ARBUTHNOT, Forster Fitzgerald. Belgaum, Bombay Presidency 21.5.1833 — London 25.5.1901. British (Scottish) Civil Servant and Oriental Scholar in India. Son of Sir Robert Keith A., 2nd Bart., and Anne Fitzgerald, educated privately in Anhalt and Genoa. In 1851 went to Haileybury, in 1853 joined Bombay Civil Service (like his father before him). In the end Collector of Bombay City and Island, retired in 1878. He became introduced to Oriental literature by —> E. Rehatsek. He was a friend of —> R. Burton and joined him founding the Kamashastra Society for publishing unpurged translations of Oriental classics. Himself he mainly wrote popular books. Married 1879 Ellinor Stirling (d. 1911), no children.
Publications: Preface and index to Steingass’s transl.: The assemblies of Harîri. L. 1867-98.
– Early ideas. A group of Hindoo stories. 158 p. L. 1881.
– Anonymous free translation (by R. Burton and F. F. Arbuthnot) of the Kāmasūtra published by the Hindoo Kama Shastra Society, Benares 1883, reprinted with introduction by J. W. Spellman. 252 p. New York 1962 (in fact, the text was freely rendered by Pandits and only supervised by A. and Burton).
– Persian portraits. A sketch of Persian history, literature and literature. 247 p. L. 1890.
– Edited Rehatsek’s transl.: The Rauzat-us-Safa; or, Garden of purity… By Mirkhond. 1-2. L. 1891-94.
Sources: J.S C[otton], D.N.B. 2nd Suppl. 1, 1912, 47f.; Wikipedia; works in N.U.C. Not in Who Was Who.
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