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英国人在装船时设想中国人在见到见到这些世界上最先进的东西之后，会很快同意建立正式外交关系、互派使节、扩大贸易。
乔治三世在给乾隆帝的信中说：“我们由于各自的君位而似兄弟，如果在我们之间永远建立一种兄弟般的情谊，我们将极为愉快。”他是把欧洲各国君主的兄弟关系也用到乾隆这里了，但是，乾隆却完全不这么想。中国官员热情接待了英国使团，不过，这种热情是出于认为“英吉利远在重洋，经数万里之程，历十一月之久，输诚纳贡，实为古今所未有。”被认为是装点乾隆盛世的一件喜事。在承德山庄举行的八十二岁生日庆典上，乾隆帝也开恩接见了英国使团。不过英国是和那些进贡的藩国一起被接见的，英国人被安排在光着脚带着鼻环的缅甸使臣的后面。英国人虽然对这种安排有点心烦意乱，但是，还是毕恭毕敬地谒见了乾隆帝。英国人在回忆录中说，八十多岁的乾隆皇帝步伐稳健，动作敏捷，象是只有五十多岁，举止高贵和蔼。在一系列长长的接见之后，终于轮到了英国人。马戛尔尼递上了乔治三世的国书。皇帝在典礼之后看了礼品单，他对接待使团的官员交待：“单内所载物件，俱不免张大其词。此盖夷性见小，自以为独得之秘，以夸炫其制造之精奇。著征瑞于无意之中向彼闲谈：尔国所贡之物，天朝原亦有之，庶该使臣不敢居奇自炫。”后来，乾隆亲自参观了这些礼品，这位八十多岁的大皇帝指着这些礼品笑道：“这些可以给小孩子当玩具”。 半个月之后，乾隆帝给英王乔治三世回了信，断然拒绝英国想和中国建立平等外交关系的请求，信中这样写道：“……其实天朝德威远被，万国来王，种种贵重之物，梯航毕集，无所不有，尔之正使等所亲见，然从不贵其巧，并无更需尔国制办物件。是尔国王所请派人留京一事，于天朝体制，即属不合，而于尔国，亦殊觉无益，特此详晰开示，谴令贡使等安程回国，尔国王惟当善体朕意，益励款诚，永矢恭顺，以保尔邦共享天平之福……”
英国使团提出要求在中国派驻英国使节，遭到拒绝。乾隆命英国使团在回国前纵穿中国，以令夷人了解“天朝盛世”的“富强”。马戛尔尼回国后，根据他纵穿中国，对社会阶层的所见所闻，在提交给政府的报告书中作出了结论：中国科学极度落后，人民普遍贫穷，军队不像军队，腐败处处可见。他指出，“清政府的政策跟自负有关，它很想凌驾各国，但目光极为短浅，只知道防止人民智力进步”，同时预言“鞑靼王朝将继续压制人民，并将发生变乱”。 乾隆命英使纵穿中国，本是为让夷人震惊“天朝上国”的“富强”，但是，认真的英国人马戛尔尼并没有被清廷官府豪华的排场所迷惑，对所谓“乾隆盛世”得出了否定的结论。他归国后的报告，使英国开始掂出了清帝国的斤两。这里，有兴趣的朋友可以详细看一看乾隆对乔治三世的答复
乾隆致英王乔治三世书（汉英对照）
奉天承运皇帝敕谕英咭利国王知悉，咨尔国王远在重洋，倾心向化，特遣使恭赍表章，航海来廷，叩祝万寿，并备进方物，用将忱悃。
You； O King； live beyond the confines of many seas； nevertheless； impelled by your humble desire to partake of the benefits of our civilization； you have dispatched a mission respectfully bearing your memorial。 Your Envoy has crossed the seas and paid his respects at my Court on the anniversary of my birthday。 To show your devotion； you have also sent offerings of your country's produce。
朕披阅表文，词意肫恳，具见尔国王恭顺之诚，深为嘉许。所有赍到表贡之正副使臣，念其奉使远涉，推恩加礼。已令大臣带领瞻觐，赐予筵宴，叠加赏赉，用示怀柔。其已回珠山之管船官役人等六百余名，虽未来京，朕亦优加赏赐，俾得普沾恩惠，一视同仁。
I have perused your memorial： the earnest terms in which it is couched reveal a respectful humility on your part； which is highly praiseworthy。 In consideration of the fact that your Ambassador and his deputy have e a long way with your memorial and tribute； I have shown them high favour and have allowed them to be introduced into my presence。 To manifest my indulgence； I have entertained them at a banquet and made them numerous gifts。 I have also caused presents to be forwarded to the Naval mander and six hundred of his officers and men； although they did not e to Peking； so that they too may share in my all embracing kindness。
至尔国王表内恳请派一尔国之人住居天朝，照管尔国买卖一节，此则与天朝体制不合，断不可行。向来西洋各国有愿来天朝当差之人，原准其来京，但既来之后，即遵用天朝服色，安置堂内，永远不准复回本国，此系天朝定制，想尔国王亦所知悉。今尔国王欲求派一尔国之人居住京城，既不能若来京当差之西洋人，在京居住不归本国，又不可听其往来，常通信息，实为无益之事。
As to your entreaty to send one of your nationals to be accredited to my Celestial Court and to be in control of your country's trade with China； this request is contrary to all usage of my dynasty and cannot possibly be entertained。 It is true that Europeans； in the service of the dynasty； have been permitted to live at Peking； but they are pelled to adopt Chinese dress； they are strictly confined to their own precincts and are never permitted to return home。 You are presumably familiar with our dynastic regulations。 Your proposed Envoy to my Court could not be placed in a position similar to that of European officials in Peking who are forbidden to leave China； nor could he； on the other hand； be allowed liberty of movement and the privilege of corresponding with his own country； so that you would gain nothing by his residence in our midst。
且天朝所管地方至为广远，凡外藩使臣到京，驿馆供给，行止出入，俱有一定体制，从无听其自便之例。今尔国若留人在京，言语不通，服饰殊制，无地可以安置。若必似来京当差之西洋人，令其一律改易服饰，天朝亦不肯强人以所难。设天朝欲差人常驻尔国，亦岂尔国所能遵行？况西洋诸国甚多，非止尔一国。若俱似尔国王恳请派人留京，岂能一一听许？是此事断断难行。岂能因尔国王一人之请，以至更张天朝百余年法度。若云尔国王为照料买卖起见，则尔国人在澳门贸易非止一日，原无不加以恩视。即如从前博尔都噶尔亚（葡萄牙），意达哩亚等国屡次遣使来朝，亦曾以照料贸易为请。天朝鉴其悃忱，优加体恤。凡遇该国等贸易之事，无不照料周备。前次广东商人吴昭平有拖欠洋船价值银两者，俱饬令该管总督由官库内先行动支帑项代为清还，并将拖欠商人重治其罪。想此事尔国亦闻知矣。外国又何必派人留京，为此越例断不可行之请，况留人在京，距澳门贸易处所几及万里，伊亦何能照料耶？
Moreover； our Celestial dynasty possesses vast territories； and tribute missions from the dependencies are provided for by the Department for Tributary States； which ministers to their wants and exercises strict control over their movements。 It would be quite impossible to leave them to their own devices。 Supposing that your Envoy should e to our Court； his language and national dress differ from that of our people； and there would be no place in which to bestow him。 It may be suggested that he might imitate the Europeans permanently resident in Peking and adopt the dress and customs of China； but； it has never been our dynasty's wish to force people to do things unseemly and inconvenient。 Besides； supposing I sent an Ambassador to reside in your country； how could you possibly make for him the requisite arrangements？ Europe consists of many other nations besides your own： if each and all demanded to be represented at our Court； how could we possibly consent？ The thing is utterly impracticable。 How can our dynasty alter its whole procedure and system of etiquette； established for more than a century； in order to meet your individual views？ If it be said that your object is to exercise control over your country's trade； your nationals have had full liberty to trade at Canton for many a year； and have received the greatest consideration at our hands。 Missions have been sent by Portugal and Italy； preferring similar requests。 The Throne appreciated their sincerity and loaded them with favours； besides authorising measures to facilitate their trade with China。 You are no doubt aware that； when my Canton merchant； Wu Chaoping； was in debt to the foreign ships； I made the Viceroy advance the monies due； out of the provincial treasury； and ordered him to punish the culprit severely。 Why then should foreign nations advance this utterly unreasonable request to be represented at my Court？ Peking is nearly two thousand miles from Canton； and at such a distance what possible control could any British representative exercise？
若云仰慕天朝，欲其观习教化，则天朝自有天朝礼法，与尔国各不相同。尔国所留之人即能习学，尔国自有风俗制度，亦断不能效法中国，即学会亦属无用。
If you assert that your reverence for Our Celestial dynasty fills you with a desire to acquire our civilization； our ceremonies and code of laws differ so pletely from your own that； even if your Envoy were able to acquire the rudiments of our civilization； you could not possibly transplant our manners and customs to your alien soil。 Therefore； however adept the Envoy might bee； nothing would be gained thereby。
天朝抚有四海，惟励精图治，办理政务，奇珍异宝，并不贵重。尔国王此次赍进各物，念其诚心远献，特谕该管衙门收纳。其实天朝德威远被，万国来王，种种贵重之物，梯航毕集，无所不有。尔之正使等所亲见。然从不贵奇巧，并无更需尔国制办物件。是尔国王所请派人留京一事，于天朝体制既属不合，而于尔国亦殊觉无益。特此详晰开示，遣令该使等安程回国。尔国王惟当善体朕意，益励款诚。永矢恭顺，以保义尔有邦，共享太平之福。除正副使臣以下各官及通事兵役人等正贯加赏各物件另单赏给外，兹因尔国使臣归国，特颁敕谕，并赐赍尔国王文绮珍物，具如常仪。加赐彩缎罗绮，文玩器具诸珍，另有清单，王其祗受，悉朕眷怀。特此敕谕。”
Swaying the wide world； I have but one aim in view； namely； to maintain a perfect governance and to fulfil the duties of the State： strange and costly objects do not interest me。 If I have manded that the tribute offerings sent by you； O King； are to be accepted； this was solely in consideration for the spirit which prompted you to dispatch them from afar。 Our dynasty's majestic virtue has penetrated unto every country under Heaven； and Kings of all nations have offer