Bodleian Library, Oxford University

MS. Locke f. 17

A bound volume originally prepared by Locke for use as a commonplace book; it is titled “Adversaria 7” on f. i. There are two notes on books published in 1672 (f. 3), an alphabetical list of medical and chemical terms (ff. 53v-73v), an index according to Locke’s method of commonplacing (ff. 171v-172r).

The almost empty notebook was used by James Tyrrell for a list of the books that Locke had left at Oakley during his exile in Holland. The list begins on f. 1, with the title “A true Catalogue of Mr Lockes bookes now in the custody of me James Tyrrell A.D. 1691.” The catalogue is divided into “Libri Theologici” (f. 1 and 45), “Libri Ethici” (f. 4v and 45), “Libri Historici et Politici” (f. 6), “Libri Geographici et Itineraria” (f. 12), “Libri Philologici, Grammatici, et Critici” (f. 19), “Libri Philosophiae naturalis et Medicinae” (f. 23v), “Libri Geometrici et Arithmeticae” (f. 41) and “Libri Culinarii et Hortularii” (f. 42). Under each, the books are listed by format, beginning with the folios.

On the page preceeding the catalogue (f. iiiv) is Tyrrell’s apologia: “I beg your pardone if this Catalogue is not so exact as it should, for the books lyeing in several boxes, I thought I had done all on one subject when I found I had not, wch was the occasion of the Appendix; but if you thinke fit to have it written over in a better method, pray let me have this againe: I hope you will allso excuse me if I have not bin so exact in distinguishing the 8vos from ye 12mos since I could not ofetimes tell wch to call them.”

iii, 175 leaves (ff. 74-171 blank). 148 × 95 mm. Calf binding.