ADVERTISEMENT. HESE prelections were delivered by Mr Rofs, to a numerous body of the Gentlemen of the law, who attended the private class which he taught in Edinburgh during the years 1783 and 1784. The Address to the Members of the College of Justice,' published by the Author previous to opening the clafs, and now prefixed to this volume, will explain the nature of the plan, the reafons of the particular arrangement of the fubjects, and the mode of investigation. adopted in the profecution of the undertaking. It is much to be regretted, that a new line of bufinefs, in which Mr Rofs found himfelf unexpectedly engaged, and which required almost constant attendance in another country, withdrew his attention from his favourite ftudy, and prevented him from completing the plan he had in view. Had he been allowed to put a finishing hand to the work, it would no doubt have appeared in a different shape, and have been productive of more honour to himself, and of greater benefit to fociety. The following Ledures, however, being complete in themselves, in confequence of the Author's method of treating each fubject feparately, without any connection with, or relation to another, led the Editor to entertain the idea, that the publication of them would be of confiderable public utility. But, being unwilling to hazard the reputation of the Author, he judged it proper, before putting the work to the prefs, to to fubmit it to the perufal of two Gentlemen of the Law, of distin- The Editor returns his grateful thanks to the Gentlemen who fo kindly took the trouble of revifing the manufcript. Without their affiftance, he never should have ventured to give the prefent work to It is hoped, that the Reader will excufe any small inaccuracies in the work, which are unavoidable, especially in a pofthumous |