RAWLINSON, Sir Iffuiv, oriental scholar and diplomatist, was b. at Chalding ton, Oxfordshire, in 1810, and educated at Ealing; Middlesex. He entered the East India military service in 1826, and served in the Bombay presidency until 1833, when he was appointed to assist in reorganizing the army of the shah of Persia. lle had early devoted himself to eastern languages and antiquarian researches, and when stationed at Kermanshah, in 1835, he began to study the cuneiform (q.v.) inscriptions of Persia. lie announced his cuneiform discoveries in 1837-38 to the Royal Asiatic society of London, and published Ids travels in Susiana in the Geographical Society s Jou rnal. lie also made a translation of the Behistun inscription, a most important event in the history of the study of the old Persian languages. After residing as political agent at Candahar (t840-42) and Bagdad (from 1843), he returned to England with the rank of consul-gen eral in 1855. In Jan., 1858, he was elected M.P. for Reigate, but vacated the seat in September, on being appointed a member of the council of India. In 1859 he proceeded to Teheran as envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary to the court of the shah. He was returned to parliament as member for Frame, and retained his scat till the gen eral election of 1868. In 1871 Rawlinson became president of the Royal geographical society, an office which he retained until June, 1873. Rawlinson the author of a large number of most valuable papers on geography, archaeology, history, and modern politics, chiefly connected with Persia and the surrounding countries. The greater
number of these have been read to learned societies, but others have appeared in peri odical publications. He is also the author of a work entitled England and Russia in the East (1875). Rawlinson has not confined his attention to eastern subjects, and his addresses to the geographical society, and on geography and history generally to the :A1411:111(1 institute at 'Birmingham, on Oct. 6, 1873, show how varied and extensive his acqniremcnts are. Rawlinson was admitted as corresponding member of the institute of Prance in 1837, and in 1851 was made chevalier of the order of merit by the king of Prussia.—RAwfaxsow, Rev. GEORGE, brother of the preceding, graduated at Oxford, and was elected a fellow and tutor of Exeter college. Appointed Bampton lecturer in 1859, he published his lectures in the following year under the title of Historic Eridence for the Truth of Christian Records. Other works of Rawlinson's are an edition of Ilerod otus, in wljich many of his brother's discoveries are incorporated; The Tice Great Yon archies of the Ancient World—Chalthea, Assyria, Babylonia, Media, and Persia; Manual of Ancient History (1859); the Sixth Oriental Monarchy—Parthia (1873); and the Seventh Oriental Monarchy—the Saseantans (1875).