they might sometimes prove so to others; and as they would take up but little room, he has suffered them to remain. The approbation bestowed upon the former edition, has induced the Author to correct and to enlarge the work; and he hopes, that, in the present edition, he has made it more extensively useful. THE EDITOR'S PREFACE. THE present edition of the following work, is printed from the second edition, which was published by Mr. Watkins in 1801, and was the last edition that appeared in his life-time. The notes in large print, except the references placed within brackets are by Mr. Watkins; those in a smaller print, together with the references within brackets, are added by the Editor. The subjects discussed by Mr. Watkins in his notes, are so numerous, and often so very distantly connected with the doctrine of Descents, that the Editor hopes he will be excused if he has sometimes omitted remarks and illustrations in places, where, had the subject of the note been the subject of the treatise, they ought to have been inserted. But, for the rest, if he has put in what he ought to have left out, or if he has left out what he ought to have put in, of the two pleas, want of time and want of experience, which, according to Sir Edward Sugden,* any legal writer may well plead, he must take the latter; he can only say he has given to the subject much time and attention, and all the experience he was master of. * Treatise of Powers, last edition, preface. 5, CHANCERY LANE, 24th, May, 1837. CONTENTS. OF THE SEISIN OF THE ANCESTOR. Sect. 1. Of the necessity of an Actual Seisin b Mr. Watkins's references ante and post, are to the marginal paging. |