Other Works

Observations Upon the Growth and Culture of Vines and Olives

- John Locke, "Observations Upon the Growth and Culture of Vines and Olives" in The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes, Vol. 9 (London: Rivington, 1824.)
Excerpt: THE country, where these observations were made, hath vanity enough to over-value every thing it produces; and it is hard to live in a place, and not take some tincture from the manners of the people. Yet I think I should scarce have ventured to… More

A Discourse of Miracles

- John Locke, "A Discourse of Miracles" in The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes, Vol. 8 (London: Rivington, 1824).
Excerpt: It is to be considered, that divine revelation receives testimony from no other miracles, but such as are wrought to witness his mission from God who delivers the revelation. All other miracles that are done in the world, how many or great soever,… More

Some Thoughts Concerning Reading and Study for a Gentleman

- John Locke, "Some Thoughts Concerning Reading and Study for a Gentleman" in The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes, Vol. 2 (London: Rivington, 1824).
Excerpt: The improvement of the understanding is for two ends; first, for our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver and make out that knowledge to others. The latter of these, if it be not the chief end of study in a gentleman; yet it… More

Short Observations On a Printed Paper, Entitled, For Encouraging the Coining Silver Money In England, and After For Keeping It Here

- John Locke, "Short Observations On a Printed Paper, Entitled, For Encouraging the Coining Silver Money In England, and After For Keeping It Here" in The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes, Vol 4 (London: Rivington, 1824).
Excerpt: The matter in short is this; England sending more consumable commodities to Spain than it receives from thence, the merchants, who manage their trade, bring back the overplus in bullion, which, at their return, they sell as a commodity. The chapmen,… More

Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest, and Raising the Value of Money

- John Locke, "Some Considerations of the Consequences of the Lowering of Interest, and Raising the Value of Money" in The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes, Vol. 4 (London: Rivington, 1824).
Excerpt: The first thing to be considered is, “Whether the price of the hire of money can be regulated by law?” And to that I think, generally speaking, one may say, it is manifest it cannot. For since it is impossible to make a law that shall hinder a… More

Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina

- Recommended edition: Political Essays, ed. Mark Goldie (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 160-181.
Excerpt: Our sovereign lord the king having, out of his royal grace and bounty, granted unto us the province of Carolina, with all the royalties, properties, jurisdictions, and privileges of a county palatine, as large and ample as the county palatine of… More

The Reasonableness of Christianity

- Recommended Edition: The Reasonableness of Christianity, ed. I. Ramsey (Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 1958).
Excerpt: The little satisfaction and consistency that is to be found, in most of the systems of divinity I have met with, made me betake myself to the sole reading of the scriptures (to which they all appeal) for the understanding the Christian Religion.… More

Of the Conduct of the Understanding

- Recommended edition: Some Thoughts Concerning Education, ed. Ruth Grant and Nathan Tarcov (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1996).
Excerpt: The last resort a man has recourse to, in the conduct of himself, is his understanding: for though we distinguish the faculties of the mind, and give the supreme command to the will, as to an agent; yet the truth is, the man, who is the agent,… More

An Essay on the Poor Law

- Recommended edition: Political Essays, ed. Mark Goldie (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 182- 198.
Excerpt: If the cause of this evil be well looked into, we humbly conceive it will be found to have proceeded neither from scarcity of provisions, nor from want of employment for the poor, since the goodness of God has blessed these times with plenty, no less… More

Essays on the Law of Nature

- Recommended edition: Political Essays, ed. Mark Goldie (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 79-133.
Excerpt: Since God shows Himself to us as present everywhere and, as it were, forces Himself upon the eyes of men as much in the fixed course of nature now as by the  frequent evidence of miracles in time past, I assume there will be no one to deny the… More

Two Tracts on Government

- Recommended edition: Political Essays, ed. Mark Goldie (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 3-78.
Excerpt: I have chosen to draw a great part of my discourse from the supposition of the magistrate’s power, derived from, or conveyed to him by, the consent of the people, as a way best suited to those patrons of liberty, and most likely to obviate… More