n can guess a
foolish anomaly. Fortunately, by the time my book so suddenly revived in
America I was aware of the danger, and in a position to protect myself
by writing and performing The Admirable Bashville. The prudence of doing
so was soon demonstrated; for rumors soon reached me of several American
stage versions; and one of these has actually been played in New York,
with the boxing scenes under the management (so it is stated) of the
eminent pugilist Mr. James J. Corbett. The New York press, in a somewhat
derisive vein, conveyed the impression that in this version Cashel Byron
sought to interest the public rather as the last of the noble race of
the Byrons of Dorsetshire than as his unromantic self; but in justice to
a play which I never read, and an actor whom I never saw, and who
honorably offered to treat me as if I had legal rights in the matter, I
must not accept the newspaper evidence as conclusive.

As I write these words, I am promised by the King in his speech to
Parliament a new Copyright Bill. I believe it embodies, in our British
fashion, the recommendations of the book publishers as to the concerns
of the authors, and the notions of the musical publishers as to the
concerns of the playwrights. As author and playwright I am duly obliged
to the Commission for saving me the trouble of speaking for myself, and
to the witnesses for speaking for me. But unless Parliament takes the
opportunity of giving the authors of all printed works of fiction,
whether dramatic or narrative, both playwright and copyright (as in
America), such to be independent of any insertions or omissions of
formulas about "all rights reserved" or the like, I am afraid the new
Copyright Bill will leave me with exactly the opinion both of the
copyright law and the wisdom of Parliament I at present entertain. As a
good Socialist I do not at all object to the limitation of my right of
property in my own works to a comparatively brief period, followed by
complete Communism: in fact, I cannot see why the same salutary
limitation should not be applied to all property rights whatsoever; but
a system which enables any alert sharper to acquire property rights in
my stories as against myself and the rest of the community would, it
seems to me, justify a rebellion if authors were numerous and warlike
enough to make one.

It may be asked why I have written The Admirable Bashville in blank
verse. My answer is that I had but a week to write it in. B