Authors and Owners: The Invention of CopyrightThe notion of the author as the creator and therefore the first owner of a work is deeply rooted both in our economic system and in our concept of the individual. But this concept of authorship is modern. Mark Rose traces the formation of copyright in eighteenth-century Britain—and in the process highlights still current issues of intellectual property. Authors and Owners is at once a fascinating look at an important episode in legal history and a significant contribution to literary and cultural history. |
Contents
1 | |
9 | |
Making Copyright | 31 |
The Author in Court | 49 |
Battle of the Booksellers | 67 |
Literary Property Determined | 92 |
PropertyOriginality Personality | 113 |
Strange Changes | 130 |
Appendix A Documents Related to Pope v Curll | 145 |
Appendix B Justice Nares Vote in Donaldson v Becket | 154 |
159 | |
171 | |
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according action appeared argued argument author's right authorship become Bench bill booksellers called century claim common common-law right Company composition concept concerned continued copy course court cultural Curll decision defendant determination developed discourse discussion distinct Donaldson early edition eighteenth-century England English established fact give granted House of Lords ideas important individual injunction interest invention issue John judges kind King's later learning letters licensing limited literary property London Mansfield manuscript material matter Millar Milton nature never notion object opinion orator original pamphlet Parliament patent perhaps perpetual person Pope practice presented principle printers printing privileges production proprietor protection publication published question reason regulation reported reprinting securing sense Shakespeare Stationers statute suggests taken Taylor term thought tion Tonson trade vote writing written