nately, you and we should alike be mistaken; it will be Words nearly similar to these were addressed to the Congress of the United States, nearly fifty years ago;' and the bread cast upon the waters has returned after many days. America has reformed her system of patent See Appenlaws, not perfectly perhaps, but she has done much and dix B. will doubtless do more. Let not Britain lag behind. her descendant in a course so truly honorable. NOTE. While this sheet is passing through the press, I am enabled to add that two bills are about to be introduced in the House of Commons, by Mr. Poulett Thomson, for the purpose of securing copyright in designs for manufactures: by the first, it is proposed to extend the provisions of the Act 34 Geo. III. c. 34, (see ante, p. 54,) to fabrics composed of wool, silk, or hair, and to mixed fabrics composed of any two or more of the following materials; i. e. linen, cotton, wool, silk, or hair; by the second Act, it is proposed, to give copyright for a term of [ ] calendar months: 1, to the proprietor of any new and original design for the pattern or print for any article of manufacture being a tissue or textile fabric, and not within the meaning of the 34th Geo. III., c. 23, or the prior Acts; 2, to the proprietor of any new design for the shape and configuration of any article of manufacture, not within the meaning of the same Acts; and 3, to the proprietor of any new design for the modelling, or the casting, embossment, chasing, engraving, or any other kind of impression or ornament on any article of manufacture, not being a tissue or textile fabric. The copyright is further made contingent upon registration, and provision is made for transfer; but the important subject of cheap and competent tribunals is altogether overlooked. By an anonymous writer in the National Gazette of Philadelphia, of December 19, 1792. CHAPTER III. OF THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN FISCAL OBSTRUCTIONS THE PROGRESS OF INVENTION AND OF THE ARTS. ΤΟ CHAPTER III. OF THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN FISCAL OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE PROGRESS OF INVENTION AND OF THE ARTS. THE first claims of the Artist and of the Inventor Ground of being for the adequate protection of the fruits of his this claim. industry, the second is for the removal of such fiscal impositions as tend to impede the progress of that industry, and in so far as the imposts complained of press unequally on different classes, both claims rest on the common ground of equal protection for property. Such it is submitted are the excise duties on bricks, 1. Excise and the restrictions on their manufacture and form duty on bricks. thence arising; those on papers of every kind; and those on glass. The first are injurious to architecture, as also is the window tax, to no small extent. Both obstruct the beauty and proportion of our buildings: "The material," says Mr. Papworth, in the evidence formerly quoted, "of which brick and tile is composed being susceptible of receiving an improvement of mind upon it to great extent and variety, permission to make them in any form would greatly benefit architectural beauty ........ and modifications in the form of bricks have existed in all countries from early times except in England.* * Sir Henry Wotton long ago (observing the want of taste in this respect in England) complained that there was generally "too much of the material of bricks in the makers"-of the taxing laws, he would have added had he lived in our time. |