Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/9



HE following heets contain the ubtance of a coure of lectures on the laws of England, which were read by the author in the univerity of His original plan took it’s rie in the year 1753: and, notwithtanding the novelty of uch an attempt in this age and country, and the prejudices uually conceived againt any innovations in the etablihed mode of education, he had the atisfaction to find (and he acknowleges it with a mixture of pride and gratitude) that his endeavours were encouraged and patronized by thoe, both in the univerity and out of it, whoe good opinion and eteem he was principally deirous to obtain.

THE death of Mr in 1756, and his ample benefaction to the univerity for promoting the tudy of the law, produced about two years afterwards a regular and public etablihment of what the author had privately un- Rh