Why was Sir William Blackstone criticized for his treatment of equity in English law?

Sir William Blackstone faced criticism regarding his treatment of equity in his Commentaries on the Laws of England primarily because he failed to grasp its true position within the English legal system.1

Critics noted several specific shortcomings in his approach:

• Lack of Discrimination: He struggled to distinguish between the legal and popular senses of the term "equity," leading to a lack of precision in his analysis.1
• Insufficient Emphasis: The limited space dedicated to equity jurisprudence in his work suggested that he did not fully realize its importance or its role as a recognized part of the law of the land.1
• General Juridical Flaws: His treatment of equity was symptomatic of broader criticisms regarding his work, specifically his tendency to substitute loose literary phrases for precise, well-defined legal terms, which occasionally resulted in irreconcilable contradictions.1

While Blackstone’s Commentaries were highly successful and served as a foundational text for legal education, these deficiencies in his explanation of underlying principles led scholars to conclude that he was not a scientific jurist.1