Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/52

36 all, to that inexhautible reervoir of legal antiquities and learning, the feodal law, or, as Spelman has entitled it, the law of nations in our wetern orb. Thee primary rules and fundamental principles hould be weighed and compared with the precepts of the law of nature, and the practice of other countries; hould be explained by reaons, illutrated by examples, and confirmed by undoubted authorities; their hitory hould be deduced, their changes and revolutions oberved, and it hould be hewn how far they are connected with, or have at any time been affected by, the civil tranactions of the kingdom.

of this nature, if executed with care and ability, cannot fail of adminitring a mot ueful and rational entertainment to tudents of all ranks and profeions; and yet it mut be confeed that the tudy of the laws is not merely a matter of amuement: for, as a very judicious writer has oberved upon a imilar occaion, the learner “will be coniderably diappointed if he looks for entertainment without the expene of attention.” An attention, however, not greater than is uually betowed in matering the rudiments of other ciences, or ometimes in puruing a favorite recreation or exercie. And this attention is not equally neceary to be exerted by every tudent upon every occaion. Some branches of the law, as the formal proces of civil uits, and the ubtile ditinctions incident to landed property, which are the mot difficult to be thoroughly undertood, are the leat worth the pains of undertanding, except to uch gentlemen as intend to purue the profeion. To others I may venture to apply, with a light alteration, the words of ir John Fortecue , when