One of His Majesty's Justices of the Supreme Court of Judicature "MISERA EST SERVITUS, UBI JUS EST VAGUM AUT INCERTUM." 4th Inst. SERAMPORE: PRINTED AT THE MISSION PRESS. 1824. MIDDLE TEMPLE LIBRARY WITHDRAWN STOCK IT was not until the beginning of this year, that I determined upon a publication, relating to such topics of the Hindoo law, as most frequently come into discussion before the Supreme Court of Judicature. My views, yet limited, were enlarged as I made progress. I at first, intended to confine myself to the few principles which seemed to have been reduced by practice, or by common consent, into axioms; but I afterwards (perhaps erroneously) conceived, that more might be done with advantage to the public; and thought if it was desirable to make known what was fixed, that it could not be useless to show how much remained in a state of uncertainty. There is hardly any question arising out of Hindoo law, that may not be either affirmed or denied, under the sanction of texts, which are held to be equal in point of authority. But I did not enter upon an enlarged plan, from a belief in my own competency to complete it. I knew the task to be arduous; and I felt well assured, that its performance required more time, and more talent, than I had of either to bestow. |