Henry Martyn (1781–1812) was born in Cornwall and educated at Cambridge. After hearing about the success of William Carey's mission at Serampore, he abandoned his intended career as a barrister to become a missionary, and joined the East India Company as a chaplain. During six years spent mostly in India he produced Hindi, Urdu and Persian translations of the New Testament. He is best remembered for these and other scripture translations which remained popular in India until the end of the nineteenth century. This memoir draws on Martyn's personal letters and diary. It was first published in London in 1816, soon after Martyn's untimely death in Persia, and appeared in a second edition (reissued here) in 1819. Part 1 covers his early life, Part 2 begins with his arrival in India and describes his missionary work, and Part 3 recounts Martyn's exhausting journey to Persia and his death.
