P R E F A C E.
A n embafl(y to :Chii\a -was .a new event in -the diplo“
anadc-hiftory. of this, cmintty, and very naturally excited
•a .general curiohtydoncerning i t : for, without confider-
ing the -great commercial ©bfeBs> it r had in viefv, the
univetfal lignoranee which prevailed reipe&ing- the inte-
tiorp^rts -df >that entire,- jand-the eenfeqWent novelty
which mufl be produced by anyautheatic hiftory-of if,
would irrefillibly attract the attention of our enlightened
country, to the only civilifed nation in the world, :-whof$
lealous^lawsforbid^the;intfttfion cf^anyothet-people.
f t pi not-my de-fign-to examine thofe writers ^who haVe
preceded me-on the*fhbje£t of^Qhina : fllk net-for rue to
-point out their |ccntradi&ions, pr -difpliy-their fabulous
• interpo
