With frock of fustian, and with cape of red, 190
Nor grudg'd the guinea tax'd upon his head.
But tush, I heed not-for my country's good
I'll pay it-it will purchase Yankee blood-
And well I ween, for this heroic lay,
Almon will give me wherewithal to pay.

Tax then, ye greedy ministers, your fill;
No matter, if with ignorance or skill:
Be ours to pay, and that's an easy task,
In these blest times to have is but to ask;
Ye know, whate'er is from the public prest,
Will sevenfold sink into your private chest:
For he, the nursing father, that receives,
Full freely tho' he takes, as freely gives.
So when great Cox, at his mechanic call,
Bids orient pearls from golden dragons fall,
Each little dragonet, with brazen grin,
Gapes for the precious prize, and gulps it in:
Yet when we peep behind the magic scene,
One master-wheel directs the whole machine;
The self-same pearls, in nice gradation, all
Around one common centre, rise and fall.

195

200

205

210

Thus

Ver, 211. Around one common centre.] I was let into

Thus may our state-museum long surprise;
And what is sunk by votes in bribes arise;
Till mock'd and jaded with the puppet-play,
Old England's Genius turns with scorn away, 215
Ascends his sacred bark, the sails unfurl'd,

And steers his state to the wide western world:
High on the helm majestic Freedom stands,
In act of cold contempt she waves her hands;
Take, slaves, she cries, the realms that I disown, 220
Renounce your birth-right, and destroy my throne.

this secret by my late patron, Sir William Chambers; who, as Mr. Cox's automata were very much in the Chinese taste, was very curious to discover their mechanism. I must do the Knight the justice to own that some of my best things are borrowed from him.

THE

IMPERIAL EPISTLE

FROM

KIEN LONG,

EMPEROR OF CHINA,

то

GEORGE THE THIRD,

KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, &c. &c. &c.

IN THE YEAR 1794,

Transmitted from the Emperor, and presented to his Britannic Majesty by his Excellency the Right Honourable George Earl Macartney of the Kingdom of Ireland, K. B. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of China in the Years 1792, 1793, and 1794.

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE FROM THE ORIGINAL CHINESE POETRY.

WITH

NOTES BY VARIOUS PERSONS OF EMINENCE AND DISTINCTION, AND BY THE TRANSLATOR.

Ignotum Rutulis carmen cœloque Latino
Fingimus, et finem egressi legemque priorum.

Juv. Sat. vi.

1

Published originally in the year 1795;

BY THE TRANSLATOR.

A

PREFACE.

As

66

no writer ever stood in greater need of an apology than myself, I hope I shall be permitted to give a few words in explanation of my labour. I have undertaken to translate into English verse the poetry of the Emperor of China, who is stiled The torch of the East, the true descendant of "Taytsoy, and the providence of Heaven." I have studied almost every principal writer on the subject, but must except the general History of China, translated by Father Moyrac de Mailla in Twelve volumes 4to, which I just saw, but could not obtain; and I regret it daily with all the fulness of that desiderium which so dear a head as Father Moyrac de Mailla's demands. I confess also that I have ca eved: received assistance from the best scholars and interpreters employed in Lord Macartney's Embassy, (though I was unfortunately deprived of the aid I hoped, from the ingenious Mr. Plamb, stiled by way of eminence the Interpreter, whom I regret still more than Father Moyrac de Mailla); yet I am convinced that it is impossible to do full justice to the imperial Chinese phrases and expressions, which are not always intelligible to an European. I have therefore been under the necessity of supplying many pas

sages