 to be lamented that there is no Place, on Earth, wherein Property can be said to be fixed or ascertained. Throughout the Regions of
Mahomet,
and
Asiatic
Despotism, Life and Property are, alike, Tenures at the Will of the Ruler. Again, throughout the
European
Continent, no Man, indeed, no Nation can be assured of their Possessions, exposed as they are to the Ambition and Avarice of their almost perpetually invading Neighbours. Lastly in these Northern Islands, whose Defence Nature herself appears to have undertaken, by a Guardianship of circling Rocks and Seas; this does not however defend us from intestine Convulsions and Changes. Think, what a general Change of Property has been made, in
Great Britain,
during the two very late Revolutions; I am told that, in a neighbouring Country, the Alienation has been nearly universal; perhaps a third Revolution is also at Hand.
It is affirmed that the civil Constitution of
England
is the best calculated for the Security of Liberty and Property, of any that was ever framed by the Policy of Man; and originally, perhaps, it might have been so; when twelve simple and impartial Men were appointed for the speedy Trial and Determination of Life and Property.
Our Ancestors, unquestionably, were at that Time unblessed by the liberal and learned Profession of the
Long-Robe;
they would not otherwise have committed the Disposition of Property (a Matter held so much more valuable than that of Life) to a few Men, who could have no
Virtue
under Heaven to recommend them, save the two illiterate Qualities of
Common Sense
and
Common Honesty.
Those were Ages of mental Darkness and no Way illumined, as we are, by those immense and immaculate Volumes of refined and
legal Metaphysics,
that now press the Shelves of the Learned, and are read with such Delight. A Man, in those Times, had no Play for his Money; he was either strippedor enrich'd of a sudden; whereas now, in the worst Cause, Hope is left during Life; and Hope is said to be the greatest Cordial in this Vale of
human Controversy.
It is greatly to be lamented that the learned, in our Laws, are not as immortal as the Suits for which they are retained. It were therefore to be wished that an Act of Parliament might be especially passed for that Purpose; a Matter no way impracticable, considering the great Interest those Gentlemen have in the House. In Truth it seems highly expedient, that an Infinity of Years should be assigned to each Student of the
Belles Lettres
of our Laws, to enable them to read over that
