obstacle to be now placed in the road towards civilization.

The amount now paid for public service under our various governments is
more than, were it fairly distributed, would suffice for giving proper
reward to all. Unfortunately the _distribution_ is very bad, the largest
compensation generally going to those who render the smallest service. So,
too, is it with regard to literary employments; and so is it likely to
continue throughout the future. Grant all that now is asked, and the
effect will be seen in the fact, that of the vastly increased taxation
ninety per cent. will go to those who work for money alone, and are
already overpaid, leaving but little to be added to the rewards of
conscientious men with whom their work is a labor of love, as is the case
with the distinguished author of the "History of the Netherlands."

Twenty years ago, Macaulay advised his literary friends to be content,
believing, as he told them, that the existing "wholesome copyright" was
likely to "share in the disgrace and danger" of the more extended one
which they then so much desired to see created. Let our authors reflect on
this advice! Success now, were it possible that it should be obtained,
would be productive of great danger in the already not distant future. In
the natural course of things, most of our authorship, for many years to
come, will be found east of the Hudson, most of the buyers of books,
meanwhile, being found south and west of that river. International
copyright will give to the former limited territory an absolute monopoly
of the business of republication, the then great cities of the West being
almost as completely deprived of participation therein as are now the
towns and cities of Canada and Australia. On the one side, there will be
found a few thousand persons interested in maintaining the monopolies that
had been granted to authors and publishers, foreign and domestic. On the
other, sixty or eighty millions, tired of taxation and determined that