the very "trick of Coeur-de-lion's face;"
and finding themselves as little taxed for the original, as ever they
were for the humbug, vote you a public benefactor, and send a
round-robin to Congress demanding the instantaneous enactment of a
universal copyright law, if not the grant of a gold medal to the
beneficent Godfrey. I anticipate, however, your reply. Ten thousand
copyrights would not tempt you to pass more than three months in the
year away from your Kentish comforts and cousins! Very well--then
perish dreams of lord-lieutenancy; and learn the inevitable fate of
your neglected literary offspring. The same day that Import and
Profits advertise their London copies of "Napper Tandy," at five
dollars a volume, any number of shirtless little vagabonds will be
crying it in a pamphlet edition from Astor House to Wall Street, and
through all the thoroughfares, for a currency shilling. I wish you
might see your own degradation, as I shall be forced to behold that of
my friend. Think of an illustrated edition coming out, under the
auspices of Napper Tandy M'Dermot, Esq., in which that namesake of
your hero undertakes to give your biography, and describes you as the
occupant of a garret, in the receipt of wages from government, for
manufacturing false representations of characters inestimably dear to
patriots, and odious to tyrants only! Think of that person actually
taking out a copyright for his edition of your own book, on the
grounds of his thus doing for your character the very thing which he
reprobates as your detestable trade; and so enjoying for no very
"limited time," the enormous profits of the "standard American
edition" of your outcast work. Permit me to add, significantly--

"The fault, dear Godfrey, is not in the laws,
But in yourself, if you are pirated!"

However, if you seriously ask me whether there is no chance of an
alteration in the laws, even should you persist in refusing the
invitation to America, I will candidly answer, that the progress of
civilisation is probably independent even of you, and may very likely
win the honours which would be yours, had you the boldness which
fortune delights to favour. If you think me too sanguine, you can
possibly obtain an interview with Mr Dickens, and qualify my
representations by the discouraging views he will give you. They say
here, that he came out to America on purpose to dun brother Jonathan,
and it is still spoken of with surprise, that though s