H. H. Wilson

Horace Hayman Wilson (26 September 1786 – 8 May 1860) was an English orientalist who was elected the first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University.

He was one of the staunchest opponents of the proposal that English should be made the sole medium of instruction in native schools, and became for a time the object of bitter attacks.

[2] In 1832 Oxford University selected Wilson to be the first occupant of the newly founded Boden chair of Sanskrit:[2] he had placed a column length advertisement in The Times on 6 March 1832 p. 3, giving a list of his achievements and intended activities, along with testimonials, including one from a rival candidate, as to his suitability for the post.

In 1813 he published the Sanskrit text with a free translation in English rhymed verse of Kalidasa's lyrical poem, the Meghadūta, or Cloud-Messenger.

[7][8] In 1827 Wilson published Select Specimens of the Theatre of the Hindus, which contained a very full survey of the Indian drama, translations of six complete plays and short accounts of twenty-three others.

Watercolour by James Atkinson , 1821