The practice of entailing originated in Scotland nearly two hundred
years ago. 'file earliest entail on record is that of the estate of Rox- burgh, dated in 1648; and the practice was first established on a solid foundation by the statute of 168.5, which reduced heirs of entail to the condition of mere tenants for life, and gave the entailer the power of regulating the perpetual destination of his property. And to such ea extent has the practice been carried, that at this moment it is supposed that one-half of the landed property of Scotland is under its fetters and is inalienable. Additions are daily being made to it; and if not checked, there is no doubt but in time it will absorb the whole landed property of this portion of the empire. Every weak vain man, whe- ther an upstart or not, hastens to entail his property, whether it be large or small, and thus to perpetuate his name and found a family. He thus gives birth to a series of descendants who are pro- vided for, whether they be well or ill-behaved, whether they be vir- tuous or vicious, intelligent or ignorant, sober or dissipated, an enemy or a friend to their country. All stimulus to good conduct is thus removed ; disregard to public opinion is engendered ; and, generally speaking, a useless and inferior class risen, to use the mildest terms, are artificially saddled on the public.—Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle.
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