Anderson, David, 1750-1828 (Diplomat, East India Company)
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 114 Collections and/or Records:
کتاب مناهج التّوصّل في مباهج التّرسّل Kitāb manāhij al-tawaṣṣul fī mabāhij al-tarassul, undated
An incomplete copy of the treatise on the Sufi styles of letter writing by ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Muḥammad bin ‘Alī bin Aḥmad al-Ḥanafī al-Bisṭāmī (d. 858 A.H., 1454 C.E.).
کلّيّاتِ بهشتی Kulliyyāt-i Bihishtī, 1096 A.H., 1684 C.E.
The collected poems of "Bihishtī", whose surname does not appear.
He was a panegyrist of the Mughal Prince Murād-Bakhsh (d. 1072 A.H., 1662 C.E.), the youngest son of the Emperor Shāhjahān, to whom many of the qasīdahs are devoted.
کلّيات جامی Kulliyyāt-i Jāmī, 1048 A.H, 1638 C.E.
A collection of the three complete Dīvāns of celebrated Persian poet Muḥammad Ispahānī (d. 897 A.H., 1492 C.E.), poetically styled after the place of his birth 'Jāmī'.
Contains five illuminated frontispieces.
گلشن ابراهيمی ـ جلد اوّل Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī (vol.i), undated (original text compiled 17th cent. C.E.)
This is Vol. I of a general history of India from the earliest times to 1018 A.H., 1609 C.E., the year in which it was presented to Sulṭān Naṣīr al-Dīn Ibrāhīm ‘Ādil-Shāh, the King of Bījāpūr (988-1037 A.H., 1580-1627 C.E.), at whose desire it had been compiled by the celebrated Muḥammad Qāsim Hindū-Shāh, surnamed "Firishtah," who was born in Astarābād about 960 A.H., 1552 C.E. The present work is commonly called the Tārīkh-i Firishtah.
لغت فارسی Lughat-i Fārsī, undated
An incomplete Persian lexicon with explanations in Persian, arranged in alphabetical order.
This manuscript is the first volume (see Or. Ms. 361 for vol. 2).
لغت فارسی Lughat-i Fārsī, undated
An incomplete Persian lexicon with explanations in Persian, arranged in alphabetical order.
This manuscript is the second volume (see Or. Ms. 360 for vol. 1).
مآثر عالمگيری Maʼās̱ir-i ‘Ālamgīrī, undated (original text compiled 18th cent. C.E.)
A history of the complete reign of Mughal Emperor ‘Ālamgīr (r. 1067-1078 A.H., 1656-1668 C.E.). It was compiled in 1122 A.H., 1710 C.E., by Muḥammad Sāqī Musta‘idd-Khān (d. 1136 A.H., 1723 C.E.) who was secretary to ‘Ināyat-Allāh Khān.
مجرّبات اکبری Mujarrabāt-i Akbarī, 1128 A.H., 1715 C.E.
An elaborate work on the compound medicaments for the human body, compiled between 1126-1130 A.H. (1714-1718 C.E.) by famous physician Mīr Muḥammad Akbar, also called "Muḥammad Arzānī", who flourished during Mughal Emperor Awrangzīb's reign (1658-1707 C.E.), and was the son of Mīr Ḥājī Muqīm.
See Or Ms 255 for a further example of a work by this author.
محمود واياز Maḥmūd va Ayāz, 1023 A.H., 1614 C.E.
The story, in the form of a mas̲navī, of Sultan Maḥmūd of Ghaznī (d. 421 A.H., 1030 C.E.) and his favourite companion and treasurer, Ayāz. It was composed by the celebrated poet Mawlānā Sayfī of Bukhārā (d. 909 A.H., 1503 C.E.).
محيط اعظم Muḥīṭ-i a‘ẓam, 1161 A.H., 1748 C.E.
A mas̲navī by Mirzā ‘Abd al-Qādir Astarābādī, poetically styled "Bīdil" (d. 1133 A.H., 1720 C.E.).
Frontispiece illuminated with gold.