whom he loved with more than ordinary affection. He was sent, at an early age, to Westminster School; from whence, in 1651, he removed to Christ-church, Oxford, of which the celebrated independent, Dr. Owen, was then Dean.

The scholastic philosophy, based upon an imperfect interpretation of the works of Aristotle, which, at that period, prevailed in our universities, excited his aversion. He therefore, for some time, directed his studies into a different channel, and employed himself in acquiring that intimate knowledge of classical literature, which afterwards, when he came to write, enabled him to rival the first authors of modern times in the perspicuity and masculine beauties of his style. Contrary to what might have been expected, his university friends were not selected from among those of learned and studious habits; he preferred, it is said, the lively and agreeable; and his early manner of writing is not free from those sallies of affectation, mistaken by the vulgar for wit, which may be supposed best to have pleased such companions; indeed his recent biographer, Lord King, compares the style of his youthful correspondence to that of Voiture.

The love of philosophy was at length awakened in his mind by the works of Descartes; but, instead of adopting the ingenious system of that writer, then exceedingly popular among the learn

ed, he betook himself to the assiduous study of the sciences, more particularly of medicine, in which he made so great a proficiency that, but for the feebleness of his constitution, it is probable he would ultimately have practised as a physician. Sydenham, in physic the greatest name perhaps of modern times, speaks of him, in the dedication prefixed to his "Observations on the History and Cure of Acute Diseases," as his most intimate friend, and as a man who, for genius, penetration, and exact judgment, had scarcely any superior, and few equals, among his contemporaries. It was not without reason, therefore, that he valued the approbation bestowed by Locke on his method of cure, which still continues to be regarded as a model; but from this circumstance to infer, as Dugald Stewart has done, that the merit of this method belonged in part to the philosopher, hardly appears to be warranted.

On the Restoration, in 1660, Locke, then in his twenty-eighth year, wrote a political work, not wholly unimbued with the spirit of the times, which his maturer judgment condemned to oblivion. His merit having now procured him many friends, he was chosen, in 1664, to accompany, as secretary, Sir Walter Vane, envoy to the elector of Brandenburgh; and from Cleves, where he chiefly resided during his stay abroad, amused his friends with lively descriptions of the Christmas mummeries of

the Roman Catholics, of Calvinistic logicians, and Dutch poets; in which he exhibited more vivacity than good taste. Returning to England early in the spring of 1665, he rejected an offer, the accepting of which might have permanently engaged him in the career of diplomacy; nor could an invitation to enter the Church, with very flattering prospects made in the following year, by a friend, prevail on him to relinquish his personal freedom and independence, which he regarded as the first of blessings.

Emancipated from all professional pursuits, he continued the study of medicine, and entered with his characteristic enthusiasm for knowledge, into a course of experimental philosophy. At this period he would appear to have been sometimes consulted by his friends and others as a physician; and to his knowledge of medicine he owed his introduction to the Earl of Shaftesbury, then Lord Ashley, with whom, notwithstanding the veering politics of that celebrated man, he maintained a friendship interrupted only by death. Lord Ashley, who was suffering from an abscess in his breast, came to drink the waters of Astrop at Oxford, where Locke then resided. He had written to Dr. Thomas to procure the waters for him on his arrival, but this physician happening to be called away, requested Locke to execute the commission. Through the negligence of the messenger sent to

procure them, the waters however were not ready, and Locke waited upon his Lordship to explain. Satisfied with the apology, and charmed by his conversation, Lord Ashley expressed his desire to improve an acquaintance thus accidentally commenced; and the friendship with which he was honoured by Locke, is perhaps the strongest presumptive proof existing that his character contained the elements of many good and excellent qualities.

From Oxford Locke accompanied Lord Ashley to Sunning-hill Wells, and afterwards resided some time with him at Exeter-house in the Strand, where he occasionally enjoyed the society of the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Halifax, and other distinguished men, who appeared to delight in his superior style of conversation. From an anecdote related by Le Clerc, however, it would seem that those noblemen sometimes took refuge from philosophy in the most frivolous pastimes: for several of their number once meeting at Lord Ashley's, sat down somewhat abruptly at the cardtable; upon which Locke, taking out his tablets, began attentively to write, lifting up his eyes, and regarding them from time to time. Observing him thus occupied, one of the party inquired what he was writing? To which Locke replied, that being greatly desirous of profiting by their lordships' discourse, he supposed he could not be better em

ployed than in registering the wise sayings which dropped from persons who were esteemed the greatest wits of the age. And thereupon he read the notes he had been making. Finding they appeared to no great advantage in the philosopher's report, the card-table was abandoned, and the remainder of the evening given up to conversation; an amusement more worthy of rational creatures.

Lord Ashley was not without reason attached to his illustrious guest, by whose advice he submitted to the operation-the opening of an abscess in the breast-which saved his life; after which he omitted no occasion of consulting him, even in the closest and most intimate concerns of his family. And in 1672, when, after filling the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer, he was created Earl of Shaftesbury and declared Lord Chancellor of England, he appointed Locke his Secretary for the Presentation of Benefices; which, with another office in the Council of Trade, the philosopher resigned in the following year, when his friend, abandoning the court party, placed himself at the head of the Opposition. Lord King, whose work, however, contains much fewer original documents than might have been desired, brings forward several letters and other evidences of the intimate friendship that existed between these celebrated individuals. Shaftesbury, it is clear, personally loved the man; this appears from the tone of their