Editing Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet (section)

==China==
Barrow taught mathematics to the son of Sir [[George Leonard Staunton]]; through Staunton's interest, he was attached on the [[Macartney Embassy|first British embassy to China]] from 1792 to 1794 as [[comptroller]] of the household to [[George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney|Lord Macartney]]. He soon acquired a good knowledge of the Chinese language, on which he subsequently contributed articles to the ''[[Quarterly Review]]''; and the account of the embassy published by Sir George Staunton records many of Barrow's valuable contributions to literature and science connected with China.{{sfn|Anonymous|1911}}

Barrow ceased to be officially connected with Chinese affairs after the return of the embassy in 1794, but he always took much interest in them, and on critical occasions was frequently consulted by the [[British government]].{{sfn|Anonymous|1911}}

Some historians attribute the 'stagnation thesis' to Barrow; that China was an extremely civilized nation that was in a process of decay by the time of European contact.<ref name=":0" />