Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/187

 Ch. 11. during the life of the firt deviee; for then all the candles are lighted and are confuming together, and the ultimate remainder is in reality only to that remainder-man who happens to urvive the ret: or, that uch remainder may be limited to take effect upon uch contingency only, as mut happen (if at all) during the life of the firt deviee.

much for uch etates in expectancy, as are created by the expres words of the parties themelves; the mot intricate title in the law. There is yet another pecies, which is created by the act and operation of the law itelf, and this is called a reverion.

III. etate in reverion is the reidue of an etate left in the grantor, to commence in poeion after the determination of ome particular etate granted out by him. Sir Edward Coke decribes a reverion to be the returning of land to the grantor or his heirs after the grant is over. As, if there be a gift in tail, the reverion of the fee is, without any pecial reervation, veted in the donor by act of law: and o alo the reverion, after an etate for life, years, or at will continues in the leor. For the fee-imple of all lands mut abide omewhere; and if he, who was before poeed of the whole, carves out of it any maller etate, and grants it away, whatever is not o granted remains in him. A reverion is never therefore created by deed or writing, but aries from contruction of law; a remainder can never be limited, unles by either deed or devie. But both are equally transferable, when actually veted, being both etates in praeenti, though taking effect in futuro.

doctrine of reverions is plainly derived from the feodal contitution. For, when a feud was granted to a man for life, or to him and his iue male, rendering either rent, or other ervices; then, on his death or the failure of iue male, the feud was de- Rh