Historical Sketches of the South of India In an Attempt to Trace the History of Mysoor, from the Origin of the Hindoo Government of that State, to the Extinction of the Mohammedan Dynasty in 1799

Classically educated, Mark Wilks (c.1760–1831) joined the Madras army of the East India Company and would go on to serve as political resident at the court of Mysore from 1803 to 1808. He also later served as governor of Saint Helena from 1813 to 1816, during which time he witnessed the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte. Elected to the Manx parliament in 1816, Wilks became its speaker in 1826 and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in the same year. Drawing on state records and his own experiences, he first published this acclaimed three-volume history of the kingdom of Mysore between 1810 and 1817. Volume 2 details the first (1767–9) and second (1779–84) Anglo-Mysore wars, concluding with the death of Hyder Ali (c.1720–82) and the accession of Tipu Sultan (1750–99).

Preface; 13. Consequences of the diplomatic error in the treaty of Paris; 14. Hyder and Nizam Ali descend the ghauts; 15. Mutual crimination and reconciliation of the allies; 16. Character of General Smith; 17. Hyder's general, Fuzzul Oolla Khan, descends from Seringapatam to Coimbetoor; 18. Hyder makes a tour for the purpose of levying contributions; 19. Death of Madoo Row; 20. Union of Nizam Ali against Ragoba and Hyder; 21. Retrospect of Hyder's relations with the English; 22. Erroneous impressions of Hyder's general devastation; 23. Wretched state of military equipment; 24. Affairs of Malabar; 25. Affairs of Malabar (cont.); 26. Want of harmony between the government of Madras and general Stuart; 27. Resumption of the affairs of the western coast; 28. Retrospect to the affairs of Malabar; 29. Preliminary events which had led to the appointment of these plenipotentiaries; 30. Tippoo's account of his long detention at Mangalore; 31. Negotiation of the Poona Mahrattas, for the eventual conquest of Mysoor.