MALAN, Caesar Jean Salmon (then Solomon Caesar). Geneva 12.4.1812 (or 23.4.) — Bournemouth 25.11.1894. Rev. Swiss Priest, Polyglot and Oriental Scholar in the U.K. Son of Dr. César Henri Abraham Malan, a theologian, of an exiled French Huguenot family, and Salomé Georgette Jeanne Schönberger. Educated at Vandœuvres, took early to the study of languages. Came to Scotland in 1830 as tutor in a noble family. Studies at St.Edmund’s Hall, Oxford, 1833-7. Boden Sanskrit Scholar 1834, Pusey and Ellerton Scholar 1837. In 1838 became classical lecturer at Bishop’s College, Calcutta, ordainedAnglican priest1838. Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, studied Indian languages. Left India in 1840 because of an illness, became Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, 1843. After various curacies was Rector of Broadwindsorin Dorsetin 1845-85. Retired 1885 to Bournemouth. Travelled in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Armenia, 1849-50 with Sir A. H. Layard to Ninive. In 1872 to Crimea, Georgia, Armenia. D.D. 1880 Edinburgh. Married 1834 Mary Morlock (d. c. 1840), then 1843 Caroline Selina Mount (1821–1911), six sons and one daughter.
Malan “gave many of his books to the Indian Institute at Oxford, was a great Oriental scholar … an accomplished artist, and an ardent lover of Natural History.” He is said to have known about 40 languages, including Sanskrit, Arabic and Hebrew. Acquainted with Csoma de Kőrös he also learned Tibetan. Further Georgian, Armenian, Coptic and Chinese. Being “more of a linguist than a critic” he often remained without support with his ideas.
Publications: “Nearly all his publications dealt with the Scriptures and ecclesiastical subjects, e.g. Original Notes on the Book of Proverbs.”
Sources: C.B[endall], D.N.B. Suppl. 3, 1901, 133f.; Buckland, Dictionary; H. Cordier, TP 5, 1894, 41f.; Dawson & Uphill, Who Was Who in Egyptology. Rev. 2nd ed. 1972; A.A. Macdonell, JRAS 1895, 453-457; *A.N. Malan (his son), Memoirs of the Life and Writings of CJSM. L. 1897; *L.F. Pfister (ed.). Polyglot from the Far Side of the Moon: The Life and Works of S.C.M. (1812–1894). Sankt Augustin 2022; *R.S. Simpson, Oxford D.N.B.; *TP 5, 1894; Wikipedia, long article with photo.
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