private property, is made fecure to the proprietor. Methinks the following verfe may be confidered as one of the great and original foundations of focial prefervation : "Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for "tooth." It is at this very day the true recriminating principle, not, indeed, quite literally, but eventually

and who can

In

call the rectitude of it in question? reading these antient records, however, we find several crimes penable, which are now, though highly atrocious, fcarce within the letter of the law. The blafphemer, and fabbath-breaker, for instance, was stoned; and now the price of an oath is, at worst, but a fhilling and the other matter, for the most part, is no object of attention. There are many minute articles in the code of Mofes ftill in being amongst us: thus, an hired horfe, dying upon its journey, is, to this day, as it was formerly; being an hired thing, it came for his hire. The matter and cuftom of gleaning was, certainly, first derived from the following command:

"When

"When thou cutteft down thine har"vest in the field, and haft forgot a fheaf "in the field, thou fhalt not go again to "fetch it; it fhall be for the stranger, for “the fatherless, and for the widow; that "the Lord thy God may bless thee in all "the work of thy hands."

The term of an apprenticeship feems to originate from the following inftitute: "If "thou buy an Hebrew fervant, fix years "he fhall ferve, and at the end of the fe"venth he fhall go out free: and if a man "fell his daughter for a maid-servant, she "shall not go out, as the men fervants do." There is, I think, no doubt, but this is the foundation of the rule of allotting the harder labour of the fields to the male, and the eafier cares of the house to the female. These are, indeed, curious and small; but furely, no man will think them uninteresting remarks. Now I am upon the subject of the ftatutes of Mofes, I cannot neglect mention of various humane and focial inftitutions, fome of which are very impro perly abrogated.

" If

"If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or ass, going aftray, thou shalt furely bring it "back to him again: if thou fee the afs "of him that hateth thee, lying under hist "burthen, thou shalt furely help him."

It is much to be feared, the enemies of the prefent day will fcarce forbear fmiling. at this injunction, fo far from obeying it..

"Thou shalt not countenance a poor "man in his caufe.

In one fenfe, this is moft rigidly obferved: in all the courts of Justice.

"And if thou fell ought of thy neigh "bour, or buy ought of thy neighbour, shall not opprefs one another."

" ye

The modern maxim of ftiking a bargain, is, perhaps, fomething different from this..

"And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then, thou "fhalt

"fhalt relieve him, fo that he may live "with thee."

It is really painful to comment, and draw parallels betwixt antient and modern times, when we are compelled to cenfure the latter in fo many cafes :-let us, therefore, close the fubject.