such perfpicuity, as a fubject which, in point of utility or intereft, does, or may, concern every perfon capable of giving or taking lands by devife, which in general includes all mankind.

The method is truly logical or analytical, and the whole doctrine of devifes is diftributed under nine beads; all particularly and methodically treated of at large in the fubfequent fections, wherein the cafes found in our reports, or which fell within the author's obfervation, as necessary to illustrate or explain, are introduced and applied.

As to the arguments of Lord Holt, in the Cafe of Bunker and Cook, and of Lord Trevor, in that of Arthur and Bockenham, the reader may be affured, that the fame were at first taken by our author, as they were delivered in the respective courts, and were afterwards. added by him to this treatife; for they directly tend to illustrate several particulars. And the editor of this treatife, finding the fame arguments to have been here collected, and penn'd in a more exact manner than they have hitherto been published, cannot conceive it any injury to the publick, to give them here a republication.

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It has been thought advifeable, for the reader's eafe and benefit, to give him an alphabetical table (by way of double entry) of the names of fuch authorities which are cited by our author, and by him made use of in the compofing this work.e bedbry

A TABLE

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PREFA CE.

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REFATORY difcourfes (efpecially in fyftems of fcience) often pre-occupate,-fometimes preju dice, or pervert the judgment of the reader: and doubtlefs, whoever attentively perufes the introduction which the author himself prefixed to this treatise, will readily and justly conclude, that an additional preface is a fupererogation, and of little or no ufe, either to illustrate the author, or direct the reader. I shall therefore in this place infert only a few words; firft, with regard to the author,-next to the work itself.

As to the author, he was perfectly qualified for the work he has here undertaken, as being a gentleman of exquifite parts and learning,-of indefatigable industry and application,-for many years a conftant attendant on the courts, efpecially the courts of equity, of whofe proceedings he was always an exact obferver, as well as a careful collector, and faithful relator;-one, in whose collections, reports and fystems of law, already published, appear an exquifite folidity of judgment, as well as utility of matter, and perfpicuity of method. His merit foon advanced him to prefide in those courts where the matters treated of in this book are more particularly cognifable.

As to the work, it will appear to every attentive reader, to be one of the most ufeful and neceffary, as well as the most regular and exact, of its kind: as to its utility, it may be obferved, that as no part of the law can give us more extended ideas,-or conduce more to our temporal benefit, than the legal methods of transferring or difpofing property; fo thofe methods being by our author properly distributed into two kinds,alienation in life, or by devife at death the latter of these is here treated of with

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