CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.

PRELIMINARY MATTER.

INTRODUCTION -General View of what Travellers are likely

to meet with in China.Mistaken Notions entertained with re-
gard to the British Embassy-Corrected by the Reception and
Treatment of the subsequent Dutch Embassy -Supposed Points
of Failure in the former, as stated by a French Missionary from
Pekin, refuted.-Kien Long's Letter to the King of Holland.
Difference of Treatment experienced, by the two Embassies ex-
plained.Intrigues of Missionaries in Foreign countries.Pride
and Self-Importance of the Chinese Court. List of European
Embassies, and the Time of their Abode in Pekin.- Conclusion
of Preliminary Subject.

PAGE 1

CHAP. II.

OCCURRENCES AND OBSERVATIONS IN THE NAVIGATION
OF THE YELLOW SEA, AND THE PASSAGE UP THE PEI.
HO, OR WHITE RIVER.

Different Testimonies that have been given of the Chinese Charac-

ter.Comparison of China with Europe in the sixteenth Century.
--Motives of the Missionaries in their Writings. British Em-
bassy passes the Straits of Formosa.-Appearance of a Ta-fung.
-Chusan Islands.. Instance of Chinese Amplification.- Various
Chinese Vessels.-System of their Navigation-their Compass,
probably of Scythian Origin-Foreign Voyages of.-Traces of
Chinese in America--in an Island of the Tartarian Sea.--in the
Persian Gulf-traded probably as far as Madagascar.-Commerce
of the Tyrians.-Reasons for conjecturing that the Hottentots may
have derived their Origin from China. Malays of the same descent
as the Chinese.-Curious coincidences in the Customs of these
and the Sumatrans.-Cingalese of Chinese Origin.-One of the
Brigs dispatched to Chu-san for Pilots.-Rapid Currents ainong
the Islands. Visit to the Governor. Difficulties in procuring
Pilots.--Arbitrary Proceeding of the Governor.--Pilots puzzled
with our Compass—Ignorance of Arrive in the Gulf of Pe-tche-
lee. Visit of two Officers from Court, and their Present-enter
the Pei-ho, and embark in convenient Yachts.-Accommodating
Conduct of the two Officers.--Profusion of Provisions.-Appear-
ance of the Country of the People. Dress of the Women...
Remarks on their small Feet.-Chinese an uncleanly and frowzy
People.-Immense Crowds of People and River Craft at Tien-Sing.
--Decent and preposessing Conduct of the Multitude.-Musical
Air sung by the Rowers of the Yachts. Favourable Traits in the
Chinese Character. Face and Products of the Country.-Multi-
ludes of People Inhabitants of the Water.-Another Instance of
Arbitrary Power-Disembark at Tong Tchoo, and are lodged in
a Temple.

PAGE 17

CHAP. III.

JOURNEY THROUGH THE CAPITAL TO A COUNTRY VILLA
OF THE EMPEROR.--RETURN TO PEKIN.--THE IMPE-
RIAL PALACE AND GARDENS OF YUEN-MIN-YUEN, AND
THE PARKS OF GEHOL.

Order of Procession from Tong-choo to the Capital.Crowd assem-

bled on the Occasion.—Appearance of Pekin without and within
the Walls. Some Account of this City. Proceed to a Country
Villa of the Emperor.-Inconveniences of.-Return to Pekin.-
Embassador proceeds to Tartary-Author sent to the Palace of
Yuen-min-yuen.-Miserable Lodgings of.–Visit of the President
and Members of the Mathematical Tribunal. Of the Bishop of
Pekin, and others. Gill's Sword-blades.-Hatchett's Carriages.-
Scorpion found in a Cask packed at Birmingham.- Portraits of
English Nobility.-Effects of Accounts from Tartary on the Offi-
cers of State in Pekin.-Emperor's Return to the Capital.-In-
spects the Presents.—Application of the Embassador for Leave to
depart.-Short Account of the Palace and Gardens of Yuen-min-

3

yuen.-Lord Macartney's Description of the Eastern and West-
ern Parks of Gehol. And his general Remarks on Chinese Land-
scape Gardening

PAGE 59

CHAP. IV.

SKETCH OF THE STATE OF SOCIETY IN CHINA. MAN.
NERS, CUSTOMS, SENTIMENTS, AND MORAL CHARACTER
OF THE PEOPLE.

Condition of Women, a Criterion of the State of Society.–Degraded

State of in China.-Domestic manners unfavourable to Filial Af-
fection.-Parental Authority.-Ill Effects of separating the Sexes.
-Social Intercourse unknown, except for Gaming. Their Wor.
ship solitary.-Feasts of New Year.- Propensity to Gaming -
Influence of the Laws seems to have destroyed the natural Cha-
racter of the People.—Made them indifferent, or cruel.—Various
Instances of this Remark in public and in private Life.-Remarks
on Infanticide. Perhaps less general than usually thought.-Cha-
racter of Chinese in Foreign countries.—Temper and Disposi-
tion of the Chinese.- Merchants.-Cuckoo-clocks.-Conduct of a
Prince of the Blood.

Of the Prime Minister. - Comparison of the
Physical and Moral Characters of the Chinese and Man-tchon
Tartars.-General Character of the Nation illustrated. PAGE 93

CHAP. V.

MANNERS AND AMUSEMENTS OF THE COURT.--RECEP-
TION OF EMBASSADORS.--CHARACTER AND PRIVATE
LIFE OF THE EMPEROR.-HIS EUNUCHS AND WOMEN.

General Character of the Court-Of the Buildings about the Palace.

-Lord Macartney's Account of his Introduction.Of the Cele-
bration of the Emperor's Anniversary Festival --Of a Puppet-
Shew.--Comedy and Pantomime.WrestlingConjuring and
Fire-Works.--Reception and Entertainment of the Dutch Em-
bassadors from a Manuscript Journal.- Observations on the State
of the Chinese Stage.--Extraordinary Scene in one of their Dra-
mas.--Gross and indelicate Exhibitions.--Sketch of Kien-Long's
Life and Character.--Kills his Son by an unlucky Blow.con-
ceives himself immortal.-Influence of the Eunuchs at the Tartar
Conquest their present State and Offices.-Emperor's Wife,
Queens, and Concubines-How disposed of at his Death. 129

CHAP. VI.

LANGUAGE.---LITERATURE, AND THE FINE ARTS.

SCIENCES.-MECHANICS, AND MEDICINE.

.

Opinion of the Chinese Language being hieroglyphical erroneous.-

Doctor Hager's mistakes.--Etymological Comparisons fallacious.
-Examples of.—Nature of the Chinese written Character.—Dif-
ficulty and Ambiguity of.-Curious Mistake of an eminent Anti-
quarian.-Mode of acquiring the Character.-Oral Language.-
Mantchoo Tartar Alphabet.-Chinese Literature.--Astronomy.
Chronology.--Cycle of sixty Years.--Geography.–Arithmetic.-
Chemical Arts.-Cannon and Gunpowder.--Distillation.-Pot-
teries.—Silk Manufactures.-Ivory.-Bamboo.-Paper.-Ink.-
Printing.-Mechanics.--Music.—Painting.--Sculpture.--Archi-
tecture:-Hotel of the English Embassador in Pekin.--The Great
Wall.---The Grand Canal.---Bridges.--Cemeteries.--Natural
Philosophy.---Medicine.--Chinese Pharmacopoeia.--Quacks.-
Contagious Fevers.-Small-pox.-Opthalmia. Venereal Disease.
Midwifery.--Surgery.—Doctor Gregory's Opinion of their Medi-
cal Knowledge.-Sir William Jones's Opinion of their general
Character.