First Edition. Important study by Sir John Malcolm, 1769-1833, military colleague of Wellington & private secretary to his brother Marquess Wellesley - “Lord Wellesley's factotum and the greatest man in Calcutta” (quoted in ODNB), career diplomat, enlightened administrator for the H.E.I.C, rising to become Governor of Bombay. “Influence in moulding policies undergirding imperial structures in India cast him as one the most able officers ever to have served the East India Company and the rising Indian empire. In the words of Malcolm Yapp, ‘he was the ideologue par excellence of British India … His insight, his imagination, his willingness to think outside accepted patterns, and, above all, his capacity to bring in a range of considerations far beyond that of which others were capable, all mark him out as a man of real intellectual genius.’” Engraved Addiscombe prize bookplate to the front pastedown of Volume I, awarded to Rawson Aislabie, as “1st of the 3rd Class for his attainments in Hindustani.” An attractive copy of interesting provenance.
2 volumes, 8vo. (222 × 140mm) Contemporary full calf prize binding for the East India Company’s college at Addiscombe, red and green labels to the spines, company arms gilt to the upper boards, all edges marbled. Light browning, light shelfwear, else very good.
