The first printed colletion of Hindi Poetry - "Selections from the popular poetry of the Hindoos" - Thomas Duer Broughton 1814

The first printed collection of Hindi Poetry

"Selections from the popular poetry of the Hindoos"

-Thomas Duer Broughton (1778-1835)

-Printed in London by John Martin in 1814

-Octavo, Complete: ii, 156pp

-Library stamps to cover, presentation inscription to title page, recent cloth binding, closed tears to several pages. Good condition overall, but some wear.

This work is regarded as the "First Published Anthology of Hindu Poets" (Imre Bangha - 2000). 

Thomas Duer Broughton (1778–1835) served in the East India Company from 1795, early on fighting at the Siege of Seringapatam in 1799. In 1802 he was appointed military resident to the Marathas where he became a teacher of Hindi to new military cadets.

During his time in India he became fascinated by the poetry circulating orally among Indian soldiers and began recording and translating it. Much of this poetry was Braj court poetry of the rītikāl, alongside more traditional devotional and popular poetry. He published these poems in this work "Selections from the Popular Poetry of the Hindoos".