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Anderson, David, 1750-1828 (Diplomat, East India Company)

 Person

Staff Only

Dates

  • Existence: 1750 - 1828

Biography

David Anderson (1750-1828) was an East India Company diplomat born in Edinburgh. Both David and his brother James Anderson (1757-1833) were close associate of Warren Hastings (1732-1818), the first British Governor-General of Bengal, Hasting’s inner circle being known for their interest in Indian and Muslim culture and heritage. David matriculated at the University of Edinburgh in 1762, studying Humanities under Professor George Stuart (no graduation recorded). By 1767 he was in India, employed as an EIC “Writer”. By 1769 he was an assistant to George Gustavas Ducarel in (Purnea district), by 1772 he held the position of Factor, assistant to the EIC Political Resident at Murshidabad where he appears to have risen through the ranks over the subsequent years. In 1782 he negotiated a peace treaty between the Marāthās and the EIC, with Madho Rao Pundit Purdhan, in Scindia. He then remained in Scindia as Political Resident until 1785 when he returned to Britain on the same ship as Hastings. He was later a witness for the defence at Hastings’ impeachment trial, and purchased St Germain House (East Lothian).

Upon his death David Anderson bequeathed 113 manuscripts to the University of Edinburgh Library in Persian (104 items), Arabic (6) and Hindustani (3). His collection indicates practical concerns such as the gathering of information on the history of India, and informing himself on letter writing and elegant composition, but also an interest in Persian literature (particularly poetry of a Sufi nature) and some interest in Hinduism. It includes a number of items translated from Sanskrit to Persian.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

باششٿه جوگ Bāshishṭah Jūg, 1198 A.H., 1783 C.E.

 Item
Identifier: Or Ms 327
Scope and Contents An exposition of Hindu mysticism of which this is an abridged form. The original translation is by Shaykh Abū al-Faz̤l 'Allāmī', who completed it at the request of Mughal ruler Akbar the Great (r. 1556-1605 C.E.) in 1006 A.H., 1597 C.E.Copied at Calcutta by Shaykh Aḥmad-Baksh of Aẓīmābād (Patna) and dated with the Dated the Faṣlī year 1192 (see dating for A.H. and C.E. equivalents).In the same hand as, and bearing very similar physical features to, Or Mss 328 and 329....
Dates: 1198 A.H.; 1783 C.E.
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Manuscripts of the Islamicate World and South Asia

بهوپال شاستر Bhūpāl shāstra, undated

 Item
Identifier: Or Ms 326
Scope and Contents A collection of Hindu codes intended for the use of kings, translated from the Sanskrit by an unnamed Muslim. The author of the original text is Paras-Rām b. Kishtan-Dīw. Contains a single illustration on fol. 244b. The decoration is unfinished, with many blank space left for illustrations and diagrams. The margins contain numerous corrections and additions that appear to be in the same hand as the main text, raising the possibility that this is the holograph...
Dates: undated
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Manuscripts of the Islamicate World and South Asia

سنگهاسن بتّيسی Singhāsana battīsī, 1198 A.H., 1783 C.E.

 Item
Identifier: Or Ms 329
Scope and Contents

An abridged version of the well-known original Sanskrit work of the thirty-two tales of the throne, or the stories of King Vikramaditya and Rājah Bhūj. Copied in Calcutta in the Faṣlī year 1192 (see dating for A.H. and C.E. equivalents) by Shaykh Aḥmad-Baksh Ṣiddīqī.

In the same hand as, and bearing very similar physical features to, Or Mss 327 and 328. It is highly likely that all three manuscripts are of shared origin and production history.

Dates: 1198 A.H.; 1783 C.E.
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Manuscripts of the Islamicate World and South Asia