Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/322

 306 not an idiot, no farther proceedings have been had. And the propriety of the practice itelf eems to be very quetionable. It was doubtles an excellent method of benefiting the individual, and of preerving etates in families; but it hardly eems calculated for the genius of a free nation, who claim and exercie the liberty of uing their own property as they pleae. "Sic utere tuo, ut alienum non laedas," is the only retriction our laws have given with regard to oeconomical prudence. And the frequent circulation and transfer of lands and other property, which cannot be effected without extravagance omewhere, are perhaps not a little conducive towards keeping our mixed contitution in it's due health and vigour.

may uffice for a hort view of the king's ordinary revenue, or the proper patrimony of the crown; which was very large formerly, and capable of being increaed to a magnitude truly formidable: for there are very few etates in the kingdom, that have not, at ome period or other ince the Norman conquet, been veted in the hands of the king by forfeiture, echeat, or otherwie. But, fortunately for the liberty of the ubject, this hereditary landed revenue, by a eries of improvident management, is funk almot to nothing; and the caual profits, ariing from the other branches of the cenus regalis, are likewie almot all of them alienated from the crown. In order to upply the deficiences of which, we are now obliged to have recoure to new methods of raiing money, unknown to our early ancetors; which methods contitute the king's extraordinary revenue. For, the public patrimony being got into the hands of private ubjects, it is but reaonable that private contributions hould upply the public ervice. Which, though it may perhaps fall harder upon ome individuals, whoe ancetors have had no hare in the general plunder, than upon others, yet, taking the nation throughout, it amounts to nearly the ame; provided the gain by the extraordinary, hould appear to be no greater than the los by the ordinary, revenue. And perhaps, if every gentleman in the king- Rh