The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-06-23 00:00:00

COPY-RIGHT.

Mr. Vti.r.tens moved the Order of the Day for
the committal of the Copy-Right Bill ; when, on
the question being put from the Chair,
Mr. W. 1V INN e. said, that he had no objection
to the Bill being sent into a Committee, under the
understandrog t'nat it should be for the purpose of
tilling up the blanks, and that further time should
be :Monied both to the House and to the parties
concerned, to judge how far their interests were con-
cerned. lie thought the time ought to be extend-
ed within which the copy-right should Le pre.
served to the author. This time he was of opinion
ought to be twenty-eight years, and also that no
author should he allowed to dispose of his copy-
right for a period mo-e extended than fourteen
years. The feeling and conviction of some of the
most respectable booksellers were strongly against
it, and lie hail to expect .that a Petition would be,
in the course of that evening, presented against it.
He therefore put it to the Honourable Mover, ohs--
tiler it was not most advisable to let the Hill stamil
°yea until next session ?
Mr. VILLIERS replied, that the principle of the
Bill was lot new, as the Universities were already
entitled to copies Mall books that should he ',ob-
it:bed, and particulat Iv w: ,en the taterests °relearning
were so much served, by affording on oppor-
tunity to students to profit by those books, from
which, under other circumstances, they would he
debirred. Copy-rights acre ut present protected
to the extent of twenty-eight years, but the etV-ct
of that protection was, that in those laborious
works which required great mental industry, it was
impossible that the author of such works couldi
derive onv-half of the benefit, which, by the opera-
tion of the existing laws, was granted to the authors
of lighter and more inconsiderable productions.
Mr. Aseacaostete supported the propriety of
postponement, in order to give time to the Book-
idlers of Scotland and of Ireland, whose interests
were affected by this Bill; and who, if the Bill was
now persisted iii, had it not in their power to state
to that House their objections.
The House then resolved itself into a Commit-.
tee, the blanks were filled up, and a clause in-
troduced to extend the proposed measure to•
Oriental works. After which the House resumed,'
and the report was immediately received.
The ATTUILNF.Y.GENRRAL then proposed, that
the Bill lie recommitted, and an instruction Le
given to the CoMmittee to divide the Bill, in order
that the part which gave protection to the author,
might be now poised, and the other part should
Le reserved for future consideration ; although
he could not allow the great weight of the objec-
tion made against giving the public libraries a
certain number of copies. This grant was no
more than what was authorised by the 9th of Anne,
in return for the benefit authors derived by the
protection which they received by the seine Act.
Mr. W. WYNNR repeated his objections to the
Bill, and concluded by moving, "That the fur-
ther consideration of the Report be postponed un-
til that day three months."
Lord HENRY PETTY agreed in the proposition
of the Attorney-General. He considered taking
the life of the author as the criterion for the dura-
tion of the copy-right, a most fallacious one, and
deserving of the most serious consideration ; he
therefore felt the propriety of separating the two
objects of the Bill, and reserving the eonsidera-
bon of the most delicate part until next Session.
Sir SAMUEL HOMILLT thought that part or
the Bill which was imperative on the authors to
give certain copies to the public libraries, the
most exceptionable pert of the Bill, inasmuch as
it operated as a tax upon individuals, to defray that
expense which ought to he paid by the public.—
There were cases where the authors were not
solicitous for copy-right, and he therefore conceiv-
ed, if this measure was to proceed, that an option
might to he allowed them to disclaim it, and to
exonerate themselves from any enactment enjoin-
ing the delivery of copies to the public libraries.
he SoLiceron-fiusie;nst, argued in favour of
the Bill, and of the propriety of passing both parts
of it, without any separatiou of its objects.
Mr. STEPHEN considered it impossible to se-
parate the Bill, at the rime time that the Home
arteoded to the copy-right interest of the author.
He, however, thought, that the author reaped a
very great advantage by having his work entered in
the libraries of the Universities. It operated • to
exercise its character, and give it a publicity which
it might not enjoy without it. It was decided by
the- opinion of the Judges, that at Common 1.A..1
authors had as an ualimited a eight to literary pro-
perty as any other persons in the estuary had to
any other deseriptiou of property.
Mr. VILLIERS with reluctance agreed to the se.

paration of the objects of the reseal Bill. At
the same time he gave notice. that he iruti
early in the next Seaxion, mote for le,tve to bri
in a Bill to an effect aitoilar to that wiocii
now to lie divided.

The Bill Will then recommitted, and as instrur-
tion given to separate tht. oljects of the bill.
Mr. 1V m. Soul' protested against the further
progress of the Bill. He enumerated the variuLi
objections against it M' most perspicuou.
and dwelt with peculiar stress upon the inap.o.
priety of pressing the measure, at so short • notire.
on the respectable class of persons whose interests
were se materially affected by the proposed Bill.
A short discussion then took place in the Coro.
mittee, and strangers were about to witledra,,
when Mr. %Vie. Saturtt declined to press the sub.
ject to a division.
The ArroaNEY-Gstnam. then deaurrtl, upou
consideration, that he was induced to change his
view of the subject, and thought it better that the
Bill should proceed without separation, because it
was most desirable that the burden imposed slwuld
go band in hand with the enactment from shalt
the benefit was derived. He, therefore, roped,
that the amendment of his Hon. and L. allied
Friend (Sir S.. Romilly) would liberate the till
from the only strong abjection.
Mr. Moans. did not conceive that the booksellers
were at all affected by the Bill. If there wee any
person agrieved, it was the author, and he had also
a compensatory benefit by the snipe measure.
The Howse resumed, for the purpose of receivisi a *fet-
us. from the Lards, to the following ding—. Than their
Lerdehipo had agreed to the Irish Malt Luty Bill, Wolk
Drawback rill, Premirroryo'iote Limitation Bill, Pear Cap.
tine Bill, the Chatham Li Bill, LoadorniiTry Improve-
ment Bill, Eoglisl, Local MlliCo Bib, with serval stated.
masts, sod the ScuicL Tairies CM."

Tile ATTORWEE-GaNLItAI. moved the recommit-
tal of the Copy-right Bill. In the Committee, be
moved, a, an amendment, " That the providing of
copies to public libraries be dispensed uith, should
the author decline to claim his copy-right under
the prcaentor former acts, by an express declara-
tion to that effect ia the title-page of the work,"
which was agreed to.
Mr. ABERCROMBIE contended, that as the au-
thor of any work would acquire more from the p.
trouage of the public, by making the cops-right
extend to a period of only twenty years, than he
could from the trifling pecuniary emoluoseat he
must derive from selling his copy-right to book-
sellers, though of u longer emitimianue, he there-
fore moved, •• That the blank be filled up by tlie
eo ingeod of

This wits styperted by Mr. Wt. tttil e, who re-
onnuended eidtodisettasiou suJ eo.isideratiun upon
the merits of the present Hill. It was e- trernely
dangerous to 'unite any itiaoviiti,lll4 on the literary
rights of iiitliwidtuils and the public, especially in
the hasty manner io which tile Intl had berm in-
tern; ted, in late in the session. to he hurried throe 411
the Horse. In these obji:etiolis lee was sspported
by Sir A. ['if:GOTT Yik(l Mt. W 11.1.11411 %ITU.

Mr. LYSTER, Mr. Mott.t% and the ATTONNFY.
GENERAL. IS opported ilw Originally is.
tended to extend to a period of twiestprit4lit 3 ears.
Mr. WYNNE renewed hi, nhjections to the SWUM.
her of copies which the. Act required shent‘d be
furnet.ll,d to pnhhc libraries, and hoped the EU
would at least be re-committed.

This wile resist. by the Areoaure-Grasrsaar.
and Mr. Puurusa ; hid after a few wordelii ex-
planation by Mr. SNIITII and the SPFAKER, a
clause was introduced to permit the cosies fur-
nished to the said libraries. to he printed on the
usual sort of paper on which the largest edifices
shall he printed, is order to lessen the expense to
the proprietor.
• Alter a desultory conversation for rome time, is
which Mr. S. brcastssot.c, Mr. BURTON, Mr. S.
Boy WN a, Lord H. PETTY, and others, took a part,
this incendment was :treed to. Several other
amendments and omissions were made in the Colas
mittee. The report was then brought up and re-
ceived, the Bill ordered to be printed, and the fur-
ther consideration of the Bill fixed for I tit!ay
neat.