John, whose opinions have been fully discussed, and whose biography has been partly anticipated in the First Preliminary Dissertation, was born at Wrington, near Bristol, 29th August 1632. His father had served as a captain under Colonel Popham, in the parliamentary army; and the moderate inheritance of the family had suffered considerably during the civil wars. The young philosopher was the elder of two sons, and received his education at Westminster School, whence (in 1651) he was sent to Christ Church College in Oxford. Here he applied himself diligently to the study of the classics, and made rapid progress in the scholastic philosophy as it was then taught. In after life, however, and probably even before he had quitted the walls of the university, he learned to despise and regret this futile training, and he is said to have frankly acknowledged to Le Clerc, that he learned the first steps in philosophy from one to whom he afterwards proved a worthy antagonist—Descartes. In his reply to Stillington, Locke ascribes to that "justly admired gentleman the great obligation of his first deliverance from the unintelligible way of talking of the philosophy in use in the schools of his time." After he had taken his degrees in arts, Locke devoted himself to the study of medicine; and, although he neither graduated nor practised, his scientific accuracy procured him a high encomium from Dr Sydenham, in his Treatise on Acute Diseases; and his practical skill introduced him to the notice of the first Earl of Shaftesbury, "the false Achitophel" of Dryden's satire, with whom he continued in undivided friendship to the end.

In 1660 Locke wrote a tract on Church Establishments, recommending concessions on trivial matters alike to the government, whom he regarded as the friends of liberty, and to the opposition, whom he deemed factious and turbulent demagogues. Finding, however, very soon that he had mistaken the true characters of both parties, his love of truth compelled him to suppress the work and to bury all its misaimed eloquence and indignation. Lord King has preserved some extracts from it, which are valuable as giving us the starting-point of Locke's opinions. In 1664 Locke visited Berlin as secretary to Sir Walter Vane, envoy from Charles II. to the Elector of Brandenburg, and in the following year he returned to Oxford. Preferment was offered him in the Irish Church, as well as diplomatic employment in Spain or Germany, but both proposals he rejected firmly, hinting in regard to the former, that it was to him an ungrateful stretch of power, to offer "an office of that nature to one who had given no proof of himself, and had never even tried the pulpit." A more congenial home was provided for him, in 1666, by Ashley Cooper, afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury, who, profiting by his medical skill, invited him to his house, and soon drew him from the peaceful retirement of Oxford to the brilliant circles of the capital. It was by this nobleman that he was introduced to the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Northumberland, the Earl of Halifax, and many of the most distinguished men of the period. In 1668 he accompanied the Earl of Northumberland to France; but, on the death of the earl, returned immediately to England to superintend the education of Lord Ashley's eldest son. So remarkable was the confidence which this nobleman placed in the prudence of the philosopher, that he requested him to choose a wife for his son, a delicate task which he very successfully accomplished. The fruit of this marriage was the third Earl of Shaftesbury, the genial and generous author of the Characteristics.

The first sketch of Locke's work on the Human Understanding was made in 1670. He was present one day at a very animated discussion conducted by some learned men at Oxford. He listened attentively to everything that was said, and had the sagacity to perceive that it was after all only a dispute about words. This reflection was the germ of his immortal work. When Lord Ashley obtained an earldom, and was appointed chancellor of the exchequer in 1672, he requested Locke to frame a constitution for the government of Carolina, which Charles II. had gifted to him along with seven other noblemen about nine years before. In the same year Locke obtained the appointment of secretary for the presentation of benefices; and in 1673, when his patron resigned the Great Seal, he became secretary to the Board of Trade. In 1675 Locke visited France for the benefit of his health, and resided at Montpellier, where he acquired the friendship of Mr Herbert (afterwards Earl of Pembroke), to whom he dedicated his Essay concerning Human Understanding. Removing soon after to Paris, he was welcomed by the most eminent scientific and literary men. During the whole of his residence abroad, Locke kept a journal of his observations, the pith of which have been preserved in his biography by Lord King. In these he gives the most admirable descriptions of the strange scenes in which he was placed; and in the excitement of new forms of life, the dry logical humour of the philosopher often gives way to a fine pleasantry, not unmixed with pathos. The frightful pressure of taxation on the poor of France fills many pages in his journal; and his remarks on homely things are relieved by a dissertation on study, remarks on the immortality of the soul, and an essay on religion, in which he anticipates Tillotson's argument against the real presence.

In 1679, when the Earl of Shaftesbury had regained his political power, Locke returned to England; but very soon that nobleman was again disgraced, charged with high treason, and compelled to retire to Holland in 1682, whither Locke faithfully followed him. Shaftesbury died in 1683, and his political enemies transferred their hostility to the exiled philosopher. Even at that distance from England he was pursued by the rancour of the government; the English envoy demanded Locke and some other gentlemen from the States-General, on the charge of being concerned in the rebellion of Monmouth. His friends, however, succeeded in keeping him out of sight till concealment was no longer necessary. At Amsterdam he met Limborch, Le Clerc, and other distinguished men, who formed themselves into a philosophical society, and held a weekly meeting for the discussion of interesting questions. At this time Locke was removed from his studentship in Christ Church College by an illegal order of the king; but nothing can be more honourable to his character than the testimony borne to his worth by Bishop Fell, the time-serving tool employed by the king to compass the ruin of his subject. The bishop freely confesses that, "although very frequently, both in public and in private, discourses have been purposely introduced to the disparagement of his master, the Earl of Shaftesbury, his party and designs, he could never be provoked to take any notice, or discover in word or look the least concern."

In 1686 he published, in one of the Bibliothèques of his friend Le Clerc, his New Method of a Common-place Book; and in 1687 he abridged his Essay concerning Human Understanding, which Le Clerc translated into French, and gave to the world through the same channel. In the Bibliothèque of 1688, his first letter to Limborch On Toleration appeared; it was published in England in the same year; and it was translated into Latin, and published at Gueud, in 1689. Some theologians at Oxford, who disliked the freedom of the opinions expressed in the essay, attacked them, and Locke defended his work in three additional letters. Some of Locke's friends were anxious to have him restored in safety to his country. The celebrated William Penn told him that he could get a pardon for him from the king; but being conscious of no crime, Locke declined to accept any pardon. The Earl of Pembroke also assured the king that the stories in circulation about Locke were false, and eventually obtained permission for his return to England. In 1688, he returned to his native country in the same fleet. Lockhart, which brought over the Princess of Orange; and Lord Mordaunt, who had offered him a diplomatic situation, which was modestly declined, succeeded in procuring for him the office of commissioner of appeals. Locke petitioned the king for the recovery of his rights as a student of Christ Church College, but without success.

His most remarkable work, the *Essay concerning Human Understanding*, was first published in England in 1689. Four editions appeared within ten years, and through the medium of Latin and French the author soon acquired a European reputation. *Two Treatises on Civil Government* appeared in 1690, written in support of the principles of the Revolution—the second being a reply to Jonas Proast of Oxford; and in 1693 he published his *Thoughts concerning Education*. He lived during the greater part of the rest of his life in the house of his friend Sir Francis Masham at Oates; and it is interesting to know that Lady Masham (the daughter of his friend, Dr Cudworth) taught her only son according to the principles laid down in Locke's work on Education. In 1695 he wrote his treatise on *The Reasonableness of Christianity*, which, when attacked by Dr Edwards, was followed up by two *Vindications*. Besides his excellent tract on *The Conduct of the Understanding*, Locke, in his declining years, wrote many other works, chiefly religious, among which may be mentioned his *Discourse on Miracles; Paraphrases, with Notes, of the Epistles of St Paul; an Essay for the Understanding of St Paul's Epistles, by consulting St Paul himself*; and an *Examination of Father Malebranche's Opinion of Seeing all things in God*. About this time began his friendship with Newton, whose mortal misappreciation of Locke's philosophy and character led to a most affecting correspondence, which is given by Dugald Stewart in his *Dissertation*.

In 1700 Locke's health became so much impaired by his asthmatic complaint, that he objected to receive the emoluments of an office which he was no longer able to fill, and consequently resigned his situation at the Board of Trade. The king himself offered him a still higher position, but this also was declined; and although his public services fully entitled him to receive a pension, he could not be prevailed upon to accept one. Towards the close of his days he took great delight in the study of the Holy Scriptures; and all the finer qualities of his character came out into stronger relief as he approached the confines of another world. On the day before his death he expressed his gratitude to God for the happy life which he had spent. He told his affectionate friend, Lady Masham, that he had now come to the end of his career, and that he would not probably live till the next morning; but when she desired to sit up with him during the night, he begged that she would not do so, and that he would send for her if any change should occur. On the following morning, while Lady Masham was engaged in reading the Psalms to him, he requested her to stop, and in a few minutes expired, on the 28th of October 1704, in the seventy-third year of his age. He was buried in the tomb of the Masham family, in High Laver Church. The best edition of his works is in 10 vols. 8vo, London, 1801 to 1812. (See Lord King's *Life of Locke*, and Dugald Stewart's *Preliminary Dissertation*.)

LOCKHART, Jony Gibson, a critical and miscellaneous writer of considerable power and celebrity, was born in the manse or parsonage of Cambusnethan, county of Lanark, in the year 1794. He was the first son by the second marriage of the Rev. John Lockhart, minister of Cambusnethan, with Elizabeth Gibson, daughter of the Rev. Mr Gibson, minister of St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh. The father of Mr Lockhart was afterwards appointed to the College Church, Glasgow, and in this city John received his first education. He distinguished himself at college, and obtained one of the valuable bursaries (worth about £150 per annum) known as Snell's Exhibitions, in virtue of which he proceeded to Balliol College, Oxford. He retired from the university with the degree of LL.B., and applied himself to the study of Scottish law. He was called to the bar in 1816, but soon found that he was not calculated to excel as an advocate. He was more attached to literature than to law, and nature had denied him the fluency and self-possession necessary for success in addressing a court or jury. His contemporaries saw with surprise and pain the accomplished, handsome, carefully-dressed advocate, who had been engaged in quizzing his associates around the court table, or in drawing clever caricature sketches with his pen, rise up in trepidation to "state a case,"—how he hammered out a few words, got confused, plunged deeper at every step, and at length, fairly losing himself, sat down in an agony of vexation. A more congenial field was opened up by the establishment of *Blackwood's Magazine* in 1817; and for a period of seven or eight years there were few numbers of that periodical which did not contain some pungent or graceful article from the pen of Mr Lockhart. He tried all styles and subjects; he translated from the German and Spanish, reviewed books, invited bitter political articles, full of Oxford Toryism and scholarship, against all Whigs and Cockneys; and no one excelled him either in cold and stinging sarcasm, or in slashing invective. He also sketched scenes and characters with a milder hand, and composed occasional copies of verses, some of which breathed the inspiration of genuine poetry. His position in society was benefited by his marriage, 29th April 1820, with the eldest daughter of Sir Walter Scott. Previous to this Mr Lockhart had, in conjunction with his friend Mr (afterwards Professor) Wilson, written *Peter's Letters to his Kinfolk*, 3 volumes—a lively but exaggerated picture of Scottish society, character, and manners, including portraits of Scott, Jeffrey, Chalmers, &c. In 1821 appeared his novel of *Valerius*, an exquisite Roman story; in 1822, *Adam Blair*, a Scottish tale of domestic life, containing some powerful painting of the passions; in 1823, a longer novel in 3 volumes, *Reginald Daltoe*, delineating English and especially university life; also a translation of *Ancient Spanish Ballads*, remarkable for elegance of style and versification; and, in 1824, another novel in one volume, somewhat in the style of Godwin, entitled *Matthew Wald*. In 1825 Mr Lockhart succeeded to the editorship of the *Quarterly Review*, which he continued to conduct till within a short period of his death. His other works were,—*A Life of Burns*, written for Constable's Miscellany, and published in 1828; a *Life of Napoleon*, contributed to Murray's Family Library; and, in 1836, his *magnus opus*, the *Life of Sir Walter Scott*, which, as originally published, extended to 7 volumes 8vo. This was a work of great difficulty and delicacy. He had to fill a broad canvas with living or recent characters, and with contemporary events. He had to enter a critical arena preoccupied by the greatest names of the age, and to deal with affairs of active life and business, as well as with matters of intellect and imagination. He aimed at strict impartiality; and we have seen a private letter from him, in which he declared that he wrote as if the spirit of Scott, intent only upon truth, looked down upon him at the moment of composition. The alloy of human error, however, could not be absent, and some grave and serious blemishes stained the work. In relating Scott's business transactions, not only was too great prominence given to them, but manifest injustice was done to the Ballantynes, the early associates and friends of the illustrious novelist. Wanton offence and needless pain were also given to other parties by partial and incorrect statements, which no doubt sprang from the author's desire to bring out Scott in bold relief, and to impart variety and vivacity to the memoir. The work, however, is really a great one. We recognise in it Lockhart's manly and independent tone of description, his true and penetrating estimate of life and conduct, and the masterly powers of description and analysis which he brought to his task. As a mere literary work, in style and treatment, it must rank in the first class; and as a biography, for fulness and interest, it is only surpassed by Boswell's Life of Johnson. Mr Lockhart's Life of Burns is an able little work, full of fine moral and picturesque delineation. In the Quarterly Review he seemed also to select biography as his chosen field. His critical sketches of Theodore Hook, Campbell, Southey, &c., display the same characteristics as his elaborate works,—the quick eye and firm hand, that never hesitated to use the scalpel freely lest too deep a wound might be inflicted, are visible in the slightest of these dissections of character and conduct. Mr Lockhart's tact and management were no less manifest in the general variety and attractive character of the Review while it was under his charge. We meddle not with its political disquisitions, which were often narrow and bitter enough; but he unquestionably made this powerful organ of a party keep pace not only with the literature, the science, and discovery of the age, but with its social tastes, amusements, and fashion. In 1843 Sir Robert Peel rewarded Mr Lockhart with the sinecure appointment of auditor of the duchy of Cornwall, worth L400 per annum.

The latter years of Mr Lockhart's life were not happy or genial. He had survived his wife and all the other children of Sir Walter Scott. His own family consisted of two sons and a daughter; both his sons predeceased him, but his daughter (married to Mr Hope Scott of Abbotsford) still lives to continue the illustrious line of Scott. Irregular health and study impaired Lockhart's strength, and induced habits of indolence, while his literary ardour was still strong within him, and flashed out at intervals. As he said of Campbell, "A high and supereminent prize seemed still within his reach, but this spur was overmastered by the chill of tremor and the creeping of laziness." He endeavoured, by a winter in Italy, to renovate his shattered constitution, and at first the result was favourable. He returned somewhat invigorated, though feeling acutely that premature old age had set in. He had intended never again to visit Abbotsford after Scott's death; but, in the desolation of his last days, when his spirit was broken and health had utterly fled, lie turned to it once more, and his parting spirit was soothed by the attentions of filial duty and tenderness amidst those scenes, immortalized by genius, which had witnessed his youthful ambition and happiness. He died at Abbotsford on the 25th November 1843, having shortly before completed his sixtieth year.