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there are self-successors as well. Consequently, if a man die
leaving two chiMren, one emancipated, and the othcr in his
power at the time of his decease, the latter is solc heir by
the civil law, as being the only self-successor ; but through
the former's being admitted to part of the inheritance by the
indulgence of the praetor, the sclf-successor becomes heir to
part of the inheritance only. Emancipated children however 10
who have given thcmsclvcs in adoption are not thus admitted,
under the title of diiidren, to share the property of their
natural father, if at the time of his decease they are in their
adoptive family; though it is othenvise if they are emancipated
during his lifetime by their adoptive father, for thcn they
are admitted as if they had bcen emancipated by him and
had nevcr bcen in an adoptive family, whilc, convcrsely, as
regards their adoptive father, they are henccforth regarded
as strangers. If however ihey are emancipated by the
adoptivc after the death of the natural father, as regards the
former they are strangers al! the samc, and yet do not acquire
the rank of children as regards succession to tlie property of
the latter ; the reason of this rule being the injustice of putting
it within the power of an adoptive father to determine to wliom
the propcrty of the natural father shall belong, whethcr to his
children or to his agnates. Adoptive are thus not so well off II
as natural children in respect of rlghts of succession : for by
the indulgence of the praetor the latter retain their rank as
children even after emancipation, although thcy lose it by the
civil law ; while the former, if emancipated, are not assisted
even by the praetor. Aiid there is nothing wrong iu their
being thus differently trcated, becausc civil changes can affect
rights annexcd to a civil tltle, bitt not rights annexed to a
natural title, and natural descendants, though on emanclpation
they cease to be self-successors, cannot cease to be childrcn
or grandchildren ; whcreas on the other hand adoptive
children are regarded as strangers after emancipation, because
tliey lose thc title and name of son or daughter, which they
have acquired by a civil change, namely adoption, by another
civil change, namely emaucipation. 