The Copybook: Readings in history and literature

★

Featured

By Su Hanchen (12th century), via the National Palace Museum (Taipei and Taibao, Taiwan) and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Cat O’Clock by Évariste Régis Huc

On his travels through China and Tibet, Roman Catholic missionary Évariste Huc came across a novel way of telling the time.

Read

1

A People Deserving of Respect by Richard Cobden

Richard Cobden deplored the way that politicians in Britain justified their wars abroad by portraying other countries as barbarous and backward.

Read

2

By William Daniell (1769-1837), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Bullies to the Weak, Cowards to the Strong by Richard Cobden

Richard Cobden wanted to know why British policy towards China was so different to our policy towards the USA and European powers.

Read

3

By Michael Angelo Hayes (1820-1877), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Banner of Liberty by William Ewart Gladstone

In 1840, Secretary at War Thomas Macaulay treated the Union Jack like a bully’s visiting card, but backbencher William Gladstone believed it deserved better.

Read

4

Rundle Burges Watson (1809-1860), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

The First Opium War by Jawaharlal Nehru

In 1840, the British Government declared war on the Chinese Empire over their harsh treatment of drug smugglers from Bengal.

Read

5

By Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

‘Tremblingly Obey!’ by Jawaharlal Nehru

Following a historic embassy in 1792-93, Chien Lung, the Emperor of China, despatched a haughty letter rebuffing King George III’s offer of trade.

Read

6

By William Alexander (1767–1816), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

A Very Rapid Promotion by Aeneas Anderson

Aeneas Anderson, who accompanied Lord Macartney on Britain’s first embassy to China, shared a tale illustrating the Qianlong Emperor’s notion of fair play.

Read

History of China