Mountstuart Elphinstone | An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, 2 editions, 1815 and 1842

From the Library of Clayre and Jay Michael Haft

Mountstuart Elphinstone

An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, two copies:

(i) An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, and its Dependencies in Persia, Tartary, and India. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees [&c.], 1815. FIRST EDITION, 4to (269 x 212mm.), 2 engraved maps (one large folding), 14 aquatint plates (13 hand-coloured), contemporary calf gilt, marbled edges, marbled endpapers, foxing to some leaves, upper hinge split, rebacked retaining original spine

(ii) An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, and its Dependencies in Persia, Tartary, and India; Comprising a View of the Afghaun Nation, and A History of the Dooraunee Monarchy,  London: Richard Bentley, 1842. New and revised edition, 2 volumes, 8vo (220 x 134mm.), half-title in volume 1 only, colour lithographed frontispieces, one engraved plate, modern quarter morocco over marbled boards, modern endpapers, half title and frontispiece illustration in volume 1 becoming detached at inner margin, pp.397-406 minor closed tears at fore-edge in volume 2

Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859) was an administrator with the East India Company who in 1808 was appointed as the first British envoy to the court at Kabul, in the hope of securing an alliance. Shah Shuja Durrani was suspicious of British intentions and limited Elphinstone's access to Afghanistan, and the Shah was in any case assassinated before any alliance could be concluded. This book was therefore the most valuable result of Elphinstone's embassy.  

LITERATURE:

(i) Abbey, Travel 504 ("the plates are of excellent quality"); Wilson p.66; Yakushi E63

PROVENANCE:

(ii) Oriental Club: stamps to titles