DR. G. W. LEITNER.
AGE 15.
From a Photograph.
(Chief Interpreter during the Russian War.)
AGE 21.
From a Photograph.
(Professor at King's College, London.)
AGE 26.
From a Photograph.
(As a Maulvi when exploring Dardistan.)
PRESENT DAY.
From a Photo by W. & D. Downey.
DR. G. W. LEITNER, Ph.D., LL.D., D.O.L., etc., probably the greatest linguist of this or any age, was born at Pesth on the 14th October, 1840. At the early age of fifteen he obtained a chief-interpretership, with the rank of colonel, in Her Majesty's commissariat during the Russian War in 1855; was Professor of Arabic with Mohammedan Law at King's College, London, where he founded the Oriental Section in 1861; has founded eighty-one institutions, including the Punjab University and the Oriental University Institute, Mosque, and Museum (containing unique collections) at Woking; discovered the countries, languages, and races of Dardistan (between Kabul, Badakhshan, and Kashmir) in 1866; excavated and named "Græco-Buddhistic" sculptures in 1870; originated and popularized Her Majesty's title of "Kaisar-i-Hind"; has written works on education, ethnography, etc., in many languages; is commander of several high foreign orders, etc. He retired from the Indian service in 1886; held a brilliant International Oriental congress in London in 1891, and is now engaged in elaborating his Central Asian material and in editing the numerous publications of the Oriental University Institute.