Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/469

 Ch. 16. his duty; firt, of protecting his children from the nares of artful and deigning perons; and, next, of ettling them properly in life, by preventing the ill conequences of too early and precipitate marriages. A father has no other power over his ons etate, than as his trutee or guardian; for, though he may receive the profits during the child's minority, yet he mut account for them when he comes of age. He may indeed have the benefit of his children's labour while they live with him, and are maintained by him: but this is no more than he is entitled to from his apprentices or ervants. The legal power of a father (for a mother, as uch, is entitled to no power, but only to reverence and repect) the power of a father, I ay, over the perons of his children ceaes at the age of twenty one: for they are then enfranchied by arriving at years of dicretion, or that point which the law has etablihed (as ome mut necearily be etablihed) when the empire of the father, or other guardian, gives place to the empire of reaon. Yet, till that age arrives, this empire of the father continues even after his death; for he may by his will appoint a guardian to his children. He may alo delegate part of his parental authority, during his life, to the tutor or choolmater of his child; who is then in loco parentis, and has uch a portion of the power of the parent committed to his charge, viz. that of retraint and correction, as may be neceary to anwer the purpoes for which he is employed.

3. duties of children to their parents aries from a principle of natural jutice and retribution. For to thoe, who gave us exitence, we naturally owe ubjection and obedience during our minority, and honour and reverence ever after; they, who protected the weaknes of our infancy, are entitled to our protection in the infirmity of their age; they, who by utenance and education have enabled their offspring to proper, ought in return to be upported by that offspring, in cae they tand in need of aitance. Upon this principle proceed all the duties of children to their parents, which are enjoined by poitive laws. And the Rh