1832.] Sonnet. 565 



where open wrong may fail. If a new drama be produced and remain 

 unpublished, and then managers of the metropolitan theatres fail in 

 their attempt to obtain the property of their rival, they immediately pro- 

 duce a counterfeit, a paltry forgery. The Evil Eye (an original drama), 

 was last season played by the English Opera Company. The author, Mr. 

 Peake, was applied to by the proprietor of the Surrey, for permission to 

 represent his drama, it being unpublished. The application was refused, 

 when the Surrey proprietor caused something to be vamped up, and called 

 it The Evil Eye, having taken the principal points from the original piece, 

 and amalgamated them with jargon, foreign to the subject matter. A 

 like contempt of right has recently been displayed by the people of 

 Sadler's Wells, and followed by those of the Surrey. Before the publica- 

 tion of The Rent Day, one of the Well's actors visited Drury Lane 

 Theatre, and having taken notes of the characters and chief situations of 

 the piece, produced his counterfeit at the minor theatres, and subsequently 

 had the audacity to print it. It is high time that such private wrong, and 

 public fraud were put an end to. 



In the Session of 1831, a bill was introduced into the Commons by the 

 Hon. George Lamb, to protect the rights of dramatists. The measure 

 was not prosecuted to a successful issue, in consequence of the sudden 

 dissolution of Parliament. However, the question, we understand, is 

 again to be agitated ; and we call not only on the literary members of the 

 House, to give their earnest support to the bill, but we demand the inter- 

 ference of the legislature to protect property to place the barrier of the 

 law between piracy and private right ; we demand this in the name of 

 justice, and for the cause of the highest and the brightest portion of 

 English literature the English drama. 



Let such a measure be formed, and the theatre will again be the chosen 

 arena for the exercise of the intellect of the country. As the law now 

 stands, the profession of a dramatist, is, of all literary pursuits, the most 

 thorny and unprofitable. He may work a miracle of human wit to delight 

 present and coming generations, and be himself the prey of that profession 

 which his labours tend to exalt : he may, by some fortunate stroke, build 

 a house of gold for the actor, and be himself the Lazarus at its gates. 



D. J. 



SONNET. 



TO MY SISTER WITH A SPRAY OF WHITE FLOWERS. 



NOT that thou needest plume, or gem, or flower, 

 To make thee comely in a brother's eye 

 For these be gauds, whose charms with usage die, 

 Poor rainbow fashions of a passing hour. 

 Sweet Sister, did I choose mine offering now, 

 But that thou mayest not go abroad undecked 

 While one is near to comfort and protect, 

 And grace with simple gift thy modest brow : 



Methinks the hand that wrought these snowy bells, 

 Did for thyself express their bloom contrive, 



For thou art pure as they, nor do the cells . . 

 Of thy warm heart one bitter fancy hive ; 

 Remember him who gave, when thou dost wear 

 These types of thy dear self in thy brown glossy hair. 



