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BLA BISSET, JAMES. Abridgment and Collection of the Acts of Assembly of Pennsylvania, at present in force, &;c. 8vo. Phi- ladelphia. 1759. BLACKSTONE, SIR WILLIAM. Commentaries on the Laws of England. 21st ed. Comprising all that is valuable in the editions by Christian and Chilly ; with copious notes, explaining the changes in the law effected by decision or statute, down to the present time, and a memoir of the author : — Vol. I. by J. F. Hargrave ; vol. II. by G. Sweet ; vol. III. by R. Couch; vol. IV. by W. N. Welsby. 8vo. London. 1844. The following enumeration comprises most of the editions, reprints, modifications, and translations of Blackstone's Commentaries. Volume 1, 4to., of the first edition, appeared in 17C5, and the other three volumes between this period and 1769. The seven succeeding editions, with corrections, were published previous to the author's death. 9th ed., 4 vols., 8vo., 1783, by R. Burn, who added a few notes and corrections to those left in manuscript by the author at his death. 10th and llth editions, 1787, 1791, by J. Williams, who made some slight additions. 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th editions, by Edward Christian. The 12th edition, 1793—95, was published in numbers, each containing engravings of some of the sages of the law. The editor, in the preface, disclaims having any thing to do with their introduction. The plan originated with the booksellers, who proposed, by means of these plates, to enhance the sale of the work. The changes and modifications of the law, by sta- tutes and decisions, since Blackstone's death to this time, are carefully stated in learned notes. Mr. Christian improved each successive edition, and is one of the best editors Blackstone ever had. Good editions were edited by J. F. Archbold, in 1811, who to Christian's notes, added excellent ones of his own; in 1825, by J. T. Coleridge; and in 1826, by J. Chitty. 19th edition, by Hovenden and Ryland, 1836. 20th edi- tion, by James Stewart, 1841—44. The editor incorporated into the text the alterations of the law since Blackstone's time. " Blackstone, with- out these alterations, is a good historico-legal account of the state of the law about sixty j^ears ago. As a model of style, and as a high authority where its subject matter remains unaltered, their merit remains unimpaired ; but as a whole, the work has for some years been passing away." 21st edition, by four editors, above mentioned. The text of this edition was reprinted from that of 1783. The editors have given the changes in the law, since Blackstone's time, in the notes, and explained some paragraphs of the author that did not seem to be suffi- ciently clear. Most of Christian's and Chitty's notes are retained in this edition, which is doubtless the most desirable one for the American lawyer. See also Bayley, Petersdorff, and Stephen. 122