The Life of John Locke, with Extracts from His Correspondence, Journals, and Common-Place Books

London: Henry Colburn, 1829 First edition. Original boards with printed paper spine label. . Quarto. Engraved frontiportrait after Worthington, one plate of facsimile handwriting. Some erosion to spine extremities, light wear and chipping along joints. Some light foxing, label a bit chipped. Overall a very good, large copy. Rare in original boards. King (1776-1833), a descendant of Locke's cousin, Anne Locke, wrote the second major biography of John Locke, after LeClerc's life of Locke, which appeared in the Bibliothèque Choisie in 1705. It added a great deal to what had previously been known about Locke, as King was able to draw upon extensive correspondence, and Locke's personal papers. King's aim was, by using a wealth of primary sources, to "make Mr. Locke, as far as possible, his own biographer." The letters that were chosen were intended to demonstrate "the interest which was felt by Mr. Locke on so many different questions, the versatility of his genius, and the variety of his occupations." (Inventory #: 12029)