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THE

BRITISH PLUTARCH.

JOHN LOCKE.*

[1632-1704.]

JOHN LOCKE was born at Wrington, in Somersetshire, in 1632.

During his infancy, his education was conducted with paternal affection, but at the same time with great strictness, by his father; who, having been bred to the law, was Steward or Court-Keeper to Colonel Alexander Popham, and upon the breaking out of the civil wars became a Captain in the parliamentary

army.

The first part of his learning he received at Westminster School, whence at nineteen he removed to Christ Church, Oxford. He became subsequently a Student of that college, and distinguished himself

* AUTHORITIES. Biographia Britannica, General Biographical Dictionary, Le Clerc's Bibliothéque Choisie, and Towers' Vindication of the Political Principles of Mr. Locke.

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by two indifferent copies of verses upon Cromwell's peace with the Dutch.*

* He wrote both in Latin and English. The collection, • Musarum Oxoniensium Exao@opia' (Ox. 1654) in which these compositions are preserved, contains also verses by Crewe, p. 25, South, p. 40, and Godolphin, p. 36, 99, who all successively made peace with the Stuarts; whereas Locke never sang his palinode on the return of that family, to whom he owed nothing but persecution.

His English verses are entirely in praise of peace: See the Extracts. His Latin, addressed to Cromwell, are;

Pax regit Augusti, quem vicit Julius, orbem;
Ille sago factus clarior, ille toga.

Hos sua Roma vocat magnos, et numina credit :
Hic quòd sit mundi Victor, et ille Quies.
Tu bellum et pacem populis das, unus utrisque
Major es: ipse orbem vincis, et ipse regis.
Non hominem, è cælo missum te credimus, unus
Sic poteras binos qui superare Deos!

IMITATED.

6 Augustus in pacific order sway'd

The world, that Julius' conquering arms obey'd
One by his sword achieved a mighty name,
And one the meed acquired of civic fame.
Applauding Rome proclaim'd them deities;
This for wise rule, and that for victories.
Thou, sovereign prince, to both superior far,
Guidest in peace the world thou'st gain'd by war,
From heaven we hail thee, of no mortal race,
Who can'st alone two deities surpass.'

F. W

Other verses also by Busby, Markham, and Lewis Atterbury (all of Christ Church) beside many copies subscribed only, through modesty-or prudence, with initials occur in this collection; and it is prefaced and introduced by the compositions, in prose and verse, of Dr. John Owen (the celebrated antagonist of Bishop Walton) who was, in 1654, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. The

Oliva Pacis,' a title including probably an allusion to the

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