attention had already been paid to metaphysical inquiry; but the great questions on which he wrote had been treated rather as subordinate parts of systems than as involving the principles of the science; and the work, consequently, for which he is now chiefly celebrated, gave an almost altogether new and more definite character to the study.

This great man was born in the year 1632, at Wrington in Somersetshire, and was the elder of two sons. His father had served as a captain in the parliamentary forces during the civil wars, but retaining a portion of his estate, notwithstanding the political convulsions of the period, he was enabled to bring up his sons with equal liberality and care. Our metaphysician having received the early part of his education at Westminster school, was sent thence to Christ-church, Oxford, where he became conspicuous for the extent of his acquirements, and the general capacity of his mind. He is said, however, to have left the university little satisfied with the progress he made during his residence, and to have declared that he was sorry at having been ever sent thither. What his intentions were on entering the world is not known, but the fondness which he expressed through life for the study of medicine, has led to the notion that he might probably, in early years, have formed the intention of pursuing it as a profession. His acquirements in the science were sufficiently great to procure him the public praise of Sydenham, who speaks of his skill and penetration as superior to those of most of his cotemporaries. But whatever were his original intentions with regard to a profession, he appears to have soon resigned them, as in 1664 we find him engaged as secretary to Sir Walter Vane, envoy to the elector of Brandenburgh. The letters which he wrote while in this office exhibit strong, practical good sense, and almost afford of themselves an answer to the popular opinion, that minds of a metaphysical cast are incapable of close attention to the common business of life. On his return to England, in the February of 1665, he received the offer of an appointment in the suite of the ambassador then about to depart for Spain. He was for some time doubtful how to decide respecting this proposal, but in a letter to one of his friends, dated Oxford, Feb. 28., he says, "the fair offer I had to go to Spain has not prevailed with me. Whether fate or fondness kept me at home, I know not; whether I have let slip the minute that they say every one has once in his life to make himself, I cannot tell : this I am sure, I never trouble myself for the loss of that which I never had." In August the offer of public employment was repeated, and an opportunity afforded him of returning to Germany, but he again declined; and a few months after received a still further evidence of the high esteem he enjoyed with his friends, in the offer of church-preferment in Ireland from the duke of Ormond, if he would enter orders. In his answer to these proposals, he says, "They are, no question, very considerable; but consider, a man's affairs and whole course of his life are not to be changed in a moment, and that one is not made fit for a calling, and that in a day. I believe you think me too proud to undertake any thing wherein I should acquit myself but unworthily. I am sure I cannot content myself with being undermost, possibly the middlemost of my profession; and you will allow, on consideration, care is to be taken not to engage in a calling wherein, if one

chance to be a bungler, there is no retreat."- “ Were it a profession from whence there were any return,—and that amongst all the occurrences of life may be very convenient,-you would find me with as great forwardness to embrace your proposals, as I now acknowledge them with gratitude. The same considerations have made me a long time reject very advantageous offers of several very considerable friends in England. I cannot now be forward to disgrace you or any one else by being lifted into a place which, perhaps, I cannot fill, and from whence there is no descending without tumbling." There is a mixture of honesty, just self-respect, and humility, in this letter, which calls forth a strong feeling of admiration for the writer, and there are few passages in his remains which better enable us to form a just view of his character.

In addition to those conscientious fears and scruples which, there is no doubt, held the first place among the motives which made him decide as we have seen, may probably be named the lively interest he had long taken in the scientific investigations of the day. Settled at Oxford, where he was surrounded and admired by the most enlightened of its members, he could have little inclination to involve himself with cares which he did not feel called upon to incur from any higher principle than that of interest. The same consideration seems to have prevented his engaging any further at present in political occupations, and we have therefore to view him pursuing his career for some time, with no other restrictions on the course of his ability than those imposed by his own taste and inclinations. It was soon after his relinquishing the offer of church-preferment that the intimacy commenced between him and Lord Ashley, afterwards earl of Shaftesbury, which remained unbroken to the end of his life. His fondness for scientific pursuits had brought him acquainted with Mr Boyle, who highly esteemed his abilities; and his predilection for the study of medicine having made him the associate of the most eminent physicians of Oxford, he was, through this circumstance, introduced to the knowledge of the above named nobleman. Having occasion to call on Lord Ashley in the name of one of his medical friends, the former, it is said, found his conversation so agreeable, that he desired him to repeat his visits, and discovering in a short time the worth of his character, he admitted him to the strictest friendship, and confidently reposed in him the most important of his decisions. On leaving Oxford, whither he had gone to seek advice respecting an abscess in his breast, Ashley went to SunninghillWells, to which place Locke accompanied him, as he also did soon after to his lordship's town-residence, Exeter-house, in the Strand. There he was in the habit of meeting the most distinguished men of the age, and his time passed agreeably away; London and Oxford, with their respective attractions and advantages, possessing his attention by

turns.

It was while enjoying the society of his university-friends in the year 1670, that he formed the first idea of his celebrated Essay on the Human Understanding.' The utility of a free and frequent intercourse among men of learning could scarcely be proved more eloquently than it is by this circumstance. Had Locke not been excited to write by the difficulty which he found in advocating the truth of his principles in conversation, we should, perhaps, never have possessed the most