The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-04
BLACKSTONE REVISED.

There are nc: many writers, even Epoa
technical subjects, aho survive IS lc-2g
and remain 81 Esopasa. as Blackstone IL
is non ro-e than ls8 years siree be gave
TO the world his ccmnentsrses on the
common law, aud II spite os many at
tsrnpts 10 share the field with htrss ~ rival
writer's, they remain today. as they have
been through nearly ali that ifuss. the
book first placed IL the hands Of 3 Begin
FER. There is 10 tsr1e IN ne career Of an
attorney when faat remarkable rslyiaa-
ton Is not referred 20 as The fountain
head C the uHwrftts1 la~. and the COM
pendulum OF ~, eternal Serities-" II re-
mains always tbs best adviser Of the
judge, even 10 the bench of TIE court OF
last resort. ard 10 ssadious lawyer viii
fan 70 recur frequently 10 its refreshing
waters.
A new edition Of Blackstone Is in itself
ct event of more thar ordinary interest
II ss 10. like a publication Of an ordinary
book. nor a ues edition even of stand
ards. ]; is an Undertaking which very
few r.en would essay, and when COM
pietsd It's editor finds turned upon il the
keen and jealous criticism OF the most ex-
acting and observing of all the profess
sions. Archibald. Christian. Coieridge.
Chi.ty, Stewart. Kerr. Cooley. and some
few others have spent the best years OF
their lives In re-editing and reannotating
Blackstone, but few have succeeded in
impressing the results upon the legal pro-
fession. A new edition is taken up with
awidity. ba, II does not always survive
the operation IL has 10 undergo at the
hands OF the fraternity.
For some years Prof. William Draper
Lewis, of Pennsylvania. has been pre-
pairing for publication an edition Of the
commentaries. in which he will have to
encounter criticism for his audacity in at
tempting 10 reject a part Of the notes of
the earlier editions. He treats the law as
living. growing organism. ever throw
Ing out new branches and thrusting out
new roots, SO that from time TO time 1t
becomes necessary to note for the student
the additions in the way of new matter.
or notifications OF the old. The popular
impression OF the law is the same as that
OF the proceedings in congress, but as a
matter Of fact. while there seems to be a
vast amount of legislation the Revised
Statutes and the fundamental law are
not materially added to. The common
law, the law OF our forefathers for thou
sands of years. the law as collected and
embodied In Blackstone liz still the basis
OF our judicial system, and hence Black
stone is as valuable as ever What Mr..
Lewis undertakes 10 do principally is to
replace notes which have become of lit
tie value with new system by which he
has taken from the reports and text books
published since Blackstone's day refer
ences 10 his work. This is the first time
that the attempt has been made TO cite
every case and every text book in which
Blackstone is quoted as authority 1. Is
no doubt true. as he claims. THAI the vast
number OF such citations affords fresh
evidence or the supreme estimation placed
upon the work by judges, lawyers and
legal writer's. but as these summaries
have long ago placed any question of their
appreciation OF Blackstone beyond a
doubt, Ii can hardly be said that the
trouble Mr.. Lewis has been at is justified
by the result. OF far more Importance
Is the addition Of references 20 the works
OF Maine. of Pollock, Maitland and
Ninogradon. bearing upon subjects under
treatment. and a reference to the statutes
In England and the United States. which
modify the statements made In the text.
These are exceptionable features. but
none the less new edition of Blackstone
Is a matter OF general interest.