1843 The History of India

Description

Folding Maps, Illustrated, Leather Binding

Complete in two volumes. The scarce second edition of this work. Volume I with a folding map. Collated, complete. 'The History of India' was researched from a range of Indian sources, giving the work a great reliability in its accuracy on the history of India. It is clear from the writing that Elphinstone had a lifelong love and understanding of Indian culture, and the science and philosophy of India. In this work, the author looks in-depth into Hinduism, contemporary changes in the government, changes in the law, the contemporary state of philosophy, astronomy and mathematical science, geography, medicine, language, literature, fine arts, commerce, manners and character, and much more. The work is also a refutation of James Mill's work 'History of British India', which was accused of hostility to Orientalism. As the author describes, Mill 'left some room for doubt and discussion'. This work was the most popular work of its kind of Victorian England. The author, Mounstuart Elphinstone, first came to India in 1796, after being appointed to the East India Company. Mountstuart Elphinstone was a Scottish statesman and historian, who is associated with the government of British India. He was the Governor of Bombay, and is credited with opening several educational institutions, accessible to the Indian public. After a successful career overseas, he returned to England and focussed on his writing. He was also a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society. In order to finish this work, Elphinstone twice refused the position of Governor-General of India, wishing to spend his time writing this instead. Bookplate to the front pastedowns, 'Sir William Maynard Gomm'. Gomm was a Field Marshal in the British Army, who took part in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, as well as fighting in most of the battles in the Napoleonic Wars.