CONSTITUTION OF PROPERTY. 107 



it has been obscured by too many passions and prejudices, 

 which have nothing in common with rural economy. If 

 ever there be a question in France of giving more lati- 

 tude to the head of a family as regards the testamen- 

 tary disposal of his property, or of giving facilities in the 

 way of preserving real property intact in the case of suc- 

 cessions db intestat, it will be well to keep large property 

 out of the question, for such considerations do not apply 

 to it. It is not the law which has reduced large property 

 in France, but the Eevolution ; and not only is all arti- 

 ficial retrogression impossible, but in the course which 

 things have taken it would be of very doubtful utility. 



