Letter from King George Ⅲ to the Emperor of China
His Most Sacred Majesty George the Third, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Sovereign of the Seas, Defender of the Faith and so forth, To the Supreme Emperor of China Kien-long worthy to live tens of thousands and tens of thousands thousand years, sendeth Greetings.
The natural disposition of a great and benevolent Sovereign, such as is Your Imperial Majesty, whom Providence has seated upon a Throne for the good of Mankind, is, to watch over the peace and security of his dominions, and to take pain for disseminating happiness, virtue and knowledge among his subjects, extending also the same beneficence with all the peaceful arts, as far as he is able, to the whole human race. Impressed with such sentiments from the beginning of Our Reign when We found Our People engaged in War, We granted to Our enemies, after obtaining victories over them in the four quarters of the World, the blessings of Peace upon the most equitable conditions.
Since that period not satisfied with promoting the prosperity of Our own subjects in every respect, and beyond the example of any former times We have taken various opportunities of fitting out Ships, and sending in them some of the most wise and learned of Our Own People, for the discovery of distant and unknown regions, not for the purpose of conquest, or of enlarging Our dominions which are already sufficiently extensive for all Our wishes, not for the purpose of acquiring wealth, or even of favoring the commerce of Our Subjects, but for the sake of increasing Our knowledge of the habitable Globe, of finding out the various productions of the Earth, and for communicating the arts and comforts of life to those parts where they were hitherto little known; and We have since sent vessels with the animals and vegetables most useful to Man, to Islands and places where it appeared they had been wanting.
We have been still more anxious to enquire into the arts and manners of Countries where civilization has been perfected by the wise ordinances and virtuous examples of their Sovereigns thro a long series of ages; and above all Our ardent wish has been to become acquainted with those celebrated institutions of Your Majesty』s populous and extensive Empire, which have carried its prosperity to such a height as to be the admiration of all surrounding Nations.
And now that We have by prudence and Justice avoided the calamities of War into which discord and ambition have plunged most of the other Kingdoms of Europe, and that by engaging Our allies in Hindostan to put an end to the hostilities occasioned by the attack of an ambitious Neighbor, even when it was in Our power to destroy him, We have the happiness of being at peace with all the World, no time can be so propitious for extending the bounds of friendship and benevolence, and for proposing to communicate and receive those benefits which must result from an unreserved and amicable intercourse between such great and civilized Nations as China and Great Britain.
Many of Our subjects have also frequented for a long time past a remote part of Your Majesty』s dominions for the purpose of Trade. No doubt the interchange of commodities between Nations distantly situated tends to their mutual convenience, industry and wealth, as the blessings which the Great God of Heaven has conferred upon various soils and climates are thus distributed among His Creatures scattered over the surface of the Earth.
But such an intercourse requires to be properly conducted, so as that the new Comers may not infringe the laws and Customs of the Country they visit, and that on the other hand they may be received on terms of hospitality and meet the Justice and protection due to Strangers. We are indeed equally desirous to restrain Our Subjects from doing evil or even of showing ill example in any foreign Country, as We are that [they] should receive no injury in it.
There is no method of effectuating so good a purpose, but by the residence of a proper Person authorized by Us, to regulate their conduct, and to receive complaints against them, whenever they should give occasion for any to be made against them, as well as any they might consider as having just cause to make of ill treatment towards them. By such means every misunderstanding may be prevented, every inconvenience removed, a firm and lasting friendship cemented, and a return of mutual good offices secured between our respective Empires.
All these considerations have determined Us to depute an Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Your Court, and willing to make choice for this purpose of a Person truly worthy of representing Us and of appearing before Your August Presence We have fixed upon Our right trusty and well beloved Cousin and Counselor, the Right Honorable George Lord Viscount Macartney, Baron of Lissanoure and one of Our most honorable Privy Council in Our Kingdom of Great Britain, Knight of the most honorable order of the Bath and of the most ancient and royal order of the White Eagle, and Fellow of Our Royal Society of London for the promotion of natural knowledge, a Nobleman of high rank and quality, of great virtue, wisdom and ability, who has filled many important offices in the State of trust and honor, has already worthily represented Our Person in an Embassy to the Court of Russia, and has governed with mildness, justice and success, several of Our most considerable possessions in the Eastern and western Parts of the World, and appointed to the Government General of Bengal, to be Our Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Your Imperial Majesty with credentials under Our Great Seal of Our Kingdoms and Our Sign Manual, to whom We entreat Your Majesty to grant a gracious reception, as well as a favorable attention to his Representations.
And in order to avoid every possibility of interruption in this amicable communication which we wish to establish and maintain with Your sublime Person and Court, and which might happen after the departure of Our said Embassador Extraordinary whose presence may be necessary to Our Affairs elsewhere or in case of his death or occasional absence from Your Capital, We have appointed Our trusty and well beloved Sir George Staunton, Bart., honorary Doctor of Laws of Our University of Oxford, and Fellow of Our Royal Society of London for the promotion of natural knowledge, whom We have appointed Our Secretary of Embassy under the direction of Our Embassador as a Gentleman of wisdom and knowledge who hath already served us with fidelity and zeal as a Member of Our honorable Council and Colonel of Militia in some of Our Dominions in the West Indies, and appointed by Us Our Attorney General in the same, and hath since exercised with ability and success, the Office of Commissioner for treating and making peace with Tippoo Sultaun, one of the most considerable Princes of Hindostan, to be also Minister Plenipotentiary to Your August Person, with Credentials likewise under Our Great Seal, and for whom, in the case of the death departure or occasional absence of Our said Embassador Extraordinary, We entreat in like manner Your Majesty』s gracious reception, and attention to his Representations in Our Name.
We rely on Your Imperial Majesty』s wisdom and Justice and general benevolence to Mankind so conspicuous in Your long and happy reign that You will please to allow Our Embassador and Representative at Your Court to have the opportunity of contemplating the examples of Your virtues and to obtain such information of Your celebrated institutions as will enable him to enlighten Our People on his return;
He, on Our part, being directed to give as far as Your Majesty shall please to desire it, a full and free communication of any art, science, or observation either of use or curiosity which the industry, ingenuity and experience of Europeans may have enabled them to acquire; And also that You will be pleased to allow to any of Our Subjects frequenting the Coasts of Your dominions, and conducting themselves with propriety a secure residence there, and a fair access to Your Markets, under such laws and regulations, as Your Majesty shall think right, and that their lives and properties shall be safe under Your Imperial protection; that one Man shall not suffer for the crime of another, in which he did not participate, and whose evasion from Justice he did not assist, but that every measure shall be taken on the part of Your Government as Our Embassador is instructed strictly to direct to be taken on the part of Our People to seize and bring to condign Punishment, any of Our Subjects transgressing the laws or good order of Your Empire, or disturbing the Peace and friendship subsisting between Us.
We have particularly instructed Our Embassador to take every method in his Power to mark Our regard and friendly disposition to Your Imperial Majesty, and it will give Us the utmost satisfaction to learn that Our wishes in that respect have been amply complied with and that as We are Brethren in Soverignty, so may a Brotherly affection ever subsist between Us.
May the Almighty have you in his holy protection!
Given at Our Court at St. James』s in London the
And in the 32nd Year of Our Reign.
Imperator Augustissime
Vester bonus grater et Amicus
Georgius R
Augustissimo Principi
Kien Long
Sinarum Supremo Imperatori
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譯言網 http://www.yeeyan.com/articles/view/68910/39976/dz
喬治三世給乾隆皇帝的信
天賜大不列顛、法蘭西、愛爾蘭、眾海之主及信仰護主喬治三世聖上祝天朝中國乾隆大帝萬歲萬歲萬萬歲。
聖主乾隆皇帝得天賜皇位，造福萬民，鎮守疆土，實屬國家之福。上又心念百姓，揚仁德理智於民，遍溢安樂於國土內外。此皇帝之典範。此亦吾國聖主喬治三世所思所想。是故吾國大戰四方，勝而取之，賦彼仁德安樂不亞於國內。
國泰民安，風調雨順，然吾國不安與此。開先河，遣英才，渡遠洋，察彼陌土。非為遠征，亦無以廣疆域，吾疆甚廣矣。非為珍寶，非以利商賈。惑異地之民風，奇他鄉之物產，顯吾大英國風器術於生疏外族而已。是故置禽獸菜蔬於艦艇，遇島嶼平原有匱乏之地，以饋贈之。
凡異國建制久遠，律法清明，德倫高潔，吾輩甚為仰慕，諮以風土人情。大清朝以無窮疆土，廣袤人口，繁榮興盛，折服四方附鄰，其昌明國體，亦吾輩切切尋索之道。
今歐羅巴各王朝渙散妄圖，沙場連天，民不聊生。獨吾大英審慎懷柔，不助敵意，修好鄰國。以吾之力覆彼何等綽綽有余，結彼盟誓，以安印度而已。吾大英國欲交好四方，仰大清遼闊昌盛，往來結交，互通禮儀仁德，無乃待乎？
吾國民與大清朝商賈往來久矣。夫天恩浩蕩，賜物產工器於四方，異風土，調雨雪，今遠跋四方，得而易之，貨物溝通，固相互便宜（bianyi）。
然商賈往來須規矩，不傷異國倫紀，毀本族風氣，以致為非作歹，貽笑遺惡於外人。又冀大清寬厚，能善待吾英人，客之，齊之，護佑之，勿有傷飭。
是故遣長者，教條行止，免毀譽於人，協調賓主，無傷於民。溝通歧義，增便利，厚交情，善哉。願與共商通使者兮。
有喬治氏侯爵馬噶爾尼，皇室胞兄，輔佐議政，統領樞密，驍勇騎射，明理崇智，承蒙國之重托，數度遠航，交好羅宋，又掌管東西屬地，廣播仁德，賜為班加羅爾總督，聖主器重，今使出訪大清聖土，以英王國印章為證，又上親筆書，祈望厚主隆恩，準我大英來使，待以使節之禮。
重洋萬里兇險浩渺，為免馬爾噶尼侯爵、特使貽誤行程，有損我英王國與大清朝交好之盛事，又遣史丹東爵爺攜大印書信，隨行於後，以補不足。史丹東爵爺為牛津大學士，通律法，博聞強識，任西印度屬地統領大將軍，朝廷大法官，效忠國家，受國之所托，與印度王子說和，功德顯赫，祈望大清朝廷亦開洪恩，禮遇之。
上以禮儀仁愛，長治久安，至於吾國來使，必得榮恩，仰朝廷之美德，悉國家之吏治，返以效尤。
吾使當傾盡所識，歷數吾大英及歐羅巴之文風、理學、工商、才智並所見所聞，以解疑惑。祈望恩準大英國民通商於口岸，守理法，居安樂，無盜賊之害，免兇徒之擾。吾使亦嚴以自律，凡違紀作惡，有傷國之往來情誼者罰無待。
吾亦三托使臣，明示交好厚意。夫天賜皇權於兩國，雖地遠，惟手足情誼常在。
天佑大清！
聖詹姆斯氏三十二年
手足摯友喬治三世皇帝親筆
發表於 2009-7-8 11:11:14