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dispose him to be rul'd and influenc'd by you, fo that of that I need say nothing.

But there is one thing, which it is neceffary for me to recommend to your especial care, and memory ✶ ✶✶ ✶✶✶✶

May you live long and happy, in the enjoyment of Health, Freedom, Content, and all those bleffings, which Providence has bestow'd on you, and your Virtue intitles you to. I know you loved me living; and will preferve my Memory, now I am dead. All the ufe to be made of it, is, that this Life is a fcene of Vanity, that foon paffes away; and affords no folid fatisfaction, but in the confcioufnefs of doing well, and in the hopes of another Life. This is, what I can fay, upon experience; and what you will find to be true, when you come to make up the account. Adicu: I leave my best Wishes with you,

JOHN LOCKE,

A

LETTER

то

THE REVEREND

Mr. RICHARD KING.

Oates 23 July 1703.

SIR,

Cannot but think my self beholden I to any occafion that procures me

the honour of a Letter from you. I return my acknowledgments for those great expreffions of Civility and marks of Friendship, I receiv'd in yours of the eighth inftant ; and wifh I had the opportunity to fhew the efteem I have of your merit, and the sense of your kindness to me, in any real service.

The defire of your Friend, in the inclos'd Letter you fent me, is what of my self I

am

am inclin'd to fatisfy: and am only forry, that fo copious a fubject has loft, in my bad memory, so much of what heretofore I could have faid, concerning that great and good Man, of whom he enquires *. Time, I daily find, blots out apace the little stock of my mind, and has difabled me from furnishing all, that I would willingly contribute, to the Memory of that learned Man. But give me leave to affure you, that I have not known a fitter perfon than he, to be preferv'd as an example, and propos'd to the imitation of men of Letters. I therefore wifh well to your Friend's defign, tho' my mite be all I have been able to contribute to it.

I wish you all happiness, and am, with a very particular respect,

SIR,

Your moft humble Servant,

JOHN LOCKE,

* Dr. PocockE. See the following Letter.

A LET

A

LETTER

TO * * * *

Oates 23 July 1703.

SIR,

I

Have fo great a veneration for the memory of that excellent Man, whose Life you tell me you are writing *, that when I fet my self to recollect what Memoirs I can (in anfwer to your defire) furnish you with; I am afham'd, I have fo little in particular to say, on a fubject that afforded fo much. For I conclude you fo well acquainted with his Learning and Virtue, that I suppose it would be fuperfluous to trouble you on thofe heads. However, give me leave not to be wholly filent upon this occafion. So extraordinary an exam

* Dr. EDWARD POCOCKE, Regius Profeffor of Hebrew, in the Univerfity of Oxford. He was born at Oxford on the 8th of November 1604, and he dy'd on the 10th of September 1691.

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ple, in fo degenerate an age, deferves for the rarity, and I was going to say, for the incredibility of it, the atteftation of all that knew him, and confider'd his worth.

The Chriftian World is a witnefs of his great Learning: that, the Works he publifh'd, would not fuffer to be conceal'd. Nor could his Devotion and Piety lie hid, and be unobferv'd in a College; where his conftant and regular affifting at the cathedral service, never interrupted by sharpness of weather, and scarce reftrain'd by downright want of health, fhew'd the temper and difpofition of his mind.

But his other Virtues and excellent qualities, had fo ftrong and close a covering of Modesty and unaffected Humility; that, tho' they fhone the brighter to those who had the opportunities to be more intimately acquainted with him, and eyes to dif cern and diftinguifh folidity from fhew, and esteem Virtue that fought not Reputation; yet they were the less taken notice, and talk'd of, by the generality of thofe, to whom he was not wholly unknown. Not that he was at all clofe and referv'd; but, on the contrary, the

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