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jesty's attention, and with the view of affording such useful information to all classes of your Majesty's subjects as shall tend to promote their attachment and veneration for their Country, their Queen, their Religion, and their Laws.

THAT ALMIGHTY GOD may grant your Majesty every DIVINE and human blessing, with protracted length of years, in prosperity, and peace, to govern your Majesty's vast empire, is the ardent prayer of,

Madam,

Your Majesty's

Most devoted and faithful

Subject and Servant,

THOMAS GEORGE WESTERN.

TEMPLE,

(1, FIG TREE COURT,)

May, 1838.

PREFACE.

THE excellent Treatise of M. De Lolme upon the Constitution of England, has long been acknowledged as the best written work upon that subject; indeed, some have gone so far as to say, that it deserved to be written in letters of gold. The first edition was published in the year 1775, and the fourth edition (with the political and partly historical text of which these Commentaries are incorporated,) was published in 1784, and was dedicated to his late Majesty King George III. It met with universal approbation, even from men of opposite parties; and was also published on the Continent of Europe, where it was equally well received.

THE great political changes and events that have occurred in Europe since M. De Lolme wrote, are familiar to all. Those events, and the great constitutional changes that have occurred in England, have rendered M. De Lolme's Treatise of little value, as affording information at the present day, save as it

gives a view of the Constitution at the time he wrote. A bare reprint of his work, therefore, at this day, would be almost valueless; but the political, and a part of the historical portion, of the Treatise, with the arguments upon the superior excellence of the English Constitution over that of every other nation, shewing that it is the only Constitution fit for a great state and a free people, remain as vivid and as applicable as at the time they were written.

It was therefore suggested to the Writer, by some kind and flattering friends, that this valuable work might be restored to its original utility; that it might receive at this day its meed of approbation, by incorporating the changes that have been made in the Constitution since the work was written, with the political text of M. De Lolme's work; and that it would increase its usefulness, if the book could be made supplementary to the Commentaries of Sir William Blackstone, (which in like manner have become of little value as affording present information), by introducing the new legal constitution, in such a concise form, that the whole subject should be comprised in a single volume. To this suggestion was added the most distinguished offers of support.

THE Writer, although aware that his great experience might enable him to engage with the legal portion of such an undertaking, yet, from the magnitude of the subject, and from his not having been accustomed to political

matters, felt a diffidence that discouraged him, independent of the large expense that must necessarily follow. He was, however, still further pressed to the undertaking; and notwithstanding the anticipated labour and expence, the encouragement he received overcame his scruples. He commenced the task, and the illustrious and distinguished patronage that followed compelled him to complete it. This affords him an opportunity of tendering his most grateful and sincere thanks to those Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have condescended to afford him that encouragement.

WITH these preliminary remarks, the Writer respectfully submits that a good Index will instruct the reader not only much better, but in a more pleasing manner, what he may expect to find in this work, than a long Preface: he has, consequently, sacrificed the Preface to the Index, which he has endeavoured to make as copious as possible.

THE Writer therefore ventures respectfully to submit, that it will be only necessary for him to make the reader acquainted with the portions of M. De Lolme's work that he has preserved, and the new matter that he has introduced. To distinguish these parts in a simply intelligible manner, without perplexing the reader, was at first a matter of some difficulty, as very many parts of M. De Lolme's text are greatly altered. He has therefore adopted the plan of denoting in the margins, the pages preserved of the original text.

THE greatest alterations and new matter will be found in the first Book, of which Chapters IV. X. and XI. are necessarily new; and as a means of preserving as much as possible the text of M. De Lolme entire, or nearly so, where it could be done, the Writer has divided some of the chapters into sections, making M. De Lolme's text (which he has invariably with the greatest diffidence altered as little as circumstances have compelled him) the first section; and he has written a second or even a third section, where the subject seemed to require further elucidation, in accordance with the constitution and laws of the country at the present day. The Writer's notes are distinguished by figures.

THE Writer claims but little merit for himself: he is greatly indebted to many authors of established fame and authority, whose names appear in the Index and in the body of the work, to whom credit alone is due for many of the commentaries.

THE Writer has added an Appendix containing all the new code of laws regulating real property and testamentary dispositions, without which it would have been imperfect as a supplement to the Commentaries of Sir William Blackstone; and should this volume be favourably received by the public, it is his intention to add another, upon such other laws of the country as this cannot treat upon, so as to make that supplement complete.

WITH these explanations, the Writer throws himself

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