COPT, in law, signifies the transeript of any original writing, as the copy of a patent, charter, deed, Sc. A common deed cannot be proved by a copy or coun te•part, the original may be pro cured. But if the deed be enrolled, cer tifying an attested copy is proof of the enrolment, such copy may be given in evidence.—Copy, among printers, denotes the manuscript. or original of a book, giv. en to he printed. Also, when we speak of a book, or a set of books, we say copy ; as, a copy of the Scriptures, a copy of Sir Walter Scott's works. &c.— Copy, in the fine arta, is a multiplication or re production of a work, whether painting, statue, or engraving, by another hand than the original. If a master copies his own picture, we call it merely a repeti tion, which the French designate by the term doublette. Copies are of three kinds; the most general are those in which Om copyist imitates the original with anxious exactitude ; in this case the difficulty of copying is hut slight. The second kind is
where the copyist avoids exact imitation, bat renders the original freely in its prin cipal traits. These copies, exact imita tions in style and coloring, are soon seen to be apocryphal pictures. The third and most important kind of copy is, that in which the picture is imitated with the freedom of a skilful hand, but ad the same time with a- truthful feeling of the origi nal, and with the inspiration of genius, finding satisfaction not in copying, but in an imitation little short of creation. COP'YlIOLD, a tenure of landed prop orty, by which the tenant holds his land by copy of court roll of the manor at the will of the lord, or rather, according to the custom of the manor by which such estate is discernible.