profecution of his ftudies, and keeping the changes of the air. While he was at the lord Afhley's, he infpected the education of that lord's only fon, who was then about fixteen years of age. This province he executed with great care, and to the full fatisfaction of his noble patron The young lord being of a weakly conftitution, his father thought to marry him betimes, left the family fhould be extinct by his death. He was too young, and had too little experience, to choofe a wife for himself; and lord, Ahley having the higheft opinion of Mr. LOCKE's judgment, and the greateft confidence in his integrity, defired that he would make a fuitable choice for his fon. This, it must be owned, was no eafy province; for tho lord Ahley did not require a great fortune for his fon, yet he would have him marry a lady of a good family, an agreeable temper, and a fine perfon; and above all a lady of good education, and of good understanding, whofe conduct. would be very different from that of the generality of court-ladies. Notwith ftanding all thefe difficulties, our author undertook the bufinefs, and acquite ted himself in it happily. From this marriage fprung feven children, all of them healthy The eldest fon, afterward the noble author of the characteristics, was committed to the care of Mr. LOCKE in his education. Here

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was a great genius, and a great mafter to direct and guide it, and the fuccef was every way equal to what might be expected. It is faid, that this noble author always fpoke of Mr. LOCKE with the highest esteem, and manifested on all occafions a grateful fenfe of his obligations to him: but there are fome paffages in his works, in which he speaks of Mr. LOCKE's philofophy with great feverity *

In 1670, and the year following, our author began to form the plan of his Effay on human understanding," at the earnest request of Mr. Tyrrell, Dr. Thomas, and fome other friends, who met frequently in his chamber to converfe together on philofophical fubjects; but his employments and avocations prevented him from finishing it then.-About this time, it is fuppofed, he was made a fellow of the royal fociety.

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In 1672, his great patron lord Afhley was created earl of Shaftesbury, and lord high chancellor of England; and appointed him fecretary of the presentation to benefices; which place he held till the end of the year 1673, when his lordship refigned the great feal. Mr. LOCKE, to whom the earl had communicated his moft fecret affairs, was difgraced together with him; and affifted the earl in publishing fome treatifes, which were defigned to excite the people to watch the conduct of the Roman catholics, and to oppose the arbitrary defigns of the court.

In 1675 he travelled into France, on account of his health. At Montpelier he staid a confiderable time; and there his first acquaintance arose with Mr. Herbert, afterward earl of Pembroke, to whom he dedicated his "Effay on human understanding," having the highest refpect for that noble lord. From Montpelier he went to Paris, where he contracted a friendship with Mr. Justel, whofe house was at that time the place of refort for men of letters: and there he faw Mr. Guenelon, the famous phyfician of Amfterdam, who read lectures

* In the letters written by a nobleman to a young man at the univerfity," publifhed 1716, which are now known to be lord Shaftesbury's, having obferved, that "Dr. Tindal's principles, whatever they were as to church-government, yet in morals and theology were very different from "the author's of the "Rhapfody," he proceeds thus: "In general, truly, it has happened, that all thofe they call free-writers now-a-days, have efpoufed thofe principles, which Mr. Hobbes fet "a-foot in this laft age. Mr. LOCKE, as much as I honour him on account of his other writings, "(viz. on government, policy, trade, coin, education, toleration, &c.) and as well as I knew him, and can answer for his fincerity as a moft zealous chriftian and believer, did however go in the felf-fame track, and is followed by the Tindals and all the other ingenious free authors of our "time." The reft of those reflections, which that noble author has thought fit to caft upon the philofophy of his preceptor, (and which have been carefully retailed among many other mifrepresentations of Mr. LOCKE's character, in Biogr. Brit.) are too grofs and groundlefs to be here inferted; but his lordship's inconfiftencies may in part be accounted for from that remarkable change made in his lordship's conftitution, when from a fober, ferious Chriftian, [as he appeared to be at his writing the Preface to that volume of Dr. Whichcote's Sermons, which was published by him] he became at once both a fneering infidel with regard to revealed religion, and a rank enthusiast in morals. Instead of trufting to this author's character of Mr. LOCKE, we have a much more impartial one given, incidentally, by a better judge, who could not by his education be at all prejudiced in Mr. LOCKE's favour, and came but late into his fyftem." In the last century there arofe a very extraordinary genius for philofophical fpeculations, I mean Mr. Lacke, the glory of "that age, and the inftructor of the prefent. This gentleman had examined into the nature and "extent of human understanding, beyond any perfon before him, and made fuch discoveries as have highly obliged the curious," &c. Bp. Conybeare, Defence of Rev. Rel, c. 5.

in anatomy with great im

He became acquainted likewife with Mr. Toignard, who favoured him with a copy of his " Harmonia Evangelica," when there were no more than five or fix copies of it complete. The earl of Shaftesbury being reftored to favour at court, and made prefident of the council in 1679, thought proper to fend for Mr. LOCKE to London. But that nobleman did not continue long in his poft; for refufing to comply with the defigns of the court, which aimed at the establishment of popery and arbitrary power, fresh crimes were laid to his charge, and he was fent to the Tower. When the earl obtained his discharge from that place, he retired to Holland; and Mr. LOCKE not thinking himself safe in England, followed his noble patron thither, who died foon after. During our author's ftay in Holland, he renewed his acquaintance with Mr. Guenelon, who introduced him to many learned perfons of Amfterdam. Here Mr. LOCKE contracted a friendfhip with Mr. Limborch, profeffor of divinity among the Remonftrants, and the most learned Mr. Le Clerc, which he cultivated after his return into England, and continued to the end of his life.

During his refidence in Holland, he was accufed at court of having writ certain tracts against the government, which were afterward difcovered to be written by another perfon, and upon that fufpicion he was deprived of his place of ftudent of Chrift-Church.

"Being obferved (fays the very unfair writer of his article in Biographia Britannica) to join in company with feveral English malecontents at the Hague, this conduct was communicated by our refident there to the Earl of Sunderland, then fecretary of state; who acquainting the king therewith, his majefty ordered the proper methods to be taken for expelling him from the college, and application to be made for that purpofe to Bp. Fell, the dean: in obedience to this command, the neceffary information was given by his Lordship, who at the fame time wrote to our author, to appear and anfwer for himself, on the firft of January enfuing: but immediately receiving an exprefs command to turn him out, was obliged to comply therewith, and accordingly Mr. LOCKE was removed from his ftudent's place on the fixteenth of Nov. 1684.But in order to a more complete view of thefe iniquitous proceedings, it may not be improper to annex the feveral letters between lord Sunderland and Bp. Fell on the occafion, from Dr. Birch's papers in the Museum. The firft from lord Sunderland runs thus: Whitehall, Nov. 6, 1684. The king having been given to understand that one Locke, who belonged to the late earl of Shaftesbury, and has, upon feveral occafions, behaved himself very factioufly against the government, is a student of ChriftChurch; his majefty commands me to fignify to your lordship, that he would have him removed from being a ftudent, and that, in order thereunto, your lordship would let him know the method of doing it," &c. The Bifhop anfwered Nov. 8, 1684. "To the Right Hon. the earl of Sunderland, principal fecretary of ftate: Right Honourable, I have received the honour your lordship's letter, wherein you are pleafed to enquire concerning Mr. LOCKE's being a ftudent of this houfe, of which I have this account to render: That he being, as your lordship is truly informed, a perfon who

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was much trufted by the late earl of Shaftesbury, and who is fufpected to be ill affected to the government, I have for divers years had an eye upon him; but fo clofe has his guard been on himself, that after feveral ftrict enquiries,. I may confidently affirm, there is not any man in the college, however familiar with him, who had heard him speak a word either against or fo much. as concerning the government; and although very frequently, both in public and private, difcourfes have been purpofely introduced to the difparagement of his mafter, the earl of Shaftesbury, his party and defigns; he could. never be provoked to take any notice, or difcover in word or look the leaft concern. So that I believe there is not a man in the world fo much master of taciturnity and paffion. He has here a phyfician's place, which freeshim from the exercife of the college, and the obligation which others have to refidence in it, and he is now abroad for want of health; but notwithftanding this, I have fummoned him to return home, which is done with thisprofpect, that if he comes not back, he will be liable to expulfion for con-tumacy; and if he does, he will be anfwerable to the law for that which he fhall be found to have done amifs. It being probable that, though he have been thus cautious here where he knew himfelf fufpected, he has laid himfelf more open at London, where a general liberty of fpeaking was ufed,, and where the execrable defigns against his majefty and government were managed and purfued. If he don't return by the first of January, which is the time limited to him, I fhall be enabled of courfe to proceed against him to. expulfion. But if this method feems not effectual or speedy enough, and his majefty, our founder and vifitor, fhall pleafe to command his immediate remove, upon the receipt thereof, directed to the dean and chapter, it fhall accordingly be executed, by your lordship's," &c.. Lord Sunderland's fe-cond letter to the bishop of Oxon: " My lord, Having communicated your lordthip's of the 8th to his majefty, he has thought fit to direct me to fend. you the inclofed concerning his commands for the immediate expulfion of Mr. LOCKE.. The inclofed warrant, addreffed to the dean and chapter,, Nov. 12. "Whereas we have received information of the factious and dif loyal behaviour of LOCKE, one of the ftudents of that our college; we have: thought fit hereby to fignify our will and pleafure to you, that you forthwith remove him from his ftudent's place, and deprive him of all rights and advantages thereunto belonging, for which this fhall be your warrant.. And fo we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our court of Whitehall, the: Trth day of Nov. 1684. By his majefty's command, Sunderland." The bishop answered thus: Nov. 16. " Right Honourable, I hold myself bound to fignify to your lordship, that his majesty's command for the expulfion of Mr. LOCKE from this college is fully executed." The laft letter from lord Sunderland to the bishop of Oxon: "I have your lordship's of the 16th, and have acquainted his majefty therewith, who is well fatisfied with the college's ready obedience to his commands for the expulfion of Mr. LOCKE."

With regard to Bp. Fell's conduct on this occafion, Dr. Birch obferves, that notwithstanding his many good qualities, he was capable of fome exceffes in cafes where the intereft of party could bias him. Life of Tillotson, p. 100, firft