LA PHILOSOPHIE JURIDIQUE DE BENTHAM

1. Blackstone I Ck)mui. 4. The scieoce thus committed to his charge, to be cultivatedy methodized, and explainedin a course of académie leclures, is that of the laws and constitution of our ovvn coantry ; a speciesof knowledgc, in which the gentlemen of England hâve been more remarkably déficient that tbose of ail Europe besides. — Cf. la lettre de Blackatone à lord Shelburoe, du 27 déc. 1761. •— 11 est curieux de remarquer que Blackstone et Bentham en viennent à définir leur objet presque en termes identiques. — V. Blackstone I Comm. 32 : If practice be the whole he is taught, practice must also be the >vhole he will ever know *. if be bc uninstructed in the cléments and lirst principles upon >vhich the rule of practice is foundcd, the least variation from established précédents wiU totally distract and bewildcr him : Ua lex scripla est is the utmost his knuwledge will arrive at : he mustnever aspire to form, and seldom expect to comprehend, any arguments drawn a priori, from the spirit of the laws and the natural foundations of Justice — et Bentham, Fragment on GovernmeiUf Introd., (Bowring. vol. I, p 229), discutant Blackstone : « His professed object was to explain to us what the laws of England were. ^Ita lex scripta est » was the only motto which he stood engaged to Keep in view.