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Literary Topics
333. Abridgements; Literary Property
He said, our judges had not gone deep in the question concerning
literary property. I mentioned Lord Monboddo's opinion, that if
a man could get a work by heart, he might print it, as by such an
act the mind is exercised. Johnson: "No, Sir; a man's
repeating it no more makes it his property, than a man may sell a
cow which he drives home." I said, printing an abridgement of a
work was allowed, which was only cutting the horns and tail off
the cow. Johnson: "No, Sir, 'tis making the cow have a
calf."
Boswell: Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides
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