Lectures have hitherto been protected in England in case the lecturer gave notice of reservation in writing two days in advance to two justices at the place of reading, but this complicated proviso caused speakers to rely rather on the common law doctrine that oral delivery is not publication. The new British code specifically provides that delivery is not publication, but permits newspaper report unless the speaker prohibits such report by notice posted near the main entrance and except during public worship near the speaker's position; "newspaper summary" within "fair dealing" is expressly permitted.
Letters are not specified either in English or American statutes under copyright law. A private letter has been held an unpublished manuscript, the right to publish or copyright remaining with the author while living, though the material letter, its paper and ink, has passed to the receiver. Thus in 1741 Pope prevented Curl, an English bookseller, from republishing his letters to Swift, and in 1774, in Thompson _v._ Stanhope, Lord Chesterfield prevented his son's widow from publishing letters which he had made a gift to her. Letters, however, are copyrightable by themselves or as part of a book; and the writer may protect a letter against unauthorized publication by himself publishing and copyrighting it. The U. S. Supreme Court in 1841, in Folsom _v._ Marsh, enjoined the republication of letters of Washington, published by authority in Sparks's "Life of Washington," through Justice Story, who said: "The author of any letter or letters, and his representatives, whether they are literary letters or letters of business, possess the sole and exclusive copyright therein; and no person, neither those to whom they are addressed, nor other persons, have any right or authority to publish the same." But as manuscripts posthumously published, the copyright in letters may belong to the receiver or his assigns; and in Macmillan _v._ Dent, in 1906, the English Court of Appeal held, where the owners of letters of Charles Lamb had sold the copyright to certain publishers, these could not be republished by another who had later bought the material letters even under the authorization of the representative of Lamb's heirs. In Philip _v._ Pennell, Whistler's executrix was denied an injunction to prevent the use of biographical information obtained from the receivers of letters. But _obiter dicta_ indicated that the courts may grant to the writer's representatives an injunction against publication or misuse. The laws of some countries specifically permit the publication of letters in the interest of justice. Unless the letter is of the nature of privileged correspondence, the courts can probably require the production of a letter in court, and in fact do subpoena telegraph companies to produce the originals or transmittal records of telegrams in court, and thus make them _quasi_ public property. The sale of a manuscript letter cannot authorize a vendee to publish it without consent of the writer, and the receiver of a letter is perhaps bound to keep a letter private or destroy it, if so required by the writer, but this is a right difficult of enforcement if not doubtful _in esse_. The receiver of a letter has probably a right to destroy it at his will, unless the writer has required its return to him.