The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-08-23
LONDON LETTER.
LoNpoN, Aug. 2, ls79.

LONDONi aug Z, 1917.
An International Literary Congress re-
Gently held its first sittings in London, and,
with Victor Hugo as its President and
Alfred Tennysou at the head Of the Eng
lish committee appointed to receive the
distinguished foreign visitors, it may be
fairly said that the poetry of the two eoun-
tries was well represented AS in all
gatherings Of this kind, festiyity played
its part; the members Of the Congress were
received at Mansion House banquet and
afterwards the very Shakespearian Mayor
Of Stratford-upon-AVon welcomed them as
his guests. One Of the London clubs
opened its portals to all the members, while
the more distinguished were the objects Of
cordial hospitality at some public and
many private entertainments.
1t is not at all surprising, that the Off
eial language of tho Congress was French,
for no other tongue has acquired such Pc
culiar prominence. English is more wide
ly spread, and Spanish is Of greater com
mercial use 10 South America and the ad-
jacent seas, while Italian has still an iu-
ternational superiority as the interpreter Of
the highest kind Of music. The Courts,
the aristoeracies, the statesmen, and the
cultivated classes in Europe, however, find
French the most convenient common link
II is now what Latin was in the middle
ages, and even down to the beginning of
the eighteenth century. Russians and
Turks, Germans and Spaniards, Italians
anJ SwaJas En.l.sh r,au ~ has II
use Frcnch in diplomatic or social inter
course. 1t is the inevitable second Ian
guage of all who have two. A foolish
Chauyinism has recently induced Prince
Bismark to force German into diplomatic
use and when he grew angry at Versailles
he insisted upon talking it to NJ. Thiers.
Yet, though he may thus impose some ad-
ditional trouble on Foreign Office clerks in
various capitals, he win do nothing to in
duce other nations to displace French from
its international position. Though not the
vehicle Of the best literature Of the world
--ia this respect second both to English and
German-French is the native language
Of the best modern drama and Of the most
highly cultivated literary style.
1t is curious to note that at this Inler-
national Congress, mainly concerned with
copyright" the French delegates, who
were anxious to make arrangements to
secure their rights here, found no author
ised representative of the publishers Of the
United States with whom to carry on ne
gotiations, Tho fact is that they need not
much fear being wronged by reprinting
translation, or adoption on our side the
water. Though citizens Of our Great Re
public travel much and flock to Paris as {
paradise, their ignorance of the Freuol
language is as great as was the Englisl
during the Continental War, when Georgl
III applauded one Of his courtiers for re
iusing to learn French, aud when that Ian
guage was considered Kind of diaIec
natural enough in the manly Britons sis
tiers, but not to be expected from the Brit
on himself. Few French books are re
printed in the United States, and as t
trapslations aud adaptiOus, why shoul
American publishers pay native hands fc
such work when they can ''steal thei
ready made from tho Eugiish Publisher
Thus, il the French authors secure the
rights in England they arc pretty sal
from Transatlantic dcpredations Neve
theless 1t cannot be forgotten that in
Congress professedly International dca
ing with the laws of copyright; the omi
sion Of the United States leaves hing
gap. IL resembles discussion on Med
teranean piracy in the last century wit
studious avoidance Of Algiers. Will
! translation" and adaptation" the tw
evils from which Frenchmen most sufft
occupied the Congress for two days, us
one word is said about reproduction.
The Frenchman finds himself PARTIAL
robbed, his ideas are pifered piecemeal b
the Englishman, but the Englishman
swallowed body and bones by the Amer
can pirate. No TRANSLATION" or aadar
tation' yexes him, he finds that he is cal
tured whole by the enemy and sold for h
profit. The highclass American publish
ers have lately discovered that, as Lor
I Beaconsfeld said in 1869, 'con6scation
contagious" Now, unfortunately for then
some Chicago publishers have taken to r,
producing at a very cheap rate the Englis
books rcpublished in New York. The
are, in fact, 50 lost to patriotism that the
actually treat their own countrymen as the
treat Englishmen, The astonishment an
indignation of the great New York houss
at this conduct is exactly the same as tn;
of Bret Harte's Yankees, who, conspirin
to cheat the "Heatheu Chipee," foun
that he had whole packs Of aces up h
sleeves, aud they now cry out, "Let US a
be honest r much as the hens in Il
stable who, finding themselves worsted
the horses, nobly exclaimed, 1Let us 0
stop kicking"
/, This Is statement from the standpoil
Of English authorship, but it is not mo
than right that we should have some 7
+ prisal for product Of the American bra
|, which England and Europe use in mai
instances, without price or thanks. l !
7 fer TO our mechanical and labor saving /
, yentions
, / u.v.,