PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

154 TiJ;,lis.
certain number of years; if the testator have a £;ght
,by the la,,,,, of nature, to di~p{lse of his property one
;; mOll1ent aft~r his death, he llas the saOle right to
. dir\:!ct the disposition uf it, for a milhon of ages af-
: ter him; \v11ich IS ab'\urd.
. The anci'..'nt apprehen:;inns of mankind upnn the
subj ·c~ w.:re conformable to this aCCllUnt of it: tor
fWiii:-: ~l;l\'e bel:n intr0du('7~d into m0st cOU{ltries b)' a
po.,iti-wc ac! Df the s:ate),as by the laws of ·~:hlt into
l;rfeC{:~- by th~ t\\"t:!\·\? taoles inc() l~o_1T1e .. and that, not
tili aft=r a cO:lsid~rab!e pro-"~es~ h]d been In1d~
l'
in
-
legi~!ation, and in the economy of civil iife. Tacit liS
relate~, that anl0ngst the Geril10ns they \\gere disallowed;
and, \vhat is more remarkabl~, in thi~ country~
since the conquest, ]and~ c(luld n~)t be de\·i~ed by
will, till \vithiri little nl(lre than t~TO hurld~ed )Tears
CJgo, \\Then thi~ pri\'ilege was restorJed to the subject,
by an ac( of parliament in the latter end of the
. reit{tL of I-Ienrv . th~ Ejgh~h.
rNo douo[ many beneficial purpose:; are attaine(l
b)T ext- -nding the owner~s po\~er o\rer his property
beyond hi~ life, an(l bej10nd his natural right. It
invites to indll'·.tr}