Alexander HAMILTON (1765–1824), English Orientalist. Letter - Lot 190

Alexander HAMILTON (1765–1824), English Orientalist. Letter from the author, Hertford, June 1, 1816, to the Orientalist Louis-Mathieu Langlès, at the Royal Library in Paris; 2 pages, in-4 format, addressed with a red wax seal. An interesting letter on Persia and India. He recommends reading several works on Persia, notably that of Chevalier Malcolm, and introduces him to Major Stewart, his colleague, a professor of Persian, “a very distinguished Orientalist. I beg you to judge his knowledge of Oriental languages—which is inversely proportional to his knowledge of French”… He then discusses the Indian sanctuary of Ellora, about which little is known: “No Sanskrit work—at least no Persian one—mentions Ellora. But the ruins may be truly magnificent—and even very ancient—without dating back to that era. The word ‘Elora’ is likely from a Deccan dialect. According to *Recherches asiatiques*, it is also called ‘Varula,’ but that does not bring us any closer to the truth. No doubt these ruins have been visited by many people since Malet’s time, since we have a fairly substantial military post not far from them. Do not doubt for a moment that these ruins are magnificent. I beg you, however, not to believe that Mr. Weston has any knowledge of Oriental languages; he is an excellent man, of considerable wealth, and highly respected—except in that regard. Here, people do nothing but laugh at his pretensions—and he himself is the first to do so. Follow our example in this matter. As for the rest, we shall remain your faithful followers.” He sends his regards and asks for news of their mutual friends: poor Fontana, Mr. Volney, and his wife, who “are beginning to become a little more human. Such behavior is to be expected in the first few months. We call it the ‘honeymoon,’ ‘The Handsome One’ lost to women, Henri de La Salle appointed prefect…”