Henry Thomas ColebrookeFRSFRSEFLS (15 June 1765 – 10 March 1837) was an English orientalist and botanist. He has been described as "the first great Sanskrit scholar in Europe".[1]
Henry Thomas Colebrooke was born on 15 June 1765. His parents were Sir George Colebrooke, 2nd Baronet, MP for Arundel and Chairman of the East India Company from 1769, and Mary Gaynor, daughter and heir of Patrick Gaynor of Antigua. He was educated at home,[2] and from the age of twelve to sixteen he lived in France.[3]
In 1782 Colebrooke was appointed through his father's influence to a writership with the East India Company in Calcutta. In 1786 and three years later he was appointed assistant collector in the revenue department at Tirhut. He wrote Remarks on the Husbandry and Commerce of Bengal,[3] which was privately published in 1795, by which time he had transferred to Purnia. This opposed the East India Company's monopoly on Indian trade, advocating instead for free trade between Britain and India, which caused offence to the East India Company's governors.[2]
He was appointed to the magistracy of Mirzapur in 1795 and was sent to Nagpur in 1799 to negotiate an allowance with the Raja of Berar. He was unsuccessful in this, due to events elsewhere, and returned in 1801. On his return was made a judge of the new court of appeal in Calcutta, of which he became president of the bench in 1805. Also in 1805, Lord Wellesley appointed him honorary professor of Hindu law and Sanskrit at the college of Fort William.[3] In 1807 he became a member of council, serving for five years, and was elected President of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. Colebrooke married Elizabeth Wilkinson in 1810. The marriage was short-lived and she died in 1814.[1] He returned to England in 1815.[2]
In 1816 he was elected to the fellowship of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh[1] In 1820 he was a founder of the Royal Astronomical Society. He often chaired the society's meetings in the absence of the first president, William Herschel, and was elected as its second president on Herschel's death, serving 1823–1825. In 1823 he was also a founder of the Royal Asiatic Society, chairing its first meeting although he declined to become its president.[2][4][5][6]
Worksedit
After eleven years of residence in India, Colebrooke began the study of the Sanskritlanguage; and to him was entrusted the translation of the major Digest of Hindu Laws, a monumental study of Hindu law which had been left unfinished by Sir William Jones. He translated the two treatises, the Mitacshara of Vijnaneshwara and the Dayabhaga of Jimutavahana, under the title Law of Inheritance. During his residence at Calcutta he wrote his Sanskrit Grammar (1805), some papers on the religious ceremonies of the Hindus, and his Essay on the Vedas (1805), for a long time the standard work in English on the subject.[3] A posthumous essay on his father's life was published by Sir T. E. Colebrooke in 1873 as part of a reprinting of Miscellaneous Essays.
Remarks on the Husbandry and Internal Commerce of Bengal (Revised ed.). Calcutta. 1804 [1795]. OCLC 81391410.
A Grammar of the Sanscrit Language. Calcutta: Honorable Company's Press. 1804. OCLC 1086520079.
Cosha or Dictionary of the Sanscrit Language. Serampoor. 1808. OCLC 1040332244. (by Amara Singh; with an English interpretation and annotations by H.T. Colebrooke)
Two Treatises on the Hindu Law of Inheritance. Calcutta: Hindoostanee Press. 1810. OCLC 246404698.
Algebra, with Arithmetic and Mensuration, from the Sanscrit of Brahmegupta and Bháscara. London: John Murray. 1817. OCLC 54570166.
Treatise on Obligations and Contracts. London: Black, Kingsbury, Parbury, and Allen. 1818. OCLC 900298882.
Miscellaneous Essays. Vol. 1. London: Wm. H. Allen. 1837.
Miscellaneous Essays. Vol. 2. London: Wm. H. Allen. 1837.
The Sánkhya Káriká, or Memorial Verses on the Sánkhya Philosophy by Iswara Krishna (also, The Bhashya or Commentary of Gaurapada, translated... by Horace Hayman Wilson). Oxford: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. 1837. OCLC 222040333.
"Description of Select Indian Plants". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 12 (2): 351–361. 1819. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1817.tb00234.x.
"On the Indian Species of Menispermum". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 13: 44–68. 1821. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1821.tb00054.x.
"Account of the Lansium and some other Genera of Malayan Plants". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 14: 114–130. 1823. (with William Jack)
"On Boswellia and certain Indian Terebinthaceœ". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 15 (2): 355–370. 1826. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1826.tb00119.x.
^ abcdOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 665.
^Herbert Hall Turner. "The Decade 1820–1830". History of the Royal Astronomical Society 1820–1920. pp. 11, 18–19.
^"Past RAS Presidents". Royal Astronomical Society. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
^G. H. Noehden (1824). "Report of the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, at Its First General Meeting, on the 15th of March, 1823". Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 1 (1): vii–x. JSTOR 25581688.
^Desmond, Ray, ed. (2002). "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas". Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists Including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers. CRC Press. p. 702. ISBN9781466573871. Desmond, Ray; Ellwood, Christine (1994). print edition. ISBN0-85066-843-3.
Buckland, C. E., ed. (1906). "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas" in Dictionary of Indian Biography. London: Swan Sonnenschein & Company. pp. 87–88. Also available online at: "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas", archive.org.
Colebrooke, Thomas E. (1873). "Life of Colebrooke" in Frederick Max Müller's Chips from a German Workshop, (1875). Vol. IV, pp. 377–317. London: Longmans, Green & Company. Also available here in reprint edition (1881): "Life of Colebrooke", archive.org.
Higgenbothom, J. J. (1874). "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas" in Men Whom India Has Known: Biographies of Eminent Indian Characters. Madras: Higgenbothom & Company. pp. 75–79. Also available online: "Colebrooke, Henry Thomas", archive.org.
Rocher, Rosane and Ludo (2011). The Making of Western Indology: Henry Thomas Colebrooke and the East India Company. London: Routledge for the Royal Asiatic Society. ISBN978-0415336017
January 01, 1970
henry, thomas, colebrooke, frse, june, 1765, march, 1837, english, orientalist, botanist, been, described, first, great, sanskrit, scholar, europe, frse, flsa, bust, currently, owned, royal, asiatic, societyborn, 1765, june, 1765london, englanddied10, march, 1. Henry Thomas Colebrooke FRS FRSE FLS 15 June 1765 10 March 1837 was an English orientalist and botanist He has been described as the first great Sanskrit scholar in Europe 1 Henry Thomas ColebrookeFRS FRSE FLSA bust of Henry Thomas Colebrooke currently owned by the Royal Asiatic SocietyBorn 1765 06 15 15 June 1765London EnglandDied10 March 1837 1837 03 10 aged 71 London EnglandNationalityBritishOccupationOrientalistKnown forSanskrit scholar one of the founders of the Royal Asiatic Society one of the founders and second president of the Royal Astronomical Society Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Indological 2 2 Botanical 3 References 4 Further readingBiography editHenry Thomas Colebrooke was born on 15 June 1765 His parents were Sir George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet MP for Arundel and Chairman of the East India Company from 1769 and Mary Gaynor daughter and heir of Patrick Gaynor of Antigua He was educated at home 2 and from the age of twelve to sixteen he lived in France 3 In 1782 Colebrooke was appointed through his father s influence to a writership with the East India Company in Calcutta In 1786 and three years later he was appointed assistant collector in the revenue department at Tirhut He wrote Remarks on the Husbandry and Commerce of Bengal 3 which was privately published in 1795 by which time he had transferred to Purnia This opposed the East India Company s monopoly on Indian trade advocating instead for free trade between Britain and India which caused offence to the East India Company s governors 2 He was appointed to the magistracy of Mirzapur in 1795 and was sent to Nagpur in 1799 to negotiate an allowance with the Raja of Berar He was unsuccessful in this due to events elsewhere and returned in 1801 On his return was made a judge of the new court of appeal in Calcutta of which he became president of the bench in 1805 Also in 1805 Lord Wellesley appointed him honorary professor of Hindu law and Sanskrit at the college of Fort William 3 In 1807 he became a member of council serving for five years and was elected President of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta Colebrooke married Elizabeth Wilkinson in 1810 The marriage was short lived and she died in 1814 1 He returned to England in 1815 2 In 1816 he was elected to the fellowship of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1 In 1820 he was a founder of the Royal Astronomical Society He often chaired the society s meetings in the absence of the first president William Herschel and was elected as its second president on Herschel s death serving 1823 1825 In 1823 he was also a founder of the Royal Asiatic Society chairing its first meeting although he declined to become its president 2 4 5 6 Works editAfter eleven years of residence in India Colebrooke began the study of the Sanskrit language and to him was entrusted the translation of the major Digest of Hindu Laws a monumental study of Hindu law which had been left unfinished by Sir William Jones He translated the two treatises the Mitacshara of Vijnaneshwara and the Dayabhaga of Jimutavahana under the title Law of Inheritance During his residence at Calcutta he wrote his Sanskrit Grammar 1805 some papers on the religious ceremonies of the Hindus and his Essay on the Vedas 1805 for a long time the standard work in English on the subject 3 A posthumous essay on his father s life was published by Sir T E Colebrooke in 1873 as part of a reprinting of Miscellaneous Essays He collected plants in the Sylhet Division and sent plants and drawings to William Jackson Hooker and Aylmer Bourke Lambert Colebrooke s botanical specimens are stored at Kew Gardens 7 Indological edit Remarks on the Husbandry and Internal Commerce of Bengal Revised ed Calcutta 1804 1795 OCLC 81391410 A Grammar of the Sanscrit Language Calcutta Honorable Company s Press 1804 OCLC 1086520079 Cosha or Dictionary of the Sanscrit Language Serampoor 1808 OCLC 1040332244 by Amara Singh with an English interpretation and annotations by H T Colebrooke Two Treatises on the Hindu Law of Inheritance Calcutta Hindoostanee Press 1810 OCLC 246404698 Algebra with Arithmetic and Mensuration from the Sanscrit of Brahmegupta and Bhascara London John Murray 1817 OCLC 54570166 Treatise on Obligations and Contracts London Black Kingsbury Parbury and Allen 1818 OCLC 900298882 Miscellaneous Essays Vol 1 London Wm H Allen 1837 Miscellaneous Essays Vol 2 London Wm H Allen 1837 The Sankhya Karika or Memorial Verses on the Sankhya Philosophy by Iswara Krishna also The Bhashya or Commentary of Gaurapada translated by Horace Hayman Wilson Oxford Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland 1837 OCLC 222040333 Botanical edit The standard author abbreviation Colebr is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 8 Description of Select Indian Plants Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 12 2 351 361 1819 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 1817 tb00234 x On the Indian Species of Menispermum Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 13 44 68 1821 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 1821 tb00054 x Account of the Lansium and some other Genera of Malayan Plants Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 14 114 130 1823 with William Jack On Boswellia and certain Indian Terebinthaceœ Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 15 2 355 370 1826 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 1826 tb00119 x References edit a b c Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF Royal Society of Edinburgh p 194 a b c d Lane Poole Stanley 1887 Colebrooke Henry Thomas DNB00 In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 11 London Smith Elder amp Co a b c d nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Colebrooke Henry Thomas Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 6 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 665 Herbert Hall Turner The Decade 1820 1830 History of the Royal Astronomical Society 1820 1920 pp 11 18 19 Past RAS Presidents Royal Astronomical Society Retrieved 18 August 2018 G H Noehden 1824 Report of the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland at Its First General Meeting on the 15th of March 1823 Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1 1 vii x JSTOR 25581688 Desmond Ray ed 2002 Colebrooke Henry Thomas Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists Including plant collectors flower painters and garden designers CRC Press p 702 ISBN 9781466573871 Desmond Ray Ellwood Christine 1994 print edition ISBN 0 85066 843 3 International Plant Names Index Colebr Further reading editBuckland C E ed 1906 Colebrooke Henry Thomas in Dictionary of Indian Biography London Swan Sonnenschein amp Company pp 87 88 Also available online at Colebrooke Henry Thomas archive org Colebrooke Thomas E 1873 Life of Colebrooke in Frederick Max Muller s Chips from a German Workshop 1875 Vol IV pp 377 317 London Longmans Green amp Company Also available here in reprint edition 1881 Life of Colebrooke archive org Higgenbothom J J 1874 Colebrooke Henry Thomas in Men Whom India Has Known Biographies of Eminent Indian Characters Madras Higgenbothom amp Company pp 75 79 Also available online Colebrooke Henry Thomas archive org Rocher Rosane and Ludo 2011 The Making of Western Indology Henry Thomas Colebrooke and the East India Company London Routledge for the Royal Asiatic Society ISBN 978 0415336017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Thomas Colebrooke amp oldid 1215983417, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
