A rat trap and a bed of gunpowder
31st May 2023 - Blog
Diaries and journals are often attractive for their attention to the mundane. This seems to humanize the writer. But then
December 22, 2025
George Thomas Staunton was 12 years old when he accompanied his father Sir George Leonard Staunton and Lord Macartney (and a few hundred others) on the great British Embassy to the Qianlong Emperor in 1792-1794. Several first-hand accounts of the event were published in subsequent years, and many commentaries on it right up to the present day. One publication that seems to be missing is that of the diaries of young George Staunton. They are among his papers held at Duke University, and cover the period of August 1793 to February 1794, from the time of the Embassy’s travel to the Emperor’s summer palace at Jehol, and its return to Peking, then the long inland journey to Canton, Macau and home. This diary has been digitised and made available by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library of Duke University, North Carolina. A transcription and light editing can be read here.
31st May 2023 - Blog
Diaries and journals are often attractive for their attention to the mundane. This seems to humanize the writer. But then
11th Dec 2022 - Blog
I guess there is nothing unique in setting up a personal website, but it does raise the issue of just