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{{Short description|Scottish Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
⚫
'''Alexander Dow''' (1735/6, [[Perthshire]], Scotland – 31 July 1779, [[Bhagalpur]]) was an Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer in the [[East India Company]].
{{Infobox military person
⚫
| name = Alexander Dow
| image = Alexander Dow.jpg
| caption = Dow by [[Joshua Reynolds]], 1771
| birth_date = 1735 or 1736
| birth_place = [[Crieff]], [[Scotland]], [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]
| death_date = 31 July 1779 (aged 42-44)
| death_place = [[Bhagalpur]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]], [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]
| allegiance = [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]]
| serviceyears = 1760-1769
⚫
}}

⚫
'''Alexander Dow''' (1735 or 1736 – 31 July 1779) was a Scottish Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer in the [[East India Company]].


==Life==
==Life==


He was a native of [[Crieff]], Perthshire, was educated for a mercantile career. He is said to have left Scotland after a fatal duel, and to have worked his way as a common sailor to [[Bencoolen (city)|Bencoolen]]. There he became secretary to the governor, and was commended to the patronage of the officials of the [[East India Company]] at [[Calcutta]]. He joined the army there as an ensign in the Bengal infantry on 14 September 1760, and was rapidly promoted lieutenant on 23 August 1763, and captain on 16 April 1764.
He was a native of [[Crieff]], [[Perthshire]]. Alexander Dow's father worked at the Customs at [[Dunbar]].<ref>{{Cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7957|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/7957|title=The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|year=2004}}</ref> The younger Dow was educated in Dunbar for a time, and, in conjunction with his father's job, this would suggest that he lived in the area for a time.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oCIVDAEACAAJ&q=swords+loaves+and+fishes | title=A History of Dunbar: Swords, Loaves and Fishes| isbn=9780993470509| last1=Pugh| first1=Roy J. M.| year=2015| publisher=RJM Pugh}}</ref> Dow was in the process of being educated for a mercantile career in [[Eyemouth]], when he abruptly left aboard the ''King of Prussia'' as a [[midshipman]]. The reason for this turn of events is not known, but one reason posited for this was that he was involved in a fatal duel.<ref>{{Cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7957|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/7957|title=The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|year=2004}}</ref> Dow then worked his way to [[Bencoolen (city)|Bencoolen]]. There he became secretary to the [[Governor]], and was commended to the patronage of the officials of the [[East India Company]] at [[Calcutta]]. He joined the army there as an ensign in the Bengal infantry on 14 September 1760, and was rapidly promoted lieutenant on 23 August 1763, and then captain on 16 April 1764.


He returned to England on leave in 1768, and published in that year two translations, ''Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi'' and the ''History of Hindostan, translated from the Persian of Ferishta'', from [[Firishta]]. Both works had a great success, and in the following year Dow had a five-act tragedy on [[Genghis Khan]], ''Zingis'', which was acted with some success at [[Drury Lane]].
He returned to Britain on leave in 1768, and published in that year two translations, ''Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi'' and the ''History of Hindostan, translated from the Persian of Ferishta'', from [[Firishta]]. Both works had a great success, and in the following year Dow had a five-act tragedy on [[Genghis Khan]], ''[[Zingis (play)|Zingis]]'', which was acted with some success at [[Drury Lane]].


He then returned to India, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 25 February 1769, and in 1772 published the continuation of his history of Hindostan to the death of [[Aurungzeb]], with two dissertations, ‘On the Origin and Nature of Despotism in Hindostan,’ and ‘An Enquiry into the State of Bengal.’ In 1774 he again returned to England, and [[David Garrick]] produced his second tragedy in verse at Drury Lane, entitled ‘Sethona’, set in a mythic ancient Egypt. It was acted only for nine nights, and was said by [[David Erskine Baker]] in his ''Biographia Dramatica'' to be not really by Dow at all.
He then returned to India, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 25 February 1769, and in 1772 published the continuation of his history of Hindostan to the death of [[Aurungzeb]], with two dissertations, 'On the Origin and Nature of Despotism in Hindostan,’ and 'An Enquiry into the State of Bengal.' In 1774, he again returned to England, and [[David Garrick]] produced his second tragedy in verse at Drury Lane, entitled 'Sethona', set in a mythic ancient Egypt. It was acted only for nine nights, and was said by [[David Erskine Baker]] in his ''Biographia Dramatica'' to be not really by Dow at all.


Dow returned once more to India, and died at Bhágalpur on 31 July 1779.
Dow returned once more to India, and died in [[Bhagalpur]] on 31 July 1779.


==Works==
==Works==
*''Tales Translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi'' (1768)
*''Tales Translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi'' (1768)
*''Zingis'' (1769) - 5 act tragedy
*''[[Zingis (play)|Zingis]]'' (1769) - 5-act tragedy
*''Sethona'' (1774) - verse tragedy
*''[[Sethona]]'' (1774) - verse tragedy


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{DNB|wstitle=Dow, Alexander}}
*{{DNB|wstitle=Dow, Alexander}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{ODNBweb|id=7957|title=Dow, Alexander}}
*{{ODNBweb|id=7957|title=Dow, Alexander}}
*[http://books.google.pt/books?id=DQDgAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA537&dq=Tales+Translated+from+the+Persian+of+Inatulla+of+Delhi&hl=pt-PT&sa=X&ei=5KdDT7GHFcjW8gPzkaiDCA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Tales%20Translated%20from%20the%20Persian%20of%20Inatulla%20of%20Delhi&f=false Persian Tales of Inatulla of Delhi] in anthology work, Tales of the East: Continuationof the New Arabian nights. Persian tales [from the translation of F. Pétis de la Croix] Persian tales of Inatulla of Delhi [tr. by A. Dow] Oriental tales [by A. C. P., comte de Caylus] The history of Nourjahad [by Mrs. Frances Sheridan] Additional tales from the Arabian nights, J. Ballantyne and company, 1812, at [[Google Books]]
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=DQDgAAAAMAAJ&dq=Tales+Translated+from+the+Persian+of+Inatulla+of+Delhi&pg=PA537 Persian Tales of Inatulla of Delhi] in anthology work, Tales of the East: Continuationof the New Arabian nights. Persian tales [from the translation of F. Pétis de la Croix] Persian tales of Inatulla of Delhi [tr. by A. Dow] Oriental tales [by A. C. P., comte de Caylus] The history of Nourjahad [by Mrs. Frances Sheridan] Additional tales from the Arabian nights, J. Ballantyne and company, 1812, at [[Google Books]]
*[http://books.google.pt/books?id=jTRKAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Sethona&hl=pt-PT&sa=X&ei=WKlDT9WlJY-V8gPYqoyeCA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Sethona&f=false Sethona. A Tragedy] at [[Google Books]]
*[https://archive.org/details/sethonaatragedy00garrgoog <!-- quote=Sethona. --> Sethona. A Tragedy] at [[Google Books]]

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{{Authority control}}


⚫
{{Authority control|VIAF=36969078}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
⚫
| NAME = Dow, Alexander
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1735
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1779
| PLACE OF DEATH =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dow, Alexander}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dow, Alexander}}
[[Category:1735 births]]
[[Category:1730s births]]
[[Category:1779 deaths]]
[[Category:1779 deaths]]
[[Category:Scottish military personnel]]
[[Category:People from Crieff]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Perth and Kinross]]
[[Category:Scottish orientalists]]
[[Category:Scottish orientalists]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army officers]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army officers]]
[[Category:Scottish translators]]
[[Category:Scottish translators]]
[[Category:Scottish dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:18th-century Scottish dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:18th-century British translators]]

Latest revision as of 09:24, 22 May 2024

Alexander Dow
Dow by Joshua Reynolds, 1771
Born1735 or 1736
Crieff, Scotland, Great Britain
Died31 July 1779 (aged 42-44)
Bhagalpur, Bengal, Great Britain
AllegianceGreat Britain
Years of service1760-1769

Alexander Dow (1735 or 1736 – 31 July 1779) was a Scottish Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer in the East India Company.

Life

[edit]

He was a native of Crieff, Perthshire. Alexander Dow's father worked at the Customs at Dunbar.[1] The younger Dow was educated in Dunbar for a time, and, in conjunction with his father's job, this would suggest that he lived in the area for a time.[2] Dow was in the process of being educated for a mercantile career in Eyemouth, when he abruptly left aboard the King of Prussia as a midshipman. The reason for this turn of events is not known, but one reason posited for this was that he was involved in a fatal duel.[3] Dow then worked his way to Bencoolen. There he became secretary to the Governor, and was commended to the patronage of the officials of the East India Company at Calcutta. He joined the army there as an ensign in the Bengal infantry on 14 September 1760, and was rapidly promoted lieutenant on 23 August 1763, and then captain on 16 April 1764.

He returned to Britain on leave in 1768, and published in that year two translations, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi and the History of Hindostan, translated from the Persian of Ferishta, from Firishta. Both works had a great success, and in the following year Dow had a five-act tragedy on Genghis Khan, Zingis, which was acted with some success at Drury Lane.

He then returned to India, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 25 February 1769, and in 1772 published the continuation of his history of Hindostan to the death of Aurungzeb, with two dissertations, 'On the Origin and Nature of Despotism in Hindostan,’ and 'An Enquiry into the State of Bengal.' In 1774, he again returned to England, and David Garrick produced his second tragedy in verse at Drury Lane, entitled 'Sethona', set in a mythic ancient Egypt. It was acted only for nine nights, and was said by David Erskine Baker in his Biographia Dramatica to be not really by Dow at all.

Dow returned once more to India, and died in Bhagalpur on 31 July 1779.

Works

[edit]
  • Tales Translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi (1768)
  • Zingis (1769) - 5-act tragedy
  • Sethona (1774) - verse tragedy

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7957. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Pugh, Roy J. M. (2015). A History of Dunbar: Swords, Loaves and Fishes. RJM Pugh. ISBN 9780993470509.
  3. ^ "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7957. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
[edit]
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