Richmond Enquirer

LORD BYRON'S "CAIN."

It appears, by the London papers, that the drama of Cain from the pen of Lord Byron, has been pirated by the noted radical Benbow, who is endeavoring to raise money out of it by circulating a cheap edition. Mr. Murray, the proprietor and publisher of Byron's pieces, applied to the Lord Chancellor for an injunction against Benbow's copy, to which the latter did not offer any opposition. The Chancellor however, after perusing the work, declined interfering, on the ground that it inculcated principles hostile to the Christian religion, which was part of the law of the land; that the Court of Chancery was not armed with a criminal jurisdiction to punish offences of that nature; neither was it called upon to interpose its civil jurisdiction in the protection of works of such a character. After his Lordship had given this opinion, the copy of "Cain," which he handed up to the bench for his perusal, was tendered to the counsel for Mr. Murray, who observed, that after what his Lordship had said he was afraid to claim a property in the book. On which the Lord Chancellor replied "I know I have no wish to claim property in it, I assure you."

N. Y. Com. Adv.