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the copy of any complete volume could be come at, were there peisons in his house capable of being corrupted to attempt so vile a robbery. What then must be his surprise when intelli- gence was sent him from Dublin, that copies of a considerable part of his work had been ob- tained by three different persons in that city; and that the sheets were actually in the press ? The honest men published their own names, in three different title-pages, stuck up in Dublin, in the following woros : " Dublin, Aug. 4, 1753. Speedily will be published. The HUlory of Sir Charlet Granditon. In a Series of Letters pub- lished from the Originals, by the Editor of Pamela and Clarusa. In seven volumes. Dub- lin : printed by and for Henry Saunders, at the comer of Christ Church-lane." The second: " Aug. 4th, 1763. In the press, 77i« Hittory of Sir Charlet Granditon" (as in the other.) " Dub- lin : printed by John Exshaw, on Cork Hill." The third: "Dublin, Aug. 4th, 1753. In the press, and speedily will be published, 7%e Hit- tory of Sir Charlet Granditon," (as in the two others.) "London: printed for S. Richardson :" [vile artifice !] " Dublin : Reprinted for Peter Wilson, in Dame-street." The editor had con- vincing proofs given him, that one of these men had procured a copy of a considerable part of the work in octavo; another in duodecimo; and that diey were proceeding to print it at several presses. Terms having been agreed upon between Mr. G. Faulkner and the editor, in consideration of the preference to be given him (one of which related to the time of publishing the Dublin edition, that it might not interfere with the ap- pearance of the London one) Mr. Faulkner, m consequence of the successful corruption, signi- fied to the editor, that it was needless to send him any more than the twelve sheets he had sent him ; and that he had obtained a fourth share of these honourable confederates : but that (to pro- cure this grace, as is supposed) he had been compelled, as he calls it, to deliver up to them, to print by, the copy of the twelve sheets afore- sadd, which had some few corrections in them, which occurred on a last revisal ; but which are of no moment with regard to the history; though possibly this worthy confederacy may make use of those few corrections in those twelve sheets, in order to recommend their surreptitious edition as preferable to that of the proprietor. Of what will not men be capable, who can corrupt the servants of another man to betray and rob their master? The editor, who had also great reason to complain of the treatment he met with in his Pamela, on both sides the water, cannot but ob- serve, that never was work more the property of any man than this is his. The copy never was in any other hand : he borrows not from any other author : the paper, the printing, entirely at his own expense, to a very large amount ; re- turns of which he cannot see in several months: yet not troubling any of his friends to lessen his risque by a subscription: the work thus im- morally invaded, is a moral work: he has never hurt any man ; nor offended these : they would
have had benefits £rom the sale, which the editor could not have, being not a bookseller ; and he always making full and handsome allowances to booksellers. But nothing less, it seems, would content these men, than an attempt to possess themselves of his whole property, without notice, leave, condition, or offer at condition; and they are hastening the work at several presses, possibly with a view to publish their piratical edition before the lawful proprietor can publish his. And who can say, that if they can get it out before him, they will not advertise, that his is a piracy upon theirs? Yet these men know, that they have obtained the parts of the work they are possessed of at the price of making no less than for^ workmen, in the editor's house, un- easy, and some of them suspected : of making an innocent man unsafe in his own house : of dishonouring him in the opinion of his employ- ers (who, probably, may not choose to trust their property in the hands of a man, who cannot secure his own from intestine traitors): and the baseness; and whom, in that case, no other master will care to employ. These, among others that might be enumerated, are the mis- chiefs to which this vile and rapacious act of clandestine wickedness will subject an innocent man. Since the above was written, Mr. Richard- son has been acquainted, that his work is now {>rinting at four several printing-houses, in Dub- in, for the benefit of the confederacy ; viz. two volumes at Mrs. Reiley's ; one at Mr. William- son's ; one at Mr. Powell's ; one at Mr. M'Cul- loch'g; and that they hope at Mrs. Reiley's to get another volume to print; and are driving on to finish their two volumes for that purpose. The work will make seven volumes in twelves ; six in octavo; and he . apprehends, from Uie quantity he himself had printed when the fraud was discovered, that the confederacy have got possession of five entire volumes, the greatest part of the sixth, and of several sheets of the seventh and last ; but the work being stopped when the wickedness was known, they cannot have the better half of the concluding volume. He is further assured, that these worthy men are in treaty with booksellers in Scotland, for their printing his work in that part of the United Kingdom, from copies that they are to furnish; and also, that they purpose to send a copy to France, to be translated there before publication ; no doubt for pecuniary considerations; and in order to propagate, to the utmost, the injury done to one, who never did any to them ; and who, till this proceeding, he blesses God, knew not that there were such men in the world ; at least, among those who could look out in broad and open day. It has been customary for the Irish booksellers to make a scramble among themselves who should first entitle himself to the reprinting of a new English book ; and happy was be, who could get his agents in England to send him a copy of a supposed saleable piece, as soon as it was printed, and ready to be published. This kind of property was never contested with them by authors in England ; and- it was
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