Commentaries On The Laws Of England

by William Blackstone, Stanley N. Katz (Contributor), A.W. Brian Simpson (Contributor)

Sir William Blackstones Commentaries on the Laws of England is the great text of the common law. First published in four volumes between 1765 and 1767, it was the legal publishing sensation of the 18th century, quickly going through eight editions in Blackstones lifetime and numerous others well into the 19th century.

The Cavendish Edition is not a facsimile but a complete representation of the historical usual text, the ninth, in modernised English with the star-page reference system. In addition, translations of all the Latin and Greek phrases are contained in footnotes. The Cavendish Edition is preceded by a lengthy reassessment of Blackstones work and influence, a comparison of the structure of Sir Matthew Hales Analysis of the Law with Blackstones Commentaries, a table of regnal years, and a cataloguing of the sources Blackstone used. It is set to become an indispensable text for all scholarly libraries and the central resource for rediscovering Blackstones achievements.

Genres: Law, Politics, History, Philosophy, Nonfiction, British Literature, 18th Century

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1765

About the author

Sir William Blackstone was an English jurist, judge, and Tory politician. He served as the first Vinerian Professor of Common Law at the University of Oxford from 1758 until 1766. His series of lectures on English law, the first of their kind in any university, have endured since their publication as a definitive reference on the principles of Common Law. The first American edition was produced in 1772; prior to this, over 1,000 copies had already been sold in the Thirteen Colonies, and it was greatly influential among the Framers of the Constitution. Event today, Blackstone's Commentaries are cited in U.S. Supreme Court decisions 10-12 times a year. His plan for a dedicated School of Law, included in the Commentaries upon its rejection by Oxford, provided the foundation of the modern system of American law schools. A 9-foot statue of Blackstone stands on Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C.

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765–1769) were the first attempt, since Henri de Bracton in the 13th century, to describe the doctrines of English law in a comprehensive and systematic manner. Highly Recommended!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book reproduces the images of the original text, which is a little difficult to read at first, but eventually you get the hang of it.

[Michael K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard and arduously long read, but is, in fact, the basis of our laws. Worthy read to understand or law presently!

[Parker Samelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book and extremely historically significant.