MORRISON, ROBERT (1782-1834) "A DICTIONARY OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE" (19th century) in three parts, printed in Macao at the Honourable East India Company Press by P.P. Thomas and later published...

MORRISON, ROBERT (1782-1834) "A DICTIONARY OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE" (19th century) in three parts, printed in Macao at the Honourable East India Company Press by P.P. Thomas and later published and sold by Black, Parbury and Allen, Booksellers, Leadenhall Street in London, first edition, 1815-1823. Part one comprising of three volumes (second volume missing); part one published in 1815, part two published in 1822, part three published in 1823; part two comprising of two volumes, first one published in 1819, second part published in 1820, part three comprises of one volume published in 1822. (5)

Each stamped on the front cover with the publishing year in black, bound in grey/ pale green cloth, spine labels illegible and deteriorated.

Rev. Robert Morrison (1782-1834) of the London Missionary Society, studied Chinese and arrived in Canton in 1807 where he concealed his identity, as Protestant missionaries were disapproved of by The East India Company. However, the E.I.C. realised the importance of Morrison's in-depth research into the Chinese language and backed his proposal to print a comprehensive Chinese dictionary. A printing press and a printer (P.P. Thomas) were set up in Macao and the volumes were published 1815-1823. The E.I.C. continued to oppose his missionary activities and although he was taken on as interpreter in in Lord Amhursts abortive mission to Peking (Beijing). The dictionary remains his outstanding achievement.

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