The Trial of John Peltier, Esq. for a Libel against Napoleon Buonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, at the Court of King's-Bench, Middlesex, on Monday the 21st of February, 1803.
London: Printed by Cox, Son, and Baylis... for M. Peltier, 1803. Hard Cover. Good / No Jacket. Item #2305162
French and English text. Hinges weakening with first gathering loosening, boards lightly soiled and discolored.
xxxii, 312, clii pp. 4to. Blind-stamped brown cloth with cloth title label affixed (the label is likely newer, as it does not match the style of the rest). An account of the trial of John Peltier, who published a journal called L'Ambigu after fleeing France for England in the late 18th century. He was charged with libel, specifically for his criticisms of Napoleon, and was found guilty despite a spirited effort by Sir James Mackintosh in his defense ('His greatest performance,' - Dictionary of National Biography). The war between England and France resumed on the same day the trial took place, so not much came of it.
Price: $150.00