176 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the sale of your books is stated to be enormous, it gives jou protection, 

 and a greater remuneration for your books in America ; would it not 

 be unfair in that case that we, having done this for j'ou, should as the 

 British public be exposed to having a dear edition of your books here, 

 and a cheap edition in America ? 



A. I would much rather that you did not interfere with us at all. 

 I am now speaking of you as legislators. I would rather that you 

 should not afford especial protection, but should consider books as 

 property like any other property, and not meddle with us in future. 



Q. We cannot take that course, because foreigners do interfere 

 with you. 



A. And in my opinion they will continue to interfere. I know 

 something about the United States, and their mode of doing business 

 in books in that country, and my own belief is that the expectation 

 that the Americans will ever listen to any proposal of English copy- 

 right is chimerical ; their system of doing business is quite opposed to 

 it. I do not think that this prospective boon which you offer us is like- 

 ly to have any great value. 



Q. As a matter of author's amour propre, would it not be far more 

 satisfactory to you if your books were possessed by a very great many 

 households in this country rather than being hired from a circulating 

 library ? 



A. I do not care much about it ; if I have half a dozen careful read- 

 ers, I would rather have them than all the rest of the world put together. 



Q. If you got more pay than you do now from having your books 

 sold at a cheaper rate, you would be satisfied with that ? 



A. I sliould like to get the more pay in my own fashion, and to 

 deal with it like any other business. I do not want anybody else to 

 help me to get more pay ; if you let me deal with my own property in 

 my own fashion, I am quite happy, and I do not thank anybody who 

 interferes. 



Sir H. Holland. From your knowledge of American dealing, do 

 you think it at all probable that the Americans would be inclined to 

 make a convention upon the understanding that the book for which 

 copyright is granted is to be published and printed in America ? 



A. I have never heard that question discussed. 



Chairman. Several questions have been asked upon the general 

 aspect of copyright. Coming more to the details of the question, 

 might I ask you what in your opinion would be the effect of the abro- 

 gation of or a considerable diminution in the terms of copyright upon 

 works the production of which requires time and research, and perhaps 

 costly illustrations ? 



A. My impression is, that it would be altogether fatal to the pro- 

 duction of works of that kind. I think it will be obvious that such 

 must be the case ; and I can speak the more strongly here, because 

 works of that kind are those with which I am familiar. I will take the 



