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[[Image:James Atkinson by James Atkinson.jpg|thumb|170px|right|James Atkinson self-portrait c.1845, digital image (c) [[National Portrait Gallery (London)|National Portrait Gallery]], London 2009]] '''James Atkinson''' (17 March 1780 – 7 August 1852) was a surgeon, artist and Persian scholar | [[Image:James Atkinson by James Atkinson.jpg|thumb|170px|right|James Atkinson self-portrait c.1845, digital image (c) [[National Portrait Gallery (London)|National Portrait Gallery]], London 2009]] '''James Atkinson''' (17 March 1780 – 7 August 1852) was a surgeon, artist and Persian scholar — "a Renaissance man among Anglo-Indians"<ref>p.185 The Raj, India and the British 1600-1947, various contributors edited by [[Christopher Bayly|C. A. Bayly]], Published by the National Portrait Gallery Publications 1990</ref> | ||
== Early life == | == Early life == | ||
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== Calcutta == | == Calcutta == | ||
[[File:Suttee by James Atkinson.jpg|thumb|180px|left|[[Suttee]] by James Atkinson 1831, digital image (c) [[British Library]] Board 2009 (F165)]] | [[File:Suttee by James Atkinson.jpg|thumb|180px|left|[[Suttee]] by James Atkinson 1831, digital image (c) [[British Library]] Board 2009 (F165)]] | ||
It was Atkinson's proficiency with languages that brought him to the attention of [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto|The Lord Minto]], the [[Governor General of India]], who invited Atkinson to [[Calcutta]] in 1812<ref name="ReferenceA"/> where he was appointed Assistant to the Assay Master at the [[India Government Mint, Kolkata|Calcutta Mint]] (appointed Deputy Assay Master in 1818).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The Assay Master was [[Horace Hayman Wilson]],<ref>http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?search=sp&sText=james+atkinson&page=1&rNo=1</ref> orientalist and Secretary to the [[Asiatic Society of Bengal]], who published the first [[Sanskrit]] to English dictionary in 1819. For most of 1820 while Wilson was setting up the new Mint at [[Benares]] Atkinson worked alongside [[James Prinsep]], the [[antiquarian]] and [[numismatist]], at the Calcutta Mint.<ref>p. iii ''Essays on Indian Antiquities, Historic, Numismatic, and Palaeographic, of the Late James Prinsep, FRS'', [[Edward Thomas (antiquarian)|Edward Thomas]] (ed.), published by John Murray 1858</ref> | It was Atkinson's proficiency with languages that brought him to the attention of [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto|The Lord Minto]], the [[Governor General of India]], who invited Atkinson to [[Calcutta]] in 1812<ref name="ReferenceA"/> where he was appointed Assistant to the Assay Master at the [[India Government Mint, Kolkata|Calcutta Mint]] (appointed Deputy Assay Master in 1818).<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The Assay Master was [[Horace Hayman Wilson]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?search=sp&sText=james+atkinson&page=1&rNo=1|title = Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings - National Portrait Gallery}}</ref> orientalist and Secretary to the [[Asiatic Society of Bengal]], who published the first [[Sanskrit]] to English dictionary in 1819. For most of 1820 while Wilson was setting up the new Mint at [[Benares]] Atkinson worked alongside [[James Prinsep]], the [[antiquarian]] and [[numismatist]], at the Calcutta Mint.<ref>p. iii ''Essays on Indian Antiquities, Historic, Numismatic, and Palaeographic, of the Late James Prinsep, FRS'', [[Edward Thomas (antiquarian)|Edward Thomas]] (ed.), published by John Murray 1858</ref> | ||
The appointment at the Mint while not a sinecure as such afforded Atkinson a considerable amount of free time to pursue more academic pursuits. He published a 'free' translation of the poem ''Soohrab'' an extract from the [[Shāhnāmeh|Sha Nameh]] by the Persian poet [[Firdausi]] in 1814; ''Hatim Ta’ee'', an old romance in the Persian language in 1818 for the use of the students at [[Fort William College]] where he held the Deputy Chair of Persian for that year; in 1819 ''The Aubid an eastern tale'' and in 1824 ''The City of Palaces, a collection of poems'', the title of which became the epithet for Calcutta during the period of British rule.<ref>p.7 Calcutta, city of palaces: a survey of the city in the days of the East India Company, 1690-1858, J. P. Losty published by the British Library 1990</ref> | The appointment at the Mint while not a sinecure as such afforded Atkinson a considerable amount of free time to pursue more academic pursuits. He published a 'free' translation of the poem ''Soohrab'' an extract from the [[Shāhnāmeh|Sha Nameh]] by the Persian poet [[Firdausi]] in 1814; ''Hatim Ta’ee'', an old romance in the Persian language in 1818 for the use of the students at [[Fort William College]] where he held the Deputy Chair of Persian for that year; in 1819 ''The Aubid an eastern tale'' and in 1824 ''The City of Palaces, a collection of poems'', the title of which became the epithet for Calcutta during the period of British rule.<ref>p.7 Calcutta, city of palaces: a survey of the city in the days of the East India Company, 1690-1858, J. P. Losty published by the British Library 1990</ref> | ||
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== Epic of Kings == | == Epic of Kings == | ||
[[Image:Frontispiece to Laili and Majnun, a poem, from the original Persian of Nazami.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5|Laili and Majnun]] In 1829 Atkinson left India after a disagreement with the newly arrived Governor General [[Lord William Bentinck|Lord Bentinck]]<ref>http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?search=sp&sText=james+atkinson&page=1&rNo=4</ref> concerning Atkinson's role at the ''Government Gazette'' and he spent the next five years in England. It was at this time he took the opportunity to translate an abridged version of the [[Shāhnāmeh|Sha Nameh]] of the Persian poet [[Firdausi]] in prose and verse published in 1832 which won the gold medal of the [[Royal Asiatic Society|Oriental Translation Fund]]. In the same year he published ''Customs and Manners of the Women of Persia, and their domestic superstitions'', translated from the original Persian manuscript (Kitábi Kulsúm Naneh). | [[Image:Frontispiece to Laili and Majnun, a poem, from the original Persian of Nazami.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5|Laili and Majnun]] In 1829 Atkinson left India after a disagreement with the newly arrived Governor General [[Lord William Bentinck|Lord Bentinck]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?search=sp&sText=james+atkinson&page=1&rNo=4|title = Lord William Cavendish Bentinck - National Portrait Gallery}}</ref> concerning Atkinson's role at the ''Government Gazette'' and he spent the next five years in England. It was at this time he took the opportunity to translate an abridged version of the [[Shāhnāmeh|Sha Nameh]] of the Persian poet [[Firdausi]] in prose and verse published in 1832 which won the gold medal of the [[Royal Asiatic Society|Oriental Translation Fund]]. In the same year he published ''Customs and Manners of the Women of Persia, and their domestic superstitions'', translated from the original Persian manuscript (Kitábi Kulsúm Naneh). | ||
In 1833 he returned to India resuming his former profession of Surgeon with the HEIC, during which time he had published a translation of [[Nizami Ganjavi]]'s [[Leyli and Majnun|Laili and Majnun]] and ''[[Makhzan ol-Asrar|Makhzan ul Asrar]], the Treasury of Secrets'' by the Oriental Translation Fund in 1836. | In 1833 he returned to India resuming his former profession of Surgeon with the HEIC, during which time he had published a translation of [[Nizami Ganjavi]]'s [[Leyli and Majnun|Laili and Majnun]] and ''[[Makhzan ol-Asrar|Makhzan ul Asrar]], the Treasury of Secrets'' by the Oriental Translation Fund in 1836. | ||
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== Afghanistan== | == Afghanistan== | ||
In 1838 he was appointed Superintending Surgeon of the Army of the Indus, Bengal Division.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He proceeded with the Army under [[John Keane, 1st Baron Keane|Sir John Kean]]e on its ill-fated expedition into [[Afghanistan]] to replace the unpopular and weak, but pro-British, [[Shuja Shah Durrani|Shah Shoojah-ool-Moolk]] on the throne and oust [[Dost Mohammad Khan|Dost Mohamed Khan]] who had been making political overtures to the Russians. Atkinson was present at the storming of [[Battle of Ghazni|Ghuznee]] in July 1839 and the eventual capture of [[Kabul]] shortly after in the [[First Afghan War]]; for his part he was awarded the [[Order of the Dooranee Empire]] (3rd class). Atkinson was recalled to India in December 1840 to take up his post as Superintending Surgeon of the Cawnpore Division and thus avoided the [[Massacre of Elphinstone's Army|fate]] of the remaining British garrison which was destroyed whilst attempting to withdraw to [[Jellalabad]] in the winter of 1841.[[Image:The Opening in to the Narrow Path above the Siri Bolan.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The Opening in to the Narrow Path above the Siri [[Bolan Pass|Bolan]] from Atkinson's ''Sketches in Afghaunistan'']] | In 1838 he was appointed Superintending Surgeon (ranking with Lieutenant-Colonel) of the Army of the Indus, Bengal Division.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He proceeded with the Army under [[John Keane, 1st Baron Keane|Sir John Kean]]e on its ill-fated expedition into [[Afghanistan]] to replace the unpopular and weak, but pro-British, [[Shuja Shah Durrani|Shah Shoojah-ool-Moolk]] on the throne and oust [[Dost Mohammad Khan|Dost Mohamed Khan]] who had been making political overtures to the Russians. Atkinson was present at the storming of [[Battle of Ghazni|Ghuznee]] in July 1839 and the eventual capture of [[Kabul]] shortly after in the [[First Afghan War]]; for his part he was awarded the [[Order of the Dooranee Empire]] (3rd class). Atkinson was recalled to India in December 1840 to take up his post as Superintending Surgeon of the Cawnpore Division and thus avoided the [[Massacre of Elphinstone's Army|fate]] of the remaining British garrison which was destroyed whilst attempting to withdraw to [[Jellalabad]] in the winter of 1841.[[Image:The Opening in to the Narrow Path above the Siri Bolan.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The Opening in to the Narrow Path above the Siri [[Bolan Pass|Bolan]] from Atkinson's ''Sketches in Afghaunistan'']] | ||
Atkinson published his journals of his involvement in the campaign in 1842 in ''The Expedition into Affghanistan'', including a background to the conflict, his own journey across northern India to join the Army and his return, the hardship endured by the Army and its followers through the harsh terrain of Afghanistan beset by Beloochee tribesmen and also of the time he spent in Kabul. He writes of the history of the land, its buildings and people, having met and painted many of the protagonists in the campaign, including both Shah Shoojah-ool-Moolk and Dost Mohammad Khan. He realised the impossibility of controlling a country like Afghanistan in his line "''Like [[Sisyphus]], we have rolled up the huge stone to the top of the mountain, and if we do not keep it there, our labour will be lost''".<ref>Preface vii, The Expedition into Affghanistan, James Atkinson, Published by W H Allen & Co 1842</ref> The same year Atkinson published ''Sketches in Afghaunistan'', a folio of 25 tinted lithographed plates showing the topography and landscapes of Afghanistan and the Punjab creating an important record of "''what was then an unexplored country''".<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Atkinson had planned a second volume but the 'worked up' paintings were lost at sea en route to his British publisher where they were to be engraved; the original sketches he had prepared on the spot however are in the [[British Library]]. [http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/other/019wdz000001347u00001000.html] | Atkinson published his journals of his involvement in the campaign in 1842 in ''The Expedition into Affghanistan'', including a background to the conflict, his own journey across northern India to join the Army and his return, the hardship endured by the Army and its followers through the harsh terrain of Afghanistan beset by Beloochee tribesmen and also of the time he spent in Kabul. He writes of the history of the land, its buildings and people, having met and painted many of the protagonists in the campaign, including both Shah Shoojah-ool-Moolk and Dost Mohammad Khan. He realised the impossibility of controlling a country like Afghanistan in his line "''Like [[Sisyphus]], we have rolled up the huge stone to the top of the mountain, and if we do not keep it there, our labour will be lost''".<ref>Preface vii, The Expedition into Affghanistan, James Atkinson, Published by W H Allen & Co 1842</ref> The same year Atkinson published ''Sketches in Afghaunistan'', a folio of 25 tinted lithographed plates showing the topography and landscapes of Afghanistan and the Punjab creating an important record of "''what was then an unexplored country''".<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Atkinson had planned a second volume but the 'worked up' paintings were lost at sea en route to his British publisher where they were to be engraved; the original sketches he had prepared on the spot however are in the [[British Library]]. [http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/other/019wdz000001347u00001000.html] | ||
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== Retirement == | == Retirement == | ||
Atkinson became a member of the Medical Board in Calcutta in 1845 and was made Inspector General of Hospitals, he retired two years later after 45 years in the company's service and returned to England. He died on 7 August 1852 and was interred at [[Brompton Cemetery]], London. | Atkinson became a member of the Medical Board in Calcutta in 1845 and was made Inspector General of Hospitals (ranking with Brigadier-General), he retired two years later after 45 years in the company's service and returned to England. He died on 7 August 1852 and was interred at [[Brompton Cemetery]], London. | ||
== Marriage == | == Marriage == | ||
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== Publications == | == Publications == | ||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Rodolpho, a poetical romance |publisher= J Denovan for R Phillips & W Glendinning, Booksellers |location= London, Edinburgh |year=1801 |oclc=1152636821}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Soohrab, a poem, from the original Persian of Firdousee, being a portion of the Shahnama of that celebrated poet |publisher=Smith, Elder & Co. |location=London |year=1814 |url=https://archive.org/details/soohrabpoemfreel00fird |oclc=474687892}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Antiquities of Dacca, with engravings by J Landseer from drawings by Sir C D'Oyly |publisher=John Landseer |year=1816}} (James Atkinson wrote the descriptive text.) | |||
* {{Cite book|display-editors=0 |editor-last=Atkinson |editor-first=James |editor-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Hatim Ta’ee, an old romance in the Persian language |year=1818 |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.18484 |oclc=46460413}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=First Canto of Ricciardetto |location=Calcutta |year=1818 |oclc=644012027}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=The Aubid, an eastern tale |publisher=Black, Kingsbury, Parbury and Allen |location=London |year=1819 |url=https://www.google.com/books?id=P0kVAAAAQAAJ |oclc=838238141}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Ricciarda, a tragedy in five acts from the Italian of Ugo Foscolo |location=Calcutta |publisher=W M Thacker & Co |year=1823 |oclc=711952959}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=The City of Palaces, a fragment and other poems |publisher=Government Gazette Press |location=Calcutta |year=1824 |url=https://www.google.com/books?id=Vz9HAQAAMAAJ |oclc=55043997}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Prospectus of The Calcutta Liberal – postscript |location=Calcutta |year=1824 |oclc=643957204}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=La secchia rapita; or, The rape of the bucket an heroic-comical poem in twelve cantos. Translated from the Italian of Alessandro Tassoni, with notes |publisher=J M Richardson |location=Cornhill |year=1825 |url=https://archive.org/details/lasecchiarapita00atkigoog |oclc=1194045224}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Tom Raw, the Griffin: a Burlesque Poem in Twelve Cantos Illustrated by Twenty-Five Engravings Descriptive of the Adventures of a Cadet in the East India Company's Service, from the Period of His Quitting England to His Obtaining a Staff Situation |publisher=R Ackermann |year=1828 |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/tomrawgriffinbur00doylrich |oclc=75469561}} (The drawings were by Sir Charles D'Oyly and the verses by James Atkinson.) | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Description of The New Process of Perforating and Destroying The Stone in The Bladder |publisher=S Highley |location=London |year=1831 |url=https://archive.org/details/b21457724 |oclc=1049045735}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=The Sha Nameh of the Persian Poet Firdausi, translated and abridged in prose and verse with notes and illustrations |publisher=Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland |year=1832 |url=https://archive.org/details/shhnmehtrans00firduoft |oclc=457993937}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Customs and Manners of the Women of Persia, and their domestic superstitions, translated from the original Persian manuscript (Kitábi Kulsúm Nanch) |publisher=Oriental Translation Fund |location=London |year=1832 |url=https://archive.org/details/b29287157 |oclc=251762072}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=The Loves of Laili and Majnun, a poem, from the original Persian of Nazami |publisher=A J Valpy |location=London |year=1836 |url=https://archive.org/details/lailandmajnnapo00atkigoog |oclc=645568090}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Makhzan ul Asrar, the Treasury of Secrets, a Poem; a translation from the poet Nazami |publisher=Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland |location=London |year=1836}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=The Expedition into Afghanistan: notes and sketches descriptive of the country, contained in a personal narrative during the campaign of 1839 & 1840, etc. |publisher=W H Allen & Co |location=London |year=1842 |url=https://archive.org/details/b29310891 |oclc=682392925}} | |||
* {{Cite book|display-authors=0 |last=Atkinson |first=James |author-link=James Atkinson (Persian scholar) |title=Sketches in Afghaunistan |publisher=H Graves & Co |location=London |year=1842 |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.100437 |oclc=832235468}} | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, James}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, James}} | ||
[[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]] | [[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Writers from Darlington]] | ||
[[Category:British Indologists]] | [[Category:British Indologists]] | ||
[[Category:British orientalists]] | [[Category:British orientalists]] | ||