An Historical Disquisition Concerning Ancient India by William Robertson 1791

ROBERTSON, William (1721-1793). An Historical Disquisition Concerning the Knowledge which the Ancients had of India, A, Stahan, and T. Cadell in the Strand; and E. Balfour at Edinburgh, 1791.
 
First edition. Quarto, 280 x 220 mm. Contemporary full calf, boards with gilt and blind-tooled borders and central diaper pattern, spine in compartments with gilt decoration and gilt-lettered title. xii, 364, [12] pp., with errata page and two large folding engraved maps. Armorial bookplate of Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, to front pastedown. Some rubbing and wear to binding, principally at spine ends, joints and extremities; occasional light spotting internally. Both folding maps complete, without tears and in particularly nice condition. Very good.
 
First edition of William Robertson's study of India. The work was prompted by Major James Rennell's geographical studies of India, which Robertson explicitly acknowledges in his preface. Robertson attempts to bring together the surviving classical, geographical and historical evidence concerning India. An extensive appendix considers Indian civil government, law, religion, arts and sciences. The two large folding maps illustrate ancient geographical conceptions of India and the routes connecting the subcontinent with Europe and the Middle East.
 
An appealing association comes from the armorial bookplate of Edward Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1785-1848), grandson of Robert Clive, "Clive of India". Born Edward Clive, he assumed the surname Herbert in 1807 and succeeded his father as Earl of Powis in 1839.