LITERARY PLAGIARISM

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 26, 25 October 1921, Page 8

LITERARY PLAGIARISM

STRANGE CASE IN ITALY. A case of literary plagiarism has come to light in Romo, which for audacity must hold the' record in modern times (according to the correspondent of the London “Observer”). Nine years ago the author, Frederic De Maria, published a novel under the title of “Santa Maria della Spina.” The book had a modestsuccess, and the author forgot all about it until a friend sent him a copy of a new novel with the title of “Vita Lontana,” published by a Turin firm, and bearing as author’s name—Albert Viviani. The original author of the work, on glancing through tho pages' of tho new novel, discovered to his great surprise that the new romance corresponded in even the smallest particulars with the work he had written nine years before. From first page to last the text was identical. 'The matter has not ended, as ono might suppose, by the publishing firm making compensation to the original writer. The plagiarising author, either as a. stroke of desperate bluff, or for some reason as yet unrevenled, appears to have persuaded his publisher that, although the author De Maria is not Viviani, Viviani is nevertheless De Maria. So much so, that the. publisher has proposed to Signor De Maria that a. jury of authors bo formed to decide who is really the author cf tne work. Meanwhile Signor De Maria is suing Viviani and the publisher for damages.