1792年的时候，英国的国王是个男的，名叫乔治三世，这一年，他给乾隆皇帝写了一封信，并让亲戚马嘎尔尼率领一个使团，带着这封信和礼物，去了中国，见了乾隆皇帝。
英王乔治三世
英王乔治三世这封信的英文原文，掘地三尺，为你找了出来，贴在本文的尾部，那么英王在这封信里，到底说了些什么呢？花了两天时间，为你翻译成人话，这封信十分有趣，废话少说，直接上干货：
《英王乔治三世写给乾隆皇帝的信》
作者：乔治三世
时间：1792年
天命最圣洁尊贵的不列颠以及法兰西爱尔兰国王、大洋的统治者、基督信仰的捍卫者乔治三世，向远方至高无上的、万万岁的中国乾隆皇帝陛下，致以最诚挚的问候！
（注：英国在“七年战争”中打败了法国，很自大，所以，英王同时自封为法兰西的王）
陛下（乾隆）您作为一个伟大又仁慈的统治者，受天命所托，替代上苍，庇护万民，陛下维护您治下领土的和平和安宁，费尽心力，为苍生造福，把美德和智慧教化给子民，陛下您的德政和善行，福泽全天下。
乾隆皇帝
我们深深仰慕陛下您的名声。然而，自从我英国开国以来，我们就和我们的欧洲邻国爆发了战争。我国在彼此条件公平的情况下，击败了敌国。
然而，自从那时开始，我们发现我们的臣民，在民生经济等各方面的发展，仍然不尽人意，所以，我们依照以前的做法，造了很多的大船，指派了很多聪明能干、见多识广的人，到大洋各处去，探索未知的国度。
然而我们这样做，不是为了征服谁，也不是为了开疆拓土，因为我们对我们英国已有的国土，已经感到心满意足，我们也不是为了寻求财富，甚至也不是为了臣民的商业和生意。
那么，我们是为了什么呢？我们是为了了解我们这个适宜人类居住的地球，为了探索地球各地的物产，为了和各个未知国度，交流科学技术和分享尘世的乐趣。
所以从那时开始，我们派出船只，把我们所拥有的那些对人类最有享用价值的牲畜和蔬菜，运往未知的国度，因为我们认为，那里的人们，一直都在渴望这些东西。
18世纪英国商船
许多个朝代以来，对于那些在圣人治下文明开化的国家，我们一直焦急于了解和学习他们的文化、科技和礼仪，贵国地广人众，文明开化程度极高，这一点，天下皆知，周边国家无不仰慕，所以我们一直以来热切地期望，能和贵国各地受人敬仰的官方机构打交道。
欧洲的其他王国，有着各种纠纷和野心，不讲道理，穷兵黩武，但现在，因为我们英国的谨慎和讲道义，我们已经成功地避免了战祸，且，在我们印度盟友的帮助下，我们击败了一个野心勃勃的邻国，尽管我国有足够的力量摧毁这个邻国，但是，我们没有那样做，因为我们真心善意想和全世界保持和平友好的关系。
（注：那个年代，英国已经开始控制印度，所以，信中有“印度盟友”一说）
我们觉得：光阴非常宝贵，我们认为更明智的是，抓紧时间，向贵国（大清）伸出友谊的双手，和贵国开展坦诚而友好的交往，贵国和我国，都是高度文明的大国，没有什么事比我们两国的建交更为迫切和重要。
长久以来，我们英国有很多臣民，也时常去贵国离北京较远的一个地方，和贵国臣民进行贸易。毫无疑问的是，国家之间的商品贸易，非常有力地增进彼此的便利、产业和财富。上帝造物，分布在世上各处，虽然各处风土气候不同，但贸易增进幸福，是上帝给予我们大家的祝福。
（注：英王所说的“贵国离北京较远的一个地方”指的是广州。大清从1757年开始实行“一口通商”，所有的外商，都只能在广州一个地方进行外贸交易）
广州十三行
不过，两国的交往，需要制定一个妥当合理的规矩，以防止我国的商人无意中冒犯贵国的风俗、习惯和法律，同时，也为了确保我国臣民前来贵国贸易的时候，能得到贵国的善待和保护。
我国也愿意在平等互惠的原则上，严格管束我国臣民，让他们不在任何外国为非作歹、或者作出坏的榜样，以至于使他们身受处罚。
我们冥思苦想，始终想不出一个好的办法，来达成这个美好善良的愿望，我们唯一能想到的，就是授权一个称职的外交代表，或者说领事人员，让他常驻在贵国，让他来管束我国臣民在贵国土地上的行为，并且接受贵国臣民对我国臣民的投诉，当我国臣民做错事的时候，让我国的领事人员惩罚他，反过来也一样，当我国臣民受到欺负的时候，我国领事人员，也可以保护他们。
这样做的话呢，我们两国之间所有的误会，都可以得到预防，两国交往的所有障碍，都可以排除掉，两国之间稳固和长久的友谊，可以得到巩固，那么作为回报，我们两个帝国之间，必然共同受惠于其中。
正是出于这些考虑，我们决定派出一位特命全权大使，拜访陛下的宫殿。考虑到陛下（乾隆）您是如此的尊贵，我们必须选出一个真正配得上、真正有资格代表我们国家的高级人物。于是，我最终选定了我的表兄弟，马嘎尔尼，他是我们英国的贵族，在我们英国广受信任和敬爱，马嘎尔尼是男爵，是我们枢密院的顾问官之一，是光荣的骑士，是伦敦皇家学会的会士，是一个高贵的人物，他有着崇高的美德，智慧和能力。
马嘎尔尼
马嘎尔尼男爵在我国政府，担任过很多重要职务，深受喜爱和尊敬，而且，他曾经担任我国驻俄国的大使，他在任上，对人和蔼，公道，业绩很优秀，马嘎尔尼也在我国一些海外领地任职，例如担任孟加拉总督，包括这次担任我国特命驻华全权大使，我们恳求陛下您，能够接受马嘎尔尼，并给予他礼遇，同时也恳求陛下您，能对他未来在北京的履职行为，给予关照。
同时，我们考虑到，需要规避可能影响两国往来的一些不确定因素，例如说，马嘎尔尼男爵可能因工作需要出差外地，又或者说，万一马嘎尔尼死在任上，又或者因其他原因不在北京，考虑到这些不可预见的因素，我们同时也指派了我们信任和喜爱的史丹顿从男爵，他是我们牛津大学的博士，伦敦皇家学会的会士。
马嘎尔尼的助理史丹顿，又译作斯丹东
我们任命史丹顿从男爵为驻华副使，辅助大使马嘎尔尼，在北京开展工作。史丹顿是一个风度翩翩，充满智慧，学识渊博的人物，他曾经在我们西印度群岛担任过部队军医（上校军衔），工作认真，业绩斐然。
史丹顿也曾被我们任命为首席检察官，并且曾在我们和印度的某些冲突中，担任调停员，成功调停过战争。我们考虑到马嘎尔尼男爵万一在任上去世、或者因任何原因不在北京的时候，史丹顿可以全权代理驻华公使。
我们同样也恳求陛下您，能够接受史丹顿，给予他应有的礼遇，以及对他在北京的履职行为，予以关照。
陛下（乾隆）您具有至高无上的智慧，并有一颗公正的心，您有着对天下苍生的慷慨和仁慈，您的这些荣耀，天下共知，我们深深信赖，所以我们祈求陛下您，在您长盛不衰的统治期里，能够批准我们这个请求。
与此同时，我国相信，我们派出的大使和外交代表，可以有这个宝贵的机会，耳濡目染贵国的美德，他们可以借此机会，向贵国的官方机构虚心学习，那么他们将来回国之后，可以更好地教化我们英国的臣民。
对于我们派出的这个大使（马嘎尔尼），我们确认他富有才学，无论是艺术、科技，还是监管能力等各方面，要么能学以致用，要么能上进好学，马嘎尔尼男爵在欧洲各国的出使经验，使他拥有这样的素质，我想陛下您也希望他有这样的素质。
我们也希望陛下您，可以愉快地准许所有的英国臣民自由地、频繁地进出贵国的海港，并准许他们在当地合法居住，并且自由进入贵国的市场、开展贸易，我们相信，在陛下所订立的良好法律之下，我国臣民的生命和财产，在陛下的保护之下，应该是安全的。
我们期望并相信，贵国能保护无辜的良民，也就是说：既没有犯罪、也没有包庇罪犯的人，不应受到惩罚，当然，我们知道，所有的执法行为，都是贵国的主权，我国的臣民只要在贵国犯了法，破坏了您的和平秩序，破坏我们两国的友谊，我国的大使，必然会将他逮捕、然后移交贵国官府，让他受到罪有应得的惩罚。
我们已经特别吩咐我们的大使，要在他的权限范围内，尽可能地向陛下您传达我们英国对您的敬意和友谊。如果我们的期望能够得到实现，那么，我们将感到无比的满足和愉快。
我和陛下您，都是一国之君，我们惺惺相惜，亲如兄弟！我相信我们的情谊，必然能地久天长！
愿上帝保护中国陛下！
（全信完）
读完乔治三世这封信，我们晓得了：乔治三世最大的诉求，就是要求乾隆皇帝接受马嘎尔尼作为英国第一任驻华大使，留驻北京，并且在北京找个地方，作为英国驻华大使馆，把马嘎尔尼安顿下来，长期办公。
那么乾隆皇帝的回应是什么呢？
答案是：乾隆不答应。
另外还有一件事就是：马嘎尔尼率领使团到北京，当时接待他们的是和珅，对，就是那个后来被嘉庆皇帝抄家的那个贪官和珅。
和珅要求马嘎尔尼见乾隆皇帝的时候，双腿下跪，三跪九叩，但是，马嘎尔尼死活不愿意，最终，他与和珅达成折衷方案：单腿下跪。
马嘎尔尼向乾隆单腿下跪
然而，英国人单腿下跪这事，虽然乾隆并未当面责难，但心里并不舒服，所以，这事也影响了乾隆的心情和决策。最终，马嘎尔尼使团一无所获，空手而归。
47年之后的1840年，英国人又来了，这次来的是炮舰，直接用大炮，轰开了大清的国门。
附录
《英王乔治三世给乾隆的信原文》
His Most Sacred Majesty George the Third, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Sovereign of the Seas, Defender of the Faith and so forth, To the Supreme Emperor of China Kien-long worthy to live tens of thousands and tens of thousands thousand Years, sendeth Greeting.
The natural disposition of a great and benevolent Sovereign, such as is Your Imperial Majesty, whom Providence has seated upon a Throne for the good of Mankind, is, to watch over the peace and security of his dominions, and to take pains for disseminating happiness, virtue and knowledge among his subjects, extending also the same beneficence with all the peaceful arts, as far as he is able, to the whole human race.
Impressed with such sentiments from the beginning of Our Reign when We found Our People engaged in War We granted to Our enemies, after obtaining Victories over them in the four quarters of the World the blessings of Peace upon the most equitable condition. Since that period not satisfied with promoting the prosperity of Our own subjects in every respect, and beyond the example of any former times We have taken various opportunities of fitting out Ships and sending in them some of the most wise and learned of Our Own People, for the discovery of distant and unkown region, not for the purpose of conquest, or of enlarging Our dominion which are already sufficiently extensive for all Our wishes, not for the purpose of acquiring wealth, or even of favoring the commerce of Our Subjects, but for the sake of increasing Our knowledge of the habitable Globe, of finding out the various production of the Earth, and for communicating the arts and comforts of life to those parts where they were hitherto little known; and We have since sent vessels with the animals and vegetables most useful to Man, to Islands and places where it appeared they had been wanting.
We have been still more anxious to enquire into the arts and manners of Countries where civilization has been perfected by the wise ordinances and virtuous examples of their Sovereigns through a long series of ages; and, above all, Our ardent wish had been to become acquainted with those celebrated institutions of Your Majesty's populous and extensive Empire which have carried its prosperity to such a height as to be the admiration of all surrounding Nations—And now that We have by prudence and justice avoided the calamities of War into which discord and ambition have plunged most of the other Kingdoms of Europe, and that by engaging Our Allies in Hindostan [India] to put an end to hostilities occasioned by the attack of an ambitious Neighbor, even when it was in Our power to destroy him, We have the happiness of being at peace with all the World, no time can be go as propitious for extending the bounds of friendship and benevolence, and for proposing to communicate and receive those benefits which must result from an unreserved and amicable intercourse, between such great and civilized Nations as China and Great Britain.
Many of Our subjects have also frequented for a long time past a remote part of Your Majesty's dominions for the purpose of Trade. No doubt the interchange of commodities between Nations distantly situated tends to their mutual convenience, industry and wealth, as the blessings which the Great God of Heaven has conferred upon various soils and climates are thus distributed among his Creatures scattered over the surface of the Earth. But such an intercourse requires to be properly conducted, so as that the newcomers may not infringe the laws and custom's of the Country they visit, and that on the other hand they may be received on terms of hospitality and meet the Justice and protection due to Strangers. We are indeed equally desirous to restrain Our Subjects from doing evil or even of showing ill example in any foreign Country, as We are that [they] should receive no injury in it. There is no method of effecting so good a purpose, but by the residence of a proper Person authorized by Us to regulate their conduct and to receive complaints against them whenever they should give occasion for any to be made against them, as well as any they might consider as having just cause to make of ill treatment towards them.
By such means every misunderstanding may be prevented, every inconvenience removed, a firm and lasting friendship cemented and a return of mutual good offices secured between our respective Empires.
All these conideration have determined Us to depute an Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Your Court, and willing to make choice for this purpose of a Person truly worthy of representing Us and of appearing before Your August Presence We have fixed upon Our right trusty and well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor the Right Honorable George Lord Viscount Macartney, Baron of Lissanoure and one of Our most honorable Privy Council of Our Kingdom of Great Britain, Knight of the most honorable order of the Bath and of the most ancient and royal order of the White Eagle, and Fellow of Our Royal Society of London for the promotion of natural knowledge, a Nobleman of high rank and quality, of great virtue, wisdom and ability, who has filled many important offices in the State of trust and honor, has already worthily represented Our Person in an Embassy to the Court of Russia, and has governed with mildness, justice and success, several of Our most coniderable possession in the Eastern and western Parts of the World, and appointed to the Government General of Bengal, to be Our Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Your Imperial Majesty with credentials under Our Great Seal of Our Kingdoms and Our Sign Manual, to whom We entreat Your Majesty to grant a gracious reception, as well as a favorable attention to his Representation.
And in order to avoid every possibility of interruption in this amicable communication which we wish to establish and maintain with Your sublime Person and Court, and which might happen after the departure of Our said Embassador Extraordinary whose presence may be necessary to Our Affairs elsewhere or in case of his death or ocassional absence from Your Capital, We have appointed Our trusty and well beloved Sir George Staunton, Bart., honorary Doctor of Laws of Our University of Oxford, and Fellow of Our Royal Society of London for the promotion of natural knowledge, whom We have appointed Our Secretary of Embassy under the direction of Our Embassador as a Gentleman of wisdom and knowledge who hath already served us with fidelity and zeal as a Member of Our honorable Council and Colonel of Militia in some of Our Dominion in the West Indies, and appointed by Us Our Attorney General in the same, and hath since exercised with ability and success the Office of Commissioner for treating and making Peace with Tippoo Sultaun, one of the most coniderable Princes of Hindostan, to be also Minister Plenipotentiary to Your August Person, with Credentials likewise under Our Great Seal, and for whom, in case of the death departure or occasional absence of Our said Embassador Extraordinary, We entreat in like manner Your Majesty’s gracious reception and attention to his Representation in Our name.
We rely on Your Imperial Majesty's wisdom and justice and general benevolence to Mankind so conspicuous in Your long and happy reign that You will please allow Our Ambassador and Representative at Your Court to have the opportunity of contemplating the example of Your virtues and to obtain such information of Your celebrated institutions as will enable him to enlighten Our People on his return; He, on Our part being directed to give, as far as Your Majesty shall please to desire it, a full and free communication of any art, science, or observation, either of use or curiosity, which the industry ingenuity and experience of Europeans may have enabled them to acquire: And also that You will be pleased to allow to any of Our Subjects frequenting the Coasts of Your dominions, and conducting themselves with propriety a secure residence there and a fair access to Your Markets, under such laws and regulations, as Your Majesty shall think right, and that their lives and properties shall be safe under Your Imperial protection: that one Man shall not suffer for the crime of another, in which he did not participate, and whose evasion from justice he did not assist, but that every measure shall be taken on the part of Your Government as Our Ambassador is instructed strictly to direct to be taken on the part of Our People to seize and bring to condign Punishment, any of Our Subjects transgressing the laws or good order of Your Empire, or disturbing the Peace and friendship subsisting between Us.
We have particularly instructed Our Ambassador to take every method in his Power to mark Our regard and friendly disposition to Your Imperial Majesty, and it will give Us the utmost satisfaction to learn that Our wishes in that respect have been amply complied with and that as We are Brethren in Sovereignty, so may a Brotherly affection ever subsist between Us.
May the Almighty have you in his holy protection!
