About this Book
Halhed, Nathaniel Brassey, A Code of Gentoo Laws, or Ordinations of the Pundits, from a Persian Translation made from the Original written in the Shanscrit Language. First edition, 1776, lxxiv, 61, [1], 322 pp. 8 copperplate leaves of Devnagari/Sanskrit inscriptions with tissue overlays (one lacking). Quarto (10.75″ x 8.5″).
A beautiful, wide-margined larger paper copy of an extremely scarce work in English describing the principles of Hindu jurisprudence, to facilitate English colonial rule in India and expand the trading empire on a strong legal foundation. This monumental english translation is from the Vivadarnavasetu, a digest of Hindu law in 21 sections (taranga). This work was compiled for Warren Hastings, the governor-general of the East India Company and the plates were possibly compiled at the type foundry of Panchanan Karmakar of Serampore.
The elevent pandits (pundats) consulted for this wonderful translation of Hindu laws were Banesvara, Kriparama, Rama Gopala, Krishnajivana, Viresvara, Krishnacandra, Guarikanta, Kalisankara, Syamasundara, Krishnakesava and Sitarama. The plates, showing minimal offsetting on opposite pages as usual, but virtually spotless, depict examples of the original Sanskrit texts.
Halhed is immortalized in the history of Indian printmaking for A Grammar of the Bengal Language published in 1778.
Condition– Rebound in recent sheep leather, gilt title and year to spine, speckled green leaves, edges renewed. Light rubbing and soiling to boards, corners bumped. Occasional light foxing and soiling to internal pages, faint marginal damp-staining to outer margins of the first few and last few leaves. Tears to gutters on last four leaves are repaired, affecting text on pp319-320, with minor loss to readability but the sense is clearly understood. A remarkably attractive copy overall.
