Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (4th ed, 1770, vol IV).djvu/53

Ch. 4.

N the preent chapter we are to enter upon the detail of the everal pecies of crimes and midemenors, with the punihment annexed to each by the laws of England. It was oberved, in the beginning of this book that crimes and midemenors are a breach and violation of the public rights and duties, owing to the whole community, conidered as a community, in it's ocial aggregate capacity. And in the very entrance of thee commentaries it was hewn, that human laws can have no concern with any but ocial and relative duties; being intended only to regulate the conduct of man, conidered under various relations, as a member of civil ociety. All crimes ought therefore to be etimated merely according to the michiefs which they produce in civil ociety : and, of conequence, private vices, or the breach of mere abolute duties, which man is bound to perform conidered only as an individual, are not, cannot be, the object of any municipal law; any farther than as by their evil example, or other pernicious effects, they may prejudice the community, and thereby become a pecies of public crimes. Thus the vice of drunkennes, if committed privately and alone, is beyond the knowlege and of coure beyond the reach of human tribunals: but if committed publicly, in the face of the world, it's evil example makes it liable Rh