CHAPTER II.
■ PRÉPARATIoV#FÖR THE •EMBAsSll^
Preparations . v. H owever flattering patronage may be considered
Embassy. to a minister, it.becomes,** on occasions* of importance^
a^duty. nice and difficiilt to perform. He is *n$t*; more
awSwekable for the measure-sybêl adopts, than for the
choice« of those to whom he tmhdcs ihcii^executiom
As«|%the former,fshe may. have credit?’givéiaS'to-bim jföp
the. exercise of his judgment without any particular*
predilection; but^in suiting personsi$qt©mployments,
it behoves him, in, prder to escape censure,'to be:, equally
on his guard against his own partialities and tlrajsolid-
(gttions of his most intimate connections; . and he finds
himself perfectly secure, only, when his privat&_dpi-
nion coincides with the general voice. gKj
Such was the case in the appointment' of an Embassador
to China. Lord Macartney was in the number
of those whose reputation was established for .talent,
integrity, and an. aptitude for business. Few men had
been tried in a greater variety of situations; and he was,
perhaps, the only man whose, conduct (on his return
from a high station in India) the opposite parties in the
legislature, united in applauding; and his friends enjoyeAtWh
satisfactioh of hearing his eulogy pronounced)
oniAh^sametdnsjli from, the'mouths oFt:h©\ twogreat op^
posing leaders-imfche Housje|©f Cominons. While he was
Formerkyhis MajMtms E P e t e r s b u r g * , he concluded)
with th^e^urt^aucémmerciahtrbatyï to« subsist for
twenty -years, on Sjiich ady.antggediu^tó)hditiongf,fithat
Russia-, -atH^eB'gthbspereeivmg. thé ba-
mu@k?int favour of Great Britain, refused;
for a considerable tihfeNfliïBeiaèw it. Hi$?Lordsfiip had
|Qther^éoasioó'SVfèèftfrwards; both addre'ss"and
P^jÖ^c,e?S6jfpE the public^dvahfia'ge,' in diffeFe'ntqüar-
I#FSI' P f the* igkiber. He b?a‘d!- sitic^j indeed^ ^kfldiMfc.the
©fis^hich th'l^oWer and
Jj^pj-ofh e^^*tó)^o.u^fe,tthatï.'of'any ofeherwithin thé’
r^Gompendabion, »or the gift|jg@£ ministry. But a visit
ipitb^jsjirt of.Peblhjwas’,r«,bthe^aecdunts;> sombeefm-
jnpnly invitingeh it pre^ptedtsp much, to<Étï' ardent and
inquisitive mipd/ that, -upon thebfwsfc intimation^ ! hb
readily, (ghgaged in.th^attempt
His Lordship, made no stipulation' with gOvërHih’ènt,
on>^e.e@pting .thisifeemployment; b u t Mr. Dundas; Secretary
of State, -who' planned-and undèr took.-1 thé. whole
pf fchi^fjmeasuré , and to whom-, whatever-advantage may
ultimately result from’ if!’ad^p.iipnr, musty certainly, be
attribpted$ y readily offend tol allow a friend of Lord
M a c a ftn e y f^ h o , d n ^ g o f e t^ ^A h e s p ë a c è l’witH Tippoo
Saltaun a n .l :.7/8>4, had ,somë< o p p o rtu n ity ro f acquiring
Preparations
for the
Embassy.