This work, published in 1864, is the 'popular edition' of John Clark Marshman's account of the missionaries William Carey, William Ward and Joshua Marshman (his father), originally published in 1859 in two volumes as The Life and Times of the Serampore Missionaries. It documents the lives of the three main Serampore Missionaries from their humble origins and conversions to the Baptist Church to their pioneering work in Western Bengal. This shorter edition nevertheless contains a wealth of detail on the administration and politics of colonial India, on the experiences of the missionaries and in particular their efforts in advancing education among the indigenous people. It covers the founding of schools and later the renowned Serampore College, the missionaries' Bible translations into various languages including Bengali (Bangla) and Chinese, and their efforts to promote literacy in indigenous languages. Ward's pioneering study of Hinduism is also reissued in this series.

John Clark Marshman (1794 1877) was an English missionary and civil servant who developed a fascination with the history of India after his long service in the country. Marshman emigrated with his missionary parents to India in 1799, settling at Serampore in West Bengal. With his father he founded the first Bengali magazine in 1818, and the first English magazine in India in 1821. After serving as a staff member at Serampore College and as the Official Bengali Translator for the Government, Marshman left India in 1855 and returned to England. This volume, first published in 1876, contains a condensed edition of Marshman's acclaimed History of India. He provides an overview of Indian history, providing details of the most powerful medieval kingdoms and the creation and administration of the East India Company. This volume also provides insights into contemporary theories concerning the prehistory and creation of various Indian states.