In October 1932, an exhibition of first editions of the works of John Locke was mounted at the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale University. The exhibit marked the tercentenary of Locke’s birth in 1632, an occasion which presented the opportunity to commemorate Locke’s many intellectual achievements—in political thought, philosophy, religion, science, economics, education and science—and celebrate Yale’s rich holdings of early printed Lockeana. Nearly three quarters of a century later, those research holdings have grown considerably, and now include books from Locke’s personal library, autograph letters and books annotated by Locke, and other related materials documenting his many contributions to the history of ideas. In this same spirit of celebrating and commemorating the achievements of seminal thinkers such as Locke, the Beinecke Library will open an exhibition and host a three-day international conference, “John Locke through the Centuries: Assessing the Lockean Legacy, 1704-2004,” to mark precisely the tercentenary of Locke’s death in October 1704.

Where the Yale exhibition of 1932 focused on Lockean “firsts” printed during the author’s lifetime, this conference and exhibition will address the history and the posthumous legacy of each of his major works, in Europe, the Americas and around the globe over the past three hundred years. The exhibition will also highlight the growing strength of the Beinecke Library’s research collections, and trace Locke’s career, his intellectual circle and literary legacy in dozens of printed and annotated books, manuscripts and historical artifacts.

The conference keynote address, “John Locke and the Intellectual Legacy of the Early Enlightenment,” will be delivered by Dr. Jonathon Israel of the Institute for Advanced Research, Princeton, followed by the opening of the exhibition Lockeana at Yale: John Locke and the Early Enlightenment Republic of Letters (Curators, Earle Havens and Stephen Parks). Invited conference speakers will include:

Mark Goldie, J.R. Milton, John Marshall, Justin Champion, Ian Harris, G.A.J. Rogers, Wiep van Bunge, Barbara Arneil, Ian Shapiro

The conference and exhibition are free and open to the public, though advance registration is required as space will be limited. There is an additional $50 per person charge for registrants who wish to attend a commemorative banquet following the opening conference keynote address. For registration details and for further information, please visit: http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/blexhib.htm or email beinecke.library@yale.edu.