This section is from the book "The Law Of Contracts", by William Herbert Page. Also available from Amazon: Commercial Contracts: A Practical Guide to Deals, Contracts, Agreements and Promises.
Extrinsic evidence of prior or contemporaneous oral agreements between parties is inadmissible to vary the terms of the written contract which they have entered into;1 and this is true of prior written negotiations.2 Thus, in a land contract, extrinsic evidence changing a corner3 or a boundary,4 of the land contracted for, is inadmissible. So under a written lease extrinsic evidence of an oral covenant not to assign is inadmissible.5 So under a written contract for subscription to corporate stock of a railroad company a prior oral contract that a railroad station will be located next to the property of the subscriber cannot be enforced.6 So under a written contract to make and sell a machine an oral representation that such machine could be put on the market at a certain price cannot be regarded as a term of the contract.7
5 Gordon v. Niemann, 118 N. Y. 152; 23 N. E. 454.
6 Cleckley v. Fidelity Co., 117 Ga. 466; 43 S. E. 725.
7 Samuel M. Lawder & Sons Co. v. Grocer Co., 97 Md. 1; 54 Atl. 634.
1 Anderson v. Wainwright, 67 Ark. 62; 53 S. W. 566; Billiard v. Brewer, 118 Ga. 918; 45 S. E. 711; Hose v. Zinc Co., - Kan. - ; 74 Pac. 625; Rough v. Breitung, 117 Mich. 48; 75 N. W. 147; Coates v. Bacon, 77 Miss. 320; 27 So. 621; Norfolk Beet Sugar Co. v. Berger, 1 Neb. Unofficial Rep. 151; 95 N. W. 336; Te Poel v. Shutt, 57 Neb. 592; 78 N. W. 288; Liverpool, etc., Ins. Co. v. Lumber Co., 11 Okla. 579. 585; 69
Pac. 936, 938; Streator v. Paxton, 201 Pa. St. 135; 50 Atl. 926; Hask-ins v. Dern, 19 Utah 89; 56 Pac. 953; Maupin v. Ins. Co., 53 W. Va. 557; 45 S. E. 1003.
2 Rough v. Breitung, 117 Mich. 48; 75 N. W. 147.
3 Town of Kane v. Farrelly, 192 111. 521; 61 N. E. 648.
4 Weaver v. Stoner, 114 Ga. 165; 39 S. E. 874.
5 Rickard v. Dana, 74 Vt. 74; 52 Atl. 113.
6 Philadelphia, etc., Co. v. Conway, 177 Pa. St. 364; 35 Atl. 716.
7 Macklem v. Fales, 130 Mich. 66; 89 N. W. 581.
 
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