"All arguments on the hardship of a case, either on one side or the other, must be rejected, when we are pronouncing what the law is; for such arguments are only quicksands in the law, and, if indulged, will soon swallow up every principle of it."

“It is certainly a rule that the jury must find facts, and not merely evidence of facts.”

“The Court is at liberty to transpose and mould clauses and words in a will so as to make the whole take effect.”

“A casus omissus can in no case be supplied by a Court of law, for that would be to make laws.”

“The Court is to pronounce according to the apparent intent of the testator, but that intent must be found in the words of the will, and is not to be collected by conjecture dehors the will.”

“Dissentions existing between man and wife are in all events very unfortunate: when they become the subject of consideration to third persons, they are very unpleasant, and if the case requires that the conduct of each party should be commented upon in public, it is a most painful task to those to whose lot it falls to judge on them. The subject therefore is always to be handled with as much delicacy as it will admit of; but the infirmities of human nature have given rise to cruelties and other ill-treatment on the part of husbands, and to cases in which this Court has thought it indispensably necessary to interpose.”

“My distinction is, that in incorrect wills the Court may take liberties, but that if the words are correct they have no power to make any alteration.”