SONNERAT, Pierre. Lyon 18.8.1748 — Paris 31.3.1814. French Naval Officer, Naturalist and Traveller in the East. Travels: 1768-71 Madagascar and neighbouring islands, 1772-74 Moluccas and Philippines, 1774-81 India and China. Correspondent of the French Academy. Details of his life, especially of early years, are defective. In his first travel he…
SONNE, Wilhelm Günther Heinrich. Ilfeld am Harz 22.2.1820 — Wismar 3.5.1873. German IE Scholar. Schoolteacher in Wismar. Son of Heinrich Daniel Andreas Sonne (1780–1832) a teacher and Director of Ilfeld Gymnasium, himself educated at Göttingen Gymnasium 1831-32 and Hannover Lyceum (with G. F. Grotefend as Director). From 1839 studies of…
SOMMER, Johann Ferdinand. Trier 4.5.1875 — Munich 3.4.1962. German classical,IE and Hittite Scholar. Professor in Jena and Munich. Son of Philipp Sommer (1845–1911), a Rechnungsrat, and Johanna Saur. Educated in Trier and Kassel, from 1893 studies at Marburg and Freiburg (Thurneysen). Ph.D. 1896 Freiburg (diss. on Celtology). Further studies at…
SOLVYNS, François Balthazar (Frans Balthazar Solvijns). Antwerpen 1760 — Antwerpen 10.10.1824. Belgian (Flemish) Artist in India. Son of Maximiliaan Solvyns, a merchant, and Maria Elisabeth Abeloos. Art studies in Antwerp and Paris. “Showed genius at 12, drew sea-pieces. Patronized by the Arch-duchess Maria Christina till her death. Accompanied Sir Home…
SOLMSEN, Felix. Schneidemühl, Hinterpommern (now Piła, Poland) 11.7.1865 — Mehlem near Bonn 13.6.1911. German Classical and IE Linguist. Professor in Bonn. Son of Heinrich Solmsen (1835–1914) and Cäcilie Leszczynski (1842–1899). Studies of Classics and Comparative Linguistics at Berlin (J. Schmidt) and Leipzig (Brugmann and Leskien). Ph.D. 1886 Leipzig. After an…
SOLF, Wilhelm Heinrich. Berlin 5.10.1862 — Berlin 6.2.1936. German Indologist and Diplomat. Born in a wealthy family, son of Hermann Solf (1826–1894), a merchant and industrialist, and Augusta Peters, who was the cousin of —> J. Wackernagel. Educated in Anklam and Mannheim. From 1881 studies of Indology and philology at…
SMITH, Vincent Arthur. Dublin 3.6.1848 — Oxford 6.2.1920. British (Irish) Indologist, Historian and Art Historian of India, in India (1871–1900) and the U.K. Son of Aquilla Smith (1806–1890), a physician and noted numismatist and archaeologist, and Esther Faucett (d. 1850). Educated at Trinity College, Dublin (B.A. 1868) and Cambridge (M.A.).…
SMITH, Ronald Morton. Galashiels, Selkirkshire 25.8.1915 — Toronto 18.11.1996. British (Scottish) Indologist in Canada. The only child of John Smith (1880–1962) and Margaret Leitch. Educated at Bromsgrove School near Birmingham. Studies at St.Andrews (M.A. 1939 in classics), Oxford (Pembroke College, where he after the war service passedB.A. & M.A. 1947…
SMITH, May. 18?? — 19??. Britishwoman interested in Pāli. With meagre data she is doomed to remain mere name, but she could perhaps be, taken Rhys Davids’s interest in psychology and the common connection with Manchester, the same May Smith (1879–1968) who was known as industrial psychologist and is presented…
SMITH, George. Leith near Edinburgh 28.4.1833 — Edinburgh 24.12.1919. British (Scottish) Teacher in India, Historian and Geographer. Son of Adam Smith (1809–1837) and Isabella Anderson. Lost early his father and also mother died before 1851. Educated at the Royal High School, studies at University of Edinburgh: LL.D. 1868. Professor 1854…