HAMILTON, Charles. Belfast 1752/53 — Hampstead, London 14.3.1792, when 39. British Colonial Officer in India. Probably son of Charles H., a merchant (d. 1759), and Katherine Mackay (d. 1767). Worked two years in a Dublin mercantile house, then “went to India in the E.I.C.’s military service in 1776; was one…
HAMILTON, Alexander. 3.10.1762 — Liverpool 30.12.1824. British (Scottish) Pioneer of Indology. Born in Scotland (if not in India), son of William Hamilton (1722–1783), a merchant in Greenock (Inverclyde), and Jean Donald, and grandson of Alexander Hamilton, Laird of Grange in Ayrshire, brother of Major Walter Hamilton (1779–1818), who also wrote…
HALHED, Nathaniel Brassey. Westminster 25.5.1751 — London 18.2.1830. British Precursor of Indology. Son of William Halhed, a bank director, and Frances Caswal, educated at Harrow. From 1768 studies at Christ Church, Oxford (no degree), where —> William Jones prompted him to study Arabic. After a brush-off accepted a post of…
HAGEMANN, Gottfried Ernst. Hannover 17?? — Rome ?.3.1809. German pioneer of Indology. In Paris lived as a lodger in the house of Fr. Schlegel and together with his landlord became a student of A. Hamilton. Also learned Persian. He was fascinated with Sanskrit and longed to go to India. In…
HADLEY, George. 174? — London 10.9.1798. British Colonial Officer in India, Author of the first Hindūstānī Grammar in English. He joined the E.I.C.’s Bengal Army as a cadet in 1763, Lieutenant 1764, Captain 1766, retired 1771. In order to understand the sepoys, he compiled a Hindūstānī grammar and an English–…
HAAFNER (Haffner), Jacob Godfried. Halle 13.5.1754 — Amsterdam 4.9.1809. Dutch (German-born) traveller and precursor of Indology. His father, Matthias Haffner, originally from Alsace (Colmar), was sent by his catholic parents to monastery, but ran away and studied medicine at Halle, where he also married and adopted Lutheran confession. He brought…
GUIGNES, Joseph de. Pontoise (Seine-et-Oise) 19.10.1721 — Paris 19.3.1800. French Oriental Scholar, a Pioneer of Sinology and Precursor of Indology. Professor in Paris. Son of Jean Louis de Guignes and Françoise Vaillant. Recommended by his cousin, Professor Le Vaillant, he was accepted as a student by the Sinologist Etienne Fourmont…
GRÜBER, Johann Baptist (Bai Năixīn). Linz 28.10.1620 (or 1623) — Sárospatak 30.9.1680. Father. S.J. Austrian Missionary and Traveller. Early years poorly known. After Jesuit gymnasium in Linz joined S.J. in 1641 in Vienna. After studies of philosophy and mathematics in Vienna, Leoben and Graz he was gymnasium teacher in Leoben,…
GROTEFEND, Georg Friedrich. Hannoversch-Münden 9.6.1775 — Hannover 15.12.1853. German Philologist and Historian, the Famous Pioneer of Assyriology and Cuneiform Studies, Decipherer of the Old Persian Cuneiform Script. Son of Johann Christian Grotefend (1738–1813), a shoemaker, and Sophie Wolff (1737–1791). After Pädagogium in Ilfeld from 1795 studies of theology and philosophy…
GROSE, John Henry. London 24.8.1732 — in or after 1774. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Francis Jacob Grose (1697–1769), a jeweller of Swiss origin, and Ann Bennett. Educated in London, learned accounting and record-keeping. He went to Bombay in 1750 and became writer in the E.I.C.’s service. Member…