An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding.

LOCKE, John.

Item Number: 4769

London: Eliz. Holt for Thomas Basset, 1690.

First edition, first issue of this fundamental work in the history of Western thought. Folio, bound in full brown calf expertly rebacked with raised bands. In very good condition. First editions are rare.

John Locke is regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and the Father of Classical Liberalism. "Locke was the first to take up the challenge of Bacon and to attempt to estimate critically the certainty and the adequacy of human knowledge when confronted with God and the universe" (PMM 164). This is the first edition of the first collected edition of his work and the earliest to put his name to "Two Treatises on Government" as well as the letters on "Toleration"and "The Reasonableness of Christianity". Contents include: Volume 1: An Essay concerning Human Understanding. In Four Books; A Letter to the Right Reverend Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester, concerning some Passages relating to Mr. Locke's Essay of Human Understanding, in a late Discourse of his Lordship's in Vindication of the Trinity; Mr. Locke's Reply to the Right Reverend the Bishop of Worcester's Answer to the Letter; Mr. Locke's Reply to the Bishop of Worcester's Answer to his Second Letter. Volume 2: Some Considerations of the Consequences of the lowering of Interest, and raising the Value of Money. In a Letter send to a Member of Parliament. 1691; Short Observations on a printed Paper, entitled, For encouraging the coining SilverMoney in England, and after for keeping it here; Further Observations concerning raising the Value of Money. Wherein Mr. Lowndes's Arguments for it, in his late Report concerning An Essay for the Amendment of the Silver Coin, are particularly examind'd; Two Treatises of Government. In the Former, the false Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and his Followers, are detected and overthrown. The Latter is an Essay concerning the true Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government; A Letter concerning Toleration; A Second Letter concerning Toleration; A Third Letter for Toleration: To the Author of the Third Letter concerning Toleration; The Reasonableness of Christianity, as deliver'd in the Scriptures; A Vindication of The Reasonableness of Christianity, From Mr. Edwards's Reflections; A Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity. Volume 3: Some Thoughts concerning Education; A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Galatians, I and II. Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians. To which is prefix'd, An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul's Epistles, by consulting St. Paul himself; Posthumous Works, viz. I. Of the Conduct of the Understanding. II. An Examination of P. Malebranche's Opinion of Seeing all things in God. III. A Discourse of Miracles. IV. Par of a Fourth Letter for Toleration. V. Memoirs relating to the Life of Anthony, first Earl of Shaftesbury. VI. A new Method of the Common-Place-Book written originally in French, and translated into English; Some familiar Letters between Mr. Locke and Several of his Friends.The work was published ten years after his death and is the first time his works were published as a collection.