BERLIN, OXFORD, ST. ANDREWS- 1901-1903 205 



Louis, and to feel that there was really nothing in these 

 for Germany ; that, in fact, German manufacturing inter 

 ests would be better served by avoiding them than by 

 taking part in them. Still, by earnest presentation of 

 the matter at the Foreign Office and to the Emperor, I was 

 able to secure a promise that German art should be well 

 represented. 



In March, a lull having come in public business as well 

 as in social duty, I started on my usual excursion to Italy, 

 its most interesting feature being my sixth stay in Venice. 

 Ten days in that fascinating city were almost entirely 

 devoted to increasing my knowledge of Fra Paolo Sarpi. 

 Various previous visits had familiarized me with the main 

 events in his wonderful career; but I now met with two 

 pieces of especially good fortune. First, I made the ac 

 quaintance of the Rev. Dr. Alexander Robertson, an ar 

 dent admirer of Father Paul, and author of an excellent 

 biography of him ; and, next, I was able to add to my own 

 material a mass of rare books and manuscripts relating 

 to the great Venetian. Most interesting was my visit, in 

 company with Dr. Robertson, to the remains of Father 

 Paul s old monastery, where we found what no one, up 

 to our time, seems to have discovered the little door 

 which the Venetian Senate caused to be made in the walls 

 of the monastery garden, at Father Paul s request, in order 

 that he might reach his gondola at once, and not be again 

 exposed to assassins like those sent by Pope Paul V, 

 who had attacked him and left him, to all appearances 

 dead, in the little street near the monastery. 



Returning to Berlin, the usual round of duty was re 

 sumed; but there seems nothing worthy to be chronicled, 

 save possibly the visit of the Shah of Persia and the 

 Crown Prince of Siam. Both were seen in all their glory 

 at the gala opera given in their honor; but the Persian 

 ruler appeared to little advantage, for he was obliged to 

 retire before the close of the representation. He was evi 

 dently prematurely old and worn out. The feature of this 

 social function which especially dwells in my memory was 



