Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 14.djvu/188

176 the sale of your books is stated to be enormous, it gives you protection, and a greater remuneration for your books in America; would it not be unfair in that case that we, having done this for you, should as the British public be exposed to having a dear edition of your books here, and a cheap edition in America?

A. I would much rather that you did not interfere with us at all. I am now speaking of you as legislators. I would rather that you should not afford especial protection, but should consider books as property like any other property, and not meddle with us in future.

Q. We cannot take that course, because foreigners do interfere with you.

A. And in my opinion they will continue to interfere. I know something about the United States, and their mode of doing business in books in that country, and my own belief is that the expectation that the Americans will ever listen to any proposal of English copyright is chimerical; their system of doing business is quite opposed to it. I do not think that this prospective boon which you offer us is likely to have any great value.

Q. As a matter of author's amour propre, would it not be far more satisfactory to you if your books were possessed by a very great many households in this country rather than being hired from a circulating library?

A. I do not care much about it; if I have half a dozen careful readers, I would rather have them than all the rest of the world put together.

Q. If you got more pay than you do now from having your books sold at a cheaper rate, you would be satisfied with that?

A. I should like to get the more pay in my own fashion, and to deal with it like any other business. I do not want anybody else to help me to get more pay; if you let me deal with my own property in my own fashion, I am quite happy, and I do not thank anybody who interferes.

From your knowledge of American dealing, do you think it at all probable that the Americans would be inclined to make a convention upon the understanding that the book for which copyright is granted is to be published and printed in America?

A. I have never heard that question discussed.

Several questions have been asked upon the general aspect of copyright. Coming more to the details of the question, might I ask you what in your opinion would be the effect of the abrogation of or a considerable diminution in the terms of copyright upon works the production of which requires time and research, and perhaps costly illustrations?

A. My impression is, that it would be altogether fatal to the production of works of that kind. I think it will be obvious that such must be the case; and I can speak the more strongly here, because works of that kind are those with which I am familiar. I will take the