H ( l S2 )
height. ïn front of the palace there iâ a large plain, with a confider-
able lake in the center of it.
' Here we waited feveral h§u£s_, till, at length, the approach of the.Em-
peror was annoUMéd, byifhê pïoftratbn'af the^hd^rjp^^he advanced,
This; great .perfonage-, was-in a very, plaicupàlanquin,-bornehy/wenty
mandarins of the firiLorder,; sand were it.n.otdpç,that ciroymftance, he
eodhnot have been diftmguifhèd fromc,.a/coromorr mandarin, _ as he
wore, ino mark oyhadge of., diftin<$ion? nor any article of drefs fupe-
rionfô the higher claffesfof his fubjsjfts, The fimpliçity of his appearance,
it feems, proceeds from, that wife policywhich difringuifljes
his reign; as it is a, favourite principle of Hfe goyemipent^to^heçk,
as much as poffible, all ufelefs luxury, and to encourage^ ,oebonomy
amnrvg his people. It is from the fame paternal regard for die fifua-
tion and cirçumftances of his fubjedrs, that he hagfugp^ffehall public
rem^iftg^W§^oUntpf' his birth-day, mt^'fels'Æôuiifhing pari of
his dominions ; from the apprehenfion that the loyal ataa affectionate
fpirit of"the'poorer'claffes of the people would diftrtfs thc0ifel\es,y$i
promoting the feftive celebration ôf the day. This prohibition,however,,
”as" we underftobd, reached . no fiirther than _ the immeiiiate
vîcâiîty'?of' thé Impérial refidenCe ; mé bnth-'dayp of*“ hrpfgn
being öbférved with great j’dy and folemmty through every pother
part of a grateful empfrë/ 3
The Empereur: on 'this day ^completed thé eighty-fifth year of his
age, as. he was in the fifty-fevehth of his reign. - Though he had-dark,'
pierring eyes, die whole of his countenance difcóvered the mild traits
of benignant virtue, mixed with that eafy dignity of exalted dation,
which rfefults rather from internal* confcioufnefs, J than' ‘exterior
grandeur.
The appearance o f tfafe fuite was èxaélly the faEniïé as on the firft day
of audience ; and we returned, ih an equal ftate of embarraflment and
fatigue, at one o’clock. A very, large quantity of prefénts foon followed
| ( W3 |
lowed us,, confiding of the fame kind of articles as had been, already v_r?93-
fent, but of different colours and patterns. There were, however, September,
.added, qn- the. piefenj, öeqafi»H, a 0 -ofufionpf fhiits and confeétio-
pary, fufficient to have fumifhed a fucceffion of fine deferts, if our
■ flay had been prolonged to; .twice the period which was. deftined far
•pur; afepdc:At Jebol. , ■
• f -ïjhè 'Chinefe ppffefs the art of confectionary in a-very fuperior de- fl
gree, both as,.ta its- taflfe,, and the varfcty'of its-forms and colours.
Their cakes! of every kind are. admirably made, and pnore agreeable to
ylrepalate -than any^I remember to have tailed in England, or any other /
country. Their paftry is alfa as light as any I have, eaten in Europe/
■ and in/ffreh a prodigious variety, as the combined efforts, of the European
confe&ipners, Tfreligv?/ would' not be able to pimuce, /
This morning tffe Ambalfedor went to the Imperial palace/but no$ Wednrf-
in the former ilyie of parade, to have his audience of leave, as the ^ t8‘
period of- etir ftay ih Tartary was verging to a period.
His^Expefllicy, at the feme time, trahfa&ed certain official bufi-
nefe at^o^rt* >vHiph # die timer,, by the
gentlemen of thte-iiiife-, to he asfollows .•
The Emperor o f Qhinarrefufed, , in-the firft inftanc-e, to« fign, and of
«jourfe, fo' enter {jbto any engagement by a written treaty with the
Crowjyaf Great Britain, or any other nation ;,as fuch a conduct, on his
part, would bp contrary to the aufient ufege, and,, indeed, an infringement
o f tfie ancient conftitutions, of fhe empire. At the feme
time he was pleafed >ti@/fig^|ify his .high JpctJu» • Britannic
Majefty and the Britiih nations and that he felt, a ftcohgi.difpofitimi to
grant diem greater indulgencies thao any other Eucopean.powe? trading
to his dominions;, nor was hé: unwiffingtaaijake fuch a new:arrange*
ment of the duties payable by Britifo ffiips afriving at Canton,, asap*
X ... peared
tiss