original French copyright laws

i am a graduate student working on copyright issues during the french revolutionary period

would you happen to have any insights as to the exact origins of the rights of authors before napoleon

was there a copyright law for dramatic writers or other creative writers before napoleon

or was the entire system one of protection and privilege according to aristocratic domains

what role did beaumarchais' reform actions play in the instituting of copyright in france

your help would be greatly appreciated even if you could simply recommend a book

sincererly

dean wilson
<ikurya[_at_]interport.net> Received on Tue Jan 11 2000 - 14:20:13 GMT