The Portland daily press., 1877-01-06
Recent Publications.

THE LIFE oF JOHN LOCKE. By H. R. Fox Bourne
In two volumes. New York: Harper & Brothers.
For sale by Loring. Short & Harmon.
The essay concerning Human Understand
ing'' is the most important philosophical trea-
tise that has come from the pen of an Engish-
man. Some of its doctrines have been super
seded, many of its arguments, combating
errors which prevailed before it was written
but now exploded, are superfuous at the pres
ent day, but the Essay still remains a monu-
mental work in mental philosophy, still, des-
pite the changes in manner of thouAht, a
Textbook for the schools, a volume which no
lover of truth neglects to consult The secret
of the works vitality is in the seed thoughts
which it contains 1t has inspired every philo-
sophical treatise which has since been written
in the English tongue, it has coiore3 English
thought, it has directed English thinkers in
their search after the truth; and on the Conti-
nent its influence has been scarcely less The
Essay was written to drive out the scholastic
cism which had crippled mems minds for CEN
turies and its offshoot the Cartesian dogmatism.
1t cleared all that rubbish away. Though its
arguments were mainly directed against misun-
derstandings cure Mt at that time and do not
meet the new errors and fallacies which have
since arisen the book still holds its position as
the instigator of the modern philosophical rev.
olution, as the greatest stinulant of modern
thought that European literature can boast of.
Men to-day who wish to combat error or dnd
the truth go to Locke for weapons or guide.
1t is singular that no adequate biography Of
To- thipEar has uutil within
few months, been written. There have been q
few insufficient memoirs Published, but no full
history of his life and deeds This want is at
last amply supplied by the publication in this
country of the work of Fl. r. Fox Bourne,
which found its way into print in England a
few months since. The work is thoroughly
satisfactory, comprehensive in scope, philosoph-
ical in spirit, animated in style, and thoroughly
interesting in its details Its author b as had
access to matter concerning Locke never before
made public, aud from manuscripts in the
Bodleian Library and the British Museum,
from the mass of letters in the possession of
the Earl of Shaftesbury, from the English
State papers, and from valuable documents in
Holland many facts have been gathered of in
terest and value to the world. Locke's Ire
possesses interest above that of the mere
scholar, for he was man of affairs, having not
little to do with the great events of his time,
one of the few Englishmen whom William OF
Orange trusted, a promoter of colonies and
framer of laws for them, a founder of the Bank
of England, an enlightened statesman and a
practical educator. A faithful picture of his
life and times is picture of the condition oi
i ~ a1tI a.,1 t1r
Restoration, of the great struggles between
religious federation and bigotry, between polit
ical freedom and kipgly prerogatlve, between
free thought and scholastic tradition. Such 8
picture has been given US by his biographer
His career should be of peculiar interest tc
Americans for the great share he had in prepar.
in constitutions for the Carolinas, instruments
in which religious liberation was first fully
recognized, instruments which made Carolina
says his biograpber, "a much freer asylum fol
religious outcasts from Europe than eithel
Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania. Of necessity
Mr.. Bourne has to discuss and explain the
philosophi cal systems which Locke confronted
those from which be drew support, and thai
which he established, and the account furnishes
to the volumes many of their most interesting
passages. He makes the reader also acquainted
with the men with whom Locke coDsofted
Newton, Boyle, Shaftesbury, Sydenham, Mich
olas Thoynard, John Leclerc, and others. AL
Locke's work receives attention, for he had
written much before the publication OF the
Essay, a work which is indeed the crownine
labor of a laborious life, it not having been pub
lished until its author was sixty years old. The
treatses on civil government, on toleraton. "r
error, and on education are excellent reading
now, while the letters on usury and on the de
basing of the coinage are to be cordially com