LIMBURG BROUWER, Petrus Abraham Samuel van. Liège 15.11.1829 — the Hague 13.2.1873. Dutch Author, Politician and Translator of Sanskrit Literature. Born in Belgium of Dutch parents, son of Dr. Petrus van L.B. (1795–1847), a physician and from 1831 Professor at Groningen University, and Susanna Wiselius. Educated in Groningen: matriculation 1844, graduated from Groningen University 1850 as Dr.juris. Moved to Amsterdam, he joined the editorial staff of De Gids, working there in 1854-65. In 1855 he rejected a chair in the juridical faculty at Groningen, but in 1865 accepted a research post in State Archives and moved to the Hague. In 1864-68 represented Almeloo in the House of Commons. As a politician as well as thinker he was liberal, and active in debates, which eventually turned against him so that in 1868 he was not reelected. Now he concentrated again on research and archival work. In his later years he became more and more interested in India. His best known work is the novel on Akbar. In his eulogy Kern calls his command of Sanskrit somewhat defective, but praises his translations for their literary taste and his wide interests in Indian civilization.
Publications: Diss. Dissertatio juridica exhibens doctrinam juris Romani de actionum concursu, maxime secundum Savignii sententiam. Groningen 1850; ed. archival material on Dutch history.
– Translated (often abridged or selections): “Nitisastra”, De Gids 1860:1, 22-46 (from the Pañcatantra); “BhagavadGitâ”, De Gids 1861:1., 1-37, 323-351; “Stichtelijke lektuur”, De Gids 1861:2, 421-437 (from T. Foulkes, Elements of the Vedantic Philosophy); “Episoden uit her Râmâyana”, De Gids 1864:1, 342-364; “De avonturen van een Indisch edelman”, De Gids 1867:3, 211-247 (DKK); “Eene schoonheidskuur”, De Gids 1868:3, 217-234 (DKK); “Ghatakarparam: eene indische elegie”, De Gids 1869:1, 123-129; “De maan der kennis: theologisch-metaphysisch drama”, De Gids 1869:3, 25-63 (Prabodhacandrodaya); “Minnedichten, naar het Skt van Amaroe”, Nederland 2, 1869, 342-349; “Vertellingen van een duivel, Somadeva van Kaçmir naverteld”, De Tijdspiegel 1869:2, 163-181; “Oude wijsheid; de spreuken van Bhartrihari”, De Tijdspiegel 1870:2, 538-559; “Malati en Madhava: een indisch drama”, De Tijdspiegel 1871:1, 418-445.
– “Het boek der koningen van Kalhana: eene proeve van Indische geschiedenis”, De Gids 1867:2, 385-436; “Vedanta: eene proeve van indische rechtzinnigheid”, De Gids 1867:4, 494-531; “Oostersche atheïsme”, De Gids 1868:4, 425-447 (on Sāṅkhya).
– “Italiaansche indologie”, Nederlandsche Spectator 1867, 131f.; “Jesuiten-Indologie”, Ibid. 1870, 228-230; “Rome contra Benares”, Ibid. 1870, 331-333, 445; further small papers and reviews, ibid. 1871, 31, 154f., 203f., 243, 261, 269, 390f. and ibid. 1872, 90f., 183 & 342f. and 1873, 44.
– “Vedenstudiën: eene proeve ter verklaring van de oudstbekende godsdienst der Indo-Germanen”, De Gids 1871:2, 385-424 & 1871:3, 69-100 (with translations from the RV); “Vergelijkende mythologie”, De Gids 187:2, 1-30.
– Akbar: een oostersche roman. 252 p. ’s-Gravenhage 1872, new editions, English transl. by R. Markham, L. 1878.
Sources: Brugmans, N.N.B.W. 5, 19??, 56-58; H. Kern, De Nederlandsche Spectator 1873 = Verspr. Geschr. 15, 1928, 203-206; *C. Luckerhof, Een eenzame bruggenbouwer. Reizen door het India van P.A.S. van Limburg Brouwer. Amsterdam 2016; C. Vosmaer, “Levenschets … en Lijst der geschriften van Mr. P. A. S. van L. B.”, Levensberichten der Maatschappij van Nederlandsche Letterkunde te Leiden 1875, 19-40 & 41-49; works in Bibliografie. Gent 1966; Dutch Wikipedia with photo; Dutch Indology homepage.
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