GARDENS OF CELEBRITIES 
old Emperor of Germany, the Queen dined at Marlborough House, 
and actually permitted the suspension of the Court mourning for 
the occasion. Three months later her favourite grandson—the 
now notorious Kaiser William, became Emperor in succession to 
his father Frederick. 
It is said that the nephew’s social charm is as great as was the 
uncle’s; and one authority states that no personal or political , 
rivalry existed between them, that “ there was no estrangement,” 
and that “the ill-feeling disappeared when they met.” 
This may be so, but in the light of subsequent events it is difficult 
to believe it, impossible not to attribute sinister and selfish motives 
for the German Emperor’s professed friendship, and formerly very 
frequent visits.* 
There could have been no ties of opinion and sympathy to bind 
the two together, for France was still bleeding from the wounds 
that Germany had inflicted on her; and we are told that King 
Edward, at Biarritz, at Cannes, and in Paris, had long before 
“‘ emphatically declared in all circles his love for France, his hope 
of a perpetual peace between her and England, and his dread of 
another Franco-German War.” Nor did he qualify such senti- 
ments when he travelled in Germany. ‘‘ He loved France,” said 
Gambetta, “ 4 la fois gaiment et sérieusement,” and his dream was 
of an-Anglo-French entente. 
In Germany “ There’s such divinity doth hedge a king ” that to 
dare to criticize the Emperor in the smallest particular is lése 
majesté, a crime severely punishable. 
The Kaiser is ‘‘ The All Highest,”’ and regards himself as God’s 
vicegerent upon earth. Because he is “ over-lord,’’ he does not 
acknowledge the rights of small states, nor their just claim to self- 
determination, but works to bring the whole world under his sway. 
To this end he has waged ruthless war, bringing bereavement, and 
untold misery, on half the families of Europe. 
There was, it is true, the tie of blood, but beyond that I fail to 
see what common interest or purpose could unite him to the gracious, 
kindly Prince; condescending without appearing to condescend, 
* This sentence is not strong enough. It was written in 1916, before the Gerard and 
Lichnowsky revelation, and before the publication of the ‘ Willy-Nicky”’ correspondence 
had betrayed to the world the worthlessness of the Kaiser’s professions of friendship even 
for his kinsmen. I think there can be now no doubt but that the uncle read the nephew’s 
nature clearly, and gauged his capacity for evil and his boundless ambition, and that the 
“estrangement,” though not open, was real. 
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