Johns 1998

Johns, Adrian. The Nature of the Book. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1998.

Piracy and Usurpation: Natural Philosophy in the Restoration

Athenian Society -- "it existed only in print, but appeared more real than the real thing" (457)

can "avoid the troubles presented by print" by "vest[ing] faith in manuscript circulation" (458)

"One had to publish in order to avoid unauthorized revelation, yet publishing immediately entailed submission to the Stationers' culture." (459)

"claims of piracy were seldom just claims of piracy. There was always some accompanying allegation of textual corruption, misrepresentation or illicit appropriation." (460)