The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-15 00:00:00

INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.

The Telegraph, referring to the paper sent by
Mr. Anthony Trollope to the Social Science Con-
gress, says if America is anxious to build up a
native literature, she would do well to remember
her literary workmen more highly than has been
her wont ; but, in order to give them an adequate
return for their services, she must protect their in-
terests in England, and hence she must also protect
the interest of British authors within her own
boundaries. Such an expedient, one is told, is rank
protectionism. If literature cannot flourish without
artificial support, it must be content not to flourish
at all. That argument goes to the root of the sub-
ject, and the Telegraph answers it by a point-blank i
denial of the statement on which it rests. There s
neither protectionism nor artificiality in the irititegr;
By all means let us have free trade in ezygzeoin_
but there is no necessity that it shouldi
ad
stocked
panied by theft. A boctmaker
reasonable
his shop by the inexpensive processwolif:sr
supply the public with his waresaornraig
ned before a
terms indeed ; but if he were
r robbery would be
court of law, we doubt whettreade. Now, it is just
tycaling could
recognised as a part of
as clearly a theft to take f
his
permission, the fruits braininsana'swtiltiheoluatbolu'irs
of his hands.
ownership over the bboadi.
A person
okflri
ifaevrsef:tfisienahmhuec much rightrts as to
overfull
Ifficillt to see why forty-two
The Post says is
years should precisely satisfy the just claims,,of an
the house which
;ht.e
author to the produce of his brain. If " justice
t
"---to use Mr. Trollope's words---,4 can
demand
than this, it would certainly be
author "
as well if it were demonstrated why it can demand
the
no more
as much. However, there is a tendency in human
nature to accept usage and custom, and indeed any
arrangement settled by Act of Parliament, as being
much the same thing in point of authority as the
cosmical laws. As to the international •
copyright
with America, happy will be the day for
authors
and publishers on both sides when the Atlantic
cable
flashes the intelligence that such a convention
has been ratified.

The Standard shares Mr. Trollope's astonishment
at the continued willingness of an intelligent and
wealthy people to lie under the reproach of thus
gratifying their literary,tastes by poaching on their
neighbours' preserves. Even if they had nothing
to give iu rettinl theii policy would be au unworthy

S
and a questionable one ; but, as all the world!
knows, America has already furnished some worthy
contributions to universal literature. Storey, Kent,
and Wheaton are respectfully cited, and are re-
ceived as authorities by English lawyers. The
poems of Longfellow, Briant, and Edgar Allan Poe
are as household words among us. Fenimore
Cooper's novels are read, though nearly a generation
has passed away since they first appeared. Mrs.
Beecher Stowe fairly took us by storm when stie
published " Uncle Tom's Cabin ; " while the
histories of Prescott, Bancroft, and Motley arc,#a,ld
will long remain, standard works, without which
no library can be called complete. It is to be hoped
that English authors will continue to agitate the
question, and will so agitate it that before long we
may see America added to the number of States
with whom a convention has been concluded under
the powers which our Legislature has already placed
at the disposal of the Executive.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.-
Mr. CIIAPNIAN, of flit: White that, Acton, Middle-
sex, begs to ii,form I.is friendloa,nl ird4hbours that the
Lat,st Edition of " The Sun" can be seen at his house aS
above.