or the right of the first-born, has amongst most nations been very considerable. The first-born son, in the patriarchal ages, had a superiority over his brethren, and, in the absence of his father, was the priest of the family. Amongst the Jews, he was consecrated to the Lord, had a double portion of the inheritance, and succeeded in the government of the family or kingdom. It is, however, remarkable, and unquestionably shows the connection between this institution and the birth and office of our Saviour, that if a woman's first child were a girl, neither she nor the children that came after her were consecrated.

In almost every nation of Europe, the right of primogeniture prevails at present in some degree, but it did not prevail always. The law which calls the elder-born to the crown, preferably to the others, was not introduced into France till a late period; it was unknown to the first race of kings, and even to the second. The four sons of Clovis shared the kingdom equally amongst themselves, and Louis le Debonnaire did the same; it was not till the race of Hugh Capet succeeded, that the prerogative of succession to the crown was appropriated to the first-born.

Mr. McCulloch, in one of the Notes to his valuable edition of Smith's Wealth of Nations, makes the following observations on this subject. "Though there can be little doubt of the injurious consequences that must always flow from every attempt to regulate the succession to property by means of compulsory regulations, there are good grounds for thinking that the custom of primogeniture, or the custom of leaving the whole, or the greater part of the paternal estate, to the eldest son, to the exclusion of his brothers and sisters, has been advantageous. The prejudices of most political philosophers against primogeniture seem to rest on no solid foundation. Dr. Smith says, that it is a custom which, 'in order to enrich one, beggars all the rest of the children'; but, so far from agreeing in this opinion, we cannot help thinking, that to it may be fairly ascribed much of the industry, freedom, and civilization of modern Europe; and..."