Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/476

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HE only general private relation, now remaining to be dicued, is that of guardian and ward; which bears a very near reemblance to the lat, and is plainly derived out of it: the guardian being only a temporary parent; that is, for o long time as the ward is an infant, or under age. In examining this pecies of relationhip, I hall firt conider the different kinds of guardians, how they are appointed, and their power and duty: next, the different ages of perons, as defined by the law: and, latly, the privileges and diabilities of an infant, or one under age and ubject to guardianhip.

1. guardian with us performs the office both of the tutor and curator of the Roman laws; the former of which had the charge of the maintenance and education of the minor, the latter the care of his fortune; or, according to the language of the court of chancery, the tutor was the committee of the peron, the curator the committee of the etate. But this office was frequently united in the civil law ; as it is always in our law with regard to minors, though as to lunatics and idiots it is commonly kept ditinct. Rh