TO THE MUCH ESTEEMED MJOHN LOCKE HONOURED SIR, I SEND you this imperfect draught of your excellent Effay concerning Human Underftanding; which, I must confefs, falls as much short of the Perfection, as it does of the length of the original. Nevertheless, as I lately intimated to you (and you were pleased to think, that what I propos'd in reference to this Design, would not be wholly lost Labour) I am not without Hopes, that it may in this contracted Form, prove in fome Measure serviceable to that noble End, which you have so successfully aimed at in it, viz. The Advancement of Real and useful Knowledge. The Inducement which moved me to think of abridging it, was a Confideration purely extrinfical to the Work itself; and in effect no other than this; that it would be better fuited to the Ease and Convenience of fome fort of Readers, when reduced into this narrow Compass. In order to this, I thought the First Book, which is employed in refuting the common Opinion of Innate Notions and Ideas, might be best spared in this Abridg |