He prints it.

A fortnight after his book is selling at half-price; it is impossible to tell whether this result is due to forgery or competition.

What shall the court do?
In case of doubt, shall it award the property to the first occupant?
As well decide the question by lot.
These, however, are trifling considerations; but do we see that, in granting a perpetual privilege to authors and their heirs, we really strike a fatal blow at their interests?
We think to make booksellers dependent upon authors,--a delusion.

The booksellers will unite against works, and their proprietors.

Against works, by refusing to push their sale, by replacing them with poor imitations, by reproducing them in a hundred indirect ways; and no one knows how far the science of plagiarism, and skilful imitation may be carried.