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MEMOIK OF JAMES BOSWELL. 107
" I ALEXANDER BOSWEL of Aucliinleck Esquire one
of the Senators of the College of Justice considering that
having long intended to make a full settlement of my estate,
but which I have put off a long time, not having fallen upon a
plan which gave me satisfaction, notwithstanding I have seen a
nmltiplicity of settlements, I am now come to the resolution to
execute what follows, which though it appears to me better
calculated to answer the ends of a family settlement, and to be
more free from objections than others I have seen, I am conscious
is not exempt from faults, for I see them. But when one is
providing for futurity it is impossible to obviate all incon-
veniences. I have, however, chose this form as appearing to
me subject to the fewest. The Settlement I am to make is a
Taillie or Deed of Entail intended to be perpetual, which not-
withstanding the prejudices of the ignorant and dissipated part
of mankind to the contrary I have always approved of, if
properly devised. My motive to it is not the preservation of my
name and memory, for I know that after death our places here
know us no more. But my motives are that the strength of the
happy constitution with which this kingdom is blest, depends
in a great measure upon there being kept up a proper number of
Gentlemen's families of independent fortunes. It was this which
at first introduced the right of primogeniture amongst us, a
right well adapted to the good of the younger, as well as the
eldest, as it prevents estates crumbling down by division into
morsels. It enables the several successive heirs to educate their
whole children properly, and thereby fit them for different
employments, so that these families are useful nurseries. On
the other hand a danger arises from an accumulation of different
estates into the hands of overgrown rich men. -Again the
estate which I have, though not great, is sufficient for answering
all the reasonable expenses of a gentleman's family and is
situate in an agreeable country with the people of which I and
my worthy predecessors have had the happiness to live in great
friendship, which I hope shall always be the case with those that
succeed me ; and the place of residence has many uncommon
beauties and conveniences, which several considerations would