The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-19 00:00:00

LITERARY COPYRIGHT.

Let all authors rejoice. The Colonial Copyright
Act, which gave them the hope of receiving remu-
neration for the sale of their works in the British
dependencies, has at last begun to work. Such is the
power of English genius that the people of
Newfoundland could not do without the works

of English authors, even though they • had'
to pay for them. And so we have the
authority of the Times itself for announcing that
" the Newfoundland authorities have transmitted to
the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury
the sum of fourpence (the Times prefers
to write it in full) on behalf of British
authors, this sum having been received under the
provisions of the Colonial -Copyright Act 10th and
11th Victoria, cap. 95, for the preceding year." Who
is the happy man ? When he gets his money we can
imagine how he will express the thanks of an
overflowing heart, by blessing the country which is
so just in its dealings with its inhabitants. The fact,
however, is, that the Colonial Copyright Act has
proved a total failure.
THE DIOCESE OF EXETER.

" A Country Vicar near Honiton " calls attention
to the state of the western dioceses of England, which
we have more than once commented on. Writing
to the Daily .21rews, he says that from Middlesex to the
Land's End there is barely one bishop capable of
fulfilling his duties. This of course is an exaggera-
tion, since Oxford and Gloucester and Bristol inter-
pose between the two points. Still the main facts
are true. Salisbury both in body and mind is
prostrate, Bath and Wells is quite inefficient, Win-
chester has had a severe stroke of paralysis. Exeter
is over 90 years of age, and for the last twelve has
ceased to discharge the duties of visitations and con-
firmations. These have been handed over entirely
to colonial bishops, and his son, the chancellor
of the diocese, has represented his father at
the different visitations. A large body of the clergy
have never seen the bishop, and very few during his
long episcopate have ever partaken of his hospitality,
though that is one of the duties specially enjoined
upon bishops in Scripture. The writer goes on to
complain that the bishop resides at a most incon-
venient place, in a palace on which a large sum of
money has been expended, that it is very difficult to
find out his present state of mind, and that his
grandson, a very young man, seems to have the sole
management of the diocese. The writer calls upon
the Archbishop of Canterbury and the House of
Lords to say how much longer the present state of
things is to continue.
THE ANGLO-CONTINENTAL SOCIETY.
The annual meeting of the Anglo-Continental
Society has been held at Willis's Booms. The
Bishop of Ely opened the proceedings, and regretted
that at the present time Christendom should be
divided in every possible way. Infidelity could
never be driven back while so much die_
union prevailed. Protestantism did not exercise
a very active influence abroad, and the
increasing dissensions at home were most discourag-
ing. The Earl of Carnarvon moved a resolution to
the effect that the Church of England has duties to-
wards all the branches of the Church Catholic. His
lordship said that they must guard against a
greater danger than had ever before hung
over Christendom, which was Infidelity, and to
counteract its evil tendency ~they should all work
together in faith and unity. This resolution wne
carried, and another passed, respecting the duties of
the members of the Church of England towards
foreign Christians. The Bev. J. Mercwether gave
some very interesting results of his experience abroad
as chaplain at Venice,. and explained the purpose of
the labours of the Society in foreign lands.