Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/439

 THE

REVIEW.

3. Portuguese envoys and ambassadors to China. The Chinese have, in their own estimation, no equals. Their country occupies the principal and central part of the earth's surface; and their emperor is the supreme potentate who rules over all nations. They enumerate, in their imperial books, no less than thirty tributary kingdoms. Portugal is among this number. No sooner were the Portuguese permitted to settle at Macao, than "their vassalage began;" and they were required like the inhabitants of Corea, Cochinchina, Siam, &c., to acknowledge their dependence, by sending envoys and ambassadors with tribute to the sovereigns of China. Several of these missions are mentioned in the work before us; we will briefly notice each of them in their order.