by the suggestion of Mr. Macfie, who brought this question of royalty before us, because his suggestion is, that no reprint is to differ from the original edition without the author's consent, either in the way of abbreviation, enlargement, or alteration of the text. Therefore, under that regulation, if that is carried out, a publisher could not print half of this book without your consent?
A. That would so far, if it can be practically worked out, meet my objection.
Q. (Mr. Trollope). But you have stated that you thought yourself of using this form of abridgment to which allusion is made?
A. I have.
Q. And if this form of abridgment when made by you could be republished again by anybody else, then your profit would be interfered with?
A. No doubt of it.
Q. (Chairman). Supposing the suggested system of short copyright and royalty had been in force, would you have undertaken these works to which you have referred?
A. Certainly not. The enterprise was an unpromising one, pecuniarily considered, and it would have been almost an insane one, I think, had there not been the possibility of eventually getting back some returns from sales that were necessarily very slow. Moreover, the hopes under which the compilers have worked I could never have given to them.
Q. Then are we to gather from your evidence that the system of short copyright and royalty would be injurious to the books of the graver class which do not appeal to the popular tastes?
A. I think so; it would be especially injurious to that particular class which of all others needs encouragement.
Q. (Sir H. Holland). As requiring most thought and brain-work on the part of the author?
A. Yes, and being least remunerative.
Q. (Chairman). I understand you to say that in all these cases you have not parted with the copyright yourself?
A. No, I have not.
Q. Now, assuming that the authors of these graver books sold their copyrights, do you think that this royalty system would still act prejudicially upon them?
A. I think very decidedly. I have understood that it is contended that authors who sell their copyrights would not be affected by this arrangement. One of the answers I heard given here to-day sufficed to show that that is not true; inasmuch as a publisher who had to meet these risks would not give as much for copyright as he would otherwise give. His argument would be unanswerable. He would say: "Your book is a success, or not a success; if not a success, I lose what I give you for copyright; if a success, I shall have it reprinted upon
