WEST, Hans. Messinge, Fyn 6.7.1758 — Kassel 6.7.1811. Danish Scholar interested in India. Son of a minister, Hans Zacharias Danchel West (d. 1771) and Maren Hetting. Educated at Odense school. From 1788 rector of the Danish School in Christiansted, St. Croix (now of Virgin Islands). There he translated Jones’ English Śakuntalā, which was then published in Copenhagen, edited by his schoolmate, the librarian and historian of literature Rasmus Nyerup (1759–1829). The work includes a long introduction, information mainly culled from the first volume of the As. Res. West was then Danish consul in the Batavian Republic in Brussels (1802-09) and spent his last years in Paris and Rome. He was an eager art collector. Married 1785 Johanne Siphie Bech, children.
Publications: Cálidás, Sacontalá eller Den uheldige Ring. Copenhagen 1793.
– Translations of European literature; description of Danish West Indies.
Sources: *G. L. Grove, D.B.L.; Pauly, Køb. Univ. 8, 1992, 519f.; Danish Wikipedia with portrait.
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