LOCKE, John.

[Essay Concerning Human Understanding] Extrait d'un Livre Anglois qui n'est pas encore publié, intitulé Essai Philosophique concernant L'Entendement, où l'on montre quelle est l'étenduë de nos connoissances certaines, & la maniere dont nous y pervenons. Communiqué par Monsieur Locke. [in] Bibliotheque Universelle et Historique, Volume VIII.

Amsterdam: Chez Wolfgang, Waesberge, Boom & van Someren, 1688. FIRST EDITION 1 blank leaf + TP + [i]-[ii] = Errata for Volume VII + [iii]-[x] = Table des Livres + 1-538 + [539]-[560] = Indices des Matieres + 1 blank leaf with a folding plate between pp. 386/87. 12mo. (131 X 70 mm.). Yolton 273 & 265.Extrait d'un Livre Anglois qui n'est pas encore publié, intitulé Essai Philosophique concernant L'Entendement, où l'on montre quelle est l'étenduë de nos connoissances certaines, & la maniere dont nous y pervenons. Communiqué par Monsieur Locke. (pp. 49-142) and a Review of Newton's "Principia Mathematica" (pp. 553-59), [in] Bibliotheque Universelle et Historique, Volume VIII. THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF LOCKE'S ESSAY IN ANY FORM.The first appearance in any form of Locke's Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, the most celebrated work of philosophy in the English language. This is also the principal form in which the work was known on the Continent prior to French and Latin translations of the full work which were not produced until 1700 and 1701 respectively. "At a time when few people on the Continent could read English, while French had supplanted Latin as the international cultural language of Western Europe, Locke thus sought a way to test the reaction of continental readers to his views, before sending to the press the manuscript of his Essay. In fact it was through this French abridgment that his philosophy first became known to Bayle and Leibniz." (Bonno, "The Diffusion and Influence of Locke's Essay...." in A Locke Miscellany). Locke prepared the condensation in English and submitted it for publication to his friend, Jean Leclerc, the editor of the Bibliotheque Universelle et Historique, who made the French translation. Locke subsequently had a small number of copies of Leclerc's translation published separately (Yolton 274), adding a dedication to Lord Pembroke. Ironically, Locke's manuscript did not survive and the first English-language appearance of the "Extract," in The Young Students Library (1692), was a re-translation from the French (Yolton 275). "The most important Lockean piece in the Bibliotheque Universelle was of course the summary of the Essay that appeared in 1688, in volume VIII. The abridgment is astonishingly brief and very clear; and Locke obviously liked it himself, since he caused it to be printed up alone and distributed among his particular friends." (Cole, "John Locke in the Republic of Letters," in A Locke Miscellan). "Locke conjectured - with good reason - that a wide distribution of the epitome would stimulate a demand for the publication of the Essay as a whole; and, as the book was a long one, some such assurance of public demand was important.... Locke also hoped to receive from readers of the epitome comments and criticisms which might help him improve or correct faults in the Essay before publishing it in full. Such criticisms were expressly solicited in a note at the end of the epitome in the Bibliotheque Universelle, but...omitted from the reprint...." (Cranston, John Locke).Note that Cranston asserts (p. 293) that Locke wrote almost everything which appeared in the Bibliotheque Universelle between July 1687 and February 1688, which would include pp. 1-261 of this Volume VIII, but this claim does not seem to be accepted by other scholars.The volume also includes a review by Locke of Netwon's Principia and, as Cole observes, "It is pleasant to think of Locke...[as] introducing Newton to the French-speaking world." Contemporary vellum. The spine has been recently restored in authentic period style. Bookplate of the Butler University School of Religion on the inside front cover and an inoffensive circlular blindstamp to the title page. A very lovely copy of this work. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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