"The great ocean of knowledge"

"The philosopher John Locke (1632-1704) owned one of the most extensive collections of travel literature held in any private scholarly library of his day. This interest seems very much at odds with Locke's standing as an empirical philosopher because travellers' reports have acquired a reputation for unreliability. This book sets Locke's use of travel literature within the context of the natural historical methods of investigation associated with Francis Bacon and the Royal Society. It examines the notes which Locke made in his commonplace books to demonstrate that he was developing a form of comparative social anthropology and had a sympathetic attitude towards Native Americans despite his role as a colonial administrator."--BOOK JACKET.