hard ftruggle between perfonal pride, and national importance,,
before they refolved to re jed fo fair a pfópofal, àtld eonfent to
■Wave a eererttohy which had never, on any former occalion,
been difpenfed with. It is eafy to conceive how fftong an im-
preffion the refufal of an individual to comply with the ceremonies
Of the country Was likely to make on the minds o f the
Emperor and his Court : how much they tnuft have fufferedin
their Own Opinion, and how greatly muft their pride have been
t&óftified, to find that by no-trick, nor artifice, nor ftretch o f power,
could they prevail on an Englilh Embaflador to forego the dignity
and refped due to the fituation he held at their court, whither
they were now convinced he had not come, as was fignified
in painted letters on the colours o f the ihips that tranfported the
embaffy up the Pei-ho, “ to offer tribute to the Emperor o f
“ C h in a ''
With regard to the intrigues o f the Portugueze miffionary,
mentioned in -Mr. Grammont’ s letter, Lord Macartney was fuf-
fici'ently aware o f them long before his arrival in thè capital, and
took fuch nteafureS, in confequence o f the information, as were
moil likely to be effectual in counterading any influence that
he might fccretly exert, injurious to the interefts- o f the Britilh-
natron. Hut thè intrigues o f churchmen are not always éafily
' Obviated, efpècially where they are fufpicious Of their errors being
expófed or their ignoràhce dete'ded. It is a painful truth (and
is noticed here with reludance, on account o f the many worthy
members o f the fociety) that the miniffiers o f a certain branch o f
a reiigion whofe diftinguiihiOg feature is meeknefs and forbear
ance, ihould have fo far perverted the intention o f its benevolent
author, as to have produced more intrigues, cabals, and
perfecutions, than even the relentlefs Mahomedans, whofe firft
article o f faith inculcates merit-in deftroyiog thofe,.of a different
perfuafion. Their political intrigues and interference in ftate
affairs, have done material injury to the caufe o f .Chriftianity in
almoft every country into which their roiffions.have-extended.
T h e malignant fpirit o f this fame Portugueze miffiionary was
not confined to the framing o f falfhoods and mifreprefentationa
with regard to the views; o f the Britifh embaify,. but hast continued
to exert its influence at the court o f ; Pekin, hi the. f am
fecret and diihonourable way, whenever, an - opportunity e w
curred that feemed favourable fo r raifing unwarrantable fufpi-
cions in the minds o f the Chinefe againft.the Engltfh nation*
Towards the clofe o f the la ft was, when -it: was. found, expedient,
to take, pofleffion o f fome o f the, Portugueze colonies, and an
expedition for this purpofe was- actually fent out to fecure the
peninfula o f Macao,; this miffionary loft no time in fuggeftiag
to the Chinefe-court, that the defigns o f the Engliih in getting
poffeffion o f Macao might be o f the fame nature as. thofe theyi
had already pradifed in India; and that i f they were once fufi-
fered to get, footing in the country, China might experience
the fame fate as Hindoftam Fortunately for the concerns afi
the Britifh Eaft India Company this officious interference and
the malevolent infinuations of. Bimardo Almtyda, took a very
different turn to what he had cxpeded, The-mtelligeiice: o f a
hoftile force fo near the coaft o f China: coming firft- from aa
European miffionary; implied, a.negled in the V-icer.oy: o f Gao*
ton, and an 'angry letter was addreffed; to: him. from; court,
D 2 ordering