Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-02

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be shall have them good chepe" The differ
eHtatIon between author and publisher
was soon effected. La fact, their
coincidence can never be said to have been
complete unless 1t we're in the early dawn
of literature, when Homer and his fellows
sang their verses to listening crowds for daily
bread Mechanical efficiency and the liter
airy faculty are not often combined, and
writer and publisher soon rscogn Eel their
mutual dependence. But much slower vas
the separation between printer and publisher,
at least as regards political status. The
first conspicuous emergence of the new in
dustry in history occurs with the beginning
of the DEGREES Tor the regulation OF printing.
These DEGREES are often referred 10 - con-
talliog evidence OF very early recogui-
ton Of the tights Of au'ho-s and pub
fishers. Tney do 90 beyond doub', bu,
the protection extended 10 them Is
wholly Incidentsl. The real sd v E-d
purpose Of the DEGREES was ihs msinie-
nance Of orthodoxy and the suppression
of hostile criticism OF The government. 10
1856 the Stslioners Company was organized
by Philip and Mary "for the removal of
great and deIestsbie heresies.h Il consisted
OF ninety-seven members, who alone had the
right 10 exercise the art or mystery" Of
printing. The master and war1eus of the
society were empowered to search, seize and
burn all prohibited books, and 10 imprison
any person exercising the art of printing
without authority. In 1888 every book was
required 10 be licensed, and every person
prohibited from printing anything contrary
TO the spirit or form of any statute or law Of
the realm. The stress laid in this decree
upon the unmistakable intention OF the
former legislation is sufficient proof that the
letter of the law had afforded preteIt for
evasion OF its spirit. Not even the argus
eyed Star Chamber was able even then to
restrain the freedom of the press. Bat
none the less did it bend its energies unre-
mtttingly toward this end during the entire
term Of its existence. The despotic spirit
received a strong impulse from the fsnatical
enthusiasm of Laud, during whose ascend
ancy was passed the notorious decree OF
l6S7-lhe decree of the Star Chamber con-
corning printing. 1t is directed sSainst
Secret priatiDs In corners" "sedltioGs,
schism atical and offensive books, to the scan
Hal OF religion or the Caurch or the govern
ment" More stringent provisions are made
for the licensing of the books-none printed
except such as have been examined By the
Archbishop Of Canterbury, or some other
/ specified d. gnitary. 1t appears that printers
| ers Company, but their number Is limite d
aud they are required to give bond that
"they will net print, or suffer to be printed,
| in their houses or presses, any book
or books, whatsoever, but such a
| shall be lawfully licensed" The Ststiouers
| Company continued paramount, having spe.
| cial privileges which were continued long
| after the abolition OF the Star Chamber, which
occurred in l641. With the expiration Of
| this court expired alec it's oppressive DEGREES
and for time printing and writing enjoyed
| a high carnival of liberty. But Parliament
| was no better prepared TO endure uDre'
strained criticism than had been the govern
| msut of the king, aud the censorship OF the
| press was renewed under the Commonwealth
| with such vigor as TO call forth Milton,
| famous protest. Nor was the case improved
under Charles II. whose licensing act wal
conceived and expressed in the iatolerari
/ spirit eff his predecessors. The licensing ACT
| may be regarded as landmark, contsiniue
the fret emphatic recognition of the rights
Of literary property. Hitherto endeavor'
had been made TO protect those Ia whom The
sole right Of printing 8 book had beer
vested, by "letters patent, or lawful oTdin nct
or authority" Especially was this the ca,
1 on behalf Of the members OF the Stationers
| Company But the clauses bes ing upor
| this point were 90 subordinated Il other pur
| poses that they can be consider ID but it'll,
more than an afterihought. Even in tn,
| act of Charles there is q vasueDess tina
leaves it doubtful whether the privilege o.
property 10 books extended beyond the ptlt
| of the Ststioners' Company. But however
this may be as regards printers or pub
fishers and their right,, it will be seen in al
| these ordinances that the author 10 50 over
Swallowed by the publisher that it lie Difficult
to determine whether he receives any meas
urs OF Justice. However, there is authority
for the statement that "for a century and
half before the reign of Anne an extensive
traffic was carried on ia copyrights, By tn,
members OF the 81 stioners' Company, who 10
vested much capital in buying from authon
/ the right TO publish their works" The ques
i ton of the amount of compensation 10 written
| at this early time is involved 10 obscurity
Most probably it depended wholly on the cir
eumstances of each case receiving little or o,
assistance from customary practice. Ever,
one knows the story OF Milton's parting will
Paradise Lost for e5 10 Samuel Simmons, book
| seller, and the history of literature is full o
like doleful recitsls. The mention of Sam
| uel Simmons, bookseller, recalls the ambi
tious project, etsted al the outset, of bringing
book-making as = contributor to the lates
theory in science. Throughout the previou
account of tbs sufferings of literature at tn
| hands of government, it appears that printe
and publisher are used az interchangeable
terms. Here again the word bookseller j
added to the list of synonyms. The separa
ton of the author ia SO complete that he
almost lost to view, but the other agents ar
still confused, awaiting = more complst
development tending TO higher differentIs
ton. The process had already set in, "
may be sure; but, rs usual, term
remain confused much more inextrics
bly, than the things they represent. Fo
instance, It 10 known that the practice c
| selling secondhand books from stalls date
back 10 the middle ages. This marks
manifest separation of the bookseller i
| some cases, while it is plain that in other
the character is still combined with that {
publisher. Another case of the differentis
ton of booksellers is found in the Gus ON {
setting up book stalls on market days i
| Eoglish provincial towns. "Michael Johr
| son, bookseller at Lich6eld, was in the habi
| of setting up stall for the sale of hi
wares every market day in Uttoxeter. o
one occasion, confined TO bed by indispos
| ten, he requested his son Samuel to visit III
market and attend the stall in his plscS
which he refused to do. How this act c
criminal pride and 6lial disobedience preye
in after years on the mind OF the great Lex
icographer, and how, in his old age, 10 FL
plate this juvenile delinquency, be went L
Uttoxeier on a market day and stood o
the site of his fathers stall for the spsc
OF an hour bare-headed, in the rain
eIposei TO the jeers of the bystanders, ar
| among the most characteristic circumstaDce
narrated in the life OF this extraordinar
man." We have now traced the history c
the publishing business in its political as
pect, and, as far as possible, in its characte
ss 9 trade. We are about to hear what
did for the encouragement or the despair @
authors, always an eloquent and sfsciin
theme. The publishers have suffered in TIL
controversy from inferiority in the gilt OF u,
terapce. 1t must be remembered that thei
ventures in literary Investments we're fraugh
with uncertainty and many dangers. Beside
the perilous duty Of meeting a huctuatin
public taste, was the imperative necessity O
protecting themselves from piracy. To kee
within the bounds of the present subjecI
"When the licensipg act had finally expired
in 1894, and there was no legislative reslric
ton on the piratical printing of books, me-
of letters and booksellers began TO complsi
loudly Of the evils of piracy. In 1908, 10
and 1909, the owners of copies pstitioDei
Parliament for 4 law 10 protect their copy
rights more effectively. Ii was 10 spsHs
10 these appeals that the s Anne, G. 10, be
csme law in 17l0."
April IL, 1883.
DARDANELLE, ARK.-Dr. NJ. NJ. Groom
says: Browns Iron Bitters lie the best medi
cine in the world, and is etfecting miraculou
| curfsD