The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-01 00:00:00

LITERATURE, ART, d:c.

We have before us, by the kindness of a friend,
a very curious blue book in English literature, a
folio volume of some two hundred pages, containing
the names of existing proprietors of some of the
most remarkable copyrights in English literature.
It is, of course, incomplete, and in some points, we
suspect, inaccurate ; but what it professes to give
it gives—a list of works in respect to which notice
has been given to the Commissioners of her Ma-
jesty's Customs that a copyright exists, and that
the introduction of pirated copies from abroad must
be prohibited under an act of the present reign by
the officers of her Majesty's Customs. It is, at least,
a list of notices given by publishers ; though Mr.
Moxon, strange to say, has not attended to his
own property and to the property of his authors.
The name of Mr. Tennyson, for instance, is not to
be faind throughout the folio. -
This Custom House blue book dispels msny po-
pular beliefs current in society. Thus the often-
repeated story that Lord Macaulay had sold his
Whig history to the Messrs. Longman for an an-
nuity is to be upset by the Custom-house fact that
the old List srian is the proprietor of his own copy-
right. We could mention other expressed opinions
that will not sand the test of the book before us.
These, however, we shall not at present seek to dis-
place, but shall content ourselves with mentioning
the more remarkable revelation to be gathered
from a careful perusal of this guide for Custom-
house officers at the seaports of England, Ire-
land, Scotland, the I.le of Man, and Berwick-
upon-Tweed. Thus, though Lord Macaulay posse-_,ses
the copyright of his "History," he is not by the
return made from the Row the proprietor of his
"Essays" and his "Lays." The Messrs. Long-
man own the " Essays" and the " Lays." Mr.
Murray is the proprietor of Lord Mahon's " His-
tory of England." Lord Campbell has kept his
" Lives of the Chief Justices," but has sild his
"Lives of the Lord Chancellors." The Messrs.
Blackwood are the fortunate proprietors of Sir
Archibald Alison's History. Mr. Hallam retains
his own copyrights. Mr. Carlyle is the owner of
the " French Revolution ;" but Messrs. Chapman
and Hall are the proprietors of " Cromwell's
Spot ches." Mr. Dickens has a share in every one
of his works; but has only one copyright in his own
hands—" Oliver Twist"—bought back from Mr.
Bentley for, we believe, five times the sum Mr.
Bentley gave first. Mr. Thackeray is a first share-
holder with Bradbury and Evans in " Vanity
Fair" nr.cl " Pendennis," and joint shareholder
with Smith and Elder in his "History of Henry
Esmond." Eir W. Napier's " History of the Penin-
fsular Vat" is part the author's and part the pro-
pc-soy of Messrs. Boone. Mr. Borrow holds " The
Bible in Spain," but has sild " Lavengro." Mr.
Cunningham is the propretor of 11;s "Handbook i
of London," and Mr. Ford has sold his " Hand-
bsok of Spain" to the Tonsois of Albemarle-strest.
Dr. William Smith has not a single shahs in any of
his admirable Dictionaries. Bradbury and Evans
possess the copyright of Mr. Forster's "Life and
Adventures of Oliver Goldsm th." Dr. Lsyard is
the proprietor of his three books about Nineveh.
Mr. Ruskin holds all his own copyrights but
oue—" The Seven Lamps of Architecture,"
and that is the property of Smith and Elder.
Mrs. Jameson possesses her " Legends of the
Madonna," and her "Legends- of the Monastic
Orders." Mr. Warren has no pecuniary interest in
his " Ten Thousand a Year," or his " Diary of a
Lite Physician." Aytoun has sold his " Lays "
and Barry Cornwall retains a half share in his
"Songs." Sir Bulwer Lytton's copyrights we
cannot understand.—Sunday paper.