HAUGHTON, Graves Champney. Dublin 1788 — St.Cloud near Paris 28.8. 1849. Sir. British Colonial Officer and Indologist. Son of the physician John H. (originating from a Lancashire family), educated in England. Obtained a cadetship in Bengal army and left for India in 1808. Soon learned Hindi. In 1812 he got a young officer’s leave for study of Oriental languages at College of Fort William in Calcutta. Now learned Arabic, Persian, Bengali, Hindustani, and Sanskrit. Lieutenant 1814. Catched an illness and left India 1815 on a furlough, remained in England (formally quitted the army in 1819). From 1817 Assistant Professor, from 1819 Professor of Sanskrit and Bengali (Hamilton’s successor) at Haileybury. He was often ill and retired in 1827. In 1834 he was candidate for the new Boden chair of Sanskrit (Oxford), but withdraw to give way to his friend H. H. Wilson. In 1834 Knight of the Guelphic Order. During his last years (from 1839) spent much time in Paris and died there of cholera. Hon. M.A. 1819 Oxford. He was a member of Royal Irish Academy and a founder-member of R.A.S. Married, at least two daughters.
Haughton was a scholar of Bengali and Sanskrit. Because of his poor health he was unable to conclude the third volume of his Manu. In the Purāṇa controversy he defended Wilson and quarreled with Vans Kennedy. In later years he was also interested in science and metaphysics. Many of his Oriental publications (even Manu) were only sold to the students of Haileybury and are therefore rare.
Publications: Rudiments of Bengálí Grammar. 12+199 p. L. 1822; Bengálí Selections with Translations and a Vocabulary. 12+198 p. L. 1822.
– A Glossary, Bengálí and English, to explain the Tótá-Itihás, the Batris Singhásan, the History of Rájá Krishna Chandra, the Purusha-Parikhyá and the Hitópadésa. 12+124 p. L. 1825.
– Mânavadharma shâstra or the Institutes of Menu. Edited, with the transl. of Sir William Jones. 1-2. 9+436 & 22+450 p. L. 1825.
– A short Inquiry into the Nature of Language, with a view to ascertain the original meanings of Sanskrit prepositions; elucidated by comparisons with the Greek and Latin. 52 p. L. 1832, 2nd ed. 1834.
– A Dictionary, Bengali and Sanskrit, explained in English and adapted for Students of either Language, to which is added an Index, serving as a reversed Dictionary. 1-2. 2764 col. L. 1833.
– A short inquiry into the nature of language with a view to ascertain the original meanings of Sanskrit prepositions; elucidated by comparison with the Greek and Latin. 26 p. L. 1834.
– The Exposition of the Vedanta Philosophy by H. T. Colebrooke … Vindicated; being a Refutation of Certain Published Remarks of Colonel Vans Kennedy. 1+16+10 p. L. 1835.
– Articles in TrRAS, As. Journal, etc.
– Inquiry into the Nature of Cholera and the Means of Cure. 1833.
– Prodromus; or an Inquiry into the First Principles of Reasoning; including an Analysis of the Human Mind. 8+263 p. L. 1839; The Chain of Causes. 1. L. 1842.
– Letter to the Right Hon. C. W. Williams Wynn on the danger to which the Constitution is exposed from the encroachments of the Courts of Law. 50 p. L. 1840.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; G.G[oodwin] in D.N.B. 25, 1891, 166-168; JRAS 13, 1852, Proc. ii-v; JA 4:16, 1850, 113-116; Wikipedia.
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