Mémoires de M. Caron de Beaumarchais contre M. Goezman

First edition of this complete collection, including the portrait of Cochin as frontispiece. Some of the memoirs had appeared in 1773, but the collected edition that brings them all together is indeed dated 1774; certain pieces are dated 1773 as they were added after the title page bearing the 1774 date. Although the pagination varies, the collection contains only one general title page; some memoirs have half-titles, others do not.
Contents of the collection: Mémoires de M. Caron de Beaumarchais contre M. Goezman, Supplément au mémoire à consulter, Addition au Supplément du mémoire à consulter, Requeste d'atténuation pour le Sr Caron de Beaumarchais, Quatrième mémoire à consulter, Suite de la justification du Sieur de Beaumarchais, Mémoire pour Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, Réponse ingénue de Beaumarchais à la consultation injurieuse que le Comte de la Blache a répandu dans Aix, Le tartare à la légion (this piece is rare and is found in very few collections).
Contemporary full speckled calf binding. Spine with gilt decorative tooling, gilt fillets at head and foot. Brown morocco label. Blue mottled edges. Rubbing to joints. A good, fresh copy, with some gatherings slightly toned.
Bookplate of J. B. Regnault, avocat.

Between 1773 and 1776, Beaumarchais published several memoirs in which he staged his own legal battle (he had chosen to represent himself). These four memoirs, blending dialogues and interrogations, captivated all of Paris—including Madame Du Barry—and were performed in cafés and along the boulevards. They read like a brilliant comedy in which deception is ultimately unmasked. Beaumarchais was eventually acquitted in the case that opposed him to Judge Goezman, who had been the reporting magistrate in the Paris-Duverney inheritance case that had brought Beaumarchais to financial ruin and public disgrace. In turn, Beaumarchais accused Goezman of corruption, while Goezman countered with charges of defamation and attempted bribery.
Judge Goezman ultimately came to symbolize the corruption of the new Parliament established by Louis XV, and the arbitrariness of the justice system.