Chapter 6 - Copyright disputes

Summary

This chapter continues the narrative of challenges to the monopoly of Shakespeare publishing claimed by the Tonson cartel in the eighteenth century. Here, the focus shifts away from England, to the traditions of Shakespeare publishing in Scotland and in Ireland. The legal arguments concerning the rights of publishers in these territories to issue editions of Shakespeare (and other older texts) are detailed and the history of the publication of the playwright's works in these countries, across the century, is set out in detail. Particular attention is paid, in the Irish instance, to synergies between Irish publishers and the Dublin theatres – particularly Smock Alley. In turning to Scotland, the chapter logs the editions published by the Foulis brothers in Glasgow, before examining the career of Alexander Donaldson, culminating in his House of Lords case, which had the effect of confirming the existence of a 'public domain' of out-of-copyright texts, available for all British publishers to reproduce.