Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/56

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T is impoible to undertand, with any degree of accuracy, either the civil contitution of this kingdom, or the laws which regulate it's landed property, without ome general acquaintance with the nature and doctrine of feuds, or the feodal law: a ytem o univerally received throughout Europe, upwards of twelve centuries ago, that ir Henry Spelman does not cruple to call it the law of nations in our wetern world. This chapter will be therefore dedicated to this inquiry. And though, in the coure of our obervations in this and many other parts of the preent book, we may have occaion to earch pretty highly into the antiquities of our Englih juriprudence, yet urely no indutrious tudent will imagine his time mi-employed, when he is led to conider that the obolete doctrines of our laws are frequently the foundation, upon which what remains is erected; and that it is impracticable to comprehend many rules of the modern law, in a cholarlike cientifical manner, without having recoure to the antient. Nor will thee reearches be altogether void of rational entertainment as well as ue: as in viewing: the majetic ruins of Rome or Athens, of Balbec or Palmyra, it adminiters both pleaure and intruction to compare them with the draughts of the ame edifices, in their pritine proportion and plendor. Rh