The Importance of William Blackstone's Commentaries

Simon Stern, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, is publishing William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Vol. 4 (1769), in Foundational Texts in Modern Criminal Law (Markus Dubber, ed.; Oxford University Press, forthcoming). Here is the abstract.

This book chapter discusses the fourth volume of Blackstone's Commentaries (1769), asking what contribution this volume makes to English criminal law. Issues addressed include the general structure of Blackstone's discussion, the relation between Blackstone's treatment and those of his precursors (especially Sir Matthew Hale and William Hawkins), the historical and literary range of Blackstone's references, the nature of his legal reform agenda, and his conception of the book's audience.

Download the essay from SSRN at the link.