means citing, arresting, or obliging any person to appear in the courts of justice, either upon a civil or a criminal account; and that it is derived from ‘a Raoul’, which Raoul was anciently Duke of Normandy, and a prince eminent for his justice; insomuch, that when any injustice was committed, the cry immediately was, ‘Venez, a Raoul, a Raoul’, which words are now corrupted and jumbled into ‘haro’.  Another, ’Le vol du Chapon, that is, a certain district of ground immediately contiguous to the mansion-seat of a family, and answers to what we call in English DEMESNES.  It is in France computed at about 1,600 feet round the house, that being supposed to be the extent of the capon’s flight from ’la basse cour’.  This little district must go along with the mansion-seat, however the rest of the estate may be divided.

I do not mean that you should be a French lawyer; but I would not have you unacquainted with the general principles of their law, in matters that occur every day:  Such is the nature of their descents, that is, the inheritance of lands:  Do they all go to the eldest son, or are they equally divided among the children of the deceased?  In England, all lands unsettled descend to the eldest son, as heir-at-law, unless otherwise disposed of by the father’s will, except in the county of Kent, where a particular custom prevails, called Gavelkind; by which, if the father dies intestate, all his children divide his lands equally among them.  In Germany, as you know, all lands that, are not fiefs are equally divided among all the children, which ruins those families; but all male fiefs of the empire descend unalienably to the next male heir, which preserves those families.  In France, I believe, descents vary in different provinces.

The nature of marriage contracts deserves inquiry.  In England, the general practice is, the husband takes all the wife’s fortune; and in consideration of it settles upon her a proper pin-money, as it is called; that is, an annuity during his life, and a jointure after his death.  In France it is not so, particularly at Paris; where ’la communaute des biens’ is established.  Any married woman at Paris (if you are acquainted with one) can inform you of all these particulars.

These and other things of the same nature, are the useful and rational objects of the curiosity of a man of sense and business.  Could they only be attained by laborious researches in folio-books, and wormeaten manuscripts, I should not wonder at a young fellow’s being ignorant of them; but as they are the frequent topics of conversation, and to be known by a very little degree of curiosity, inquiry and attention, it is unpardonable not to know them.

Thus I have given you some hints only for your inquiries; ’l’Etat de la France, l’Almanach Royal’, and twenty other such superficial books, will furnish you with a thousand more.  ‘Approfondissez.’