other, to lead your lordship further; and you will allow me to say, that you here give the world an earnest of something that, if they can bear with this, will be truly worth their expectation.  This, my lord, shows what a present I here make to your lordship; just such as the poor man does to his rich and great neighbour, by whom the basket of flowers or fruit is not ill taken, though he has more plenty of his own growth, and in much greater perfection.  Worthless things receive a value when they are made the offerings of respect, esteem, and gratitude:  these you have given me so mighty and peculiar reasons to have, in the highest degree, for your lordship, that if they can add a price to what they go along with, proportionable to their own greatness, I can with confidence brag, I here make your lordship the richest present you ever received.  This I am sure, I am under the greatest obligations to seek all occasions to acknowledge a long train of favours I have received from your lordship; favours, though great and important in themselves, yet made much more so by the forwardness, concern, and kindness, and other obliging circumstances, that never failed to accompany them.  To all this you are pleased to add that which gives yet more weight and relish to all the rest:  you vouchsafe to continue me in some degrees of your esteem, and allow me a place in your good thoughts, I had almost said friendship.  This, my lord, your words and actions so constantly show on all occasions, even to others when I am absent, that it is not vanity in me to mention what everybody knows:  but it would be want of good manners not to acknowledge what so many are witnesses of, and every day tell me I am indebted to your lordship for.  I wish they could as easily assist my gratitude, as they convince me of the great and growing engagements it has to your lordship.  This I am sure, I should write of the understanding without having any, if I were not extremely sensible of them, and did not lay hold on this opportunity to testify to the world how much I am obliged to be, and how much I am,

My lord,

Your Lordship’s most humble and most obedient servant,

JOHN LOCKE

2 Dorset Court, 24th of May, 1689

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER

Reader,

I have put into thy hands what has been the diversion of some of my idle and heavy hours.  If it has the good luck to prove so of any of thine, and thou hast but half so much pleasure in reading as I had in writing it, thou wilt as little think thy money, as I do my pains, ill bestowed.  Mistake not this for a commendation of my work; nor conclude, because I was pleased with the doing of it, that therefore I am fondly taken with it now it is done.  He that hawks at larks and sparrows has no less sport, though a much less considerable quarry, than he that