FORBES, William. 17?? — 1814?. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India. In Bombay Presidency. The was written in 1814 and posthumously published. The 1829 Preface states he died in November 1814.
Following worldcat.org I thought that his identity is clear, a Scottish nobleman: Sir William Forbes (1851 – 15.2.1816), 5th Bart. of Craigievar (Aberdeenshire). Son of Sir Arthur F. (4th Bart., d. 1773) and Margaret Strachan. Married 1780 Sarah Sempill, seven daughters and four sons. Thus thepeerage.com, but it seems that he never went to India! There is another contemporary W.F., born in Aberdeenshire 1787, son of John F. of Boundlie and Katherine Morison. At least his brother Theodore F. served in Gujarat (geni.com).
Publications: A Grammar of the Goojratee Language, with exercises, dialogues and stories. Bombay 1829, rev. ed. by Rustomjee Sorabjee. 96+4 p. Bombay 1845 (language now as Goozrattee).
Sources: There are too many James Forbeses in Scotland and elsewhere to allow further information from Internet.
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