Bodleian Library, Oxford University

MS. Locke e. 6

A notebook originally used during Locke’s early years at Oxford for “Lemmata,” but also containing drafts in Locke’s hand, dating from ca. 1660-1664. In the Lemmata section, each page is reserved for notes on a particular topic, and there is frequently blank space at the bottom of the page. At some point in the early 1660s, Locke turned the volume front to back and begain writing on unused leaves at the end. The writing and page numbering of this section is thus reversed compared to that of the “Lemmata”. The drafts are written in this section of the book.

4o, 178 × 135 mm. 91 leaves. ([i-x] 1-20, 92-100, 100-101, 103-236 [237-238 damaged] pages). The current binding is not original.

Individual items in the volume include:

ff. 3-6:

Partial draft of Valedictory speech as Censor of Moral Philosophy [ca. December 1664].
A copy of the full version exists in MS. Locke f. 31.

The notebook was reversed and writing began in the other direction. Individual items in the reversed section include:

ff. 91v-69v rev.:

Draft of the Latin treatise [the Second Tract on Government] [late 1662?]
A later version exists in MS. Locke c. 28.

ff. 68v-64v rev.:

“Orozes, King of Albania” [before 1664; perhaps ca. 1661-1662]

ff. 63v-17v rev.:

Draft of five of the Essays on the law of nature [ca. 1663-1664]
Later versions exist in MS. Locke f. 30 and MS. Locke f. 31.