of the business of the school-room, can its all-important contents be brought to the notice of the scholar*! A sincere desire to benefit the rising generation, by placing early within their reach, in an attractive form, the elements of the laws and constitutions of their country, has induced the compilers of this volume to sacrifice to its preparation several precious intervals of leisure, as well as to interrupt their professional avocations; and they now lay the result of their humble but cheerful labours before the public, with a confident hope that they will be duly appreciated and encouraged. * The writer of these pages has long been of opinion that Blackstone's Commentaries contained materials for a most valuable school-compilation; and thus expressed himself, upon the subject, in a late publication : It is surprising that a work so celebrated as this, for its pure and beautiful language, lucid arrangement, and universally interesting and important topics, should not have been long ago adopted as a school-book-at least for the senior classes of scholars-especially when it is recollected how considerable a proportion of youth are destined for the various departments of the legal profession. Would it not be highly advantageous for parents, in such cases, to propose prizes to their sons, for superior proficiency in Blackstone's Commentaries?"—Popular and Practical Introduction to Law Studies, pp. 480-1. The Inner Temple, London, 20th Nov. 1836. CONTENTS. Importance of a general Acquaintance with the Laws of England The Countries subject to the Laws of England The absolute Rights of Individuals generally. The absolute Rights of the Inhabitants of Great Britain The Constitution of the British Parliament-the King-the Lords Spiritual and Temporal-the Commons Routine of Business in the Houses of Parliament, with their Adjournment, Prorogation, and Dissolution 90 98 107 114 IMPORTANCE OF A GENERAL ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE LAWS OF ENGLAND. THE Science of the laws and constitution of our own country, is a species of knowledge in which the gentlemen of England have been more remarkably deficient than those of all Europe besides. In most of the nations on the continent, where the Civil or Imperial law, under different modifications is closely interwoven with the municipal laws of the land, no gentleman, or at least no scholar, thinks his education is completed, till he has attended a course or two of lectures, both upon the institutes of Justinian and the local constitutions of his native soil, under the very eminent professors that abound in their several universities. And in the northern parts of our own island, where also the municipal laws are frequently connected with the civil, it is difficult to meet with a person of liberal education, who is destitute of a competent knowledge in that science, which is to be the guardian of his natural rights and the rule of his civil conduct. I think it an undeniable position, that a competent knowledge of the laws of that society in which we live, is the proper accomplishment of every gentleman and scholar; a highly useful, I had almost said essential, part of a liberal and polite education. And in this I am warranted by the example of ancient Rome; where, as Cicero informs us, the very boys were obliged to learn the twelve tables by heart, as a carmen necessarium, or indispensable lesson, to imprint on their tender minds an early knowledge of the laws and constitution of their country. But as the long and universal neglect of this study with us in England, seems in some degree to call in question the truth of this evident position, let us proceed to demonstrate the utility of some general acquaintance with the municipal B law of the land, by pointing out its particular uses in all considerable situations of life. And, first, to demonstrate the utility of some acquaintance with the laws of the land, let us only reflect for a moment on the singular frame and polity of that land, which is governed by this system of laws, -a land perhaps, the only one in the universe in which political or civil liberty is the very end and scope of the constitution. This liberty, rightly understood, consists in the power of doing whatever the laws permit; which is only to be effected by a general conformity of all orders and degrees to those equitable rules of action, by which the meanest individual is protected from the insults and oppression of the greatest. As, therefore, every subject is interested in the preservation of the laws, it is incumbent upon every man to be acquainted with those at least, with which he is immediately concerned; lest he incur the censure as well as inconvenience, of living in society without knowing the obligations which it lays him under.-And thus much may suffice for persons of inferior condition, who have neither time nor capacity to enlarge their views beyond that contracted sphere in which they are appointed to move. But those, on whom nature and fortune have bestowed more abilities and greater leisure, cannot be so easily excused. These advantages are given them, not for the benefit of themselves only, but also of the public; and yet they cannot, in any scene of life, discharge properly their duty either to the public or themselves, without some degree of knowledge in the laws. To evince this the more clearly, it may not be amiss to descend to a few particulars. Let us therefore begin with our GENTLEMEN OF INDEPENDENT ESTATES AND FORTUNE, the most useful as well as considerable body of men in the nation; whom, even to suppose ignorant in this branch of learning, is treated by Mr. Locke as a strange absurdity. It is their landed property, with its long and voluminous train of descents and conveyances, settlements, entails, and incumbrances, that forms the most intricate and most extensive object of legal knowledge. The thorough comprehension of these, in all their minute distinctions, is perhaps too laborious a task for any but a lawyer by profession; yet still the understanding of a few leading principles, relating to estates and conveyancing, may form some check and guard upon |