806.] 
praife. It was configned to remembrance in 
the records of the tranfaétions of the Court 
of Directors, and afpenfion of 1500]. 
year was beftowed to reward equally the 
Important fervices which this illuftrious no- 
bleman had rendered to the company, and 
his great pecuniary moderation. A penfion 
of 500]. a year was likewife granted, to re- 
ward the ferviees of his friend and feeretary, 
the late Sir George Staunton. During the 
fix years im ediately following aiter his re- 
furn from Madras, he remained at home, in 
the difeharge of -his duties as a legiflator, en- 
joying the fociety of his friends, and fettigg 
au example not lefs amiable in private lite, 
than that which he. exhibited in pyblic em- 
ployments had been prudent, active, and 
magnanimous. In 1788, he took his feat for 
the firt time in the Irith Houfe of Peers. 
His regard for the profperity of Ireland in- 
duced him to undertake the duties of ome of 
the truftees of the linen-manufacture for the 
province of Ulfer. ‘He accepted, alfo, the 
honourable appointment of cuflos rotulorum 
for the county of Antrin; and he was, 
hikewile, promoted in Ireland to the com- 
mand of a regimentof militia-dragoons. In 
the beginuing of the year 1792, events oo- 
eurred which renewed the folicitude of the 
Eatt-India Company aad 2 ¢ Britih govern- 
ment, to fend an ambaffador to the court of 
China. 
the defigzn of the embaffy was no tooner pro- 
poled, than the voice of general opinion 
marked out Lord Macartney, as almott the 
only man to whom this charge might be en- 
trutted with any frong probability | of its fuc- 
cefs. Onthe 3d of “May 1792, therefore, 
he was nominated a mbaffador from the King 
of Great Britain to the Emperor of China, 
He wasadmitted, that fame day,.to the ho- 
nours and tru of a Privy Counfellor. On 
the 28th of the fame month, he was farther 
graced by his sovereign by a patent advanc- 
ing him to the dienity ot -Vitcount Dervock, 
in the county of Antrim in Ireland. He 
proceeded, without delay, on his embafly. 
Sir George Staunton, his friend and former 
fecretary, was again in this embafly his fe- 
eretary and companion. A tuitable train of 
fervants and followers were appointed to at- 
tend him. <A thip of war, under the com- 
mand of Sir Eratmus Gower, was, with cer- 
tain finaller velfels, affigned for his voyage. 
Many rich prefents were tent by the ambaf- 
fador irom the Britifh to the Chinefe fove- 
reign. He arrived in fafety in the Indian 
feas. When his approach was notified at the 
Chinefe court, the Emperor and his minifter 
agreed, though not without hefitation, to re- 
ceive the ambaffadors aud prefents of a mo- 
narch fo great and fo remote. To approach 
Pekin, the northern capital of the Chinete 
empire, his Lordfhip was obliged happily to 
direct his voyage round the fouthi- ealt cuatt 
of China, by a tract hitherto almoft unknown 
to European navigation, The advantage 
Account of the late Earl of Macartney. 
The choice was ealily fixed ; for, . 
government, he proceeded to Macao. 
363: 
even alone of exploring that track might 
have been enough to compentate for all the 
difficulties and expence.of the embafly. He 
entered the Chinefe territeries, Mandarines 
of the higheft rank were appointed to’ con- 
duct him to the imperial court. His prefents 
were gracioufly accepted. He was enter- 
tained, with. his fecretary and all bis train, 
in a manner the moft hofpitable and fumptu- 
ous which the ftate of the Chinefe court 
would eafily permit. With great addrefs 
Tord Macarmey contrived at once to com- 
ply, in his obeilance with the wifes of the 
Chinete fovercign, and to affert the dignity 
of his royal matter by proguring that a Cli- 
~nefe nobleman of the fame rank with himfelf 
fhonid, in the fame reprelentative character, 
perform before a portrait of the Britith mo- 
narch thofe ceremonies of ref{peét, which 
Lord Macartney himfelf paid to the living 
prefence of the Eiperor of China. His 
own conduct and that of his attendants were 
at the fame regulated, fo as not to give of- 
‘fence to the prejudices of the Chinefe. Per- 
miffion for the permanent refidence of a 
Britifh ambeflador at the. court of China 
could not, indeed, as yet be obtained. A 
commercial treaty would have confiituted a 
new connexion with a foreign power of which 
Chinele prejudices could not yet favourably 
conceive the nature. But, in every otber 
refpect, the beft purpofes of the embafiy 
were happily accomplifhed. The ambafia- 
dor, with his train, returned over land. On 
the 19th of December 1793, he made his 
entrance imto Canton. After being there 
{plendidly entertained by the viceroy of that 
From 
that port he failed on his return to Europe, 
on the 17th of March 1794. On the 5th of 
September, after an abfence of pearly. two 
years, he arrived at Portimouth in- dafety. 
Waile he was on his return, his fovereign 
had gracioufly tefified his approbation of his 
fervices, by exalting him to the dignity of 
Earl of Macartney. ‘lheir importance has 
been fince more and more proved by new ta- 
cilities opening to the Britith trade in China, 
and new reipect to the rights and perfons of 
Britons wherever they have acce{s-to the - 
Chinefe territories. The Earbof Alacartney 
was on the 8th of June 1796, farther advane- 
ed tothe dignity of a Britith peer, by the 
title of Baron Macartney of Parkhurft, in 
Suffex. He has fince crowned his public fer- 
vices by the adminiftration of the viceroyalty 
at the Cape of Good Hope. in this high 
ftation, as in the other offices which he has 
filled, the Earl of Macartney has dilplayed 
qualities which do infinite honour to his head 
as aitate(man, and to his feelings asa man. 
His Lerdfhip dying without iffue, the title ig 
extinct; but his eftates defcend to.his niece 
and heir, Mrs. Hume, and her family, the 
widow and children of the late Rev. Dein - 
Flume.—His remains were interred at Chii- 
wick. A hearfe and four, two mourning 
SAL coaclies , 
SS Set ae i 
ee 
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