Some  of  the  most  important,  together  with  the  chief
variations  in  their  legal  characteristics,  will  he  found
enumerated  hereafter  (c) .  Taking  them  generally,
they  have  been  divided  by  writers  {d)  into  three
great  classes :  (1)  Special,  viz.,  those  who  have
authority  to  do  a  specific  act,  c.  g.,  buy  a  particular
thing ;  (2)  General,  "vdz.,  those  who  may  do  anything
coming  within  certain  limits,  e.  g.,  agent  to  manage
a  business ;  (3)  Universal,  viz.,  those  who  may  do
anything  on  behalf  of  their  principal,  and  whose
authority  is  unlimited.  Thus,  an  imiversal  agent
may  do  anything  on  behalf  of  and  bind  his  principal,
if  only  it  is  legal  and  otherwise  consonant  to  the
general  law  of  contracts  ;  a  general  agent  may  do  the
same  within  certain  limits ;  a  special  agent  is  tied
down  to  the  specific  act  to  perform  which  he  is
appointed.  A  man  may  have  two  businesses,  e.  (j.,
banker  and  tea-merchant ;  his  general  agent  in  the
banking-house  would  have  no  authority  to  contract
on  his  behaK  in  the  tea-house,  and  vice  versa ;  his
universal  agent  could  do  so  in  both ;  a  messenger
who  is  sent  to  get  postage-stamps  could  bind  him
only  in  that  matter.
Who  may  appoint  and  be  appointed  Agents.
Those  who  cannot  make  contracts  themselves  (as
to  whom  see  ante,  p.  25)  cannot  get  out  of   their

(fl)  Page  153.
(d)  See  Story,  Agency,  §§  17,  21.
