1791 An historical disquisition concerning the knowledge which the ancients had of India, and the progress of trade with that country prior to the discovery of the passage to it by the Cape of Good Hope : with an appendix containing observations on the civil policy, the laws and judicial proceedings, the arts, the sciences and religious institutions of the Indians

Description

First Edition, Folding Maps, Leather Binding, Scarce

Scarce. ESTC Citation No. T78953. Collated complete with two folding maps, both showing the South East Part of Asia. Some collations state the work is complete with one map present. The work is extremely scarce so as to contain both variants of the maps. Half title is also present. The first Dublin imprint of the work, published in octavo. A quarto London imprint was published simultaneously by A Strahan. Willam Robertson was a Scottish historian, minister and Principal of the University of Edinburgh, perhaps best know for his notable work 'History of Scotland 1542-1603. Robertson is also credited as writing one of the first works regarding the conquest and settlement of Spanish America. "An Historical Disquisition concerning the Knowledge which the Ancients had of India" was the final book published by Robertson and explores the commercial and cultural differences and similarities of India and the West, starting with 'ancient times' all the way to the end of the fifteenth century. The work was written during a period of great change in Scotland, and as such the work is heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment and increased British involvement in India. The work was unusual for its attempt to protect Indian culture from Western Imperialism. Whilst at the time the work was undervalued owing to its positive outlook on Hinduism, it remains an important cultural work regarding Western perspectives on Eastern thought and tradition.