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  1690

Copys 90   [1690 early]

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke c. 25, f. 50^r.

Description:   A list in Locke’s hand of persons to receive presentation copies of the first edition of Locke’s Essay, endorsed “Copys 90.” Locke began by writing an alphabet down the page, then adding names. Eight names are underscored with dots, indicating that their copies would be bound in a fine turkey binding; The others are underlined, indicating that their copies would have gilt spines.

1 sheet, 325 × 98 mm.

Publications:

1. The correspondence of John Locke / edited by E.S. de Beer. – Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1976-89. – (Clarendon edition of the works of John Locke) – vol. 8:449-450. [list A]
2. John Locke, a descriptive bibliography / Jean S. Yolton. – Bristol, England : Thoemmes Press, 1998. – p. 71.

Discussions:   De Beer, “Distribution lists for copies of Locke’s books,” publication #1 above; Yolton, publication #2 above, p. 70-72; Goldie, “Distribution lists for copies of Locke’s books and Boyle’s General history of the air” (2004)

On allegiance and the revolution   [April 1690?]

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke e. 18.

Description:   An untitled paper in Locke’s hand, consisting of sheets of paper, each folded once to form six leaves, 200 × 144 mm. Each page is divided into two columns and the text is written on the inside column, leaving the outside column for additions and corrections. The inside columns are paginated 1-11 (the final verso is blank).

The paper was apparently sent to Edward Clarke, who endorsed it “papers useful in parliament” (Clarke was elected to parliament in March 1690). The paper remained in the Clarke family, was sold with other Clarke papers at Sotheby’s in 1922, was seen by Laslett in the 1940s, was again offered by Sotheby’s on 29 June 1982, and was finally acquired by the Bodleian.

Laslett referred to the untitled paper as “A call to the nation for unity” and as “Locke’s Manifesto of 1689; Goldie calls it “On allegiance and the revolution.”

From a reference to the revolution as “a year since,” the paper must date after November 1689; because the question of allegiance was hotly debated in parliament during April 1690, Farr and Roberts suggest it may have been written then and sent to Clarke for his use in those debates.

Publications:

1. “John Locke on the Glorious Revolution : a rediscovered document” / James Farr and Clayton Roberts. // IN: Historical journal. – 28 (1985):395-398.
2. Political essays / Locke ; edited by Mark Goldie. – Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1997. – p. 306-313.

Discussions:   Laslett, “Introduction” to Two treatises of government (1960), p. 59 of 1963 ed.; Ashcraft, Revolutionary politics & Locke’s Two treatises of government, p. 597-600; Farr & Roberts (publication #1 above), p. 385-386; Goldie (publication #2 above), p. 306-307.

Draft of Some considerations   (1690 September-1691 October)

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke d. 2.

Description:   A draft of Locke’s Some considerations of the consequences of the lowering of interest …, published in November 1691. The manuscript is a reworking of his Early writings on money (1668, 1674).

Work on the manuscript began with a transcription by Brounower of reworked material from the early writings, plus some additional material by Locke (ff. 4-9, 14-22, 38-43). This work was begun by 29 September 1690. The rest of the manuscript (ff. 44-71, interpolations at ff. 10-13 and 23-37, and the dedication on ff. 1-3) is in Locke’s hand and was completed by 7 November 1691, the date of the dedication. Among the additions are several sheets (ff. 28-37) from Locke’s autograph of the early writings.

The manuscript consists of heterogeneous sheets and quires. The sheets are signed: π¹ 2π² A² B² C1² C2² C3² χ¹ D² E² F² G² G2² G3² G4¹ G5² G6² G7² G8² G9² H1² H2² I² K1² K2¹ K3² K4² L² M² N² O² P² Q² R1² S1² 2χ¹ S2¹ T² 3χ¹. Most of the sheets measure 230 × 170 mm, but some are smaller; the inserted single sheets are most miscellaneous scraps of paper. The first sheet (f. 1) is written on the blank verso of a used letter cover.

Publications:

1. Locke on money / John Locke ; edited … by Patrick Hyde Kelly. – Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1991. — (The Clarendon edition of the works of John Locke). — vol. 2:503-612.

Discussions:   Kelly, publication above, p. 125-132.

On William Sherlock’s The case of allegiance …   [late 1690 or early 1691]

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke c. 28., ff. 83-98.

Description:   Notes in Locke’s hand on William Sherlock’s The case of allegiance due to soveraign powers stated and resolved according to Scripture and reason (1691). The paper is endorsed “Case of Allegiance due to Sovereigne powers” and consists of notes gathered under various headings such as “Termes,” “Mistakes,” “Self-contradicting,” and “Positions.” The notes are written on two gatherings of folded sheets, 228 × 88 and 238 × 92 mm (ff. 84^r, 86^r, 87-90, 96^v, and 97-98 blank).

Publications:

1. Political essays / Locke ; edited by Mark Goldie. – Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1997. – p. 313-317.

Discussions:   Goldie (publication #1 above), p. 313-314.

Ignorantia   [c. 1690]

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke c. 33, f. 27^v.

Description:   A note with the marginal caption “Ignorantia” and initialed by Locke. It may be related to notes on Ralph Cudworth’s True intellectual system of the universe (1678) [H&L 896]. The piece is undated; it occurs on a sheet dated October 1688, but with some entries dated [16]90.

Publications:

1. Drafts for the Essay concerning human understanding, and other philosophical writings. Volume 3 / John Locke ; edited by Paul Schuurman. – Oxford : Clarendon Press, forthcoming. – (The Clarendon edition of the works of John Locke)