Background
Mountstuart Elphinstone was born in 1779. He was the fourth son of the 11th Baron Elphinstone in the peerage of Scotland.
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(Excerpt from The History of India, Vol. 1 But the excel...)
Excerpt from The History of India, Vol. 1 But the excellence of histories derived from European researches alone does not entirely set aside the utility of similar inquiries conducted un der the guidance of impressions received in India; which, as they rise from a separate source, may sometimes lead to different conclusions. Few are likely to take up these volumes unless they are previously interested in the subject, and such persons may not be unwilling to examine it from a fresh point of View: if the result suggests no new opinions, it may at least assist in deciding on those contested by former writers. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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Excerpt from Selections From the Minutes and Other Official Writings of the Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay Some years ago, when I was employed in looking over the valuable records in the Bombay Secretariat, the idea struck me that a compilation of the official writings Of Mountstuart Elphinstone would prove of use, not only to those actively engaged in the administration of India, but also to the daily widening circle of men who take an interest in Indian questions. There is hardly an important problem connected with the government Of India which has not been discussed by Mountstuart Elphinstone; and to the discussion Of Indian problems he brought vast experience and a liberal and highly cultivated mind. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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Mountstuart Elphinstone was born in 1779. He was the fourth son of the 11th Baron Elphinstone in the peerage of Scotland.
He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh.
Having received an appointment in the civil service of the East India Company, of which one of his uncles was a director, he reached Calcutta in the beginning of 1796. After filling several subordinate posts, he was appointed in 1801 assistant to the British resident at Poona, at the court of the peshwa, the most powerful of the Mahratta princes. Here he obtained his first opportunity of distinction, being attached in the capacity of diplomatist to the mission of Sir Arthur Wellesley to the Mahrattas. When, on the failure of negotiations, war broke out, Elphinstone, though a civilian, acted as virtual aide-de-camp to General Wellesley. He was present at the battle of Assaye, and displayed such courage and knowledge of tactics throughout the whole campaign that Wellesley told him he had mistaken his profession, and that he ought to have been a soldier. In 1804, when the war closed, he was appointed British resident at Nagpur. Here, the times being uneventful and his duties light, he occupied much of his leisure in reading classical and general literature, and acquired those studious habits which clung to him throughout life.
In 1808 he was'appointed the first British envoy to the court of Kabul, with the object of securing a friendly alliance with the Afghans; but this proved of little value, because Shah Shuja was driven from the throne by his brother before it could be ratified. The most valuable permanent result of the embassy was the literary fruit it bore several years afterwards in Elphin- stone's great work on Kabul. After spending about a year in Calcutta arranging the report of his mission, Elphinstone was appointed in 1811 to the important and difficult post of resident at Poona.
The difficulty arose from the general complication of Mahratta politics, and especially from the weak and treacherous character of the peshwa, which Elphinstone rightly read from the first. While the mask of friendship was kept up Elphinstone carried out the only suitable policy, that of vigilant quiescence, with admirable tact and patience; when in 1817 the mask was thrown aside and the peshwa ventured to declare w'ar, the English resident proved for the second time the truth of Wellesley's assertion that he was born a soldier. Though his own account of his share in the campaign is characteristically modest, one can gather from it that the success of the British troops waschiefly owing to his assuming the command at an important crisis during the battle of Kirkee. The peshwa being driven from his throne, his territories were annexed to the British dominions, and Elphinstone was nominated commissioner to administer them. He discharged the responsible task with rare judgment and ability.
In 1819 he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Bombay and held this post till 1827, his principal achievement being the compilation of the "Elphinstone code. " He may fairly be regarded as the founder of the system of state education in India, and he probably did more than any other Indian administrator to further every likely scheme for the promotion of native education.
His connexion with the Bombay presidency was appropriately commemorated in the endowment of the Elphinstone College by the native communities, and in the erection of a marble statue by the European inhabitants. Returning to England in 1829, after an interval of two years' travel, Elphinstone retained in his retirement and enfeebled health an important influence on public affairs. He twice refused the offer of the governor-generalship of India. Long before his return he had made his reputation as an author by his Account of the Kingdom of Cabul and its Dependencies in Persia and India (1815). Soon after his arrival in England he commenced the preparation of a work of wider scope, a history of India, which was published in 1841. It embraces the Hindu and Mahommedan periods, and is still a work of high authority.
He mostly was credited with the opening of several educational institutions accessible to the Indian population. Besides being a wise administrator, he wrote books on India and Afghanistan.
His connection with the Bombay Presidency is commemorated in the endowment of Elphinstone College by local communities.
(Excerpt from Selections From the Minutes and Other Offici...)
(This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)
(This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)
(Excerpt from The History of India, Vol. 1 But the excel...)
the Royal Society of Edinburgh
