in their respectiv'eplacesin tKetent, the president of-tbe
tribunal ofrites-conducted the iEtubasSador, whb was attended
by his pagefand Chinese interpreter, and: accompanied
by the Minister Plenipotentiary, near to the foot
of the throne, onTfeefeft hand side, which acc6rdi;ng''itd*
thpiU^ges?®f Chinas®ro^fetrTbdi^^j^e^ of thoSe of Eu-
rope,;is aeeoun ted the place of honour. Tlfeothergfefi-
tlemfen of the. Embassy, together with a great nurrtbir df
mandarines arid officers; of inferior dignity- stbod at the
great, opening 'of ■ the tent, from whence most of th^eefC*
monies that passed within it; could be observed^
His Excellency was habited in a richly embroidered
suit of velvet, adorned with a diamond badge and star,
of the Order of the Bath. Oyer the .suit he wore a long
mantle of the saraenrdef, sufficiently ample to.cbv'er tHe
limbs of the wearer. An attention to Chrnese ide^and
manners, rendered- thenchoice in drfess of soHie hnpdrt-
^nqe; and accounts few this mention of it. The'particular
regard j in every instance j paid by that nation TO* iexteribr
appearances, ?affi?cts >eyeii the system of their apparel,,
which is calculated to inspire gravity and resetveffeFbf
tfeis purpose, they use forms the most distant from t fib's e
3discover]the naked figure: Indeed', ' thd
most- savage, »^people, feiv tor none are:, found to whom
W' interfen .sentiment, uhcofineofed wilh|>kfi^ JC&utibff
against inclemency of weather,, does not suggest the' propriety
of Covering some portion df the human frame.
This sentiment1, -.to-Wfiiclv is'given the' nartie of decency,
appointing, odt what4 is becoming^tb<do', incfiaWi&fgeneH
rally1-withithi. progress?©]f civilization and refinement;
and i s^car rf e5d dllvv"h’er ©r. hapS*So farJasyanlOftg-ghe Chi-
ffes&f wht^ hidlyfor thejjafdsttpart in their lddse^and low-
in ^ ’fdbes, thekpulk and' feriritSoMheir limbs. In* this
reJSpeoti%h®r^ i€s>£!s<i^r’cOlJy- any diffeMfe«N46fcwlsen<'thel
drCssesiidf'the ,t%p; 'sbxpsdb Ebew tbdi imitation' by »art?/ of
thei'diumao*'figufesjnbit'her naked,. (OT^dWcred3 only with
such vestmentas asToUbtyi^nd display the' conto'titf of the|
body, is offensivettbCHinesQ^deli'caCy; a delicacy which
has retarded.'thd iprbgre^s>dfi>paintii^'Ja!nd-sculpture; aS
far >at>feaist-:ad.telatesi to’ such snfijebtsj inf that country! It
has afeo'J’eidjfOithesobligatian' iffiposediapondhe-mission-
ariesi to-1 adfiptfdfib) idfessuof the m t iw lf as b'dirig mbre
chaste > apulJuhcdnt *thah the efeSlyands: shorTf ctethC's! of
modern Effilbp^3 f <
%di®heibtoaf© feilpfcle, which! as a Knight df ih ^ ’Order’bf
the Bath JtfeiEmbassador was.'.^ffiMiiaSufo t<wearj 'waU
somdwhafmpon* ther plaflidffidifessi lioStl pleasing'to me
Chinese. .Upon th^tsam’e .pridcipfes} the Minister-'Pleiii-
potentiary, ffieing an Honorary' Doctor) ofi Uawsjfff 'the
University of’Oxfdrd,1 wore* the '»arfei^d^iaMP"matW^
grel|’w h ich happened also To ^ho'sifi table irifeng’bvern-
ment? where- degfcoslist dea-fningifefm*'tofieWry 'kifio of
political hltuatioTfi. -Thd‘5ESnba'SsaddfP i n st r ire tfed’;b y ’the
president'.'of the tribunal lofijrite^P.hfeldtTtetl’^ig&Jirid
magnificent square box
Visit to. the
. Emperor’s
court* •