The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-04-10
BY DAVIS & HOLLINGSWORTI


writings of Locke, (,e was the guide and
mast of our ancestors. and his very yards
are copied in the Declaration Of Inde-
pemlcncc,) tIoa'lly. &r.
But. although from the sources mcn-
toned y"u will draw Il great deal of lheo
,etic,l knowledge, you must add t" it that
thorough insi gut into the history of the
times, wi,lnut which ones views of institu
tnns like ours must be very superticial.-
The history OF England is still to he written.
lIume's. except mere writing is trash
IL iarrago Of prcjn'l,ce and romance. Lin
g,ri's IS very much better. especially i'll
doing NOR: Justice to one Of the greatest
elements ot modern s"ial pngre>S, the
influence ut the R"nlau Catholic Church.
Il sulj'ct miscraby misapprchcn'le'l 10y
most English writers. lIaIam's C"nstlu-
ti"na History is :, very ."d work. hut not
tir"ng!, enough. neither 'l''rs it &" back
| far e,"uyh. There is - work written ly Il
foreigner that, in my Judgment. throws
more light upon tn. formation Of society
! ami government in En.!an! than anvlhng
in the Engisl, languay, Tlirrry's" Xixi~'e
de Ia C"n4ucte dr ! .tnyl"te'Tc par les Nor
mrn;lx." w,irl, is. believe, translated, hut
yuu either dn on Sh0aha, 10y all means,
| k,r,w Frcnch-al.d | woul,l recommend
You to re;.;! in rlli> CONNECTION Meyers In
; sti'ulion> Judlciaric>-,he part Of it relating
t" Enwii~i, law is very striking.
take i, for granted, Us You say You are
a planter, tla, you lave Ivi>ur. to study
these things thoroughly; and, if so, then
other ll.ng<-:!wayS, however, with Il view
~ business: and TO oral ANA writtru discus
,:'i'. When say you mnst lie a lawyer,
! q" not mran IN attorney, but Il c"umsrlI"r
and advocate. AMI II profound juri>t and
pul,li,.i>t. Now, this iasi no u,un eau tr
thai, does not study the ci"ii i"w-tlie basis
Of all l:u,"rru, legislation. The civilians
are the greatest masters 0! jur'lIral phi'os-
ophv to lc found anywhere. Putlicr's
works i'll practical jurisprudence arc scarce
ly riva'!c,I f'r the uncrriug ju !gm"nt with
| which he brings To- bear the su!tl,st meta
physics of law aud ca>,,:>,ry upon questions,
"f means ;ind fuum. The institutes "f JUS
t;nian with the commentaries Of il,.i,re,us
anl (Vinnin>.) the m",!crn school of G"r-
many, ary still further enl.ry;ns the bound.
"f the SCIENCE, an' clearing up The difficult
ties left ,avApaincd by the doctors IF past
times. Tile celebrated Professor Savynv.
whose history Of the Roman law in the
middle ages has altered the whole face of
| that s,ulv, together with such works rs
NJ. Gu:x".'> History of Civilization in France,
| in 5 v"ls.,) is now publishing a great e!c
mrnt:.rv work, of which l have received
four volumes.
If you could acquire German. YOU wonLl
find i, the most la!"r-saving contrivancc in
the world. l am quite sure il hal gone
t" Gotting"n, AS | intended, in my youth,
instead of going to E'linhurgl,. I might
have dispensed with half the books have
since found to be unworthy Of notice from
:; critical student. Tie Germans are now,
and have for some time past, been treating
this very subject of the philosophy Of sori-
"ty and legislation i'll n style peculiar to
themselves, for they distance all o:l,rr in
qu!rcrs, both in vast and accurate research
anil i'll acute criticism. lou must at all
events get IIcrrrns works on the History
Of Antiquity, and his manual Of Modern
History. &c.
For Creek history, let Anacl,ar<is' Trav-
.lS, &c., alone; they are good for nothing.
Get, ]. Berk!'s Public Ec"nomy: 2, Null
ler's D"r;aus; 3, rmann's Manual of
Greek History; 4. W.nl,s,nu,I,'s Greek An
tilui'es; 5. Srl,Iosser's History of the An
ci.nt World,
May venture to request you to procure
and rea'l paper of my own in the ,hir-
t-cnth number Of the New York Review,
on the constitutional history Of Greece, and
especially the democracy of Athens, and
one on Demos,lirncs in the seventeenth
number of the same work! would send
them If had copies to spare. as do send
III article from the same periodical OH Ro-
man legislation, which will lc u suitable
supplement 10 this letter. 1t d.vclopcs
more fully many Of the thoughts expressed
here.
In order to pursue your st:dcs without
hindrance and with perfect fruit, an ale
quate knowledge Of Latin is Indispensable,
and it is easily acquired by any one who
will only ;"rseverc from day to day, little
hy little. Take any Latin book you are
most curious TO read, Livy's history, for i'll
stance, and study it critically, over aud over,
until you are familiar with its forms, trans
Ia'ing it Arst into English. and then re- trans