Skip to main content

Primary sourceBook1821

Tratado del Gobierno Civil

John Locke · 1821

An 1821 Spanish translation of Locke's Two Treatises of Government, printed in Madrid.

This Spanish translation of Locke's Two Treatises shows the spread of his political ideas beyond England.

Ask John Locke about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Title page of the 1821 Madrid Spanish edition of Locke's Tratado del Gobierno Civil, printed by Imprenta de la Minerva Española. Two ink stamps and a handwritten shelfmark appear on the page.
John Locke, Tratado del Gobierno Civil, Madrid: Imprenta de la Minerva Española, 1821.

About this source

What it is

This is a Spanish translation of John Locke's Two Treatises of Government, titled Tratado del Gobierno Civil, published in Madrid in 1821 by the Imprenta de la Minerva Española. It was translated from a French edition.

Why it matters

Locke's political ideas about government and natural rights spread widely across Europe and the Americas through translations like this one, showing how his thought influenced political debates far beyond England.

Look closer

  • Why might Locke's ideas about government have been translated into Spanish nearly a century after he wrote them?
  • What do the ink stamps and handwritten shelfmark on the title page tell us about this book's later history?
  • Why was this translated from a French edition rather than directly from Locke's English text?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Locke on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More John Locke sources

Meet the AI John Locke →
Title page of the 1690 London edition of Two Treatises of Government, printed in black letter and roman type in a bordered frame, reading 'Two Treatises of Government... an Essay concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government', printed for Awnsham Churchill at the Black Swan in Ave-Mary-Lane, by Amen-Corner, 1690.Book

Primary source

Two Treatises of Government

John Locke · 1689 (dated 1690)

Title page of the 1690 first edition of An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. Large capitals read 'AN ESSAY CONCERNING Humane Understanding. In Four Books.' A Latin epigraph from Cicero follows, then a printer's ornament and the imprint 'LONDON: Printed for Tho. Basset, and sold by Edw. Mory at the Sign of the Three Bibles in St. Paul's Church-Yard. MDCXC.'Book

Primary source

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding

John Locke · 1689 (dated 1690)

Sepia-toned mezzotint portrait of a man with long wavy hair, wearing a loose coat and open collar, turning slightly to his left within an oval frame of foliage. A cartouche at the bottom reads 'John Locke Esq.' with inscriptions in the lower corners.Painting

Secondary source

John Locke, Mezzotint after Godfrey Kneller

Godfrey Kneller

Title page of A Letter Concerning Toleration. Large capitals read 'A LETTER', then 'CONCERNING', then 'Toleration: Humbly Submitted, &c.' Below: 'LICENSED, October 3, 1689', then 'LONDON, Printed for Awnsham Churchill, at the Black Swan at Amen-Corner. 1689.' Faint reprint copyright text in background.Letter

Primary source

A Letter Concerning Toleration

John Locke · written 1685-1686, published 1689

Engraved oval portrait of a man with long wavy hair, wearing a loose dark gown over a white collared shirt, set in an ornate oval frame atop a pedestal bearing a coat of arms. Inscription below reads 'Effigies Iohannis Locke' with a Latin line beneath, plus artist credits 'G. Kneller Equ. pinxit 1697' and 'Geo. Vertue Sculp. 1722'.Painting

Secondary source

Portrait of John Locke, frontispiece to Works

George Vertue, after Sir Godfrey Kneller · 1722

Ready when you are

Start chatting with John Locke now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions