48 EMBASSY TO CHINA.
Preparations
•for the
.Embassy.
“ country ; while the English traders remained un-
44. aided, and as it werd/ unavowed, at 'a distance so
4 5 remote as to admit^f a misrepresentation ■ of thë -na-
44 tional character and importance'; and wherèy-too,' their
44 occupation was not held in that esteem, which'might
44 be necessary' to procure them safety and * respectf;> ^
that, H under these'circumstarices, iï<btelamfe th*éifdignity
“ and character of his Majesty to extend his paternal
11 regard to these:his distant subjects, ëvêröfithe'com-
44 mércê’ and prosperity of “the nation not eon-
44 cerned in theifCsüecessV and to claim the EmpeVor
44 of'China’s protection- for them, with nhat twe%ht
44 which is due to the-requisition dfsane^gifeWSovereign
“ from another;” that; “ a free communicafrfonlwith a
^4 people^ perhaps the most singular Upon'the globe;
44 among whom civilization had existed; * and the art's
44 been cultivated, through a long seriesvof ages, -vtóth
4 4 fe wer interruptions Than elsewhere,-#as weli-worili^,
44 also, df being sought by the British nation, which
44 saw-with pleasure, and with gratitude .applauded, the
44 several voyages undertaken alreadyp’By his. Majesty's
‘‘ command, and at the public’expence, in the pursuit
44 of knowledge, and for the discovery and observation
44 of distant-countries and manners ; ” but that, 44 xn
44 seeking to improve a' connection with'China,
44 views.were entertairjed except those5of the- general
44 interests-• of humanity, the mutual benefit of both
44 natioiss r' and the .protection of comm£rce under the
44 Ghiifo§'®/ ^oveEmment. 7 „
In tHe- same .spirit, it is said in,,his> Majesty’s letter to
the Emper®r®o,£ China?that#44 the,; natural disposition, of
great.land'benevolen%>l^f|^gfi»y|||uch as his Im-
44 perjal Majesty,:? whom Providcnc^had,, seated «upon
44 the throne for, ithei:,good of mankind; was ;t<|’watch
tefeyemthe Ipea^e*andfs,ecur,Uyof^isi,doming A la n d to
44 take tpains. for'disseminating happ%n^ts;.,virtue}>land
44 know-led&gamoag?his :sn,bj;eetsri;..<.^tending£ the same
4^b,^ndfe:enGp'>i’with' all the- peaceful arts, far ashhe
44 was. ablest® the w h o l e t h u m a n T h a t , his Britannic
Majestyit/4 impressed with ;^ch^.entiments from
44 thqwery beginnings of ht|iJ^P?)^whenyh^fourid his
“ pe@pleffdnga.gedl in^war^'haid granted $|tehis%enemies,
X4. aftervobtaining^ietp;rie.^^|rjsMi^m* in. the)fq.ur| quart
e r s of. the iwprld, ^ e ' blej|ing^p%^>eace, upon thk
^;A©stoequkable'^ndido]is. ;^(?hat, !^sin.eecthat .period-;
“ not ^-satisfied with promoting^ t;A‘ pro'Spefifey*, @6 his
44 own s-t&l&ets^ iny and llft’yowd thdj^i-
41 all 'tfomaer;. times, he« had taken various
4#rap:pox^unitiesi, ofi.fittirig^out^^ips-kkandy^eh^djngy. in
44'them,ffSome,’of the^most. w;ise*-aEdjfo|^fee(feof hispwn
jipeopl§§ for tb e< 1 rlii^ISery ,ofcdistanfa &%£g unk no w n
R e g io n s ;; f'not- for?th^puspbse, (M ^ y ilnogj^ or, ofoen-
&S4ardmr fo 1 sfedbrnini@n£,--,\Whi|h ,^^^ahead?y suffici-
' ‘■erithy extensivfjfoj all his wishe^fpor, fo r ||e
*vdi, i. ’ - ’ f'j.
Preparations
for the
Embassy.