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a handwritten letter written in black ink on a piece of paper
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190 - Alexander HAMILTON (1765–1824), English orientalist.
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Estimate €500 - €700
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Description
Alexander HAMILTON (1765–1824), English orientalist. Autograph letter, Hertford, 1 June 1816, to the orientalist Louis-Mathieu Langlès, at the Royal Library in Paris; 2 pages, quarto, address bearing a red wax seal. An interesting letter on Persia and India. He recommends several works on Persia, notably that of Chevalier Malcolm, and introduces him to Major Stewart, his colleague, a professor of the Persian language, ‘a most distinguished orientalist. I beg you to judge his knowledge of Oriental languages, which is in inverse proportion to his knowledge of French’… He then speaks of the Indian sanctuary of Ellora, about which little is known: ‘No Sanskrit work—at least no Persian one—mentions Ellora. But the ruins may well be magnificent, and even very ancient, without dating back to that era. The word ‘Elora’ is probably from a Deccan dialect. It appears from the *Recherches asiatiques* that it is also called ‘Varula’, but that brings us no closer to the truth. No doubt these ruins have been visited by many people since Malet, as we have a fairly substantial military post not far away. Do not doubt for a moment that these ruins are magnificent. I beg you, however, not to believe that Mr Weston possesses any knowledge of Oriental languages; he is an excellent man, of considerable wealth, and highly respected—except in that particular regard. Here, people do nothing but laugh at his pretensions, and he himself is the first to do so. Do as we do in this matter. As for the rest, we shall remain your faithful followers.’ He gives and asks for news of their mutual friends: poor Fontana, Mr Volney and his wife, who ‘are beginning to become a little more human. Such behaviour is to be expected in the first few months. We call it the ‘honeymoon’,” The Handsome Man Lost to Women, Henri de La Salle appointed prefect…
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About the sale Letters and Autograph Manuscripts – Part I
Auction location
Auction time 10/13/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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