Toleration and Security

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 781, 9 July 1954, Page 17

Toleration and Security

URING John Locke’s long and eventful life his name was coupled with those of Descartes and Bacon as a founder of the Age of Reason, but though he died 250 years ago his conclusion that toleration should end at the point where the security of the community is jeopardised is of special interest today when the » question is debated as furiously as it was in the 17th Century, A Dialogue on Toleration, which Maurice Cranston wrote for the BBC, is an imaginary conversation between Locke and the young’ third Earl of Shaftesbury, whose grandfather, the first Earl, had been helped by Locke to establish the great Whig party. Mr. Cranston is engaged on a new biography of Locke based on a study of the philosopher’s papers in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. These papers indicate that the young Earl, who was his pupil, was among Locke’s last visitors before he died at the age of 72. The papers also suggest that the two discussed toleration, and it was on this assumption that Mr. Cranston has built the imaginary conversation. Shaftesbury’s part in it is mainly conjectural, but Locke’s sharewhich centres largely on the question How far should political toleration go? -was built up from various observations found in his notebooks, letters and published books, When A Dialogue on Toleration was broadcast in the BBC Third Programme last year the radio critic of the London Observer described Lord Shaftesbury as "a noble, respectful, Corinthian sparring partner for the old pugilist," and added: "It was brilliant talk." This programme is now to be heard from National stations of the NZBS, first from 4YC at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13.