AS MINISTER TO GERM ANY -1879 -1881 533 



Englishmen, I have found very little of the coldness and 

 stiffness which are sometimes complained of. On the con- 

 trary, whenever I have been thrown among them, whether 

 in Great Britain or on the Continent, they have generally 

 proved to he agreeable conversationists. One thing has 

 seemed to me at times curious and even comical : they will 

 frequently shut themselves up tightly from their com- 

 patriots, even from those of their own station, and yet 

 be affable, and indeed expansive, to any American they 

 chance to meet. The reason for this is, to an American, 

 even more curious than the fact. I may discuss it later. 



My arrival in Berlin took place just at the beginning of 

 the golden-wedding festivities of the old Emperor Wil- 

 liam I. There was a wonderful series of pageants: his- 

 toric costume balls, gala operas, and the like, at court; 

 but most memorable to me was the kindly welcome ex- 

 tended to us by all in authority, from the Emperor and 

 Empress down. The cordiality of the diplomatic corps 

 was also very pleasing, and during the presentations to 

 the ruling family of the empire I noticed one thing espe- 

 cially: the great care with which they all, from the mon- 

 arch to the youngest prince, had prepared themselves to 

 begin a conversation agreeable to the new-comer. One 

 of these high personages started a discussion with me upon 

 American shipping ; another, on American art ; another, on 

 scenery in Colorado ; another, on our railways and steam- 

 ers; still another, on American dentists and dentistry; 

 and, in case of a lack of other subjects, there was Niagara, 

 which they could always fall back upon. 



The duty of a prince of the house of Hohenzollern is 

 by no means light ;, it involves toil. In my time, when 

 the present emperor, then the young Prince William, 

 brought his bride home, in addition to their other recep- 

 tions of public bodies, day after day and hour after hour, 

 they received the diplomatic corps, who were arranged 

 at the palace in a great circle, the ladies forming one half 

 and the gentlemen the other. The young princess, ac- 

 companied by her train, beginning with the ladies, and 



