Au expostulation addressed by Mr. Disraeli as long ago as
1845 to his American publishers, not for taking his copyright, but for afterwards misprinting his works, has just been published. It is curious, as showing the enormous value set by Mr. Disraeli at that
time on literary reputation. " Every misprint in your edi- tion," he wrote, " is an injury to my fame." Does Mr. Disraeli seriously think that the clever and amusing political squibs which he threw into the form of novels are likely to secure him any lasting fame? Thirty years hence they will be subjects only for the political student and the historical antiquary, and very remarkable data they will furnish for a sensational reconstruction of the history of Sir Robert Peel's and Lord John Russell's Administra- tions to anyone who puts confidence in their statements. Nor is it easily possible to injure any durable fame by misprints such as Mr. Disraeli probably refers to. Only think how much Shake- speare's fame ought to have been injured by his printers, if it had been possible !
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