The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-29
TODAY IN HISTORY
MONDAY, AUGUST 2s, 1910.
Birthday Of John Locke.

Today is the birthday Of the eminent |
English philosopher. John Locke. whose
wonderful Essay on the Human Under
standing was the first work which at
tracted attention In England to meta
physical speeula tion: The ehiei ,S ppirRose
sources and scope OF human knowledge.
The conclusions he arrived at In this
study were that there Is no such thing
mind is a sheet of white paper, prepared
to be written upon, that the knowledge
thereon written Is supplied by experience,
and that sensation and reflection are
the TWO sources OF all our ideas.
John Locke was born In an atmosphere
of Puritanism, but his whole life was a
battle against the enemies OF freedom In
worship and freedom from every unnec-
essary political restraint. Wrlngton.
England, and 1892; was the place ana
October 28, 1904, the place and date OF
his death. His father was captain In
the Parliamentary, army, and i9ught LOT
the principles Of the Puritans; John was
reared in this environment, but he was
al school while the contest ragged. He
was educated at Christ Church college,
years through the necessity of the times
when he would have preferred a broader
acquaintance with men OF action.
When young man he gained the favor
of Lord Ashley, atterward Earl OF
Shaftesbury. Locke was the first who
correctly diagnosed this gentleman's trou-
Dle--tor he mad studied medicine iOr
considerable tlme-which was due to an
abscess In the chest. and the operation
that Locke recommended is supposed to
have saved Lord Ashleys life. The result
was a close and permanent friendship be-
tween the two men. Locke lived at Ash
ley's house in London. and met there the
most distinguished characters OF the
time. He superintended the education OF
the nobcman's son and grandson.
At the bidding OF Ashley. Locke drew
up the fundamental laws Of Carolina, in
A Ytnp ,.FlNI NInh Nod Sr,.., tod E,i
patron and seven others; and 1t is note
worthy that the philosopher, while Incor-
porating In his scheme OF government the
complete religious tolerance which he ad-
voeated. was careful to preserve the
principles Of aristocracy and monarchy.
Locke was a very practical man; !,
Lord Ashley became the Earl OF
Shaftesbury and lord chancellor. and
Locke was appointed to a place In the
government. Afterward. when Shaftes-
bury was charged with high treason and
were employed TO obtain from Locke an
expression OF sympathy with the cxilcd
nooleman or of criticism of the govern
ment, but the philosopher was too wary
to be thus entrapped,
Later, he followed Shaftesbury TO Hol-
land, and While he was there an effort
lect OF the invasion OF England by the
Duke of Monmouth. but It was unsuccess-
full He was wise enough, however. to
discern the elements OF success in the
revolution Of 1858. and he cast in his for
tunes with William of Orange and re-
turned TO England
He spent his last years in studious
leisure.
The work for which Locke is most
widely known is the Essay on the HUI
man Understanding" He made the first
sketch of 1t in 1870 when he was 38
years old and finished It seventeen years
later. II was published In 1890, 1t was
suggested in a discussion with five or six
friends at Oxford when the question
arose as to what subjects our under
standings are or are not fitted to deal
with.
The object OF the completed ESSAY"
which was the product OF meditation
continued through many years, was to
inquire into the origin, certainty and ex-
tent OF human knowledge. The theory
is developed that our natural faculties
are capable OF forming every notion that
we possess; that the action of these
faculties takes its rise from experience.
and that the mind may. therefore, be
compared TO a sheet OF white paper void
Of all characters Till the events of time
inscribe them.
The book was bitterly attacked and
the celebrity of its author as a friend OF
civil and religious liberty with the at
tempts made at oxford to prevent the
students from reading the work gave 1t
an immediate and extensive success.