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Untitled Article
A letter from Mr . Tyrrell written to Locke , while the latter was abroad , in 1687 , contains an interesting account of the state of opinion on Teli gious matters . " Your discourse about the liberty of conscience would not do amiss now , to dispose people ' s minds to pass it into taw whenever the Parliament sits . The thing gives so general a satisfaction * that more are displeased at the manner of doing it , than at the thing itself . So that I find few but the high
Church of England-men highly displeased ; but let the intent of those that do it be as it will ., I believe whatever the Church of England may lose , the Roman Catholic religion will not gain so much as they imagine ; more being likely to go off to the fanatics than to them , amongst the ordinary people , who can neither expect offices nor pensions by the change : and if so , I think the Roman Catholic religion ( as Osborne says ) will only change herb John for Coloquintida . "—P . 169 .
The letters of Sir Isaac Newton are on every account curious and interesting ; particularly with regard to his nervous timidity as to the publication of his opinions on the corruptions of Scripture , his alchymistic experiments , his susceptibility of offence , and the almost infantine simplicity with which he acknowledges his fault . There is a beautiful letter to him from Locke on the occasion . No stronger proof could be given of the latter ' s kindness and warmth of heart . Lord King publishes some observations by Dr . Rees on this correspondence .
The following letter from Mr . Locke to his cousin , Mr . King , ought to fbrm part of the series , and it furnishes fresh proof of the kind considerations and caution with which he dealt with his friend ' s failings : ¦ " Dear Cousin , ** I am puzzled in a little affair , and must beg your assistance for the clearing of it . Mr . Newton , in Autumn last , made me a visit here ? I showed him my Essay upon the Corinthians , with which he seemed very well pleased , but had not time to look it all over , but promised me if I would send it ' him ^
lie would carefully peruse it , and send me his observations and opinion . I sent it him before Christmas , but hearing nothing from him , I , about a month or six weeks since , writ to him , as the inclosed tells you , with the remaining ' part of the story . When you have read it , and sealed it , I desire you to deliver it at your convenience . He lives in German St .: you must not go on a Wednesday , for that is his day for being at the Tower . The reason why I desire you to deliver it to him yourself is , that I would fain discover the
reason of his so long silence . I have several reasons to think him truly-my friend , but he is a nice man to deal with , and a little too apt to raise in 'hi m- ' self suspicions where there is no ground ; therefore , when you talk to hin * of my papers , and of his opinion of them , pray do it with all the tenderness in the world , and discover if you can why he kept them so long , and was so silent . But this you must do without asking why he did so , or discovering" in the least that you are desirous to know . You will do well to * acquaint him , that you intend to see me at Whitsuntide , and shall be > glad to bring a letteir to me from him , or any thing else he will please to send ; this perhaps may quicken him , and make him despatch these papers if lie' has hot'doriewt already . It may a little let you into the freer discourse with him , if you let hiiri ' know that when you have been here with me , you have seen me busy on them ( and the Romans too , if he mentions them , for I told him I was upon them when he was here ) and have ha < J U sight of sonie f > art of what I Was doing ! ' Mr . Newton is really a very valuable man , not only fot his ^ pnaerful skill in mathematics , but ^ n divinity too , and his great knowledge in the Scriptures , wherein I know few his equals . And therefore pray manage the whole matter so as not only to preserve me in his good opinion , but to in-
Untitled Article
Life of John Locke . ' 645
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1829, page 645, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2576/page/45/
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