a nobleman, and an ordinary gentleman's son, should have different ways of breeding. But having had here only some general views, in reference to the main end and aims in education, and those designed for a gentleman's son, whom, being then very little, I considered only as white paper, or wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases; I have touched little more than those heads, which I judged necessary for the breeding of a young gentleman of his condition in general; and have now published these my occasional thoughts, with this hope, that, though this be far from being a complete treatise on this subject, or such as that every one may find what will just fit his child in it; yet it may give, some small light to those, whose concern for their dear little ones makes them so irregularly bold, that they dare venture to consult their own reason, in the education of their children, rather than wholly to rely upon old custom. POSTHUMOUS WORKS OF JOHN LOCKE, ESQ. VIZ. I. Of the Conduct of the Understanding. II. An Examination of P. Malebranche's Opinion of seeing all Things in God. III. A Discourse of Miracles. IV. Part of a fourth Letter for Toleration. V. Memoirs relating to the Life of Antony, first Earl of Shaftesbury. * This letter, to preserve a connexion of the subject, is in this edition carried to the former three Letters on Toleration, in the sixth volume. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER. THE ensuing treatises are true and genuine remains of the deceased author, whose name they bear; but, for the greatest part, received not his last hand, being, in a great measure, little more than sudden views, intended to be afterwards revised and farther looked into; but by sickness, intervention of business, or preferable inquiries, happened to be thrust aside, and so lay neglected. The "conduct of the understanding" he always thought to be a subject very well worth consideration. As any miscarriages, in that point, accidentally came into his mind, he used sometimes to set them down in writing, with those remedies that he could then think of. This method, though it makes not that haste to the end which one could wish, yet, perhaps, is the only one that can be followed in the case; it being here, as in physic, impossible for a physician to describe a disease, or seek remedies for it, till he comes to meet with it. Such particulars of this kind as occurred to the author, at a time of leisure, he, as is before said, set down in writing; intending, if he had lived, to have reduced them into order and method, and to have made a complete treatise; whereas now it is only a collection of casual observations, sufficient to make men see some faults in the conduct of their understanding, and suspect there may be more; and may, perhaps, serve to excite others to inquire farther into it than the author hath done. VOL. IX. P |