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  1704

A fair copy written in March (?) 1704.   See description under 1691.

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke b. 5, no. 14.

Description:   Locke’s papers contained a copy of his will, probably made by an officer of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (De Beer). The will itself is dated “this eleaventh day of April in the third year of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lady Queen Ann Anno Domini 1704” and is witnessed by Roger Hazard, Peter Coste, and Thomas King. Apart from individual bequests, it names his cousin Peter King as his heir and as executor of his will.

In a codicil dated 15 September 1704 and witnessed by Roger Hazard and Thomas King, Locke makes some additional bequests, including the gift of his hitherto unacknowledged writings to the Bodleian Library.

Publications:

1. [Jean Le Clerc], The life and character of Mr. John Locke, author of the Essay concerning humane understanding. The third edition enlarged. London, printed for J. Clarke, and E. Curll. 1714. Pages. 29-34.
2. [part of the codicil] The life of John Locke : with extracts from his correspondence, journals and common-place books / by Lord King. – London : H. Colburn, 1829. – p. 266-267.
3. The correspondence of John Locke / edited by E.S. de Beer. – Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1976-89. – vol. 8:419-427. [Locke #847]

Location:   Bodleian Library, MS. Locke d. 4.

Description:   In June 1704, after more than a dozen years of silence, Jonas Proast published A second letter to the author of the three letters for toleration. Locke’s response was left incomplete at his death in October 1704.

The present manuscript is a draft in Locke’s hand, written on letter covers. The latest endorsement is “8 Aug. [17]04” (f. 8^v). The manuscript is comprised mostly of single sheets, c. 240 × 185 mm or smaller; a few are mere scraps of paper. The pages are marked “4th” and signed A-T (ff. 1-19) and E-L, O-T (ff. 20-32).

The text differs from that published in Posthumous works; most significantly, the final paragraph of the printed text is missing in the draft. Lord King (pp. 364-365) prints a short passage crossed out in the draft (pp. 26-27) and not printed in Posthumous works. These differences indicate that the printed text was not derived directly from this manuscript; as was his habit, Locke may have had an amanuensis make a clean copy, to which he made additions and corrections; it is likely that this revised version, or a copy of it, was the source of the printed text.

Publications:

1. “Part of a fourth letter for toleration, &c.” // IN: Posthumous works of Mr. John Locke: … London, printed by W.B. for A. and J. Churchill, 1706. 8^o. Pages 233-277. [Locke #92]
2. The life of John Locke : with extracts from his correspondence, journals and common-place books / by Lord King. – London : H. Colburn, 1829. – p. 364-365 (1858 ed.).

See description above.