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by a mixture with the Portuguese Creoles; so that by this mode
of life, the mind loses its spring, & falls into a sort of torpid
insensibility. So much for Europeans Character in China.
You will judge of the state of information to be had from them.
As far as I dare judge, the Chinese character is a good
one, they are certainly mild & civilized. The want of curiosity, with
which they have been accused, I positively deny. Their dealings
with us were perfectly just, they, they never attempted to
defraud us in either number weight or measure. They would take
my word for any thing, which implies a confidence not arising
from a mind in the practise of chicanery. To attempt to give a
natural character from a few days residence, would be absurd, but
to speak things as they are, cannot be wrong. In the little excursions
I was able to make, I found no doors locked, no gates to the
different fields, nor any thing that implied a distrust of each other
At an Island in the river where the Kings ships watered,
the officers were received into the houses, and offered Tea & sweetmeats
according to the ability of the donors. The men who were sometimes
very numerous, were received with hospitality and good humour,
and no disturbance or dispute arose for upwards of 10
Days that we were together.
It is true they know the difference between the King
& Companys ships, and relied on the discipline & good order of our
men, distinguishing them by the name of the Madarine's seamen:
but this does not take from the character of the Chinese. I am
told and believe it that their dealings with each other are perfectly
just, and that it was the Europeans who taught them to cavil
at prices, & to put off bad commodities for good, which it is said
they sometimes practise.
The venality & corruption with which the Government
is certainly carried on must undoubtedly have its influence
in the manners of the people. This the sensible men tell
you proceeds from the Head. The Emperor, who is past 80
is given up entirely to avarice and exaction. His example
is
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Identifier: | JB/169/148/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 169.
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148 |
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002 |
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collectanea |
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lady bentham |
[[watermarks::gr [crown motif] [britannia with shield motif]]] |
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56968 |
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