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    IJ ' ~m—-—- ^^^^^^ g 866 The Publishers'...

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    MR. JAMES PAYN AND HIS AMERICAN

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    COPYRIGHT IN TITLES. To the Editor of th...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    The Incorporated Society Of Authors.

    " first ^ entitled ¦^^ P . ^^ P' w ^ P ^ ^ P ^ time ^^ VPP 1 PPP . PB ^ PP ^ P ^^ The ^ in PPP ^^ PVP ^ PJ the ^ P ^ ^ PPT Author PPV ^^ p * month ^ PP" ^ PPP ^ ^^^ ^^^^^ v , ^^ " ™ ^^* which of ™ »^» May - ~~ ~~ ^^ appeared m , ^ m and ~ - — publi ^ »~ for — sh e — d

    its second number in June . It constituted a record and discussion of everything which concerned fcapt the profession ¦¦ iB # of letters pt pt and ¦ ¦ pj - —— was

    also ^^ ^^ pfpV ^^^ ^^ de affe ^^ si ^ gned ^^ ^ pT « fep » ^^ to ^^ ¦ pp ^ ' ¦» ^ be ^ ^ ^^ nrp a «^ ip medium * wv v - ^ * pb > ^ b ^ < w b ^ y p ^ , * whi ¦ PP J Pk ch th « p — » e members of the Society could obtain counsel

    ^ v ^ ppp ^ p ^ p ^ pppipjvppf w ^^ ^ p ^ p ^^^ »^ pf ^^^ ™^ pi ^^ ^^^^^» ^^ " ^ ^ ^^^ ^™^ ^^ ^^ ^ " ^ p / ^^ — — — — and aid in their proceedings in connection with publishing ¦¦—• . In the production of this

    V » ^ PP- ~^ P <^ P «^ PV PV ¦ " ^^ ¦ ¦ i i ¦ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ I— — —^ — — — journal , as in so many other respects , the Society had received the most valuable

    assistance of Mr . Walter Besant . It was well known that the Society in its corporate capacity could lay claim to a representative

    character , and embraced among its members men who PT PBPB were foremost v- » r in literature - ™~ - ~» - science - - ~ - - ^^™^^^^^ pi ^ PPT ^ V ^ pp pr ~^^ ¦ » ^ pp * pppF ° " ^ pp- ^^ W *^^~ ^^^ *^ " ~ ™^^^^^^^» — ^^ v ¦ ¦ ¦ — ¦ ^¦ ' ^^— ^^ —¦ — ^ — — , ^ p — — — — — , ~ j

    and art . Literary property was no inconsiderable element in the wealth of a nation

    and the duty of the Society was to safeguard , and defend that property . Accordingly , one

    subject to which the Society had devoted considerable — — — — — — _ attention — _ . _ — — _ . _ was that . _ of copyrig t ^ ht , jand

    another was the relations of writers and publishers with each other . The Society concerned itself in the establishment of equitable

    principles in those relations and in elevating the standard of practice in that respect . He fully recognised that publishers in their

    relav O JL tions with authors showed not only integrity , but in some cases generosity c ? % i . On the

    other hand , it was undeniable that many authors were incapable of appreciating the merits of a __ bargain C ? proposed XX to them by a

    trained man of business . It should be remembered that the Society did as much justice to the author if it pointed out that the

    agreement suggested by a publisher was a fair and reasonable one as if it had discovered any flaw

    in that agreement to the disadvantage of the author . Then there was the great question of copyri t . < t —o g— ht . The international — convention of

    June 1886 gave this country power to make satisfactory arrangements with foreign countries . A Committee of the Society , of

    which Sir F . Pollock was chairman , was considering this question and that of domestic copyright in our own country . They regretted

    X * l O V «/ <_ J that the proposed convention between this country and the United States had been rejected by a majority of 126 votes against 98 ;

    « j »/ O v CJ / but there were American publishers , of whom Mr . George Putnam was one , who were fully

    alive to the just claims of British authors . Sir F . Pollockin respondingsaid that in the

    question of copyri , ght , so far as , relations with the United States were concerned , he was

    bound to say that literary men in the States were more alive to the justice of our claims than some of our own colonies . We must

    have patience , and the States would in time recognise the rights of British authors . In

    the Dominion of Canada , a Bill had been passed which would have reduced the rights of English authors to an illusory quantity , but

    the Royal assent had been withheld , and to that and other work of a like kind the efforts of ¦ the Mr - . Society Alfred j - had Austin - w been - --- vi proposed - gorousl - *¦ y ' directed Literature .

    __ _ _ — — __ —J - — - ~ ~ ~ — — - , g what Science he and calle Art d barb , ' comparing arism int o lite irruption rature in of the present day to the irruption of the

    barb destroy arians "^ ing into had the pe rp Roman ^ etua ^^^ ted Empire it . , who in Wk M T ^ tTpTp . •¦ .

    Erichsen Professor and J . Professor W . Hales , Professor Eric acknowled , ged the toastafter W . M which . Conwav Pro

    f essor ^\ « M *« p ) . *¦»• . *» ! Michael ¦ A s ^^ Lp & ** . « p . 1 Foster Em . ¦* . _ J _ _ . _^ . proposed — . —^ , _ . . ^ * The mi Guests . « .. ' . tto u which wiuun jyj Mr . r . H n . . vjfiizean Gilzean Reid neia . Prft President Rid . w

    H of . the Putnam Institute , and of Herr Journalists Brand , ; Mr for . Geo the German Society of Authors , replied . th « + nw

    of Oscar ' The Wilde Chairman , ?^ ' being » proposed ^^ y — b ^^ y ^ Mr ^^ pJBlJ m .

    Ij ' ~M—-—- ^^^^^^ G 866 The Publishers'...

    IJ ' ~ m— - — - ^^^^^^ g 866 The Publishers' Circular July l & . I

    Mr. James Payn And His American

    MR . JAMES PAYN AND HIS AMERICAN

    PUBLISHERS . Lately paragrap j— g—y — hs — have — appeared % t ^ in the

    Eng ^ m lish t * i and ^ / "i American . ^ ^^ ^ jfr press to iii ^^ It It the ^ effect ^* p * »» ^ v xaa that vXXU both Messrs . Harper T f & Brothers and Mr

    - — — - — -- -- — — — ^ pri ^ ^ v ^^ Pi PI — — « PPi ^^ ^ TPP * 4 Pk ^ ppT ^ b J * 0 W ^ A ^ p ^ % ATJ _ M Payn Lovell ' s claim new novel the ri ' g The ht o Burnt f publishing ppi Million & 5 Mr . in . .

    - # — — ~ - —~ " — - — ^— - — - - ^^— - ^^— ^ pp ^ p » ^ > p ^^»^ 4 k \^ ^^ jn America—Messrs . Harper & Brothers because tney they had naa sent sent a a remittance remittance for tor the tne book book , and and

    Mr . Lovell in consequence of a direct agree , - ment with Mr — . Payn . As it was manifest

    # —^^ ^ ^^ ^^ p ^* p »^ W . 0 apA ^ L ^ L ^ r fvf \ f there i ^ was a mistake . ^ * somewhere •¦ , we drew — Mr . Payn ' s attention to t ~ the matter - and WPPPP are now

    enabled ^ m ^ - — — to publish — — his * ^ v - ^—^~ ' ^ exp ^ — ^ p ^ lanation ^^ m , ^ m ^ P' ^ P' ^* . ^ Pp ^^ F ^ Mr b ^ k * t _ i * f . Payn writes to us as follows : —

    To the Editor of the * Publishers Circular . 1 4 Dear Sir—A cable message sent to Mr .

    Lovell by his - ~— ^— ~ — , ^ London p ; ¦ ^ ^— ' ^^^ ^^ ^ ^^ agent ™ ^^^ ™ ¦ i ^^^^ ™^ p » — last ^" r ^^• ' ^ b ^ p ^ pPl ^^» » week ^^^ ^^^ ^ " ^ ^^ ^^ ^ pp states ^^» ^ p ^ v ^^^ pp ^ pb p ^ that though Mr . Harper did " send a

    remittance to Mr . Payn for * The Burnt Million * it was returned , as Mr . Payn regretted to say

    matters had not yet reached that optimist stage when an author could take money twice

    over for the same book . " I have no quarrel with Messrs . Harperto whom—since the

    letters you speak of X appeared , in , New York , I have written a personal explanation of the

    affair ; but Mr . Lovell only has my authorisation for the sale of the book .

    * Yours truly , 'James Payn . 'July 10 , 1890 . ' ?<>?•——

    Copyright In Titles. To The Editor Of Th...

    COPYRIGHT IN TITLES . To the Editor of the Publishers' Circular

    claims Sir , copyri —A correspondent ght in a title of . yours He , says ' J . Dent that / '

    having issued ' listsunder the title of The . J . V * S * r Book > - * ' ^ -r ^ -f m «• - _ Finder p » .. pit m * f V | f r g the «/ jk « p 1 ¦»* title p * r m , « f JB > . is JBiP ^^ his * A « K ( AM invention * . «^ ^«—• — — ¦ and * ** ^^ * ^^

    his 0 is * P > pr now *• * c .-v opyri ^ »» publishing m . ^ v g rv ht a . » a « t He m » Mk " a comp ¦ " ¦* bi w * -r M > -weekl lains ww ¦^« T ^ p ^ ^*^ -i % y _ that y paper B" ^^ ' ^ . !"'^ somebod ^^ under y

    the same title . I know nothing of the parties or the publications referred to , but am induced the tne

    good to t . o plac nlae of e e whomsoever on on record record in in it may your vour concern columns columns a for tor dictum which of V the late PVftVASV Vice - Chancellor Bacon Ph » P

    ^^ p * ^ pr * PI 0 Pa ^^ V ^ p * V pi * ^ pT ^^ ^^ pp ^ J »» Wf * pl ^^ ^ pp ^ rf % J ^ ^^^ -1 P ^ ^ P ^« P ~ . ^ P' ' ^ ' with ( c rede . . experto This JL 1 UU learned JkUUJk ) not UUV * every OMAV and * lawyer WUUVV acute jud J is acquainted ge O , laid — If it

    a down that entitles there is a no book jUk copyri or V ^ A other WAA ght in publication a title .

    in W person 1 such / VAflvAA a way 4 VAV 4 as to V 9 ft palm ^ VrVr , it off on VA ^ the ^ ^^»» w——— public for some other article already well known in

    the ' shilling market sh oc as ker , for ' as instance Adam , Beds to advertise , or bring a ' * ' ' ' * ' "' ' ' ' ^ . TO

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), July 15, 1890, page 866, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15071890/page/14/