'Brats over, he seat fer them; and presented with his own
bands to them, a goblet of warm Chinese wine, noton-
like Madeira u f an inferior Quality. He asfeedSfte E«i-
feissador the a g e of His own sovereign ; of which being
informed, he1 immediately replied, that he heartily
wished him to equal himself in years, which had ah
ready amounted to eighty three-, and with as perfect
health. He was indeed yet so hale and vigorous, that he
scarcely appeared to have existed as many years, fifty-
seven, as, in fact, he had governed the empire. When
the festival was entirely over, ami he Ascended fafom
his throne, he marched firm andcrect, and without the
least symptom of infirmity, to the ©pen chair that was
waiting for him.
Soon after the Embassador’s return home, he received
from the Emperor presents of silks, pareekune, and tea
for himself, and all the gentlemen of his suite. - The
silks were generally of a. dose and firm, texture, andoof
a grave colour, suck as were wome by men. Some were
Woven into patterns of dresses, with the four clawed
dragon, or Imperial ty g er; and some with the Chinese
pheasant, embroidered in silk of tints: more lively than
the ground ; the former intended for military, and the
latter for civil, mandarines of rank. The porcelaine
consisted of detached pieces, slightly differing in form
from those which are generally exported. The tea was
made up into balls o f different sizes, by means of a! glutinous
liquid, which united the leaves together without
altering the®q&alii;fesj;. the. tea thus preserving its original
flavour. It is brought from the. southern. province;
of Yunnan, and i&.not usually imported into. Enig!.^d.
This species; ©f tea is highly prized in Chinas but habit
has so much pnj\«e,E o^er taste, that, the-English. prefkned
than to which, they had bsen^aocustomed.
Among the-presen ts of fruits which.were odseasionaliy
Sent to;tbfi Embassadprji,w^e. some whit® grappa of an
uncommon form, bemg^more oblong than: olives; and
about the.siz%ofr thte olives of Spain.1
: Almost evj§ry i-bteEeburse in China between superiors
and in|brffors> is accompaniedcojcfolJow.ed b^rufiipi'dcal
prcMn^j; b u t these made-by^thedoiimeb.arc igcanted'a'S
4matwnss while those- oui the paifiof the latter, am-ae*
cepted as Qjferings. Chinese, terms correspondent to-these?
a® still applied to the presents- passing between t£he
Emperor and foreign princes, according;to? thm official
Stile of arrogated, superiority: affected, on; thes^ occasions
b y th p Chinese, court; such. as. the tone that, vf askforv
merly assumed.by the. chancery of thnGQrman.empire
towards the other: European, powers-. Ikitj when tire
EmperQrfofGhina.hPk^nl'^innitQ makjfemaritior^Qfih im*
self, especially if» contradistinguished from, any of*.his
ancestors; Qr.predecessor&Anthe throne, .h&use&thamast
modest; and; indeed: humble, -expressions,: in evarv. thing
that relates to his own,person;saccording to. the.systemaf
Visit to> the
Emperor’s,
court. \