SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING READING AND STUDY, FOR A GENTLEMAN. [ALTHOUGH this brief tract cannot, strictly speaking, be denominated philosophical, it contains several useful and excellent observations, which render it worthy to be preserved. In the opening remarks Locke touches slightly upon a topic which the reader will find more fully discussed in the Treatise concerning the Conduct of the Understanding; but it is useful, and at all events entertaining, to compare the different expressions made use of by the philosopher in delivering at different times the same thoughts. The course of reading recommended may at first sight appear somewhat too limited, though very few men of the world, perhaps, would care to go through it completely. Some few of the books enumerated are now no longer in use, their place being supplied by more modern compilations; but the works on which Locke himself set any particular value are as deserving of study now as they were then; I mean those which treat of eloquence, ethics, and politics. Even the books of Voyages and Travels which he considered of sufficient value to be mentioned, continue for the most part to be popular, as far as popularity can be said to belong to any such productions. The political treatises which Locke desired to behold in the hands of gentlemen are every one of them such as still to merit the same distinction, more particularly Sir Ralph Sadlier's Rights of the Kingdom, which, with Algernon Sydney's Discourses, Harrington's political works, and Milton's Tenure of Kings, and Defence of the People of England, may be said to contain an almost complete development of the science. The few foreign works which ought perhaps to be added, are Aristotle's Politics, Macchiavelli's Prince and Discourses on Livy, and Montesquieu's Esprit des Loix.-ED.] READING is for the improvement of the understanding. 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 is at least equal to the other, since the VOL. II. 2 K greatest part of his business and usefulness in the world is by the influence of what he says or writes to others. The extent of our knowledge cannot exceed the extent of our ideas; therefore, he who would be universally knowing, must acquaint himself with the objects of all sciences. But this is not necessary to a gentleman, whose proper calling is the service of his country, and so is most properly concerned in moral and political knowledge; and thus the studies which more immediately belong to his calling are those which treat of virtues and vices, of civil society, and the arts of government, and will take in also law and history. It is enough for a gentleman to be furnished with the ideas belonging to his calling, which he will find in the books that treat of the matters above mentioned. But the next step towards the improvement of his understanding, must be, to observe the connexion of these ideas in the propositions which those books hold forth and pretend to teach as truths; which, till a man can judge whether they be truths or no, his understanding is but little improved; and he doth but think and talk after the books that he hath read, without having any knowledge thereby. And thus men of much reading are greatly learned but may be little knowing. The third and last step, therefore, in improving the understanding, is to find out upon what foundation any proposition advanced bottoms; and to observe the connexion of the intermediate ideas by which it is joined to that foundation upon which it is erected, or that principle from which it is derived. This, in short, is right reasoning; and by this way alone true knowledge is to be got by reading and studying. When a man, by use, hath got this faculty of observing and judging of the reasoning and coherence of what he reads, and how it proves what it pretends to teach; he is then, and not till then, in the right way of improving his understanding and enlarging his knowledge by reading. But that, as I have said, being not all that a gentleman should aim at in reading, he should further take care to improve himself in the art also of speaking, that so he may be able to make the best use of what he knows. The art of speaking well consists chiefly in two things, viz., perspicuity and right reasoning. Perspicuity consists in the using of proper terms for the ideas or thoughts which he would have to pass from his own mind into that of another man. It is this that gives them an easy entrance; and it is with delight that men hearken to those whom they easily understand; whereas what is obscurely said, dying as it is spoken, is usually not only lost, but creates a prejudice in the hearer, as if he that spoke knew not what he said, or was afraid to have it understood. The way to obtain this is to read such books as are allowed to be writ with the greatest clearness, and propriety, in the language that a man uses. An author excellent in this faculty, as well as several others, is Dr. Tillotson, late Archbishop of Canterbury, in all that is published of his. I have chosen rather to propose this pattern for the attainment of the art of speaking clearly, than those who give rules about it, since we are more apt to learn by example than by direction. But if any one hath a mind to consult the masters in the art of speaking and writing, he may find in Tully " De Oratore," and another treatise of his, called Orator, and in Quintilian's Institutions, and Boileau's "Traité du Sublime,' ,"* instructions concerning this and the other parts of speaking well. Besides perspicuity, there must be also right reasoning; without which perspicuity serves but to expose the speaker. And for the attaining of this I should propose the constant reading of Chillingworth, who by his example will teach both perspicuity and the way of right reasoning, better than any book that I know; and therefore will deserve to be read on that account over and over again; not to say anything of his argument. Besides these books in English, Tully, Terence, Virgil, Livy, and Cæsar's Commentaries may be read to form one's mind to a relish of a right way of speaking and writing. The books I have hitherto mentioned have been in order only to writing and speaking well; not but that they will deserve to be read on other accounts. The study of morality I have above mentioned as that * This treatise is a translation from Longinus. that becomes a gentleman; not barely as a man, but in order to his business as a gentleman. Of this there are books enough writ both by ancient and modern philosophers; but the morality of the gospel doth so exceed them all, that, to give a man a full knowledge of true morality, I shall send him to no other book but the New Testament. But if he hath a mind to see how far the heathen world carried that science, and whereon they bottomed their ethics, he will be delightfully and profitably entertained in Tully's Treatises "De Officiis." Politics contains two parts, very different the one from the other: the one containing the original of societies, and the rise and extent of political power; the other the art of governing men in society. The first of these hath been so bandied amongst us, for these sixty years backward, that one can hardly miss books of this kind. Those which I think are most talked of in English are the first book of Mr. Hooker's "Ecclesiastical Polity," and Mr. Algernon Sydney's "Discourses concerning Government." The latter of these I never read. Let me here add, "Two Treatises of Government," printed in 1690;* and a treatise of "Civil Polity," printed this year.† To these one may add, Puffendorf "De Officio Hominis et Civis," and "De Jure Naturali et Gentium;" which last is the best book of that kind. As to the other part of politics, which concerns the art of government, that, I think, is best to be learned by experience and history, especially that of a man's own country. And therefore I think an English gentleman should be well versed in the history of England, taking his rise as far back as there are any records of it; joining with it the laws that were made in the several ages, as he goes along in his history; that he may observe from thence the several turns of state, and how they have been produced. In Mr. Tyrrel's History of England, he will find all along those several authors which have treated of our affairs, and which he may have recourse to, concerning any point which either his curiosity or judgment shall lead him to inquire into. * These two treatises are written by Mr. Locke himself.-ED. +"Civil Polity. A Treatise concerning the Nature of Government," &c. London, 1703, in 8vo. Written by Peter Paxton, M.D.-Ed. 66 With the history, he may also do well to read the ancient lawyers, such as Bracton, "Fleta," Henningham, "Mirror of Justice," my Lord Coke's "Second Institutes," and the Modus, tenendi Parliamentum;" and others of that kind which he may find quoted in the late controversies between Mr. Petit, Mr. Tyrrel, Mr. Atwood, &c., with Dr. Brady; as also, I suppose, in Sadlier's Treatise of "Rights of the Kingdom, and Customs of our Ancestors," whereof the first edition is the best; wherein he will find the ancient constitution of the government of England. There are two volumes of "State Tracts," printed since the revolution, in which there are many things relating to the government of England. As for general history, Sir Walter Raleigh and Dr. Howell are books to be had. He who hath a mind to launch further into that ocean, may consult Whear's "Methodus Legendi Historias," of the last edition; which will direct him to the authors he is to read and the method wherein he is to read them. To the reading of history, chronology and geography are absolutely necessary. In geography, we have two general ones in English, Heylin and Moll; which is the best of them I know not, having not been much conversant in either of them. But the last I should think to be of most use, because of the new discoveries that are made every day tending to the perfection of that science; though I believe that the countries which Heylin mentions are better treated of by him, bating what new discoveries since his time have added. These two books contain geography in general; but whether an English gentleman would think it worth his time to bestow much pains upon that; though without it he cannot well understand a Gazette; it is certain he cannot well be without Camden's "Britannia," which is much enlarged in the last English edition. A good collection of maps is also necessary. To geography, books of travels may be added. In that kind, the collections made by our countrymen Hackluyt and Purchas are very good. There is also a very good collection made by Thevenot, in folio, in French; and by Ramuzio, in Italian; whether translated into English or no |