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Edward Moor, (Sri Sarva Deva Sabha) The Hindu Pantheon, London: Printed for J Johnson, 1810, 1st Edition

half title, (xiv) (ii) 467 pages with frontispiece and104 engraved plates, blind stamps title page; full leather bound with gilt stamps of The Society of Writers to the Signet (the legal library to the Scottish) to the front and back boards, gilt rules and title at the spine along with 5 raised bands
30 x 23 x 5.5 cm

The book begins with an image of and an invocation to Lord Ganesha - as any Indian manuscript should. The Sanskrit inscription at the top reads 'Sri Sarva Deva Sabha (honour to the name of Lord Ganesh)' (Shri Ganeshah).

Edward Moor's work tries to order Indian religion for a Western audience. Ganesha is the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles, which is why his image appears at the start of the book.

Moor, an early European scholar of Indian religion, intended this work as an introduction to Hinduism for an English audience and it was the first of its kind. It was illustrated with examples from Moor's own collection of Hindu artefacts.

Many of the engravings are by William Blake, with the content having an impact on his own philosophical beliefs.

Writers to the Signet in Scotland was a private society of Scottish solicitors originating as far back as 500 years. The Signet was the seal used by Scottish kings to authenticate documents. The writers of these documents were skilled clerks and had to have a knowledge of both the law and Latin. Over the years, as the number of seals increased so did the qualification standards to the Society which were raised accordingly. Writers were admitted to the Society upon nomination, usually after serving an apprenticeship.

Reference: www.douglashistory.co.uk, online

PROVENANCE:
The Society of Writers to the Signet

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