FORBES (James) - Lot 546

FORBES (James) Oriental Memoirs: selected and abridged from a series of familial letters written during seventeen years residence in India: including observations on parts of Africa and South America and a narrative of occurrences in four India Voyages. Illustrated by engravings from original drawings, in four volumes. London, White, Cochrane, and Co, 1813. 4 volumes in-4; frontispiece portrait and 93 out-of-text plates in black and color (27 colored, including 10 of birds). Occasional foxing to plates. Contemporary fawn ½ chagrin with gilt fillets, title, fillets and small gilt irons on spine, cold irons between boxes, Forbes went to Bombay, India, in 1765 as a writer for the British East India Company and resided there until 1784. On his return to England, he wrote his "Oriental Memoirs", describing various aspects of Indian life on the West Coast, including fauna, flora, customs, religion, archaeology and architecture. The well-documented work also includes observations on parts of Africa and South America he visited during his travels. Provenance: Printed bookplate Henry Herbert Lee. Major General (1838-1920).