1821. April 17.

First Lines

Penal Law.

Classification[?] Character[?]

Forty years ago, (the year is now 1821.) forty years ago, the /in/ conformity to the lights perhaps somewhat in advance of the ordinary lights of the then present time, an arrangement, having in view the application on that occasion, proposed /the matter of/ of punishment, the several imaginable /possible/ sorts of offences were endeavoured to be discovered, and, to those discovered, denominations were given, and those denominations arranged according to a system /mode/ of arrangement of which the following were, on that same occasion, stated as being the characteristic, and in its leading features to the exclusion of all others that could be given the character of more apt ones, the peculiar properties.