botanist and employee of the East India Company (1737-1801). Autograph address (3 lines). No place or date. 97 x 36 mm. 1 page.
$ 235 / 220 €
(82363/BN53362)
Addressed to "Mrs. Donovan, at Dr. Baillee, 72 Lower Grosvenor street" in London. Previously in the collection of the English novelist Catherine Hutton (1756-1846), mounted on paper with biographical notes in her handwriting, describing the 1793 British mission to the Chinese Imperial court, which Staunton participated in as secretary to the envoy George Macartney: "The ambassador and his suite anchored off China in 1793, when they were plentifully supplied with provisions. When they had eaten about a month, they were cased in sedan chairs, and carried to Pekin, and from thence to Gehol, 150 miles farther, without the wall.
There they were permitted to kneel to the emperor and were shown his parks, palaces, and pagodas. They saw a play, at the theatre of the emperor, which they did not understand, and heard gongs and bells which they abominated. They received, from the emperor's own hand, a copy of verses, made by himself, for the King of Great Britain, and inclosed in a box of black wood, curiously carved, and they were then told they had better go home while the weather was good. Not one of their propositions had been acceeded to, though the expensive presents they took out had been graciously accepted [...]"..