‎Fraser (Alexandre Campbell)‎
‎Locke‎

‎A Collection of Several Pieces. Never before printed, or not Extant in his Works. Publish'd by the Author of Life of the evermemorable Mr. John Hales, &c. - [LOCKE'S MAIN WORK ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY]‎

‎London, J. Bettenham, 1720. 8vo. Nice contemporary English Cambridge-style full calf binding with five raised bands and gilt title-label to spine. Neat minor repair to extremities. A bit of overall wear, but a nice and tight copy. Internally nice and clean with only some occasional soiling that is very light. Engraved title-vignette (36 - i.e. title-page + dedication), XXIV (i.e. ""The Character of Mr. Locke"" by Peter Coste), (2 - i.e. contents), 362, (18 - i.e. index), (4 - i.e. errata + advertisements) pp. + one plate (""The Solar System"").‎

‎First edition of this important collection of hitherto unpublished works by Locke, containing the first printing of his unique work on Natural philosophy ""The Elements of Natural Philosophy"" as well as first printings of other important works. Assisted by Anthony Collins, in 1720 the journalist Pierre Desmaizeaux brought out a new collection of Works and pieces by John Locke that had not previously been published. This collection, ""A Collection of Several Pieces"", came to play a great role in the Locke scholarship, not least in recent times, and not least because it contains the first printing of his ""Elements of Natural Philosophy""The ""Elements of Natural Philosophy"" constitutes Locke's main work in natural philosophy, and it is a work that pas puzzled Locke scholars and readers ever since its appearance. The work seems to need some further explanation"" at a firsthand glance it doesn't look very much like Locke - the greatest of the English philosophers who has so frequently been accused of not understanding the exact sciences and who even encouraged the youth not to learn these but to educate themselves in superficial and useful party-conversation. Thus, numerous attempts have been made to establish the influence that resulted in this educational work of natural science. The two dominating answers to the question of influence are now: Newton and Descartes. It now seems to be fairly commonly recognized that Newton, a personal friend of Locke, even contributed directly to the work. ""When Locke himself at the end of his life came to compose a treatise on natural philosophy for a pupil, we have reason to believe that he obtained the advice and help of the most brilliant scientist of the century, his close friend Isaac Newton. As we shall see, this unique educational work itself, ""The Elements of Natural Philosophy"", belies the myth of Locke the scientific smatterer."" (Axtell, Locke, Newton, and the Elements of Natural Philosophy, p. 244). However, Descartes influence also seems to be obvious"" ""The influence of the ""Principles"" (by Descartes) is also obvious in Locke's posthumously published ""Elements of Natural Philosophy"". There is a striking similarity in the order of exposition, although there are also considerable differences: Locke carefully eschewed Descartes' ""a priori"" metahpysics of nature... We find him rather emphasizing the essential role of experience. For example, Locke introduced Newtonian universal gravitation as follows:... Thus, according to Locke empirical support was necessary to establish the law of nature. Although the exposition looks quite similar to Descartes' ""Principles"", the ""Elements"" in fact contain several anti-Cartesian remarks in favour of the experimental philosophy."" (Aoki, Descartes and Locke on the Nature of Matter. In: Hutton and Schuurmann edt., Studies on Locke, p. 77).""Elements of Natural Philosophy"" was printed in no less than nine times during the 1th century and appeared in both Russian and French during the 18th century as well.The present ""Collection of several Pieces"" furthermore included a collection of letters from Locke to Anthony Collins, ""Remarks upon some of Mr. Norris's Books..."", ""Some Thoughts concerning Reading and Study for a Gentleman..."", and ""Rules of a society..."", all printed here for the first time, as well as an English translation of Coste's Eulogy (""The Character of Mr. Locke"", originally published in French in 1705), and reprints of ""The fundamental Constitutions of Carolina"" and ""A Letter from a person of Quality..."".""Remarks upon some of Mr. Norris's books..."" is the third of Locke's replies to Norris. ""Some thoughts concerning reading and study for a gentleman"" constitutes Locke's reply to Samuel Bold's question, on behalf of a parishioner, on how to create a course of reading and study. ""Rules of a Society"" constitutes the rules that Locke set up for a small group of friends who met once a week to discuss ""useful Knowledge"" and to promote ""Truth and Christian Charity"". Throughout his life Locke created several of these ""societies"", one of which led to his ""An Essay Concerning Human Understanding"", another one being ""The College"" in London after the Revolution.‎

‎Abregé de l'Essai de Monsieur Locke, sur L'Entendement humain, traduit de l’anglois par J. P. Bosset. Troisième édition plus exacte que les précédentes.‎

‎ Geneve, Chez Henri-Albert Gosse & Comp. 1741, 195x125mm, reliure cartonnage marbé muet. Intérieur propre. ‎

‎ XXIV - 283 pages + 2 ff., lettrines, bandeaux, culs-de-lampes, ‎

‎Oeuvres de Locke et Leibnitz contenant l'Essai sur l'entendement humain, l'Eloge de Leibnitz par Fontenelle, le Discours sur la conformité de la foi et de la raison, l'Essai sur la bonté de Dieu, la Liberté de l'homme et l'origine du mal‎

‎Paris, Firmin Didot Frères, libraires, imprimeurs de l'institut de France, rue Jacob, 56 Relié 1839 In-8 (18,2 x 26,5 cm), reliure demi-peau, dos à 4 nerfs, gardes couleur, XVII-676 pages, Essai sur l'entendement humain revu, corrigé et accompagné de notes par F. Thurot ; dos insolé, coiffe supérieure abîmée, épidermures sur le cuir, coupes frottées, rousseurs à l'intérieur, état moyen. Livraison a domicile (La Poste) ou en Mondial Relay sur simple demande.‎

‎De l'éducation des enfans ; Traduit de l'Anglois de Mr. Locke par Pierre Coste‎

‎A Paris, chez Jean Musier, à la descente du Pont-Neuf, à l'Olivier Relié 1711 In-12 (10 x 16 cm), reliure pleine peau, dos à 5 nerfs ornés de caissons dorés, xxij-443 pages ; mors supérieur fendu, mors inférieur fendu aux coiffes, coiffes et coins usés, état moyen. Livraison a domicile (La Poste) ou en Mondial Relay sur simple demande.‎

‎Posthumous Works. Viz. I. Of the Conduct of Understanding. II. An Examination of P. Malebranche's Opinion of ""Seeing all things in Gord"". III. A Discourse of Miracles. IV. Part of a Fourth Letter for Toleration. V. Memoires Relating to the Life of Ant... - [THE UNCOMPLETED FINAL CHAPTER OF LOCKE'S ""ESSAY""]‎

‎London, Printed for W.B. and J. Churchill, 1706. 8vo. Nice contemporary brown full calf, very neatly rebacked. Title-page and second leaf strengthened at fore-margin. A bit of brownspotting to last quire, otherwise very nice. (4), 336 pp.‎

‎First edition of this influential collection of Locke's posthumous works, in which we find the first printing of his highly important ""On the Conduct of Understanding"" (takes up the larger part of the volume, namely pp. (1) - 137), which he himself considered of the utmost importance. He had actually intended it to be the final and largest chapter of his ""Essay"", his seminal magnum opus which constitutes ""the first modern attempt to analyze [human knowledge]"" (PMM 164), but he did not completely finish it before his death (1704) and it thus didn't make it into the fourth edition of the ""Essay"", where Locke had planned to make it the greatest part and the concluding chapter. ""In 1697, Locke had written to Molyneux: ""I have lately got a little leisure to think of some additions to my book [the Essay], against the next edition, and within these few days have fallen upon a subject that I know not how far it will lead me. I have written several pages on it, but the matter, the farther I go, opens the more upon me, and I cannot yet get sight of any end of it. The title of the chapter will be Of the Conduct of the Understanding, which, if I shall pursue, as far as I imagine it will reach, and as it deserves, will, I conclude, make the largest chapter of my Essay."" [Locke #847, vol. 6:87] The new chapter was intended as a new final chapter to be added to the 4th edition (1700) [Locke #231], but Locke did not complete it. It was published in 1706 by King and Collins and has often been reprinted, independently, with other works by Locke or with Bacon's Essays."" (Attig, Locke Bibliography, Pennsylvania State University).Before his death, Locke had left instructions for his literary executors, Anthony Collins and Peter King. These instructions mentioned four works which did not see publication in his life-time, but which he felt deserved publication, among these were ""On the Conduct of the understanding,"" ""Seeing all things in God,"" and ""A Discourse on Miracles"", which were all published for the first time in the present collection of ""Posthumous Works"". As will be seen from the title-page, the collection also contained the unfinished ""Fourth letter for toleration"", some notes for a biography of the first Earl of Shaftesbury, and an English translation of ""Méthode nouvelle de dresser un recueil"". All these posthumous works were included in the collected edition of Locke's ""Works"" from 1714 as well as in all subsequent editions. The work of the greatest consequence included in this collection is no doubt ""Of the Conduct of Understanding"" which takes up more than a third of the volume. It became one of Locke's most read and popular works" during the 18th century alone, it was printed no less than 8 times and is now, as it were, considered a most important part of Locke's writings and an essential part of all collections of Locke's works. It was first published separately in 1754.‎