’\£isit to
Emperor
cortrt.
the tables, serving m a relish to the millet and other grain
il oh which the peasants principal! X §pb§isttd- Erom the
heights, several handsome buildings . were observed in
pleasant situations.in the vaflies, They were first thought
to belong to somtof, the principal p t“p§a<f :#ffrr
cers about the court: but proved' to be different, pppii
vents of Jamas, founded by, the Emperbrs bfeAe pregf nt
dynasty.;
On the return of the party towards homaifrb^. per?
eeived beyond the town of Zhe-hol, upon gn eofflSfbiSi
with a ridge of higher mountains within sight, sueh |U|9t
ther inverted pyramid of earth, or^stone.- as hasibefJ^ al-
ready described in the last day’s journey/.from Pekin-
Some of the gentlemen had an inclination;-!;© go and examine
i t ; but the mandarines ..yepy-^ravely-; told them,
that there would be an impropriety .in , attepipfing Jo do
so j ias^yfrom the eminence/gp which it was s!tp&ted, . a
view might be had of that part of the imperial-.gardens
consecrated to the u s e o f th q ladif s jo f the ,palacg|sand
from whence they might-be observed walkfhg. through
the g ro u n d sth o at the distance of tferfo-p^fonr j|jtiti|gjag»
The attention of the whole Embassy: was now taken
up in preparations to wait upon the Emperor. It had
been announced to the Embassador, that his Imperial
Majesty would be satisfied with the same form of re*
spectful obeisance from the English, which they. were
in the habit of paying to their own sovereign. This
determination relieved ,tfeer Embassador;fronn a load of Vjsitjta. the
much anxiety; arfd :rerOoved<,thetbeoessity 0f fixing!in E«fr™rs
Kismwn mind', whe^,'din -tfrejpres&nt circumstances, it
bsiimafhim • if | draw, tip? line/b(etw$efr fh& obligafcid.u of
Be;sikting;;an.dl the prop^ietwoflei-eldiingrftb, 'the Wishes of
the Imperial cohrt. It -was^whispeiiied.'ltl^af the ('good
serish and liberafeyof the Empferor hbnsel^i cfi^icdjftow*-1 _
pesrhaps- with -adoscatioiiigendered him mfrch} more-rin-
cliriedrthan ahy|p%his jadvisers, to dispense] lwith vthat
ceremoriy- in .the'present instantefr ! '
His'E'xcellenc jt ‘was 'aV'are, that- tfllsort .of,triumph
he had gained1,,Would, contribute tditnake himrStill more
obiibkjoiis toAhe. Chinese andTafrarLenemies o f the Engv
lish'j-'tho it heightened-[very; much* the »esteem, and r e - ;
s-peCi ofithe people at large,.for.thd nationhhwh©se5f i-
vour so unusual an exception was'about to h e made; afrS
the.--practical -consequences «of ’, suehtVsentiments-,; oeould
scarcely faff tfroperate to its.advantage^ in tevery ;eonnecf
^pn^ -commercial’and political, between thedWo, counr
{fifes* This reta^tfefr ©fa-rufe/from which no-deviation
had; before been -made^ekhifed., indeed much surprise,
and perhaps‘even murmuring, ?fr dm those whose! miinds
were guided by‘precedent,alone; bubifrbonfifrhed ;tHe
opinion- .of the veteran ^missionary, at Pekin, that thl-
mere pleas ,of custom, however • qsUaEy and;.‘stfohgly
urged by the Chinese/ would not stand alway^daigainst
Reason, accompanied by temper and perseverance.'
• vol. ix. • E e ■