PREFACE. IN issuing this Second Edition, a few words by way of preface may be useful, as in works of this description the purpose of the writer, and the plan pursued for its accomplishment, cannot be immaterial to the reader. My desire, then, has been to condense into one volume as much of the law and practice of conveyancing as possible; and with this view I have added to the Precedents several short dissertations, which may enable the reader to satisfy himself at a glance on many points, without further research. The Precedents, however, form the chief feature of the work, and in their preparation care has been taken to render each as simple, and, at the same time, as complete as practicable. A Precedent is often rendered almost useless, either by being so meagre as to oblige the draftsman to refer perpetually to other forms in order to produce any complete instrument, or else by embracing so much that is contingent and particular, as to make it a difficult task to separate what may be actually required, from matter irrelevant to the case in hand. It is hoped that both these opposite imperfections have been in some degree avoided in the present Volume. Another object kept in view has been to connect the usual common forms with the entire instruments, in such a manner as to allow of their being used separately, and the Index has been prepared accordingly. It has been wisely said, that "accuracy is the prose of truth." Applying this general axiom to the technical and arbitrary subject of law, I may add that no pains have been spared to insure the greater excellence, by attention to the less throughout the details of this work,-which must now stand on its own merits. F. P. 41, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, January, 1856. TABLE OF CONTENTS OF DISSERTATIONS. Preparation of conditions of sale, 1; written or printed conditions cannot be verbally varied, 1; effect of condition for making objections within a given time, 1; as to timber, 2; what is timber, 2; provision for payment of interest on purchase money if the completion of the purchase be delayed, 2; operation of provision as to the deed with which the title shall commence, 3; in the absence of stipulation to the contrary lessor's title must be produced, 3; as to renewable leaseholds, 4; as to property held on lives, 4; an underlease should be sold as such, proper con- ditions on the sale of such an interest, 4; purchaser of lease, 4; effect of the condition enabling the vendor to rescind the contract, 5; as to apportionment of rent, 6; when vendor may take advantage of condition that misdescription shall not annul the sale, 6; what conditions should be introduced when the title deeds are not handed over to the purchaser, 7; vendor must supply copies of documents the originals of which he cannot obtain, 7; as to expenses of journeys, 8; as to covenants for production and expenses of preparation, 8; title to tithes, 8; when the land is liable to charges which cannot be paid off, 9; as to enfranchised copyholds, 9; allotments, 9; exchanges, 9; the Leases of land for more than three years must be in writing, 33; agree- |