1 N F 
on the left arm, and, to prevent accidents, leans forward 
againft the right hand, placed on its breaft. If the nurle 
is timid, or if the child ftarts, the only fecurity is to clafp 
the breaft, by which the ribs are often comprefled. If, 
however, the right hand is placed under the arm, with 
the thumb over the fhoulder, an aftive child may even 
ftart from the other hand without danger. The right 
hand will fupport it, or convey it gently to the ground. 
Swinging feems to give children an uneafy feeling, and 
even being carried quickly down (fairs will make them 
flirink to the nurfe's breaft. Gentle friftion is an excel¬ 
lent addition to exercil'e, and peculiarly grateful to infants. 
The prophylactic management of children is not a very 
abftrufe fubjeCt. Early hours, moderate warmth, exercil'e 
in the open air, to as great a degree as their ftrength ad¬ 
mits, with a proper attention to their diet, and the due 
regulation of the alvinC difcharges, comprife the whole. 
The medicines for children fliould be few and limple. 
Their llomachs abound with acids, which change the bile 
to a green colour, and thus tinges the (tools with the fame 
hue. The anxious parent, on this appearance, flies to ab- 
forbents; but, while the child continues lively and cheer¬ 
ful, and the (tools are neither too copious nor too few, no 
remedy is neceflary. In early infancy, a child has gene¬ 
rally from three .to five motions in twenty-four hours. 
This number leflens; and, at the age of two years, there 
are feldom more than two daily. Conftitutions differ in 
this refpeft; and we have known an infant continue in 
perfeCl health with one motion only in twenty-four hours. 
IN'FANT, f. [infans, Lat.] In law, a perfon under 
twenty-one years of age; whofe acts are in many cafes ei¬ 
ther void or voidable. Co. Lit. lib. i. c. zi. lib. ii. c. 28. 
Though a perfon is ftyled in law an infant till attain¬ 
ing the age of twenty-one years, which is termed his full 
age, yet there are many aCtions which he may do before 
that age, and for which various times or ages are appoint¬ 
ed. Thus, a male at twelve years old may take the oath 
of allegiance; at fourteen he is at years of difcretion, and 
therefore may dilagree or confent to marriage; may choofe 
his guardian; and, if his difcretion be actually proved, 
may make his teftament of his perfonal eftate, but not of 
•lands ; at feventeen may be executor or procurator, and at 
twenty-one is at his own difpofal, and may alien his lands, 
goods, and chattels. A female alfo, at jiven years of age 
may be betrothed or given in marriage; at nine is entitled 
to dower ; at twelve is at years of maturity, and therefore 
may confent or difagree to marriage, and, if proved to 
have fufficient difcretion, may bequeath her perfonal 
eftate; at fourteen is at years of legal difcretion, and may 
choofe a guardian; at feventeen may be executrix ; and at 
twenty-one may difpofe of herfelf and her lands. So that full 
age, in male or female, is twenty-one years ; which age 
is completed on the day preceding the anniverfary of a per¬ 
son's birth. Salk. 44- 625. Ld. Raym. 4.80, 1096. 1 Bro. P.C. 
468. (8vo. edit.) Todtr v. Samfon. If, therefore, one is 
born on the ift of January, he is of age to do any legal 
aft on the morning of the laft day of December, though 
he may not have lived twenty-one years by near forty- 
eight hours; the reafon is, that in law there is no frac¬ 
tion of a day, and if the birth were on the flrft lecond of 
one day, and the ad on the laft fecond of the other, 
then twenty-one years would be complete; and in law it 
is the fame whether a thing is done upon one moment of 
the day or another ; and hence probably originated the 
diftinCfion of a year and a day, by which is meant a year 
complete in common acceptation. 
Though the age of confent to a marriage in an infant- 
male is fourteen, and in a female twelve; yet they may 
marry before, and, if they agree thereto when they attain 
thefe ages, the marriage is good ; but they cannot dif¬ 
agree before then ; and, if one of them be aboye the age 
of confent, and the other under fuch age, the party (o 
above the age may as well dilagree as the other; for both 
mull be bound, or neither. Co. Lit. $ 3, 78, 79, % Inf. 434. 
3 Inf. 88, 89. 
Vot., XI. No- 731’ 
ANT. 29 
If a man marries a woman who. is within the age of 
twelve years, and after the feme covert within the age of 
confent difagrees to the marriage, and after the age of 
twelve years marries another, the flrft marriage is a-bfo- 
lutely difl'olved, fo that he may take another wife; for, 
though the difagreement within the age of confent was 
not fufficient, yet her taking another hufband after the 
age of confent affirms the difagreement, and fo the,mar¬ 
riage avoided ab initio. 1 Rol. Abr. 341. See the caie of 
Mr. Fitzgerrard, Lord Decius, and Mr, Viliers ; 3 New 
Abr. n s), 120. 
The authority of a guardian in focage ceafes at the age 
of fourteen, at which age the infant may call his guardian 
to an account, and may choofe a new guardian. Co. Lit. 75. 
2 Inf. 135. 
One within the age of twenty-one years may do homage, 
but not fealty, becaufe in doing of fealty he ought to be 
fvvorn, which an infant cannot be. Co. Lit. 65. b. 2 Inf. 11. 
By the cuftom of gavelkind, an infant at the age of fifteen 
is reckoned at full age to fell his lands ; and this feems 
to have been taken from the civil law, which reckons 
fourteen the at as pubertatis ; for they reckoned that, though 
the infant had ended his year of guardianftiip at fourteen, 
yet he might not have completed his account with his 
guardian till the age of fifteen, and that was efteemed to 
be the age when he was completely out of guardianihip ; 
therefore at this age he was allowed to fell lands defeend- 
ed to him ; but in this the cufoms of England differ from 
the civil law ; for the civil law does not allow of this dil- 
pofition till the age of twenty-five; therefore this muff 
have been allowed by the old Saxon law, becaufe they 
thought that much time was loft, if the infant could only 
’ufe his own eftate without being able to difpofe of it in a 
way of traffic, or in marriage, till twenty-five ; therefore 
they allowed the infant to fell, (but under great limita- > 
tions and reftridlions, that he might not be defrauded ;) 
and by this means they thought there was fufficient pro- 
vifion made for the neceffity of commerce. Lamb. 624, 
625. See the article Gavelkind, vol. viii. 
By the cuftom of London, an infant unmarried, and 
above the age of fourteen, if under twenty-one, may bind 
himfelf apprentice to a freeman of London, by indenture 
with proper covenants ; which covenants, by the cuftom 
of London, (lull be as binding as if he were of full age. 
See fats. 5 Eliz. c. 4. 43 Eliz. c. 2. and the article Ap¬ 
prentice, in this work, vol. i. 
In criminal cafes, the law of England does in fome cafes 
privilege an infant under the age of twenty-one, as to 
common mifdemeanors, fo as to efcape fine, imprifonment, 
and the like ; and particularly in cafes of omiflion, as not 
repairing a bridge ora highway, and other (imilar offences ; 
for, not having the command of his fortune till twenty- 
one, he wants the capacity to do thofe things which the 
law requires. But, where there is any notorious breach 
of the peace, a riot, battery, or the like, (which infants, 
when full-grown, are at leaft as liable as ethers to com¬ 
mit,) for thefe an infant above the age of fourteen is 
equally liable to fuffer as a perfon of the full age of 
twenty-one. 1 Hal. P. C. zo, 21, 22. 
With regard to capital crimes, the law is ftill more mi¬ 
nute and circumfped, diftinguifiiing with greater nicety 
the feverai degrees of age and difcretion. By the ancient 
Saxon law, the age of twelve years was eftabliftied for the 
age of poflible difcretion, when firlt the underftan ing 
might open. LL. Alhelfan, With . 65. From thence till 
the offender was fourteen, it was at as pubertaii proximo, in 
which he might or might not be guilty of a crime, accord¬ 
ing to his natural capacity or incapacity. This was the 
dubious Itage of difcretion ; but, under twelve, it was held 
that he could not be guilty in will, neither after fourteen 
could he be fuppofed innocent of any capital crime which 
he in fad committed. But, by the law as it now Hands, and 
has Hood at leaft ever (ince the time of Edward III. the capa¬ 
city of doing ill, or confrading guilt, is not -much tiieai'ur- 
ed by years and days, as by the ftrength of the delinquent’s 
I underftandmg 
