mself, which no one but the immediate preceptor can observe; and he
will be governed accordingly in the selection of works to be placed in
his hands. No lawyer does his duty, who does not frequently examine his
student, not merely as a necessary means of exciting him to attention,
and application; but in order to acquire such an acquaintance with the
character of his pupil's mind--its quickness or slowness--its
concentrativeness or discursiveness--as to be able to form a judgment
whether he requires the curb or the spur. It is an inestimable advantage
to a young man to have a judicious and experienced friend watching
anxiously his progress, and able to direct him, when, if left to
himself, he must wander in darkness and danger. "There be two things,"
says Lord Coke, "to be avoided by him as enemies to learning,
_praepostera lectio_ and _praepropera praxis_." Co. Litt. 70 b.

I prefer presenting a certain order of subjects to be pursued;
observing, however, that it may be somewhat irksome to pursue any one
branch for too long a period unvaried. When that is found to be the
case, the last five heads may be adopted as collateral studies, and
pursued simultaneously with the first three.

These heads or branches are--1. Real Estate and Equity. 2. Practice,
Pleading, and Evidence. 3. Crime and Forfeitures. 4. Natural and
International law. 5. Constitutional Law. 6. Civil Law. 7. Persons and
Personal Property. 8. The Law of Executors and Administrators.

I. REAL ESTATE AND EQUITY.

As introductory to this head, Lord Hale's History of the Common Law may
be perused with advantage. It was perhaps a mere sketch, intended to be
afterwards filled up and completed. Still, however, it is a work of
authority, as indeed is everything which proceeded from the pen of its
distinguished author. He is correct and accurate to a remarkable degree.
Reeves' History of the English Law is a full and comprehensive history
of the English Law, accurate and judicious as well as full. Lord
Mansfield is said to have advised its author in regard to its plan and
execution. In this work the student is presented with all that is
necessary that he should know of the earliest law-books, Bracton,
Glanville, and Fleta, carefully collected and presented. The history of
the law is separately traced under the reign of each king, and it may be
of advantage to read at the same time some good history or histories of
England parallel with the work. "Reeves' Histo