All this, as it affects progress, the free expansion of forces, is infinitely grave. Franklin has found for his precepts, already alluded to, more than one adept pupil. One modest _savant_, whose name deserves to be better known among us for his numerous services rendered to science as well as to the arts—Conté—honoured to replace in France the pencils of England, the importation of which was not possible in time of war—not only supplied by his new process the want of plumbago with success, but made it better than the English. To him are due, besides black-lead pencils, which make his name celebrated, the crayons of various colours, which have been so serviceable in the arts of design. Well, like Franklin, he presented his process to industry, and contented himself with being first in the new manufacture. It must be remarked that he who thus opens the way easily maintains the first rank which the date of his invention assigns him, and which public confidence assures him.... Before concluding, M. Paul Coq adverted to the distinction between the right of property generated by a creation of a work of art or of literature, and factitious property decreed in the interests of industry. The skilful painter, who should copy faithfully line for line, tint for tint, a _chef d’œuvre_ like the picture of Ingres, which every one knows, “The Source,” in order to expose it for sale and pocket the advantages, not merely lays hold of the property of a great artist who lives by the fruit of his talent, but perpetrates, in all points of view, an action mean and vile. To inventions in the domain of the useful arts, processes and operations do not carry the stamp of personality, which is the glory of the artist and author, and which of itself constitutes a protection equal to that which protects right of property. The invention is something _impersonal_, like a service rendered and returned, which is not exchanged or paid by services of equivalent weight and description. There is, therefore, no plausible objection to maintaining unimpaired the common right, which, by its freedom of movements, its equality, and its reciprocations, alone efficaciously favours the result of which these are the indispensable corollaries. EXPERIENCE IN FRANCE. _The following observations were published in the AVENIR COMMERCIAL, November 1, 1862, and June 28, 1863, have been kindly translated and presented by the Author_:— THE RESULTS OF A BAD LAW. I. When you walk along a public road, if you find a watch, a diamond, a note of a hundred or a thousand francs, and, far from seeking the owner to give it back, you apply it to your own use, moral law and civil law take hold of you and condemn you without hesitation. It matters not whether he who lost what you found be rich or poor, his carelessness, his negligence, or the accident that caused his loss, give you no sort of right to use it and make it yours.