On the 3rd of February, 1853, Panizzi wrote to Mr. Haywood, alluding to the ungrateful return made to him for his services. Having two months before this seriously thought of returning his power of attorney, when he was induced to retain it, he says, “I am now bound, and have no wish to perform that duty,” then he alludes to the gratuity of £200 given to Sir Henry Ellis, and continues, “To me nothing has ever been given, and I will not go on,” and with some pardonable self-laudation adds, “They will soon see the difference in the number of books which they will receive, between my fearless and honest conduct, and that of anybody else whom they may appoint.” Further correspondence followed in _The Times_—a letter from Panizzi on the 3rd of February, 1853, and one from Mr. Bohn on the 8th of the same month. These letters possess no special interest; the former being Panizzi’s re-statement of his case, and the latter Mr. Bohn’s rejoinder to the fresh insinuations, and his own views on the subject. On the 24th of February, 1853, Panizzi wrote to Sir Henry Ellis, requesting that, whenever the subject of the re-enforcement of the Copyright Act was again brought before the Trustees, he would “respectfully represent to them his strong wish of being excused from performing a duty which, in conformity with the arrangement of 1837, under which he holds office, was expressly assigned to the Secretary.” The great remedy for getting rid of all difficulties, now-a-days, seems to be the taking up by Government of important schemes, and the biographer has seen it widely suggested:—“Let Government be the only publisher, because alone having perfect means of publicity—publishing for all alike (at their own expense) and giving all alike an equal chance.” The Law of Copyright is about to come again under the consideration of Parliament, when, we cannot tell, but it would have delighted him whose “Memoirs” we write to have listened to, and advised fresh suggestions on, a subject with which he was so intimately acquainted, and where his disinterestedness (so far as he himself was concerned) led to so much mortification and such undeserved opprobrium. [Illustration] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] CHAPTER X _Lord Vernon’s Dante; Sir G. Cornewall Lewis on Milton and Dante; Chi era Francesco da Bologna? John Harris._ During 1848, Europe was greatly disturbed by internal commotions, calculated to unsettle thinking men, and more especially those who took an active interest in politics. It is a matter for astonishment, therefore, that Panizzi, whose share in such agitation was by no means inconsiderable, should have found time and inclination to devote himself to literary productions. Nevertheless, indulging in the aspirations for freedom which were then moving nations he yet was able to dedicate much of his time to literature.