The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-26 00:00:00

prospect of fruition to those germs of improvement
in regard to the question of international copyright,
which were nurtured in the first instance by these
two distinguished men of lette rs. After the lapse of
so many years of what seemed to be merely una-
vailing regret, the fact referred to must prove emi-
nently agreeable to Sir THOMAS Noos TAL-
YOURD, Knt., now that he has not only
been endowed with the bay but with the
ermine : nor will the intelligence prove, we are satisfied,
less acceptable to Sir EDWARD BULWER LYTTON,
Bart., now that an author unsurpassed in popularity
has been numbered amongst the ranks of the landed
aristocracy of England. Elsewhere will be found
published in our columns, the most important articles
contained in the Literary Treaty about to be ratified
between the French and the British Governments.
From that document it will be perceived that there
is everything promised which can at all
tend to the advantage, not only of the au-
thors and artists of the two countries, but to
their dramatists, in like manner, to their musical com-
posers and their publishers. So comprehensive, in-
deed, is the nature of the aid about to be extended by
these powers to the important classes above enume-
rated, that in the very first article of the treaty we
find particularized as the objects of the proposed
change, books, dramatic works, musical compositions,.
drawings, paintings, sculptures, engravings, and
lithographs, with every other conceivable production,
whether of the fine arts or of, literature. Surely
the project, therefore, which we are here commend-
ing to general admiration, is in no respect exclusive,
or narrowed to an inadequate circumference. It em-
braces within its ample range every intellectual crea-
tion entitled to such assistance.

Oace carried into operation, the artists and the
literati of the two greatest countries in Europe will
be endowed with rights and privileges singularly
calculated to forward the cause of their reciprocal
advancement. We shall then see an end of that de-
testable system of piracy which on either side of the
Channel has tended to rob these cultivators
of taste and of knowledge of the pecuniary benefits to
which, of all men, they are of course the most indubi-
tably entitled. Thenceforth no spurious editions of
the popular writers of France will be foisted upon the
English community, to the author's injury both in
pocket and reputation. Thenceforth no cheap tran-
scripts from the most remarkable effusions of our own
men of letters will be disseminated among our neigh-
bours in a manner equally detrimental to the victims
of this nefarious scheme of plunder. Translations,
moreover, will, under the shield of this humane
treaty, become more satisfactorily authenticated.
BEEAZGER will scatter his " Songs" among the
homesteads of Albion, and MOORE his Chansons among
the cottages of Normandy, without witnessing the
golden results of their lyrical genius tinkling into the
hands only of the deliberate and remorseless pilferer.
.lIACAULAY's Histoire d'Angleterre and LAMARTINE'S
" History of the Restoration ;" DICKENS'S Vie de
Copperfield, and HuGo's " Last Days of a Con-
demned" will tend alike to secure to their respective
authors a remuneration in some instances scarcely in-
ferior to that obtained on the occasion of their original
appearance.

From the second article in the Treaty it will be
seen that the protection granted to works in the
language of their writers will in like manner be ex-
tended equally to translations. This protection,
however, is only granted under certain restrictions
or provisoes. It will confer a right of translation
upon the first translator of a work, only upon
particular conditions. What those conditions
are may be very readily explained. "The author
of any work" (says the third article of the
Treaty) " published in one of the two countries, who
shall have declared his intention of reserving his right
of translation, shall, from the day of the first publi-
cation of the translation of his work, authorised by
him, enjoy during five years the privilege of protec-
tion against the publication of any translation of the
same work unauthorised by him, in the other coun-
try, and this on the following conditions :-Ist. The
original work shall be registered and deposited in one
of the two countries within a period of three months
from the day of the first publication in the other
country. 2dly. The author must have declared his
intention of reserving to himself the right of
translation on the title-page of his work. adly.
At least a part of the said authorised translation
must have appeared within a year of the
date of registration and deposit of the original ; and
the whole of it must have appeared within the space
of three years from the date of the said deposit.
4'Lly. The translation must have been published in
one of the two countries, and be registered and depo-
sited as directed in Art. 8. As regards works pub-
lished in parts, it is sufficient that the declaration by
which the author reserves his right of translation be
expressed in the first port. Nevertheless, in so far
as regards the period of five years assigned by this
article to the author for the exercise of his privilege
of translation, every part shall be considered a new
work ; each shall be registered and deposited in one
of the two countries within three months from the
day of its first publication in the other." The ar •
rangemeet here projected is sufficiently important
of its kind to warrant us in making the above
lengthened quotation. With reference, again, to the
protection extended to dramatic productions, it is as
well to observe that it is determined by the fourth
article of the Treaty, that " in order to have a right
to legal protection, in so far as regards the translation
of a dramatic work, the author must publish his
translation and deposit of the original work. It is
understood that the protection stipulated by the pre.
sent article is not intended to prohibit binei fide
iwi-
tstion or the adaptation of dramatic works to the
respective theatres of France or England respectively;
but only to prevent printed translations." Such are
the more remarkable features in the interesting docu-
ment referred to, a document realizing, in regard to
France at least, some of the aspirations most ear-
nestly cherished by those who have long been pecu-
liarly interested in furthering the cause both of Art
and of Literature.

Mr. RAMSFIAY has been removed from his office as
Judge of the County Court of Liverpool, by order of
the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Such is
the decision of the Earl of CARLISLE on the memorial
presented to him from Liverpool, after the pro-
tracted and dispassionate inquiry recently held at
Preston respecting the accuracy of the allegations
contained therein. We can easily conceive the deep
pain with which that amiable and accomplished
nobleman arrived at the conclusion that he
could not, in the conscientious discharge of
his public duty, permit Mr. RAMSHAY to retain
the situation to which he had been appointed
by Lord CARLISLE himself within a comparatively
recent period. It would be at best a disagreeable
task to pass such a sentence on any educated gentle-
man, but doubly so when the party was a personal
friend, whose family had rendered long and faithful
services to that of the Noble Earl.

No alternative, however, remained. The charges
actually established proved beyond the possibility of
doubt that Mr. Itemsnar was not fitted for the dis-
charge of the important and arduous avocations of
his office. We are willing to believe that his unfit-
ness was produced by ill health, under which the
Learned Gentleman has been suffering for a consider-
able period, which materially increased his natural
irritability, and deprived him of the imperturbable
patience so essential to the due performance of the
judicial functions, more especially in the local tri-
bunals, where, from the absence of duly qualified
advocates, it is subjected to the most stringent tests
almost daily.

Had there been a bar in constant attendance in
the County Court of Liverpool, it is scarcely possible
that Mr. RAMSHAT would have given Way to such
ebullitions of ill temper as those in which, unfortu-
nately for himself, he occasionally indulged. There
was no check, no restraint sufficient to keep him
within bounds. The occasional attendance of a bar-
rister, who only awaited the disposal of an isolated
case in which he was retained, and wbich was brought
ou at the earliest possible opportunity to suit his con-
venience, could have no permanent effect. The
judge literally found himself " monarch of all he
surveyed." He did not see before him, at all times,
an independent and manly body of gentlemen, who
ows
erol
fuulldd
undue assumption
fearlesslya‘ipseurmb
perhaps,
nexposein of
tanyhe power.dce arseel dereliction of Liverpool,
n found him-
self duty
it may be more correct to say supposed himself—at