SALE OF ILLUSTRATIVE WORKS. 401 
the loss upon the publication; but when, out of 
these scanty proceeds, eleven other copies are to be 
carefully coloured and then given away, the proceeds 
to set against the first cost would be med. It might 
be reasonably supposed, by any one ignorant of the 
actual state of science in this country, that a work 
which would thus fall, as it were, still-born from the 
press, was either utterly worthless, or at least pos- 
sessed no claim to scientific excellence or beauty of 
execution. But such is by no means the case. The 
author is of established reputation, the scientific 
merit of the work has called forth encomiums in 
British and foreign periodicals, and the beauty of 
the plates excites general admiration. We could 
give other instances of similar works published in 
England sharing the same fate, although, perhaps, 
not so deplorable. Enough, however, has now been 
stated, to show, that, however excellent and lenient 
the tax imposed by the copyright act may be, upon 
the generality of authors; still, that on the description 
of works we are now considering, it is peculiarly 
oppressive: inasmuch as it falls with a threefold 
weight upon those authors who are least able to 
meet the demand, and who receive none of the 
benefits these laws extend to others. It is only 
when a work is eminently successful, and has an ex- 
tensive sale, that piracy need be apprehended, and 
the enactments ‘of the legislature become really 
useful. As for the value of copyright to the authors 
of illustrated works on natural history, it is absolutely 
nothing; for no one, with the least knowledge or 
experience in these matters, would be so inconceiv- 
ably silly as to infringe the laws for the sake of in- 
DD 
