IT is hardly neceffary to obferve that, after the able and interefting account of the proceedings and refult of the Britifh Embaffy to the court of China, by the late Sir George Staunton (who was no lefs amiable for liberality of fentiment, than remarkable for vigour of intellect) it would be an idle, and, indeed, a fuperffuous undertaking, in any other perfon who accompanied the embaffy, to dwell on thofe fubjects which have been treated by him in fo matterly a manner; or to recapitulate thofe incidents and transactions, which he has detailed with equal elegance and accuracy.

But, as it will readily occur to every one, there are ftill many interefting fubjects, on which Sir George, from the nature of his work, could only barely touch, and others that did not come within his plan, one great object of which was to unfold the views of the embaffy, and to fhew that every thing, which could be done, was done, for promoting the interefts of the Britifh nation, and Supporting the dignity of the Britifh character; the Author of the prefent work, has ventured, though with extreme diffidence, and with the confcioufnefs of the difadvantage under which he muft appear after that “Ac-“count of the Embaffy,” to lay before the public the point of view in which be faw the Chinefe empire, and the Chinefe character.