The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-28 00:00:00

THE BOOKSELLERS AND MR. PANIZZI.

Yesterday, at Bow-street Police-zoart, Mr. Henry
G. Bohn, the bookseller, of York-street, Covent-garden,
attended before Mr. Jardine upon seventeen distinct sum-
monses, obtained at the instance of Antonio Pantizi, and
charging him with having neglected to supply the British
Museum with copies of works, or new editions of works,
published by him.
Mr. Bodkin, who WAS accompanied on the bench by Mr.
Panizzi and Mr. II irding, ono of the solicitors to the British
Museum, conducted the prosecution.
Many readers will remember that not very long ago a
similar series of summons-8, obtained at the instance of
Mr. Panizzi against Mr. Bohn, were heard at this
court, when the defendant complained in energetic terms of
the harsh and disobli,ting spirit with which the rights of
the British Museum under the Copyright Act were enforced
by the complainant. Subsequently Mr. Bohn repeated, in
a letter to Mr. Panizzi, his request that in future an oppor-
tunity might he afforded him of correcting his omissions by
a reminder from the Museum. This request was refused.
Informations were laid at this court, and a subsequent ten-
der of the works was declined as too late. The books in
respect of which the present proceedings were taken were
one volume of Vasari's " Lives of the Painters," Lanzi's
"History of Painting," in three volumes, and Mi-
chelet's "History of the French Psevolution," all in the
well-known Standard Library. It was not denied on the
part of the defendant, that a failure of compliance with
the statute had taken place in respect of the books re-
ferred to.

Mr. Ballantine, who appeared for Mr. Bohn, denounced
the proaedings of Mr. Panizzi, as harsh, vexatious, and
tyrannical. It was clear that these proceedings were taken
in a •indietivo spirit towards Mr. Bohn, because most of the
summonses related to works published by him many years
ago. In the case of " Vasari's Lives," it was shown that
the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and sth volumes of the work were sent
by Mr. Bohn at the time of their publication, in 18.50 ; but
by some oversight the Ist volume was omitted to be sent.
This fact was a striking illustration of the way in which Mr.
Panissi attended to his duties at the British Museum. If

common diligence had been exercised, the discovery that they
possessed the 2nd and remaining volumes, and not the
first, would have been made at the time. But no,
two years passed away, and then Mr. Panizzi, looking for
the means of satisfying his revenge, pounces upon these odd
volumes, and takes out his summons—not heeding the pro-
bable opinion of the world that in so doing he disclosed his
own palpable neglect of duty while ei deavouring to convict
Mr. Bohn. Then why were these rigorous and expensive pro-
ceedings taken for new editions merely of works, a dozen
copies of which were already in the library ? At anyrate,
then, let these proceedings be conducted in a more courteous
spirit. He would undertake to assert that Englishmen
knew how to treat each other, and by no Englishman
would Mr. Bohn have been exposed to the annoyance and
trouble which he had lately had to endure after so many
years of public utility. The publishers of London encoun-
tered no obstacles, and experienced no harshness, in their
intercourse with the other public institutions to which they
were also bound to send their books, because they bad to
deal with men who understood the course of conduct most
agreeable to Englishmen, especially wben.enforcing a law
which operated somewhat harshly upon the trade. It may
be that the act does not require Mr. Panizzi to make a de-
mand ; but all men were liable to errors, and could not
secure themselves against the !aches of servants, and ne
Englishman, in such a case, because armed with this autho-
rity, would wrap himself up in an artificial importaance,
and use it tyrannically. It was persecution, and nothing
else. The trade thought so, and the public thought so;
and in this instance, as in every other, those who persisted in
carrying it on would even'ually be compelled to give way
to the force of public opinion. He wished his worship
would deem it eufficient to meet the justice of this case to
inflict nominal penalties only.
Mr. Bodkin had never heard such a request prefaced by
such a speech. He was not entitled to ask the prosecution
not to press for the full penalties.
Mr. Jardine had no doubt that Mr. Bohn was liable to
the penalties in each ease, but he should consider a nominal
penalty of Is., with the costs, sufficient. He knew Mr.
Bohn as an excellent neighbour, and every one must value
his laboars for the public. He had also known Mr. Petaled
for many years, and did not believe there was anything
really malignant in his heart, whatever may have been in-
ferred by Mr. Bohn from a little brusguerie of manner on
the last °canton. He sincerely trusted that both would go
to work in a better spirit in future ; the one, determiped to
do what the act required of him, without causing ueleces-
eery trouble ; and the other, to carry out the law, not as if
it were like an ordinary penal enactment, but as one
which operated rather unfairly, perhaps, upon a certain
class, and should be enforced with as much anxiety as pos-
sible, to make it lees onerous to those whom it affected.
There were several other cases, which occupied a long
time in discussion. One relating to two volumes of a very
expensive character, 'tamely, Lord Kingsborough's Anti-
quities of Mexico " (published at 121. 12x) It was con-
tended that this work was published 20 years ago, before
the act of Victoria; but it was admitted that only two
copies were printed for the author, one of which was sold
at a public auction.
Mr. Jardine did not consider this a publication.
In five ether cases, the summonses were wit►drawn.
Mr. Bodkin applied for all the expenses, but his worship
only allowed the trod court expenses, which, with the
penalties, amounted in all to 11.1. 16s. dd.

AND CLERICAL

08rOltD, JAN. 27.—1 n a Convocation holden this
morning, the proposed grant of 5001. from the University
chest towards the Wellington subscription for educational
purposes, met with a strong opposition, on two grounds.
1. The shortness of the notice (the paper announcing it was
only sent to the common rooms on Tuesday). 2. The desi-
rability of applying the money somewhat differently. It
was suggested that the 5001. should form the nucleus of a
general University subscription, for the purpose of found-
ing scholarships at Oxford to be held by boys from the
Wellington School, instead of being given directly towards
the founding of that establishment. After the Rev. G.
Rawlinum, M.A., of Exeter College, had addressed the
house, against the proposed grant, the proctors took the
votes, and the grant, as it was first proposed, was carried by
a majority of 3, there being " plauts " 25, "non-
planets," 22.
In a Congregation holden immediately afterwards the
following degrees were confened, viz.: Doctor of Civil
Law—Thomas Sier, Queen's College, Grand Compounder.
Muter of Arts—Abel Humphrey Lea, Worcester College,
Grand Compounder; Charles William Bosse, Fellow,
Charles Edmund Crawley, Exeter College ; Thomas Oil-
dart Golightly, Rev. Henry Meynell, Brasenose College;
Edmund Yates Peel, Rev. William I'. S. Bingham, Rev.
Arthur Mansfield, Rev. Richard Lewin Pennell, Henry
Parry Liddon, Student, Christ Church ; William G. H. Y.
Roe, Charles Frederick Bode, Pembroke College ; Edward
James Bolling, University College. Bachelor of Arts—
John Fitzgerald, University College ; Richard Frederick
Johnstone, Exeter College ; Henry Haines Crueknell.
Scholar, Oriel College ; William Sargent, Exhibitioner,
Queen's College ; Arthur Henry Faber, Fellow of New
College; James Madan Holt, Christ Church ; John Samuel
Sidebotham, Lincoln College, Grand Compounder ; Walter
George Wilkinson, Sidney James Owen, Arthur Scrivener,
Worcester College; Browne 11. E. Roberts, St. Mary
Hall.

The Rev. Wm. Ayent, M.A., to the Perpetual Curacy
of Egerton (vacant by the death of the Rev. Rowel Jona);
by the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, patrons ; and the
Rev. Samuel Clifford, M.A., has been presented by the
Archdeacon of Canterbury to the Vicarage of Tenham, va-
cant by resignation, both in the county of Kent and diocese
of Canterbury.

DR. LATARD, M.P. for Aylesbury, the author of
"Nineveh, and its Remains," &c., delivered a lecture
before the members of the Leeds Mechanics' Institution, on
Wednesday night. The subject of his lecture was his dis-
covenei in Nineveh. The Music-Hall was engaged for the
occasion, and was densely crowded. The lecture was of a
highly interesting character
EMIGRATION FROM SOUTITAMPTON.—An emigrant
ship named the Emigrant left Southampton yesterday for
Port Philip, with above 200 passengers. The Calliope, a
government emigrant ship, is expected to leave Southamp-
ton for Port Philip, filled with passengers, to-morrow.