Beschreibung
A very scarce copy of one of the supplementary 1801 volumes to the valuable six-volume Works of Sir William Jones (1799 - London - Robinson). Something of a polyglot and a polymath, Sir William Jones (1746-1794) was a Welsh officer of the East India Company, and an insatiable scholar of Indian and Persian cultures. After graduating from Oxford in 1768, Jones began a spell as a tutor which bred his love for all things Eastern; by the age of 24 he had earned such a reputation as an 'Orientalist' that he published a French translation (Histoire de Nader) from the Persian works of Astarabati at the personal behest of the King of Denmark. In 1770, Jones joined the Middle Temple and began the practice of law, a career choice which (after being dispatched on a failed attempt with Benjamin Franklin to prevent the American Revolution) would lead him to India via his appointment as a judge on the Calcutta circuit. Hypnotised by what he saw there, Jones produced an astonishing volume of work on Indian culture and language (including first English translations of much prominent Indian literature) before his untimely death at the age of 47. Here we have volume I only of the incredibly scarce supplementary volumes to his compiled works; published in 1801 in London (two years after the initial six volumes). Whilst the boards could do with repair, the contents of the volumes are remarkably intact, with large, easy-to-read text, charming plates, and fascinating tables and fold-outs covering such diverse subjects as Eastern alphabets and Hindu lunar phases. In a full calf binding. Joints have failed with boards both detached; worn at corners, and rubbed at extremities. Chipped spines with gilt embellishment, contrasting labels, and wear to heads and tails. Internally, generally firmly bound. Endpapers and first few pages are heavily spotted (frontispiece, plate of author, and final leaves of volume one detached). Whilst the hinges and joints have failed, the binding remains generally sound. Lovely marbled endpapers (frontpaper is detached with board). Pages generally bright and clean with occasional spotting, with marbled edges. Several wormholes throughout, including one affecting up to at least the first 210 pp and one affecting the last 172 pp. Fair. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers LTH11-E-9
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