C H 
to comply with the fame form, to demonftrate his refpect- 
ful fentiments towards his imperial majefty. This pro¬ 
portion feemed perfedtly fatisfaiftory to the mandarins, 
who promiled to return loon with the court’s determina¬ 
tion. In the interim, it became a matter of furprife at 
Zhe-hol, how a few folitary ftrangers, at the mercy of a 
foreign court, Ihould have the prefumption to offer to it 
conditions, or the intrepidity to refute to it obedience. 
They were to be fent back without audience, and no 
attention paid to their complaints. It was at that mo¬ 
ment, however, necelfary to complain of the paucity of 
provifior.s, which neglect was inftantly redrefl’ed, and 
Supplies in future abundantly furnifhed. Intimation 
was alfo given to the ambaffador, that his imperial raa- 
jeily would accept of the fame form of fefpedlful obedi¬ 
ence from the Englifh, which' they were aCcultomed to 
pay to their own fovereign. It was alfo notified, in 
form, that the reception of the embaffy by the emperor 
of China, fhonld take place on Jffie 14th of September, 
three days prior to his birthday. In the interim very 
flattering meffagCs were conveyed to his excellency, ex- 
preffive of the great fatisfaCtion which the prefents gave 
to his imperial majefty. 
In a private vilit which the ambaffador afterwards 
made to the colao, he was received with unrefervednefs 
and affability, and with proper attention to his rank and 
charafter. In the courfe of converfation, his excellency 
was deftrous of impreffing the colao with a full convic¬ 
tion of the ingemioulnels of the pall conduft, and the puri¬ 
ty of the future intentions of his Britannic majefty towards 
China. He perfifted in the pacific and beneficent maxims of 
his government, wliofe chief objedt was the extenfion of 
commerce for univerfal benefit; and he (lightly touched, 
as incidental matter, 011 the affairs of the tributary 
princes; on the dilfolution of the Mogul empire of Hin- 
dooftan, in whole contefts, though they claimed pro¬ 
tection of the neighbouring countries, the Englifh did 
not interfere. The colao, however, afforded not the 
leaft opening for a particular difavowal of having lent af- 
iiftance to tire rajah of Napaul againft the people of Thi¬ 
bet. His excellency alfo, being no ftranger to the 
haughty notions entertained by the Chinefe of their be¬ 
ing independent in point of commerce, and that every 
i’uch trail faction with foreigners was by them confidered 
as acmirtefy, was far from infinuating that they could be 
advantaged in a mutual interchange of commodities; in 
the fupply of cotton or rice from India; of bullion, or 
lallly, by the aid of a naval force to exterminate the 
fwarm of pirates from their coafts. The ambaffador was 
not averfe to their conlidering a commercial intercourie 
as a condefcenlion on their part, and offered to treat on 
thofe terms. The colao oblerved hereupon, that they 
ihould have frequent opportunities of couverfing upon 
this fubjeft, during his excellency’s abode in China. 
1-Io-choong-taung, befides being a finifhed ftatefmari, was 
of refined manners, and of deep penetration. The favour 
of his fovereign called him to his high office and power, 
and the approving voice of perfons of rank and influence 
maintained him in It. He was rendered llill more fecure 
in its poffeflion by a matrimonial tie, his fon being mar¬ 
ried to a daughter of the emperor ; for princes, in Afi- 
atic governments, often intermarry with their fubjefts. 
This connexion, however, alarmed lbme of the imperial 
family, and other loyal l'ubjedis, who faw no bounds to 
this favourite’s ambition, inalmuch as the eftablifhed 
principles of that government leave the fucceflion to the 
choice of the reigning prince, who, in lieu of its delcend- 
ing by primogeniture, may exclude, as has already been 
noticed, even his own offspring and family. A man, 
over zealou's, was punifhed capitally, by the emperor, 
for daring, in a memorial, toadvife his imperial majefty 
to proclaim his iucceffor, in order to avoid future diffen- 
tiofis. 
The emperor was accompanied by moft of his family 
op the day of the ambafl'ador’s presentation, the fcene of 
[ N A. 
which was Ir, the garden of the palace of Zhe-hol. The 
emperor’s magnificent tent was placed in the middle of 
the,garden, and within it was a throne. Immediately 
behind this tent was another, of an oblong form, having 
a fopha in it at one extremity, for the emperor to retire 
to occaffonaliy. In the front were feveral fmall round 
tents ; and one for the accommodation of the embafly 
rill his imperial majefty Ihould arrive; others for that of 
the tributary princes' of Tartary, and delegates from tri¬ 
butary ftates, who generally come to Zhe-hol, to be pre¬ 
lent at the celebration of the birthday, but who attended 
now to dignify the ambaffador’s reception. The repre- 
fentative of the king of Great Britain was to be received 
by his imperial majefty in his large ftate tent, feated upon 
his throne. AS a compliment to the Britifli embaffy, the 
emperor permitted his courtiers to appear dreffed in Eng- 
liffi cloth in lieu of filk and fur. The princes wore the 
tranfparent red button, marking the higheft of the nine 
orders, as fixed by the prefent emperor. No perfon ap¬ 
peared who was inferior to the fecond rank in the ftate, 
the chara&eriftic of which is, the opaque red button. 
There are three claffes of another kind of dignity, which 
confift of peacock’s feathers fixed in agate tubes, worn 
pendent from the bonnet; and he who had been honoured 
with three feathers, doubtlefs thought liimfelf thrice 
happy. In compliance with the etiquette of the court, 
which is to be a long time in waiting, the embaffy affem- 
bled by the dawn of day; but many of the courtiers 
had remained all night in the garden. 
The emperor’s approach was notified, foon after day¬ 
light, by inftruments of mulic. His imperial majelty 
was preceded by perfons loudly proclaiming his virtues 
and his power. He was borne by fixteen men in a tri¬ 
umphal chair, followed by his guards, officers of the 
houlhoid, ftandard and umbrella bearers, and a band of 
mulic. He entered his tent, and afcending a few Iteps, 
feated liimlelf upon the throne. The colao, and two of¬ 
ficers of his houlhoid were next him, and knelt when¬ 
ever they addreiled him. The princes of the family, the 
tributary princes, and officers of ftate, having taken their 
relpedtive ftations in the tent, the prefident of the tribu¬ 
nal of rites conduced the ambaflador, attended by his 
page and interpreter, the minifter plenipotentiary being 
alio prelent, near the foot of the throne, on the left hand 
fide, which is the place of honour. The other gentle¬ 
men of the embaffy, many mandarins and officers of 
various ranks, were placed at the great opening of the 
tent, where every thing that palled could be oblerved. 
His excellency the earl of Macartney appeared in a 
fuit of velvet richly embroidered, decorated with a dia¬ 
mond badge and ltar, the order of the Bath, and over 
this, a long mantle of the fame order. The minifter 
plenipotentiary, fir George Staunton, being an honorary 
dddtor of laws, of the univerfity of Oxford, was habited 
in the lcarlet gown of that degree. The ambaffador, 
purfuant to inltrudlions received from the prefident of 
the ceremonies, held the large, magnificent, l’quare gold 
box, embelliffied with jewels, containing his majefty’s let¬ 
ter to the emperor, between both hands raifed above his 
head, then mounting the fteps which led to the throne, 
and bending upon one knee, prefented the box with a 
fuitable addrels to his imperial majefty, who receiving it 
graciouily with his own hands, put it by his fide, and 
expreffed “ the fati&fafition he felt at the teftimony which 
his Britannic majelty gave to him of his elteem and good 
will, in fending him an embaffy, with a letter and rare 
prelents; that lie, on his part entertained ientiments of 
the fame kind towards the fovereign of Great Britain, 
and hoped that harmony would always be maintained 
among their refpeftive lubje&s.” 
The perfon of the emperor was defcribed as being 
about five feet ten inches high, of a well proportioned 
form, with regular features; and, though he had juit 
completed his eighty-third year, he dilcovered not the 
decrepitude of age. He was affable in his deportment, 
difplaying 
