recommending, in the warmth o f their friendihip, that we
ihould difencumber ourfelves o f our breeches, as they would
certainly be inconvenient to appear in at court.
O f perfeverance in négociation, or more properly fpeaking,
in driving a bargain, the Tartar legate gave no bad fpecimen o f
his talent. Having in vain piafiifed every art to obtain from
the Embaffador an unconditional compliance with thé court
ceremony, he was fent at length by the Prime Minifter to
inform him, that the important point was finally decided
and that the Engliih mode was to be adopted j but, he obferved,
that as it was not the cuftom o f China to kifs the Emperor’s
hand, he had fomething to propofe to which there could be no
objection, and which was that, in lieu o f that part o f the
Engliih ceremony, he ihould put the fécond knee upon the
ground and, inftead o f bending one knee, to kneel on both.
In fait, they negociate on the moit trifling point with as much
caution and precifeneis, as i f they were forming a treaty o f
peace, and with more addrefs than fomc treaties o f peace have
been negociated.
As a direfi refufal to any requeft would betray a want o f
good breeding, every propofal finds the ir. immediate acquief-
cence ; they promife without hefitation, but generally difap-
point by the invention o f fome fly pretence or plaufible
objection. T h e y have no proper fenfe o f the obligations o f
truth. So little fcrupulous indeed are they with regard to
veracity, that they will aflert and contradifi without bluihing,
as it may beft fuit the purpofe o f the moment.
The
The vanity o f an ufurped national fuperiority and a high
notion o f felf-importance never forfake them on any occafion.
Thofe advantages in others which they cannot avoid feeling,
they will affeft not to fee. And although they are reduced to
the neceffity o f employing foreigners to regulate their calendar
and keep their clocks in order, although they are in the habit o f
receiving yearly various fpecimens o f art and ingenuity from
Europe, yet they pertinacioufly affefi to confider all the nations
o f the earth as barbarians in comparifon o f themfelves. A
Chinefe merchant o f Canton, who, from the frequent opportunities
o f feeing Engliih ihips, was not infenfible o f their advantages
over thofe o f his own nation which traded to Batavia
and other diftant ports, refolved, and a finally began, to con-
ftrufi a veflel according to an Engliih model; but the Hoopoo
or collefior o f the cuftoms being apprized o f it, not only
obliged him to relinquiih his projefi but fined him in a heavy
penalty for prefuming to adopt the modes o f a barbarous
nation. So great is their national conceit that not a fingle
article imported into the country, as I have elfewhere obferved,
retains its name. Not a nation, nor perfon, nor objefi, that
does not receive a Chinefe appellation : fo that their language,
though poor, is pure.
T h e exprefiions made ufe o f in falutation, by different nations,
may perhaps be confidered as deriving their origin from
features o f national charafier. Lau-ye, O ld fir, is a title o f refpefi,
with which the firft officers o f ftate may be addrefled, becaufe
the maxims o f government have inculcated the dofirine o f
obedience, refpefi, and protefiion to old age. The common
falutation among the lower orders o f people in fome o f the
3 fouthem