Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/37

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of which this Caſe is one notorious Inſtance. As for any Advantage which might ariſe to Children, from the Invalidity of ſuch Wills, from ſome particular unforeſeen Contingency; that by no Means deſtroys my Aſſertion. The Wit of Man cannot contrive a Law of ſuch univerſal Influence, as to reach every particular Caſe that may happen. If therefore we ſhould find ſome Exempt Caſe, in which ſome particular Woman might be favoured by thoſe very Laws which oppreſs Wives in General, it would only ſhew that Man, cannot controul Events, and that God can, and does, bring Good out of Evil. But after all, it cannot be ſuppoſ'd that Mrs. Lewis, or any Woman in her Senſes, would ſuffer a Will to remain in Force to the Prejudice of her own Children; and that ſuch Wills ſhould remain uncancelled by Accident, or Forgetfulneſs, or the like, could never be foreſeen by the Makers of this Law; neither can it be us'd as an Argument for the Juſtification of it. The Reaſon of this Law is eaſily ſeen, the Conſequences of it, as to particular Caſes are and muſt be unforeſeen, as well as the Number of Perſons who ſhould be declared in a worſe Condition than that of Captivity itſelf, by it.

Obj. II.