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.

ROBERTSON, William.

Edité par London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell; E. Balfour, Edinburgh, 1791

A propos de cet article

First edition of one of the author's four works of history, all of which "helped establish historical writing as one of the foremost literary genres of Enlightenment Scotland" (ODNB). This copy was likely owned by Jacob Bosanquet Jr (1755-1828), who served as the chairman of East India Company in 1798, 1803, and 1811; it has the Broxbournbury bookplate of his son, the diplomat George Jacob Bosanquet (1791-1866). "The Disquisition falls into two main parts: the first two-thirds is a narrative of the commercial contacts India had with the outside world from ancient times to the sixteenth century; the remainder is a long appendix describing Indian culture. The narrative portion documents, gathers, and summarizes familiar but scattered material; the appendix is broadly descriptive and more innovative, following the pattern developed in the descriptive chapters of the History of America. Although in recent years both Hume and Gibbon have often been considered greater historians in terms of intellectual insight and historical comprehension, Robertson's contemporaries generally had no hesitation about making him their equal, if not superior" (ODNB). ESTC T78952. Quarto (273 x 210 mm), pp. xii, 364, [12]. With 2 folding engraved maps by Samuel Neele. Trade binding of contemporary tree calf, black spine label, compartments elaborately tooled with repeating twisting patterns in gilt, boards framed with gilt floriate and foliate pattern, board edges milled in gilt, marbled endpapers, edges yellow. Binding lightly worn, including short worm trail on rear joint, short stub tears, small hole affecting page number on pp. 233-4: very good.

N° de réf. du vendeur 165253

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: 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.
• Éditeur: London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell; E. Balfour, Edinburgh, 1791
• Édition: Edition originale