David Price was an orientalist and army officer. Born in Wales, his father died when he was young and, despite being given a scholarship for university he was unable to afford to complete his course. Instead he joined the army of the East India Company and in 1781 sailed for Bombay. However he volunteered for temporary service in the south and took part in the siege of Negapatam and the capture of Trincomali in Ceylon. His ship completed its voyage to Bombay on 22 April 1782. As well as serving as an army officer Price undertook Persian studies. He retired in 1807 and returned to Wales. He was a member of the Royal Asiatic Society, to which he bequeathed over seventy valuable oriental—chiefly Persian—manuscripts. He was published by the Oriental Translation Fund.