[Footnote 1:  Macaulay’s Speeches, vol. i. p. 403.]

Admitting, however, that the measure proposed should not in any manner endanger existing privileges, what would be the gain to our authors in obtaining the control of the British market, compared with what they would lose from surrendering the control of our own?  In the former, the sale of books is certainly not large.  Few have been more popular than Tupper’s “Proverbial Philosophy,” and the price has been, as I learn, only 7_s._, or $1,68.  Nevertheless, a gentleman fully informed in regard to it assures me that in fifteen years the average sale has been but a thousand a year, or 15,000 in all.[2] Compare this with the sale of a larger number of the “Reveries of a Bachelor,” or of thrice the quantity of “Fern Leaves,” at but little lower prices, in the short period of six months, and it will be seen how inferior is the foreign market to the domestic one.  Were it otherwise—­were the market of Britain equal to our own—­could it be that we should so rarely hear of her literary men, dependent on their own exertions, but as being poor and anxious for public employment?  Were it otherwise, should we need now to be told of the “utter destitution” of the widow and children of Hogg, so widely known as author of “The Queen’s Wake,” and as “The Shepherd” of “Blackwood’s Magazine?” Assuredly not.  Had literary ability been there in the demand in which it now is here, he would have written thrice as much, would have been thrice as well paid, and would have provided abundantly for his widow and his children.  Nevertheless, our authors desire to trade off this great market for the small one in which he shone and left his family to starve, and thus to make an exchange similar to that of Glaucus when he gave a suit of golden armor for one of brass.

[Footnote 2:  The sale here has been 200,000, at an average price of 50 cents.  Had it been copyright, the price would have been double, and the “few cents” would have made a difference on this single book of $100,000.  The same gentleman to whom I am indebted for the above facts informs me that he has paid to the author of a 12mo volume of 200 pages more than $23,000, and could not now purchase the copyright for $10,000; that for another small 12mo volume he has paid $7,000, and Expects to pay as much more; that to a third author his payments for the year have been $2500, and are likely to continue at that rate for years to come; and that it would be easy to furnish other and numerous cases of similar kind.]

What, however, are the prospects for the future?  Will the British market grow?  It would seem not, for death and emigration are diminishing the population, and the people who remain are in a state of constant warfare with their employers, who promised “cheap food” that they might obtain “cheap labor,” and now offer low wages in connection with high-priced corn and beef.  The people who receive such wages