Theos-Talk Archives (November 2003 Message tt00090)

As the Literary Executor of the Estate of the late Dr John Cooper I was 
naturally interested to read of the forthcoming publication of a volume 
which, at least on the basis of the brief information published on 
theos-talk, sounds identical to the volume compiled by Dr Cooper prior to 
his untimely death.

I would welcome to the following questions:

1. Can I assume that no use has been made of any material which derives 
from Dr Cooper's manuscript or research, for which he held, and his 
family now holds, all intellectual property rights?

2. Can I assume that no use has been made of any letters which were not 
known prior to Dr Cooper's research, which were discovered by him, which 
had never previously been published, and which are available only in his 
manuscript or in his doctoral thesis?

3. Can I assume that nothing of Dr Cooper's research (except in the 
strictly limited amounts allowable by international and national 
copyright law, and appropriately acknowledged) is used in the new work?

I note that Dr Cooper's family was fully prepared to make all material 
relating to the HPB correspondence available for publication by the 
Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, and to cooperate in such 
publication on the conditions only that (i) no editing, amending or 
alteration would be made to such work except with the permission of the 
family, and (ii) that the intellectual property rights of the 
beneficiaries of Dr Cooper's estate were recognized and acknowledged. 
These conditions reflect the concerns Dr Cooper had expressed to a number 
of people that there would be some editing or altering of HPB's writings.

The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, appeared entirely unwilling 
to accept these conditions.

I look forward to seeing the new publication and to comparing it 
carefully with Dr Cooper's work. I am sure it is entirely unnecessary, in 
this case, to state that the rights of Dr Cooper's family will be 
asserted and defended at law in any breach of their intellectual property 
rights.


Dr Gregory Tillett