SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING EDUCATION. Doctrina vires promovet infitas, Hor. L. IV. Od. 4. By Mr. JOHN LOCKE. The Seventh Edition. LONDON, Printed for A. and J. Churchill, at the Black Swan in Pater-Nofter-Row, 1712, то Edward Clarke, Of CHIPLEY, Esq; SIR, THE Twhich non come HESE Thoughts concerning Education, which now come Abroad into the World do of Right belong to Lou, being written feveral Tears fince for Tour Sake, and are no other than what You have already by Tou in my Letters. I have fo little vary'd any Thing, but only the Order of what was fent you at different Times, and on feveral Occafions, that the Reader will cafity find, in the Familiarity and Fashion of the Stile, that they were rather the private Converfation of two Friends, than a Difcourfe defign'd for publick View. The Importunity of Friends,is the common Apology for Publications Men are afraid to own themfelves forward to. But You know I can truly fay, that if fome, who having heard of thefe Papers of mine, bad not prefs'd to fee them, and afterwards to have them printed, they had lain dormant fill in that Privacy they were defign'd for. But thofe, whofe Fudgment I defer much to, telling me, that they were perfwaded, that this rough Draught of mine might be of fome Ufe, if made more publick, touch'd upon what will always be very prevalent with me: For I think it every A 2 Man Man's indifpenfible Duty, to do all the Service he can to his Country; and I fee not what Difference he puts between himself and his Cattel, who lives without that Thought. This Subject is of fo great Concernment, and a right Way of Education is of fo general Advantage, that did I find my Abilities answer my Wishes, I fhould not have needed Exhortations or Importunities from others. However, the Meanness of thefe Papers, and my just Diftruft of them, fhall not keep me, by the Shame of doing fo little, from contributing my Mite, when there is no more requir'd of me, than my throwing it into the publick Receptacle. And if there be any more of their Size and Notions, who lik'd them fo well, that they thought them worth printing, I may flatter my felf they will not be loft Labour to every Body. I my felf have been confulted of late by fo many, who profefs themselves at a Lofs how to breed their Children, and the early Corruption of Youth is now become fo general a Complaint, that he cannot be thought wholly impertinent, who brings the Confideration of this Matter on the Stage, and offers fomething, if it be but to excite others, or afford Matter of Correction: For Errors in Education fhould be lefs indulg'd than any. Thefe, like Faults in the firft Concoction, that are never mended in the fecond or third, carry their afterwards incorrigible Taint with them, thro' all the Parts and Stations of Life. I am fo far from being conceited of any Thing I have here offer'd, that I fhould not be forry, even for Your Sake, if fome one abler and fitter for for fuch aTalk, would in a juft Treatife of Education, faited to our English Gentry, rectify the Miftakes I have made in this, it being much more dafireable to me, that young Gentlemen fhould be put into (that which every one ought to be follicitous about) the best Way of being form'd and infructed, than that my Opinion fhould be receiv'd concerning it. You will however, in the mean Time, bear me Witness, that the Method bere propos'd, has had no ordinary Effects upon a Gentleman's Son it was not defign'd for. I will not fay the good Temper of the Child did not very much contribute to it, but this I think You and the Parents are fatisfy'd of, that a contrary U fage, according to the ordinary difciplining of Children, would not have mended that Temper, nor have brought him to be in Love with his Book, to take a Pleasure in Learning, and to defire, as he does, to be taught more, than thofe about him think fit always to teach him. But my Bafinefs is not to recommend this Treatife to You, whofe Opinion of it I know already; nor it to the World, either by your Opinion or Patronage. The well educating of their Children, is fo much the Duty and Concern of Parents, and the Welfare and Profperity of the Nation so much depends on it, that I would have every one lay it feriously to Heart, and after having well examin'd and diftinguifh'd what Fancy, Custom, or Reason advifes in the Cafe, Jet bis helping Hand to promote every where that Way of training up Youth, with Regard to their feveral Canditions, which is the eaficft, forteft, and likelieft to produce verA 3 tuous, |