Locke's book is "designed for a Gentleman's Son, who being then very little, I considered only as white Paper, or Wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases."
— Locke, John (1632-1704)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for A. and J. Churchill
Date
1693
Metaphor
Locke's book is "designed for a Gentleman's Son, who being then very little, I considered only as white Paper, or Wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases."
Metaphor in Context
§. 217. Though I am now come to a Conclusion of what obvious Remarks have suggested to me concerning Education, I would not have it thought that I look on it as a just Treatise on this Subject. There are a thousand other things, that may need consideration; especially if one should take in the various Tempers, different Inclinations, and particular Defaults, that are to be found in Children; and prescribe proper Remedies. The variety is so great, that it would require a Volume; nor would that reach it. Each Man's Mind has some peculiarity, as well as his Face, that distinguishes him from all others; and there are possibly scarce two Children, who can be conducted by exactly the same method. Besides that I think a Prince, a Nobleman, and an ordinary Gentleman's Son, should have different ways of Breeding. But having had here only some general Views, in reference to the main End, and aims in Education, and those designed for a Gentleman's Son, who being then very little, I considered only as white Paper, or Wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases; I have touch'd little more than those Heads, which I judged necessary for the Breeding of a young Gentleman of his Condition in general; and have now published these my occasional Thoughts with this Hope, That though this be far from being a compleat Treatise on this Subject, or such, as that every one may find, what will just fit his Child in it, yet it may give some small light to those, whose Concern for their dear little Ones makes them so irregularly bold, that they dare venture to consult their own Reason, in the Education of their Children, rather than wholly to rely upon Old Custom.
(p. 161)
(p. 161)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "wax" in Past Masters Collected Locke
Citation
31 entries in the ESTC (1693, 1695, 1699, 1705, 1709, 1710, 1712, 1725, 1728, 1732, 1737, 1738, 1745, 1752, 1764, 1769, 1772, 1778, 1779, 1783, 1800).
See Some Thoughts Concerning Education (London: Printed for A. and J. Churchill, 1693). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Reading Some Thoughts Concerning Education and Of the Conduct of the Understanding, ed. Ruth W. Grant and Nathan Tarcov (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1996).
Text from Past Masters.
See Some Thoughts Concerning Education (London: Printed for A. and J. Churchill, 1693). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Reading Some Thoughts Concerning Education and Of the Conduct of the Understanding, ed. Ruth W. Grant and Nathan Tarcov (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1996).
Text from Past Masters.
Date of Entry
05/09/2005
Date of Review
09/13/2011
