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About The Book: The College of Fort William in Bengal had a department for translating the Scriptures into Oriental languages, and in 1805 they began producing versions in Persian, Hindostanee, and Malay. However, in 1807, the establishment was reduced, and the translations were suspended. The Provost and Vice-Provost of the College were determined to find a way to continue the translations, and they encouraged individuals to proceed with their versions and sought support from the public and the government. They also aided the Baptist and Lutheran missionaries in Bengal and Coromandel, as well as other missionaries in the East, to promote the translation of the Scriptures into Oriental languages. They even addressed a memorial to the government in support of a proposed suppression of the Baptist Mission. Despite the obstacles, they were committed to restoring sacred learning to the East. About The Author: Claudius Buchanan FRSE (1766 – 1815) was a Scottish theologian, an ordained minister of the Church of England, and an evangelical missionary for the Church Missionary Society. He served as Vice Provost of the College of Calcutta in India. Buchanan was born in Cambuslang near Glasgow. His father, Alexander Buchanan, was the local schoolmaster in Inverary. His main work was an account of his travels in the south and west of India and called Christian Researches in Asia (Cambridge, 1811). Shortly before publication, in December 1810 Buchanan (whose health was failing) had asked Colin Macaulay (also recently returned to England) to revise any parts of the manuscript he thought appropriate. He also asked Macaulay to choose the book's title. Upon publication the book became an immediate bestseller, being republished twelve times over the next two years. A collection of 'Sermons on interesting subjects' by Buchanan was printed for J. Ogle in Edinburgh in 1812. It consists of the texts of eight sermons preached in the Britain between 26 February 1809 and 2 June 1811.