Charles Dickens did disagree with this view: https://creativelawcenter.com/dickens-american-copyright/ https://creativelawcenter.com/dickens-american-copyright/

Charles Dickens did disagree with this view: https://creativelawcenter.com/dickens-american-copyright/ https://creativelawcenter.com/dickens-american-copyright/ But there are of course two sides to this story. Pirated editions back then as today increase the popularity of the artists, often more than their agency could do. Unsurprisingly, even in the 19th century they came to a similar solution like our current music industry (minus the unsuccessful DRM part). You can't pirate live performances: "When he returned in 1867, he had mastered a way to generate alternative income streams based on his celebrity status. He performed readings of his work to packed houses and collected the receipts from the door."