COCHINCHINA. 279 
from the imperial family of Ming, he alwiys eats alone, not 
permitting either his wife or any part of his family to sit 
down to the same table with him. On the same principle of 
pride, he would not allow some English gentlemen to pay 
their respects to him at his palace, in the year 1799? because, 
as he observed, the unsettled state of the country did not 
permit him to make such preparations as were due to him- 
self, and to strangers of respectability. The meaning of such 
an excuse, coming from a Chinese, could not be well mis- 
taken ; but, on the part of this Monarch, there did not ap- 
pear to be any thing like jealousy, or a wish to deprive the 
strangers of the means of gratifying their curiosity : on the 
contraiy, they had full liberty to visit every part of the naval 
arsenal, and to inspect- the town and its fortifications. He 
had no objection to entertain them as a General, but refused 
to see them in his character of Sovereigrn. 
His stature is represented to be somewhat above the middle 
size ; his features regular and agreeable ; his complexion 
ruddy, very much sun-burnt by a constant exposure to the 
weather. He is at this time (I8O6) just on the verge of fifty 
years of age. 
Of the English he has little knowledge but by name ; yet 
he is said to profess, on all occasions, a great veneration for 
their character. When Frenchmen declare this, they may 
be believed. He has given, however, frequent proofs of his 
good inclinations towards the English. He published an 
edict, declaring that all our ships should at all times be ad- 
mitted into any of his ports and harbours, free of all duties 
