Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

elevated to the Bishopric of Carlisle, and his desire to get Dr Carlyle to bring him him under the Bishop's notice, with the view of his getting one of the livings under his gift, and the benefits this would secure to the English Church by having a man like him holding a position in that Church. Logan's character comes out in his language, which is at times unlike a minister of the Gospel or the former companion of Michael Bruce, Dryburgh, Lawson, Greig and other dissenting students at the University, when he calls such men "these damned heretical dogs the Dissenters."

CHAPTER XII

REV. JOHN LOGAN AND HIS INTERDICT IN 1782

Logan interdicts second edition of Bruce's poems.-Alexander Young, W.S., his agent-Case in court-Logan's statements wholly untrueLogan withdraws-Stationers' Hall-Statement and replies.

FOLLOWING up the line of evidence upon the moral aspect of the case as to how Mr Logan is affected by his action, when a second edition of the works of Michael Bruce was about to be published by Mr Anderson, bookseller, Stirling, in July 1782, we must keep in view that it was in 1781 that Logan was in London and published the first edition of poems, etc., under his own name for the first time. Rev. Dr Mackelvie took considerable trouble to get the facts, which were furnished by Alexander Young, Esq., W.S., who had been Logan's law agent, so that he was intimately acquainted with the fullest particulars, and from this source they are placed before the reader.

After explaining the process regarding what follows, Mr Young states:-"In July 1782 I applied for an interdict at Mr Logan's instance against the publishers of Bruce's poems, and obtained what is called a sist, which was followed

with answers for the printers and other pleadings, then called replies and duplies. I have laid my hand on my earliest letter-book, and beg to quote two letters on the subject. The one is from me to Mr Patrick Robb, messenger at Stirling, dated 6th July 1782, in which I say to him :-'I send you notarial copy of a Bill of Suspension and Interdict, at the Rev. John Logan's instance, against John Robertson, printer here, and William Anderson, bookseller, Stirling, which you will immediately intimate to Mr Anderson, either himself or by leaving a copy within his house, and send me an execution to that purpose.' The other is from me to Mr Logan, of the same date :—' I am assured by C. Elliot and P. Anderson, booksellers, Parliament Close, that they will not sell a copy of Bruce's poems till the interdict is removed. Any further prohibition will therefore be unnecessary; but if they do not keep their promise the remedy is easy. If Robertson does not desist, you may raise an action of damages against him, or give in a complaint to the court.' The circumstances which led Mr Logan to apply for an interdict in this case were these: Mr, afterwards Provost, Anderson, bookseller in Stirling, had resolved upon publishing a new edition of Bruce's poems, purposing, of course, to reprint all the pieces which had previously appeared under the name of our poet; and, with this view, employed Mr John Robertson, who had printed the

first edition of the book, to print the second. Mr Logan was apprised of the intention of the parties by Mr Robertson waiting upon him to request a copy of Bruce's poems from which to print the second edition; but the impression was thrown off and in course of being issued to the public before Mr Logan proceeded to take steps to prevent its publication. Messrs Anderson and Robertson resolved to defend, and accordingly employed James Walker, Esq., as their agent. The whole pleadings in the case are now before us, having obtained them by ordering a search in the Register House, together with the decision of the Lord Ordinary extracted from the Minute-book of the Bill Chamber." The substance of the whole is given in the form of narrative, as the mode of stating the case with the greatest brevity.

The reasons assigned by Logan, or as lawyers say put forth for him by his agent-though Mr Young affirms he advanced only as he was instructed

-are "that in 1770 he employed Mr John Robertson to print a volume of poems under the name of Michael Bruce, an early acquaintance of his who had left his works to his charge, with additions by himself and another gentleman;* that these poems were

*The words in the original preface are, "Some poems wrote by different authors are inserted, all original, and none of them destitute of merit." Now, save Logan himself, as confessed, there was only Sir James Foulis named, and he never wrote a line of verse (see page 140).

not intended for the public, never advertised for sale, never put into the hands of a bookseller, and never sold, but only distributed by him among his friends and acquaintances; that the copyright of the book was his, which, by the Act of Queen Anne, he had power to retain for fourteen years, and that period was not yet expired ; * that the book as required was entered in Stationers' Hall,' and therefore the copyright was his exclusive property; that he was not willing to grant permission to any party to reprint the book in question; and that therefore Messrs Robertson and Anderson should be ordered by the Court to desist from the prosecution of their design. On these grounds, a sist was granted by Lord Elliock 25th July 1782."

To this the respondent made answer, admitted "that the whole impression of the first edition consisted only of 250 copies, and the expense of printing amounted only to nine pounds; but it was contended, 2s. 6d. or 3s., the price charged, was extravagantly high for so small a book: and the reason given for charging this enormous price was that the profits were to go wholly to Bruce's parents, who were said to be in indigent circumstances; that the book was not entered at Stationers' Hall (as stated by Mr Logan); that, so far from the printer supposing that Mr Logan had any interests in the copyright, he applied to him for a copy from which to print a *This was a perfect untruth.

« VorigeDoorgaan »