12 OBST ACRES 21O are more immediately fubjetted to its operation, i there muft probably be fome unobferved circum- {tances, which perpetually come in the way

great inconveniences, whenever an attempt is made to remove the apparent evil. And if fuch inconveniences are found to arife, it will be in vain to make laws to abolifh it; for, in thefe cir- cumftances, the practice will ftill prevail in fpite of the law, however peremptory it may be, and however beneficial in its tendency it may appear i to hafty obfervers. mre any thing, for example, be apparently. et

more beneficial, or at firft fight more eafy, than I

to enforce an uniformity of we ights and meafures dl throughout a whole kingdom? The propofition pe appears to be fo felf-evident, that the legifla-| a8 tors of England, of Scotland, of France, and of med many other kingdoms have feparately judged, at to

1

many different times, that this might be done unt

with evident adyantage to all their fubje@ts; and mu laws have been repeatedly made in all thofe na- lord tions, as fimple in their tenor as could well be ne expected, and as peremptory in their exaétments ele as can be conceived; yet in no one of thefe countries has it been ever found poflible to en-

force thefe laws. The fa@ j is, that there are in-. os

conveniences to which fuch a ch lange would give An An