It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.
William BlackstoneRead
Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation, depend all human laws.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human laws are derived from natural law and divine revelation.
In this quote, William Blackstone asserts that the underpinnings of all human legislation rest on two fundamental principles: the law of nature, which is inherent and universal, and the law of revelation, which is derived from theological insights. Together, these foundations provide a moral compass for legal systems, emphasizing that true laws must align with both natural rights and spiritual truths.
Themes
LawNatureRevelationHumanJustice
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be cited in a law school lecture discussing the foundations of legal philosophy.
More from William Blackstone
All quotes →That the king can do no wrong is a necessary and fundamental principle of the English constitution.
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The public good is in nothing more essentially interested, than in the protection of every individual's private rights.
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There is nothing which so generally strikes the imagination and engages the affections of mankind, as the right of property.
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Law is the embodiment of the moral sentiment of the people.
William BlackstoneRead
No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God
William BlackstoneRead
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