The  court  will  not  decree  specific  performance  of  i^mmor'L^con'^  ""^
an  agreement  to  do  an  action  immoral  or  contrary  *""*"*•
to  the  law.     As  expressed   by   Sir  "William  Grant,
"You  cannot  stir   a   step  but  through  the   illegal
agreement,  and  it  is  impossible  for  the  court  to  en-
force it."  i

So  again,  a  court  of  equity  will  not  enforce  speci-  (^o  Anagree-
fic  performance  of  an  agreement  without  considera-  consideration,
tion.  In  Jeffreys  v.  Jeffreys,^  a  father,  by  voluntary
settlement,  having  conveyed  certain  freeholds,  and
covenanted  to  surrender  certain  copyholds  to  trustees
in  trust  for  his  daughters,  afterwards  devised  the
same  freehold  and  copyhold  estates  to  his  widow.  A
suit  was  instituted  by  the  daughters  against  the
widow  to  have  the  trusts  of  the  settlement  carried
out.  The  Lord  Chancellor  said,  "  The  title  of  the
plaintiffs  to  the  freeholds  is  complete ;  and  they
may  have  a  decree  for  carrying  the  settlement  into
effect  so  far  as  the  freeholds  are  concerned.  With
respect  to  the  coptholds,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the
court  will  not  execute  a  voluntary  contract."

The  incapacity  of  a  court  to  compel  the  complete  (30.  a  contract
execution   of  a  contract  in   certain  cases,  limits  its  cannot  enioree.
.     ,.      .  1  .„  ,     „  ~,  .     («•)  Whereper-

jurisdiction  to  compel  specific  performance.  This  sonaiskiu  is  re-
principle  is  most  frequently  illustrated  in  cases  of
agreements  to  do  acts  involving  personal  skill,  knowl-
edge, or  inclination.  Thus  in  Lumley  v.  Wagner,^
a  lady  agreed  in  writing  with  a  theatrical  manager  to
sing  at  his  theatre  for  a  definite  period.  By  a  clause
subsequently  agreed  to  by  her,  she  engaged  not  to
use  her  talents  at  any  other  theatre  or  concert-room,
without  the   written   authorization  of  the  manager.
