Islam Under The Arabs & Islam Under The Khalifs of Baghdad [Two Books] Osborn, Robert Durie [Major in the Bengal Staff Corps]

1876 & 1878, First Editions. Two Books. Octavo's. 6" x 9" approx. xii, [2], 414pp plus Longmans' March 1877 Catalogue at rear; & xiii, [3], 406pp plus adverts. Both in original cloth, decorative blind-stamped borders, with gilt titles to spines. Bindings square and firm. A hint of dust-soiling and rubbing to extremities. Otherwise a bright pair. Light spotting to text-block of Baghdad volume. Heraldic bookplate to paste-down end papers. Some foxing to blanks, otherwise generally clean within. A 'Very Good+' pair. Uncommon first editions. Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Durie Osborn (1835-1889) was a British army officer, serving in Afghanistan and India. He claimed to have researched and written these books to bridge the gap in the knowledge and understanding of English officers towards the native men they commanded - his preface states "they are called Sikhs, Afghans, Ghoorkhas, or Mahrattas, what these names signify - what was the history of those that bore them, in the past; what are the memories which still thrill them with pleasure or pride - these are matters which the officers in our native army have small knowledge.". Osborn was particularly interested in religious and political topics, becoming a devoted student of the "Eastern religions". He was also an advocate of the rights of the native Indians, a position quite at odds with the colonial policies of the time under the likes of Lord Lytton. The author intended to publish a third volume in this series titled "Islam in India" but this does not appear to have been completed.