“THE ORIGIN OF MODERN IDEAS OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY”: VERY SCARCE FIRST EDITION IN CONTEMPORARY CALF OF LOCKE’S SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING EDUCATION, 1693

[LOCKE, John]. Some Thoughts Concerning Education. London: Printed for A.and J. Churchill, 1693. Small octavo, contemporary full brown speckled calf rebacked with the original red morocco spine label laid down, raised bands. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

First edition of Locke’s important anonymously published “excellent little treatise” (DNB) on education. “Historians and theorists of education trace the origin of modern ideas of developmental psychology to Locke” (Attig, x).

“Locke’s thoughts on education have maintained their popularity and influence since they were first published in 1693. He wrote during an era when children were coming to be seen as children, as human beings in a family and social setting who had not yet developed their bodies and minds. Historians and theorists of education trace the origin of modern ideas of developmental psychology to Locke” (Attig, x). “Some Thoughts Concerning Education was the final result of Locke’s productive years in Holland. The work began as a series of letters written during 1684 to his friend Edward Clarke, giving advice on the upbringing of Clarke’s children… The letters to Clarke were full of practical advice from the pragmatic physician on such matters as clothing and diet. Locke was also concerned with the child’s moral development, stressed the importance of habits of mind, and cautioned against willfulness and ‘love of dominion.’ He was less concerned (in comparison with other writers on education) with setting out a detailed course of reading and study” (Attig 522). Experts differ on what constitutes the first edition of this work. Attig notes that “two nearly identical versions were published in 1693; it is not clear whether these actually constitute distinct editions” (Attig 523). In one 1693 issue, the misspelling ‘patronnage’ appears on line 19 of the verso of leaf A3, as in this copy. In the other issue, ‘patronage’ is correctly spelled. Yolton’s recent researches, published in 1998, have uncovered other textual first edition issue points, all of which appear in the present copy (Yolton 165): the catchword ‘ I my’ at the bottom of the verso of leaf A2 and the misspelling ‘deferr’ on line 3 of the same page, plus the correct numbering of page 29, indicate that this copy is a first edition. “The English editions of Thoughts which appeared in Locke’s lifetime were anonymous” (Christophersen, 57), although some foreign translations listed Locke as the author. Pforzheimer 612 (edition unstated).

Expert restoration to top of title page, with upper rule provided in facsimile; expert paper repair to top outer corner of leaf A2, not affecting text. Interior crisp and clean, contemporary speckled calf with expert restoration to extremities. A beautiful copy of this landmark treatise.